Alan Walbridge Ladd was an American actor and film and television producer. Ladd found success in film the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in Westerns and film noirs where he was often paired with Veronica Lake, as she was one of the few Hollywood actresses shorter than he. His popularity diminished in the late 1950s, though he continued to appear in popular films until his death from cerebral edema in January 1964.Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but later relocated to North Hollywood, California when his mother re-married.   He worked briefly as a studio carpenter (as did his stepfather) and for a short time was part of the Universal Pictures studio school for actors.  Intent on acting, he found work in small theatres. He had short term stints at MGM and RKO, and eventually started getting steady work on radio.  Ladd began by appearing in dozens of films in small roles, including Citizen Kane , before reaching recognition for his 1942 appearance in This Gun for Hire, invigorating Hollywoods desire for gangster-crime features.  His cool, unsmiling persona proved popular with wartime audiences, and he was quickly established as one of the top box office stars of the decade.  

Movies unavailable from Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man

Self (archive footage)

Movie 1999

Shane

Shane

Movie 1953

The Movie Orgy

Self (archive footage)

Movie 1968

The Reluctant Dragon

Baby Weems Storyboard Artist

Movie 1941

Petticoat Politics

Higgins Daughter's Boyfriend

Movie 1941

Saigon

Major Larry Briggs

Movie 1947

Calcutta

Neale Gordon

Movie 1946

The Black Knight

John

Movie 1954

The Black Cat

Richard Hartley

Movie 1941

Whispering Smith

Whispering Smith

Movie 1948

Boy on a Dolphin

Dr. James 'Jim' Calder

Movie 1957

The Blue Dahlia

Johnny Morrison

Movie 1946

Joan of Paris

"Baby"

Movie 1942

This Gun for Hire

Philip Raven

Movie 1942

The Glass Key

Ed Beaumont

Movie 1942

Gangs Inc.

Jimmy Kelly aka Bill Dugan

Movie 1941

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Philip Raven in This Gun For Hire (archive footage)

Movie 2004

Once in a Lifetime

Projectionist (uncredited)

Movie 1932

My Favorite Brunette

Sam McCloud (uncredited)

Movie 1947

Cadet Girl

Harry - Musician (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Great Guns

Soldier in Photo Shop (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Victory

Heyst as an 18-Year-Old (uncredited)

Movie 1940

The Howards of Virginia

Backwoodsman (uncredited)

Movie 1940

Blame It on Love

TV Director (uncredited)

Movie 1940

The Green Hornet

Gilpin - Student Pilot (uncredited)

Movie 1940

The Goldwyn Follies

First Auditioning Singer (uncredited)

Movie 1938

Hold 'Em Navy

Chief Quartermaster (uncredited)

Movie 1937

Souls at Sea

Sailor (uncredited)

Movie 1937

Pigskin Parade

Student (uncredited)

Movie 1936

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Movie 1983

Hell on Frisco Bay

Steve Rollins

Movie 1955

The Red Beret

Steve 'Canada' McKendrick

Movie 1953

The Badlanders

Peter Van Hoek (The Dutchman)

Movie 1958

O.S.S.

John Martin / Lt. (j.g.) Philip Masson, U.S.N.R. / Philippe Martine

Movie 1946

A Cry in the Night

Opening Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Movie 1956

Petunia Natural Park

Narrator (uncredited)

Movie 1939

Secrets of a Nurse

Hospital Orderly (uncredited)

Movie 1938

Freshman Year

Student (uncredited)

Movie 1938

Come On, Leathernecks!

Club Waiter (uncredited)

Movie 1938

All Over Town

Young Man (uncredited)

Movie 1937

The Last Train from Madrid

Soldier (uncredited)

Movie 1937

Murder at the Vanities

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

Movie 1934

The Iron Mistress

Jim Bowie

Movie 1952

The Deep Six

Alexander 'Alec' Austen

Movie 1958

Star Spangled Rhythm

Alan Ladd

Movie 1942

Beyond Glory

Capt. Rockwell 'Rocky' Gilman

Movie 1948

Salty O'Rourke

Salty O'Rourke

Movie 1945

Ellery Queen, Master Detective

Elevator Passenger (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Movie 1940

The Big Land

Chad Morgan

Movie 1957

Variety Girl

Alan Ladd

Movie 1947

And Now Tomorrow

Doctor Merek Vance

Movie 1944

Red Mountain

Capt. Brett Sherwood

Movie 1951

All the Young Men

Sgt. Kincaid

Movie 1960

13 West Street

Walt Sherill

Movie 1962

Branded

Choya

Movie 1950

Botany Bay

Hugh Tallant

Movie 1952

Thunder in the East

Steve Gibbs

Movie 1952

Duel of Champions

Horatius

Movie 1961

Desert Legion

Paul Lartal

Movie 1953

Guns of the Timberland

Jim Hadley

Movie 1960

Two Years Before the Mast

Charles Stewart

Movie 1946

Skirmish on the Home Front

Harry W. Average

Movie 1944

Rat Pack

Self (archive footage)

Movie 2022

Citizen Kane

Reporter Smoking Pipe at End (uncredited)

Movie 1941

Those Were the Days!

Keg Rearick

Movie 1940

The Mysterious Miss X

Henchman

Movie 1939

American Portrait

Young man / Old man

Movie 1940

Her First Romance

John Gilman

Movie 1940

Duffy's Tavern

Alan Ladd

Movie 1945

Brother Rat and a Baby

Cadet in Trouble

Movie 1940

In Old Missouri

John Pittman Jr.

Movie 1940

Captain Caution

Newton

Movie 1940

Hitler: Beast of Berlin

Karl Bach

Movie 1939

Light of Western Stars

Danny

Movie 1940

Cross-Country Romance

Mr. Williams

Movie 1940

Wild Harvest

Joe Madigan

Movie 1947

I Look at You

Himself

Movie 1941

Hollywood Victory Caravan

Alan Ladd

Movie 1945

Meat and Romance

Bill Allen

Movie 1940

Meet the Missus

John Williams

Movie 1940

A Star Is Born World Premiere

Self

Movie 1954

Sauce for the Gander

Man on the Spot Reporter

Movie 1940

Photographic Intelligence for Bombardment Aviation

Capt. Smith

Movie 1943

Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6

Al - Baby Weems Storyboard Artist (archive footage)

Movie 2004

George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey

Self (archive footage)

Movie 1985

Rulers of the Sea

Colin Farrell

Movie 1939

Military Training

Lieutenant, Platoon Leader, County Fair

Movie 1941

Tv series unavailable from Alan Ladd

The Bob Cummings Show

Self

Tv 1955