Stanley Ridges

Stanley Charles Ridges (17 July 1890 – 22 April 1951) was an English-born American actor who made more than 100 appearances in theatre and movies from 1917 to 1951.

Career Eventually making his way to America, Ridges began as a song-and-dance man on Broadway, but later turned to dramatic roles onstage, appearing in such plays as Maxwell Anderson's Mary of Scotland (as Lord Morton) and Valley Forge (as Lieutenant Colonel Lucifer Tench), becoming a romantic leading man.

Ridges' silent film debut was in Success (1923). With his excellent diction and rich voice, he easily made the transition into sound films, with his career taking off at age 43, in Crime Without Passion (1934), with Claude Rains. Ridges found himself cast in character roles, as his greying hair put his romantic leading man days at an end.

His better known roles were probably two different characters in one film, one of them the kindly Professor Kingsley and the other the murderous Red Cannon in the thriller Black Friday (1940).

Ridges often was cast in supporting roles in many classic films, and played the lead only once, in the B-picture False Faces (1943).

Among Ridges's other film roles were as the Scotland Yard inspector who is shadowing Charles Laughton in the film The Suspect (1944), as Major Buxton (Gary Cooper's commanding officer) in Sergeant York (1941), as Professor Siletsky in To Be or Not to Be (1942), and as Cary Travers Grayson, the official physician for the president in Wilson (1944).

By 1950, he had just begun an appearing in television anthologies such as Studio One and The Philco Television Playhouse. His last feature film, the Ginger Rogers comedy The Groom Wore Spurs, in which he played a mobster, was released a month before he died.

Death Ridges died 22 April 1951 in Westbrook, Connecticut, aged 60.

Filmography Broadway roles Year Title Role Notes 1933 Mary of Scotland Lord Morton 1934 Valley Forge Lt. Colonel Lucifer Tench

Film Year Title Role Notes 1923 Success Gilbert Gordon 1930 The Poor Fish George short 1930 Let's Merge short 1931 For Two Cents Reporter 1932 The Sign of the Cross Chaplain Lloyd uncredited, his footage was added especially for the 1944 re-release prologue only 1934 Crime Without Passion Eddie White 1935 The Scoundrel Paul Decker 1936 Winterset Shadow 1936 Sinner Take All MacKelvey 1937 Internes Can't Take Money Innes 1938 Yellow Jack Dr. James Carroll 1938 If I Were King Rene de Montigny 1938 The Mad Miss Manton Edward Norris 1938 They're Always Caught Dr. John Pritchard short 1938 There's That Woman Again Tony Croy 1939 Let Us Live District Attorney 1939 Silver on the Sage Earl Brennan / Dave Talbot 1939 Union Pacific General Casement 1939 Each Dawn I Die Meuller 1939 I Stole a Million Downs uncredited 1939 Dust Be My Destiny Charlie Garrett 1939 Espionage Agent Hamilton Peyton 1939 Nick Carter, Master Detective Doctor Frankton 1940 Black Friday Prof. George Kingsley / Red Cannon 1941 The Sea Wolf Johnson 1941 Mr. District Attorney District Attorney Tom F. Winton 1941 Sergeant York Major Buxton 1941 They Died with Their Boots On Major Romulus Taipe 1942 The Lady Is Willing Kenneth Hanline 1942 To Be or Not to Be Professor Siletsky 1942 The Big Shot Martin T. Fleming, Attorney 1942 Eagle Squadron Air Minister 1942 Eyes in the Night Hansen 1943 Tarzan Triumphs Col. von Reichart 1943 Air Force Major Mallory 1943 False Faces District Attorney Stanley S. Harding 1943 This is the Army Maj. John B. Davidson 1944 The Story of Dr. Wassell Cmdr. William B. 'Bill' Goggins 1944 Wilson Dr. Cary Grayson 1944 The Master Race Phil Carson 1944 The Suspect Huxley 1945 God Is My Co-Pilot Col. Merian 'Steve' Cooper 1945 The Phantom Speaks Dr. Paul Renwick 1945 Captain Eddie Col. Hans Adamson 1945 Because of Him Charles Gilbert 1946 Canyon Passage Jonas Overmire 1946 Mr. Ace Toomey 1947 Possessed Dr. Harvey Willard 1948 An Act of Murder Doctor Walter Morrison 1949 Streets of Laredo Major Bailey 1949 You're My Everything Mr. Henry Mercer 1949 Task Force Sen. Bentley` 1950 The File on Thelma Jordon Kingsley Willis 1950 Paid in Full Dr. P.J. 'Phil' Winston 1950 No Way Out Dr. Sam Moreland 1950 The Du Pont Story Gen. Henry du Pont 1951 The Groom Wore Spurs Harry Kallen final film role