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Richard Arlen

Richard Arlen

Known For Acting
Birthday Aug 30, 1899
Died Mar 28, 1976 (76)
Birthplace Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Popularity 0.5 (history)
Updated Aug 09, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore) was an American film and television actor. He served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Flying Corps during World War I. After the war, he went to the oilfields of Texas and Oklahoma and found work as a tool boy. He was thereafter a messenger and sportin ... g editor of a newspaper before going to Los Angeles to act in films, but no producer wanted him. He was a delivery boy for a film laboratory when the motorcycle which he was riding landed him a broken leg outside the Paramount Pictures lot. A sympathetic film director gave him his start as an extra. He appeared at first in silent films before making the transition to talkies. His first important film role was in Vengeance of the Deep. He took time out from his Hollywood career to teach as a United States Army Air Forces flight instructor in World War II. Arlen is best known for his role as a pilot in the Academy Award-winning Wings with Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Gary Cooper, El Brendel, and his second wife, Jobyna Ralston, whom he married in 1927. He was among the more famous residents of the celebrity enclave, Toluca Lake, California. He married New York socialite, Margaret Kinsella, in 1946. In 1939, Universal teamed him with Andy Devine for a series of 14 B-pictures, mostly action-comedies with heavy reliance on stock footage from larger-scale films. They are informally known as the "Aces of Action" series, which is how the stars were billed in the trailers. When Arlen left the studio in 1941, the series continued with Devine teamed with a variety of other actors. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Arlen was active in television, having guest starred in several anthology series, including Playhouse 90, The Loretta Young Show, The 20th Century Fox Hour, and in three episodes of the series about clergymen, Crossroads. In 1960, Arlen was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry. In 1968, he appeared on Petticoat Junction playing himself. The episode was called "Wings" and it was in direct reference to the 1927 silent movie Wings. Arlen appeared in westerns, such as Lawman, Branded, Bat Masterson, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, and Yancy Derringer, and in such drama/adventure programs as Ripcord, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The New Breed, Coronado 9, and Michael Shayne.

Known For

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Filmography

The Horror Show

The Horror Show

1979

as (archive footage)

A Whale of a Tale

A Whale of a Tale

1976

as Mr. Monahan

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976

as Silent Film Star 2

The Sky's the Limit

The Sky's the Limit

1975

as Grimes

Rogue's Gallery

Rogue's Gallery

1968

as Man in Club

Buckskin

Buckskin

1968

as Townsman

Fort Utah

Fort Utah

1967

as Sam Tyler

Red Tomahawk

Red Tomahawk

1967

as Deadwood Telegrapher

Hostile Guns

Hostile Guns

1967

as Sheriff Travis

To the Shores of Hell

To the Shores of Hell

1966

as Brig. Gen. F.W. Ramsgate

Johnny Reno

Johnny Reno

1966

as Ned Duggan

Waco

Waco

1966

as Billy Kelly

The Bounty Killer

The Bounty Killer

1965

as Matthew Ridgeway

Apache Uprising

Apache Uprising

1965

as Captain Gannon

Black Spurs

Black Spurs

1965

as Pete

The Human Duplicators

The Human Duplicators

1965

as National Intelligence

Town Tamer

Town Tamer

1965

as Doctor Kent

Sex and the College Girl

Sex and the College Girl

1964

as Charles Devon

Law of the Lawless

Law of the Lawless

1964

as Ben the Bartender

Young Fury

Young Fury

1964

as Sheriff Jenkins

The Best Man

The Best Man

1964

as Sen. Oscar Anderson

The Young and the Brave

The Young and the Brave

1963

as Col. Ralph Holbein

The Crawling Hand

The Crawling Hand

1963

as Lee Barrenger

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

1961

as 'Four Feathers' (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Last Time I Saw Archie

The Last Time I Saw Archie

1961

as Col. Edwin Martin

Raymie

Raymie

1960

as Chris Garber

Warlock

Warlock

1959

as Bacon

The Day of the Trumpet

The Day of the Trumpet

1958

as Sgt. Jim Heisler

Hidden Guns

Hidden Guns

1956

as Sheriff Ward Young

The Mountain

The Mountain

1956

as C. W. Rivial

Blonde Blackmailer

Blonde Blackmailer

1955

as Tony Pelassier

Devil's Point

Devil's Point

1954

as John 'Captain' Martin

Sabre Jet

Sabre Jet

1953

as Gen. Robert E 'Bob' Hale

The Blazing Forest

The Blazing Forest

1952

as Joe Morgan

Hurricane Smith

Hurricane Smith

1952

as Brundage

Flaming Feather

Flaming Feather

1952

as Showdown Calhoun

Silver City

Silver City

1951

as Charles Storrs

Kansas Raiders

Kansas Raiders

1950

as Union Captain

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

1949

as Mike Adams

The Return of Wildfire

The Return of Wildfire

1948

as Dobe Williams

Speed to Spare

Speed to Spare

1948

as Cliff Jordan

When My Baby Smiles at Me

When My Baby Smiles at Me

1948

as Harvey Howell

Buffalo Bill Rides Again

Buffalo Bill Rides Again

1947

as Buffalo Bill

Accomplice

Accomplice

1946

as Simon Lash

Identity Unknown

Identity Unknown

1945

as Johnny March

The Phantom Speaks

The Phantom Speaks

1945

as Matt Fraser

That's My Baby!

That's My Baby!

1944

as Tim Jones

The Big Bonanza

The Big Bonanza

1944

as Capt. Jed Kilton

Timber Queen

Timber Queen

1944

as Russell Evans

The Lady and the Monster

The Lady and the Monster

1944

as Dr. Patrick Cory

Storm Over Lisbon

Storm Over Lisbon

1944

as John Craig

Minesweeper

Minesweeper

1943

as Richard Houston

Alaska Highway

Alaska Highway

1943

as Woody Ormsby

Submarine Alert

Submarine Alert

1943

as Lewis J. 'Lee' Deerhold

Aerial Gunner

Aerial Gunner

1943

as Jon Davis

A Letter From Bataan

A Letter From Bataan

1942

as Pvt. John W. Lewis

Wildcat

Wildcat

1942

as Johnny Maverick

Wrecking Crew

Wrecking Crew

1942

as Matt Carney

Torpedo Boat

Torpedo Boat

1942

as Skinner Barnes

A Dangerous Game

A Dangerous Game

1941

as Dick Williams

Mutiny in the Arctic

Mutiny in the Arctic

1941

as Dick Barclay

Raiders of the Desert

Raiders of the Desert

1941

as Dick Manning

Power Dive

Power Dive

1941

as Brad Farrell

Men of the Timberland

Men of the Timberland

1941

as Dick O'Hara

Flying Blind

Flying Blind

1941

as Jim Clark

Lucky Devils

Lucky Devils

1941

as Dick McManus

Forced Landing

Forced Landing

1941

as Dan Kendall

The Devil's Pipeline

The Devil's Pipeline

1940

as Dick Talbot

Danger On Wheels

Danger On Wheels

1940

as "Lucky" Larry Taylor

Hot Steel

Hot Steel

1940

as Frank Stewart

The Leather Pushers

The Leather Pushers

1940

as Dick 'Kid' Roberts

Black Diamonds

Black Diamonds

1940

as Walter Norton

Mutiny on the Blackhawk

Mutiny on the Blackhawk

1939

as Capt. Robert Lawrence

The Man from Montreal

The Man from Montreal

1939

as Clark Manning

Tropic Fury

Tropic Fury

1939

as Dan Burton

Legion of Lost Flyers

Legion of Lost Flyers

1939

as Gene 'Loop' Gillan

Missing Daughters

Missing Daughters

1939

as Wally King

No Time To Marry

No Time To Marry

1938

as Perry Brown

Call of The Yukon

Call of The Yukon

1938

as Gaston Rogers

Straight, Place and Show

Straight, Place and Show

1938

as Denny Paine

Murder in Greenwich Village

Murder in Greenwich Village

1937

as Steve Havens Jackson Jr.

The Great Barrier

The Great Barrier

1937

as Hickey

Secret Valley

Secret Valley

1937

as Lee Rogers

Artists & Models

Artists & Models

1937

as Alan Townsend

Three Live Ghosts

Three Live Ghosts

1936

as William 'Bill' Jones, an alias of William Foster

The Mine with the Iron Door

The Mine with the Iron Door

1936

as Bob Harvey

The Calling of Dan Matthews

The Calling of Dan Matthews

1935

as Dan Matthews

Helldorado

Helldorado

1935

as Art Ryan

Let 'em Have It

Let 'em Have It

1935

as Mal Stevens

She Made Her Bed

She Made Her Bed

1934

as Wild Bill Smith

Ready for Love

Ready for Love

1934

as Julian Barrow

Come On, Marines!

Come On, Marines!

1934

as Lucky Davis

Golden Harvest

Golden Harvest

1933

as Walt Martin

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

1933

as Cheshire Cat

Three-Cornered Moon

Three-Cornered Moon

1933

as Dr. Alan Stevens

Song of the Eagle

Song of the Eagle

1933

as Bill Hoffman

College Humor

College Humor

1933

as Mondrake

Sky Bride

Sky Bride

1932

as Bert 'Speed' Condon

The All-American

The All-American

1932

as Gary King

Island of Lost Souls

Island of Lost Souls

1932

as Edward Parker

Tiger Shark

Tiger Shark

1932

as Pipes Boley

Wayward

Wayward

1932

as David Frost

Guilty as Hell

Guilty as Hell

1932

as Frank C. Marsh

Caught

Caught

1931

as Lt. Tom Colton

Gun Smoke

Gun Smoke

1931

as Brad Farley

The Secret Call

The Secret Call

1931

as Tom Blake

The Conquering Horde

The Conquering Horde

1931

as Dan McMasters

Touchdown!

Touchdown!

1931

as Dan Curtis

The Lawyer's Secret

The Lawyer's Secret

1931

as Joe Hart

Burning Up

Burning Up

1930

as Lou Larrigan

The Sea God

The Sea God

1930

as Phillip 'Pink' Barker

The Light of Western Stars

The Light of Western Stars

1930

as Dick Bailey

The Santa Fe Trail

The Santa Fe Trail

1930

as Stan Hollister

Only Saps Work

Only Saps Work

1930

as Lawrence Payne

Dangerous Paradise

Dangerous Paradise

1930

as Heyst

The Border Legion

The Border Legion

1930

as Jim Cleve

Paramount on Parade

Paramount on Parade

1930

as Hunter (Dream Girl)

The Four Feathers

The Four Feathers

1929

as Lt. Harry Faversham

The Man I Love

The Man I Love

1929

as Joe "Dum-Dum" Brooks

Dangerous Curves

Dangerous Curves

1929

as Larry Lee

The Virginian

The Virginian

1929

as Steven 'Steve'

Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt

1929

as Bob Moran

Under the Tonto Rim

Under the Tonto Rim

1928

as Edd Denmeade

Manhattan Cocktail

Manhattan Cocktail

1928

as Fred Tilden

Ladies of the Mob

Ladies of the Mob

1928

as Red

Feel My Pulse

Feel My Pulse

1928

as Her Problem

Beggars of Life

Beggars of Life

1928

as The Boy (Jim)

Figures Don't Lie

Figures Don't Lie

1927

as Bob Blewe

Sally in Our Alley

Sally in Our Alley

1927

as Jimmie Adams

She's a Sheik

She's a Sheik

1927

as Capt. Colton

The Blood Ship

The Blood Ship

1927

as John Shreve

Wings

Wings

1927

as David Armstrong

Rolled Stockings

Rolled Stockings

1927

as Ralph Treadway

Behind the Front

Behind the Front

1926

as Percy Brown

The Enchanted Hill

The Enchanted Hill

1926

as Link Halliwell

Padlocked

Padlocked

1926

as 'Tubby' Clark

You'd Be Surprised

You'd Be Surprised

1926

as Photographer

Old Ironsides

Old Ironsides

1926

as Seaman (uncredited)

In the Name of Love

In the Name of Love

1925

as Dumas Dufrayne

The Coast of Folly

The Coast of Folly

1925

as Bather

Hollywood

Hollywood

1923

as Richard Arlen

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

The Lucy Show

as Richard

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

Perry Mason

as Dr. Harrison

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 21, 1957

Yancy Derringer

as General Hugh Morgan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1958

Climax!

as Nevers

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Wanted: Dead or Alive

as Damon Ring, Sr.

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1958

Bat Masterson

as John Minor

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1958

The New Breed

as Willits

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1961

Letter to Loretta

as Christopher Waring

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1953

Bat Masterson

as Sheriff Dan Rainey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1958

The Colgate Comedy Hour

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1950

Petticoat Junction

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1963

This Is Your Life

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

Your Show of Shows

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 25, 1950

The 20th Century Fox Hour

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1955

Matinee Theater

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 31, 1955

Branded

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 24, 1965

Lock-Up

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 28, 1959

The Whistler

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 13, 1954

Coronado 9

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1960

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 8 13 4
2024 7 11 22 3
2024 8 9 20 3
2024 9 8 12 4
2024 10 4 8 2
2024 11 2 4 1
2024 12 5 11 3
2025 1 8 17 3
2025 2 3 7 1
2025 3 2 4 1
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 0 0 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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