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Dick Powell‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1904-11-14

Popularity

star8.6

Dick Powell

Mountain View, Arkansas, USA

Dick Powell

Mountain View, Arkansas, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1904-11-14

Popularity

star8.6

Biography

Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss. Born in Mountain View, the seat of Stone County in northern Arkansas, Powell attended the former Little Rock College in the state capital, before he started his entertainment career as a singer with the Charlie Davis Orchestra, based in the midwest. He recorded a number of records with Davis and on his own, for the Vocalion label in the late 1920s. Powell moved to Pittsburgh, where he found great local success as the Master of Ceremonies at the Enright Theater and the Stanley Theater. In April 1930, Warner Bros. bought up Brunswick Records which at that time owned Vocalion. Warner Bros. was sufficiently impressed by Powell's singing and stage presence to offer him a film contract in 1932. He made his film debut as a singing bandleader in Blessed Event. He went on to star as a boyish crooner in movie musicals such as 42nd Street, Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933, Dames, Flirtation Walk, and On the Avenue, often appearing opposite Ruby Keeler and Joan Blondell. Powell desperately wanted to expand his range but Warner Bros. wouldn't allow him to do so, although they did (mis)cast him in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) as Lysander. This was to be Powell's only Shakespearean role and one he did not want to play, feeling that he was completely wrong for the part. Finally, reaching his forties and knowing that his young romantic leading man days were behind him he lobbied to play the lead in Double Indemnity. He lost out to Fred MacMurray, another Hollywood nice guy. MacMurray’s success, however, fueled Powell’s resolve to pursue projects with greater range and in 1944, he was cast in the first of a series of films noir, as private detective Philip Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet, directed by Edward Dmytryk. The film was a big hit and Powell had successfully reinvented himself as a dramatic actor. The following year Dmytryk and Powell re-teamed to make Cornered, a gripping, post-WWII thriller that helped define the film noir style. He became a popular "tough guy" lead appearing in movies such as Johnny O'Clock and Cry Danger. But 1948 saw him step out of the brutish type when he starred in Pitfall, a film noir that sees a bored insurance company worker fall for an innocent but dangerous femme fatale, played by Lizabeth Scott. Even when he appeared in lighter fare such as The Reformer and the Redhead and Susan Slept Here (1954) he never sang in his later roles. The latter, his final onscreen appearance in a feature film, did include a dance number with costar Debbie Reynolds. From 1949-1953, Powell played the lead role in the National Broadcasting Company radio theater production Richard Diamond, Private Detective. His character in the 30-minute weekly was a likable private detective with a quick wit. When Richard Diamond came to television in 1957, the lead role was portrayed by David Janssen.

Movie Credits

42nd Street

42nd Street‌
star6.9
calendar 1933

Murder, My Sweet

Murder, My Sweet‌
star7.2
calendar 1944

It Happened Tomorrow

It Happened Tomorrow‌
star6.7
calendar 1944

Gold Diggers of 1933

Gold Diggers of 1933‌
star7.2
calendar 1933

The Bad and the Beautiful

The Bad and the Beautiful‌
star7.3
calendar 1952

Pitfall

Pitfall‌
star6.8
calendar 1948

Cry Danger

Cry Danger‌
star6.7
calendar 1951

In the Navy

In the Navy‌
star6.3
calendar 1941

The Tall Target

The Tall Target‌
star6.9
calendar 1951

Christmas in July

Christmas in July‌
star6.9
calendar 1940

Footlight Parade

Footlight Parade‌
star6.9
calendar 1933

Cornered

Cornered‌
star6.0
calendar 1945

Station West

Station West‌
star6.1
calendar 1948

Blessed Event

Blessed Event‌
star6.5
calendar 1932

Broadway Gondolier

Broadway Gondolier‌
star5.4
calendar 1935

Hollywood Hotel

Hollywood Hotel‌
star5.4
calendar 1938

Gold Diggers of 1935

Gold Diggers of 1935‌
star6.4
calendar 1935

Dames

Dames‌
star6.3
calendar 1934

The Reformer and the Redhead

The Reformer and the Redhead‌
star6.3
calendar 1950

Going Places

Going Places‌
star6.2
calendar 1938

To the Ends of the Earth

To the Ends of the Earth‌
star5.6
calendar 1948

Johnny O'Clock

Johnny O'Clock‌
star6.1
calendar 1947

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream‌
star6.4
calendar 1935

Susan Slept Here

Susan Slept Here‌
star6.1
calendar 1954

Flirtation Walk

Flirtation Walk‌
star5.5
calendar 1934

Gold Diggers of 1937

Gold Diggers of 1937‌
star5.8
calendar 1936

Meet the People

Meet the People‌
star5.0
calendar 1944

Star Spangled Rhythm

Star Spangled Rhythm‌
star5.9
calendar 1942

On the Avenue

On the Avenue‌
star6.7
calendar 1937

Twenty Million Sweethearts

Twenty Million Sweethearts‌
star6.0
calendar 1934

Thanks a Million

Thanks a Million‌
star6.0
calendar 1935

Colleen

Colleen‌
star5.3
calendar 1936

You Never Can Tell

You Never Can Tell‌
star6.4
calendar 1951

Happiness Ahead

Happiness Ahead‌
star6.0
calendar 1934

Wonder Bar

Wonder Bar‌
star6.2
calendar 1934

The King's Vacation

The King's Vacation‌
star5.0
calendar 1933

Varsity Show

Varsity Show‌
star6.0
calendar 1937

Cowboy from Brooklyn

Cowboy from Brooklyn‌
star4.0
calendar 1938

College Coach

College Coach‌
star4.3
calendar 1933

Happy Go Lucky

Happy Go Lucky‌
star4.0
calendar 1943

The Road Is Open Again

The Road Is Open Again‌
star0.0
calendar 1933

Hearts Divided

Hearts Divided‌
star5.0
calendar 1936

Page Miss Glory

Page Miss Glory‌
star6.3
calendar 1935

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage‌
star6.5
calendar 1983

Shipmates Forever

Shipmates Forever‌
star6.5
calendar 1935

Right Cross

Right Cross‌
star6.6
calendar 1950

Stage Struck

Stage Struck‌
star4.0
calendar 1936

Just Around the Corner

Just Around the Corner‌
star6.0
calendar 1933

Riding High

Riding High‌
star4.0
calendar 1943

I Want a Divorce

I Want a Divorce‌
star0.0
calendar 1940

Naughty But Nice

Naughty But Nice‌
star6.2
calendar 1939

The Singing Marine

The Singing Marine‌
star4.0
calendar 1937

Hard to Get

Hard to Get‌
star6.0
calendar 1938

True to Life

True to Life‌
star6.0
calendar 1943

Rogues' Regiment

Rogues' Regiment‌
star6.5
calendar 1948

Convention City

Convention City‌
star3.5
calendar 1933

Hollywood Hobbies

Hollywood Hobbies‌
star5.6
calendar 1939

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage‌
star6.0
calendar 2006

Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s‌
star10.0
calendar 1984

Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored

Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored‌
star5.5
calendar 2013

Model Wife

Model Wife‌
star0.0
calendar 1941

Too Busy to Work

Too Busy to Work‌
star4.0
calendar 1932

Who Killed Julie Greer?

Who Killed Julie Greer?‌
star0.0
calendar 1961

The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout

The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout‌
star0.0
calendar 2024

Ricochet

Ricochet‌
star0.0
calendar 1961

Hollywood Newsreel

Hollywood Newsreel‌
star4.0
calendar 1934

Television: The First Fifty Years

Television: The First Fifty Years‌
star0.0
calendar 1999

Gold Diggers: FDR'S New Deal... Broadway Bound

Gold Diggers: FDR'S New Deal... Broadway Bound‌
star5.5
calendar 2006

Mrs. Mike

Mrs. Mike‌
star2.0
calendar 1949

One And One Is One

One And One Is One‌
star5.0
calendar 1936

Big City Blues

Big City Blues‌
star5.3
calendar 1932

Breakdowns of 1938

Breakdowns of 1938‌
star5.0
calendar 1938

Three Cheers for the Girls

Three Cheers for the Girls‌
star6.2
calendar 1943

Things You Never See on the Screen

Things You Never See on the Screen‌
star5.0
calendar 1935

A Dream Comes True

A Dream Comes True‌
star5.5
calendar 1935

Breakdowns of 1937

Breakdowns of 1937‌
star6.0
calendar 1937

Blow-Ups of 1947

Blow-Ups of 1947‌
star6.3
calendar 1947

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?‌
star5.7
calendar 1975

And She Learned About Dames

And She Learned About Dames‌
star6.0
calendar 1934

Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)

Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)‌
star6.0
calendar 1936

It's Showtime

It's Showtime‌
star7.0
calendar 1976

That's Dancing!

That's Dancing!‌
star7.0
calendar 1985

Studio Highlights

Studio Highlights‌
star0.0
calendar 1934

Tv Credits

This Is Your Life

This Is Your Life‌
star6.6
calendar 1952

Climax!

Climax!‌
star3.0
calendar 1954

The DuPont Show of the Week

The DuPont Show of the Week‌
star6.0
calendar 1961

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson‌
star6.3
calendar 1959

The Emmy Awards

The Emmy Awards‌
star7.5
calendar 1949

Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre‌
star6.0
calendar 1950

The Dick Powell Show

The Dick Powell Show‌
star5.0
calendar 1961

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre‌
star5.5
calendar 1956

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson‌
star6.3
calendar 1959

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse‌
star6.1
calendar 1952

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show‌
star6.6
calendar 1948

What's My Line?

What's My Line?‌
star6.7
calendar 1950

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

Tonight Starring Jack Paar‌
star6.5
calendar 1957

What's My Line?

What's My Line?‌
star6.7
calendar 1950