Filmography
-
Known For
Citizen Kane Jedediah Leland / Screening Room Reporter (1941) -
The Third Man Holly Martins (1949) -
Soylent Green William R. Simonson (1973) -
Known For
Portrait of Jennie Eben Adams (1948) -
Actor
The Survivor Priest (1981) -
The Love Boat Col. van Ryker (1981) -
Delusion Ivar Langrock (1981) -
Heaven's Gate The Reverend Doctor (1980) -
Casino Ed Booker (1980) -
Tales of the Unexpected Lionel (1979-1980) -
The Hearse Walter Prichard (1980) -
Fantasy Island Thomas Cummings (1978-1979) -
Churchill and the Generals Gen. George C. Marshall (1979) -
Guyana: Cult of the Damned Richard Gable (1979) -
![Concorde Affaire '79]( "Concorde Affaire '79")
Concorde Affaire '79 Milland (1979) -
![Screamers]( "Screamers")
Screamers Prof. Ernest Marvin (1979) -
![Indagine su un delitto perfetto]( "Indagine su un delitto perfetto")
Indagine su un delitto perfetto Sir Arthur Dundee (1978) -
![Caravans]( "Caravans")
Caravans Crandall (1978) -
![Last In, First Out]( "Last In, First Out")
Last In, First Out Foster Johnson (1978) -
![The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries]( "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries")
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Weldon Rathbone (1978) -
![Aspen]( "Aspen")
Aspen Horton Paine (1977) -
![Airport '77]( "Airport '77")
Airport '77 Nicholas St. Downs III (1977) -
![Twilight's Last Gleaming]( "Twilight's Last Gleaming")
Twilight's Last Gleaming Arthur Renfrew - Secretary of State (1977) -
![Freedom Is]( "Freedom Is")
Freedom Is (1976) -
![Origins of the Mafia]( "Origins of the Mafia")
Origins of the Mafia The Envoy (1976) -
![A Whisper in the Dark]( "A Whisper in the Dark")
A Whisper in the Dark The Professor (1976) -
![The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case]( "The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case")
The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case Dr. Joseph Francis Condon (1976) -
![The Timber Tramps]( "The Timber Tramps")
The Timber Tramps Greedy sawmill mogul (1975) -
![Syndicate Sadists]( "Syndicate Sadists")
Syndicate Sadists Paternò (1975) -
![The Rockford Files]( "The Rockford Files")
The Rockford Files Warner Jameson (1974) -
![A Delicate Balance]( "A Delicate Balance")
A Delicate Balance Harry (1973) -
![Soylent Green]( "Soylent Green")
Soylent Green William R. Simonson (1973) -
![The Streets of San Francisco]( "The Streets of San Francisco")
The Streets of San Francisco John R. James (1973) -
![The Devil's Daughter]( "The Devil's Daughter")
The Devil's Daughter Judge Weatherby (1973) -
![The Scopone Game]( "The Scopone Game")
The Scopone Game George (1972) -
![Baron Blood]( "Baron Blood")
Baron Blood Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred Becker (1972) -
![Doomsday Voyage]( "Doomsday Voyage")
Doomsday Voyage Captain Jason (1972) -
![The Screaming Woman]( "The Screaming Woman")
The Screaming Woman George Tresvant (1972) -
![Lady Frankenstein]( "Lady Frankenstein")
Lady Frankenstein Baron Frankenstein (1971) -
![The Abominable Dr. Phibes]( "The Abominable Dr. Phibes")
The Abominable Dr. Phibes Dr. Vesalius (1971) -
![Journey to Murder]( "Journey to Murder")
Journey to Murder Jeff Wheeler (Do Me a Favor and Kill Me) (1971) -
![City Beneath the Sea]( "City Beneath the Sea")
City Beneath the Sea Dr. Ziegler (1971) -
Do You Take This Stranger? Dr. Robert Carson (1971)
-
![Assault on the Wayne]( "Assault on the Wayne")
Assault on the Wayne Admiral (1971) -
![The Virginian]( "The Virginian")
The Virginian Judge Hobbs (1970) -
![Tora! Tora! Tora!]( "Tora! Tora! Tora!")
Tora! Tora! Tora! Henry L. Stimson (1970) -
![The Grasshopper]( "The Grasshopper")
The Grasshopper Richard Morgan (1970) -
![NET Playhouse]( "NET Playhouse")
NET Playhouse Narrator (1970) -
![It Takes a Thief]( "It Takes a Thief")
It Takes a Thief Mr. Jack (1968-1970) -
![The Name of the Game]( "The Name of the Game")
The Name of the Game Henry 'Harry' Worthington Rayner (1970) -
Cutter's Trail Gen. Spalding (1970)
-
Keene (1969)
-
The Lonely Profession Martin Bannister (1969)
-
![Latitude Zero]( "Latitude Zero")
Latitude Zero Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzie (1969) -
![White Comanche]( "White Comanche")
White Comanche Sheriff Logan (1968) -
![Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In]( "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In")
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Guest Performer (1968) -
![Journey to the Unknown]( "Journey to the Unknown")
Journey to the Unknown Jeff Wheeler (1968) -
![Ironside]( "Ironside")
Ironside Dr. Benjamin Stern (1968) -
![Petulia]( "Petulia")
Petulia Mr. Danner (1968) -
![Gangsters '70]( "Gangsters '70")
Gangsters '70 Destil (1968) -
![Off to See the Wizard]( "Off to See the Wizard")
Off to See the Wizard General Antigonus (1968) -
![Jack of Diamonds]( "Jack of Diamonds")
Jack of Diamonds As (1967) -
![Cimarron Strip]( "Cimarron Strip")
Cimarron Strip Nathan Tio (1967) -
![Some May Live]( "Some May Live")
Some May Live Col. Woodward (1967) -
![The Cruel Ones]( "The Cruel Ones")
The Cruel Ones Colonel Jonas (1967) -
![Brighty of the Grand Canyon]( "Brighty of the Grand Canyon")
Brighty of the Grand Canyon Jim Owen (1966) -
![The Oscar]( "The Oscar")
The Oscar Kenneth Regan (1966) -
![The Tramplers]( "The Tramplers")
The Tramplers Temple Cordeen (1965) -
![The Money Trap]( "The Money Trap")
The Money Trap Dr. Horace Van Tilden (1965) -
![The Great Sioux Massacre]( "The Great Sioux Massacre")
The Great Sioux Massacre Major Reno (1965) -
![Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte]( "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte")
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte Dr. Drew Bayliss (1964) -
![Alexander the Great]( "Alexander the Great")
Alexander the Great Antigonus (1963) -
![77 Sunset Strip]( "77 Sunset Strip")
77 Sunset Strip Arnold Buhler (1963) -
![The Great Adventure]( "The Great Adventure")
The Great Adventure Captain Meehan (1963) -
![Wagon Train]( "Wagon Train")
Wagon Train John Augustus (1961-1962) -
![Saints and Sinners]( "Saints and Sinners")
Saints and Sinners Preston Cooper (1962) -
![Dr. Kildare]( "Dr. Kildare")
Dr. Kildare Charles Ladovan (1962) -
![Theatre '62]( "Theatre '62")
Theatre '62 (1961) -
![Bus Stop]( "Bus Stop")
Bus Stop Professor Wheelwright (1961) -
![The Last Sunset]( "The Last Sunset")
The Last Sunset John Breckenridge (1961) -
![The Barbara Stanwyck Show]( "The Barbara Stanwyck Show")
The Barbara Stanwyck Show Mac McClay (1961) -
![Checkmate]( "Checkmate")
Checkmate Dr. George Mallinson (1960) -
![The DuPont Show with June Allyson]( "The DuPont Show with June Allyson")
The DuPont Show with June Allyson Charles Lawrence (1960) -
![The Angel Wore Red]( "The Angel Wore Red")
The Angel Wore Red Hawthorne (1960) -
![Alfred Hitchcock Presents]( "Alfred Hitchcock Presents")
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Courtney Masterson (1955-1959) -
![Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse]( "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse")
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Black McSween (1959) -
![From the Earth to the Moon]( "From the Earth to the Moon")
From the Earth to the Moon Victor Barbicane (1958) -
![Suspicion]( "Suspicion")
Suspicion Gregg Carey (1958) -
![Touch of Evil]( "Touch of Evil")
Touch of Evil Coroner (1958) -
![Zane Grey Theater]( "Zane Grey Theater")
Zane Grey Theater Ben Harper (1958) -
![Schlitz Playhouse]( "Schlitz Playhouse")
Schlitz Playhouse (1957) -
![Playhouse 90]( "Playhouse 90")
Playhouse 90 Robert Rainey (1957) -
![Telephone Time]( "Telephone Time")
Telephone Time (1957) -
![Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre]( "Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre")
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre Bruce Malone (1957) -
![The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial]( "The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial")
The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial Reed (1955-1957) -
![The Halliday Brand]( "The Halliday Brand")
The Halliday Brand Daniel Halliday (1957) -
![General Electric Theater]( "General Electric Theater")
General Electric Theater Private Harris (1954-1956) -
![Star Stage]( "Star Stage")
Star Stage Narrator (1955-1956) -
![The Ford Television Theatre]( "The Ford Television Theatre")
The Ford Television Theatre John Ashburn (1956) -
![The Killer Is Loose]( "The Killer Is Loose")
The Killer Is Loose Detective Sam Wagner (1956) -
![The Bottom of the Bottle]( "The Bottom of the Bottle")
The Bottom of the Bottle Pat 'P.M.' Martin (1956) -
![Celebrity Playhouse]( "Celebrity Playhouse")
Celebrity Playhouse Marshal Fenton Lockhart (1955) -
![The Best of Broadway]( "The Best of Broadway")
The Best of Broadway Dan McCorn (1955) -
![Bedevilled]( "Bedevilled")
Bedevilled Flight Announcer at the airport (1955) -
![Special Delivery]( "Special Delivery")
Special Delivery John Adams (1955) -
![Producers' Showcase]( "Producers' Showcase")
Producers' Showcase Grant Matthews (1954) -
![A Blueprint for Murder]( "A Blueprint for Murder")
A Blueprint for Murder Whitney 'Cam' Cameron (1953) -
![Egypt by Three]( "Egypt by Three")
Egypt by Three Narrator (1953) -
![Niagara]( "Niagara")
Niagara George Loomis (1953) -
![The Steel Trap]( "The Steel Trap")
The Steel Trap Jim Osborne (1952) -
![Untamed Frontier]( "Untamed Frontier")
Untamed Frontier Kirk Denbow (1952) -
![The Wild Heart]( "The Wild Heart")
The Wild Heart Narrator (1952) -
![Othello]( "Othello")
Othello Senator (1951) -
![The Man with a Cloak]( "The Man with a Cloak")
The Man with a Cloak Dupin (1951) -
![Peking Express]( "Peking Express")
Peking Express Michael Bachlin (1951) -
![Half Angel]( "Half Angel")
Half Angel John Raymond Jr. (1951) -
![Walk Softly, Stranger]( "Walk Softly, Stranger")
Walk Softly, Stranger Chris Hale aka Steve (1950) -
![Two Flags West]( "Two Flags West")
Two Flags West Col. Clay Tucker (1950) -
![September Affair]( "September Affair")
September Affair David Lawrence (1950) -
![Beyond the Forest]( "Beyond the Forest")
Beyond the Forest Doctor Louis Moline (1949) -
![Under Capricorn]( "Under Capricorn")
Under Capricorn Sam Flusky (1949) -
![The Third Man]( "The Third Man")
The Third Man Holly Martins (1949) -
![Portrait of Jennie]( "Portrait of Jennie")
Portrait of Jennie Eben Adams (1948) -
![The Farmer's Daughter]( "The Farmer's Daughter")
The Farmer's Daughter Glenn Morley (1947) -
![Duel in the Sun]( "Duel in the Sun")
Duel in the Sun Jesse McCanles (1946) -
![Love Letters]( "Love Letters")
Love Letters Alan Quinton (1945) -
![I'll Be Seeing You]( "I'll Be Seeing You")
I'll Be Seeing You Zachary Morgan (1944) -
![Since You Went Away]( "Since You Went Away")
Since You Went Away Lt. Tony Willett (1944) -
![Gaslight]( "Gaslight")
Gaslight Brian Cameron (1944) -
![Hers to Hold]( "Hers to Hold")
Hers to Hold Bill Morley (1943) -
![Shadow of a Doubt]( "Shadow of a Doubt")
Shadow of a Doubt Charlie Oakley (1943) -
![Journey Into Fear]( "Journey Into Fear")
Journey Into Fear Howard Graham (1943) -
![The Magnificent Ambersons]( "The Magnificent Ambersons")
The Magnificent Ambersons Eugene Morgan (1942) -
![Lydia]( "Lydia")
Lydia Michael Fitzpatrick (1941) -
![Citizen Kane]( "Citizen Kane")
Citizen Kane Jedediah Leland / Screening Room Reporter (1941) -
![Too Much Johnson]( "Too Much Johnson")
Too Much Johnson Augustus Billings (1938) -
Actor
-
Soundtrack
![Since You Went Away]( "Since You Went Away")
Since You Went Away (1944) -
Soundtrack
![The Magnificent Ambersons]( "The Magnificent Ambersons")
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) -
Writer
![Journey Into Fear]( "Journey Into Fear")
Journey Into Fear (1943) -
Writer
![The Magnificent Ambersons]( "The Magnificent Ambersons")
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) -
Archive footage
![Welcome to the Basement]( "Welcome to the Basement")
Welcome to the Basement (2018) -
-
![78/52: Hitchcock's Shower Scene]( "78/52: Hitchcock's Shower Scene")
-
![Pop Culture Beast's Halloween Horror Picks]( "Pop Culture Beast's Halloween Horror Picks")
-
![Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles]( "Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles")
-
-
![Just Henry]( "Just Henry")
Just Henry (2011) -
![These Amazing Shadows]( "These Amazing Shadows")
These Amazing Shadows (2011) -
![Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story]( "Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story")
-
![O.W. Kenosha]( "O.W. Kenosha")
O.W. Kenosha (2009) -
![Cinemassacre's Monster Madness]( "Cinemassacre's Monster Madness")
-
-
![Kinomagazin]( "Kinomagazin")
Kinomagazin (2007) -
A Sense of Carol Reed (2006)
-
The Originals (2005)
-
![Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe]( "Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe")
-
![Filmmakers vs. Tycoons]( "Filmmakers vs. Tycoons")
Filmmakers vs. Tycoons (2005) -
Il castello dell'orrore (2004)
-
![Shadowing the Third Man]( "Shadowing the Third Man")
Shadowing the Third Man (2004) -
Living Famously (2003)
-
![Backstory]( "Backstory")
Backstory (2001) -
![Silent Witness]( "Silent Witness")
Silent Witness (1999) -
![The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies]( "The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies")
-
![A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies]( "A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies")
-
![Biography]( "Biography")
Biography (1994) -
![The 66th Annual Academy Awards]( "The 66th Annual Academy Awards")
-
![Northern Exposure]( "Northern Exposure")
Northern Exposure (1993) -
![Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook]( "Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook")
-
Hollywood Mavericks (1990)
-
![Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story]( "Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story")
-
![Arena]( "Arena")
Arena (1983) -
Split Second to an Epitaph (1968)
-
Lionpower from MGM (1967)
-
Archive footage
![Historia de la frivolidad]( "Historia de la frivolidad")
Historia de la frivolidad (1967) -
![Hollywood Remembers]( "Hollywood Remembers")
Hollywood Remembers (2000)
All Filmography
Awards
2 wins.Did You Know
Trivia
Worked with Alfred Hitchcock in one of his finest films, Shadow of a Doubt (1943). They worked again in Under Capricorn (1949) but the film flopped with Hitch disowned it. Cotton never was asked to appear in any subsequent Hitchcock film.
Quotes
My wife told me one of the sweetest things one could hear: "I am not jealous. But I am truly sad for all the actresses who embrace you and kiss you while acting, for with them, you are only pretending."
Trademark
Distinctive, almost raspy, deep voice.
Nickname
Jo
Star Sign
Taurus
Personal Details
Born
Joseph Cheshire Cotten
Petersburg, Virginia, USA
Died
(age 88)
Westwood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Height:
6' 2" (1.88 m)User Polls
They've Never Even Been Nominated!
Decade Defining Actors — The 1940s
When Evil is Relative
Writing, Acting or Directing ...
Improvising is the... uh... the best!
25 Greatest Film-Noir Characters
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