Richard Arlen
Acting • Born 1899-08-30 – Died 1976-03-28
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 sporting 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.
Filmography
173 credits
Island of Lost Souls
Movie • 1932
Edward Parker
Hollywood on Parade No. A-4
Movie • 1932
Self (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade No. A-6
Movie • 1933
Self / Arlen the Great
Alice in Wonderland
Movie • 1933
Cheshire Cat
Thunderbolt
Movie • 1929
Bob Moran
The Horror Show
Movie • 1979
(archive footage)
Hollywood
Movie • 1923
Richard Arlen
Wings
Movie • 1927
David Armstrong
The Virginian
Movie • 1929
Steven 'Steve'
Warlock
Movie • 1959
Bacon
The Coast of Folly
Movie • 1925
Bather
In the Name of Love
Movie • 1925
Dumas Dufrayne
Accomplice
Movie • 1946
Simon Lash
Submarine Alert
Movie • 1943
Lewis J. 'Lee' Deerhold
The Crawling Hand
Movie • 1963
Lee Barrenger
Feel My Pulse
Movie • 1928
Her Problem
Three Cornered Moon
Movie • 1933
Dr. Alan Stevens
Minesweeper
Movie • 1943
Richard Houston
Rolled Stockings
Movie • 1927
Ralph Treadway
Beggars of Life
Movie • 1928
The Boy (Jim)
Helldorado
Movie • 1935
Art Ryan
Identity Unknown
Movie • 1945
Johnny March
Sabre Jet
Movie • 1953
Gen. Robert E 'Bob' Hale
Johnny Reno
Movie • 1966
Ned Duggan
Red Tomahawk
Movie • 1967
Deadwood Telegrapher
The Four Feathers
Movie • 1929
Lt. Harry Faversham
The Man I Love
Movie • 1929
Joe "Dum-Dum" Brooks
Storm Over Lisbon
Movie • 1944
John Craig
Tiger Shark
Movie • 1932
Pipes Boley
The Big Bonanza
Movie • 1944
Capt. Jed Kilton
The Light of Western Stars
Movie • 1930
Dick Bailey
Blonde Blackmailer
Movie • 1955
Tony Pelassier
Guilty as Hell
Movie • 1932
Frank C. Marsh
Dangerous Curves
Movie • 1929
Larry Lee
The Lady and the Monster
Movie • 1944
Dr. Patrick Cory
Artists & Models
Movie • 1937
Alan Townsend
Rogue's Gallery
Movie • 1968
Man in Club
Let 'em Have It
Movie • 1935
Mal Stevens
When My Baby Smiles at Me
Movie • 1948
Harvey Howell
Only Saps Work
Movie • 1930
Larry Payne
Young Fury
Movie • 1964
Sheriff Jenkins
College Humor
Movie • 1933
Mondrake
Buckskin
Movie • 1968
Townsman
Call of The Yukon
Movie • 1938
Gaston Rogers
Apache Uprising
Movie • 1965
Captain Gannon
Three Live Ghosts
Movie • 1936
William 'Bill' Jones, an alias of William Foster
Law of the Lawless
Movie • 1964
Ben the Bartender
Black Spurs
Movie • 1965
Pete
Speed to Spare
Movie • 1948
Cliff Jordan
That's My Baby!
Movie • 1944
Tim Jones
The Man from Montreal
Movie • 1939
Clark Manning
Ladies of the Mob
Movie • 1928
Red
Secret Valley
Movie • 1937
Lee Rogers
The Lawyer's Secret
Movie • 1931
Joe Hart
Straight, Place and Show
Movie • 1938
Denny Paine
Dangerous Paradise
Movie • 1930
Heyst
The Blazing Forest
Movie • 1952
Joe Morgan
Aerial Gunner
Movie • 1943
Jon Davis
Wildcat
Movie • 1942
Johnny Maverick
Hostile Guns
Movie • 1967
Sheriff Travis
A Dangerous Game
Movie • 1941
Dick Williams
Burning Up
Movie • 1930
Lou Larrigan
The Human Duplicators
Movie • 1965
National Intelligence
The Great Barrier
Movie • 1937
Hickey
Hurricane Smith
Movie • 1952
Brundage
Timber Queen
Movie • 1944
Russell Evans
Town Tamer
Movie • 1965
Doctor Kent
The Phantom Speaks
Movie • 1945
Matt Fraser
Manhattan Cocktail
Movie • 1928
Fred Tilden
The Last Time I Saw Archie
Movie • 1961
Col. Edwin Martin
Lucky Devils
Movie • 1941
Dick McManus
The Devil's Pipeline
Movie • 1940
Dick Talbot
Behind the Front
Movie • 1926
Percy Brown
The Border Legion
Movie • 1930
Jim Cleve
To the Shores of Hell
Movie • 1966
Brig. Gen. F.W. Ramsgate
Flaming Feather
Movie • 1952
Showdown Calhoun
Hidden Guns
Movie • 1956
Sheriff Ward Young
Alaska Highway
Movie • 1943
Woody Ormsby
Power Dive
Movie • 1941
Brad Farrell
Forced Landing
Movie • 1941
Dan Kendall
Silver City
Movie • 1951
Charles Storrs
A Letter From Bataan
Movie • 1942
Pvt. John W. Lewis
Mutiny on the Blackhawk
Movie • 1939
Capt. Robert Lawrence
Old Ironsides
Movie • 1926
Seaman (uncredited)
Cavalry Command
Movie • 1958
Sgt. Jim Heisler
Ready for Love
Movie • 1934
Julian Barrow
Buffalo Bill Rides Again
Movie • 1947
Buffalo Bill
Swing with Bing
Movie • 1940
Himself
Hell and High Water
Movie • 1933
Capt J.J. Jericho
Raymie
Movie • 1960
Chris Garber
You'd Be Surprised
Movie • 1926
Reporter (uncredited)
The Mountain
Movie • 1956
C. W. Rivial
The Young and the Brave
Movie • 1963
Col. Ralph Holbein
Mutiny in the Arctic
Movie • 1941
Dick Barclay
Raiders of the Desert
Movie • 1941
Dick Manning
No Time to Marry
Movie • 1938
Perry Brown
Missing Daughters
Movie • 1939
Wally King
Tropic Fury
Movie • 1939
Dan Burton
Legion of Lost Flyers
Movie • 1939
Gene 'Loop' Gillan
Danger On Wheels
Movie • 1940
"Lucky" Larry Taylor
The Leather Pushers
Movie • 1940
Dick 'Kid' Roberts
She Made Her Bed
Movie • 1934
Wild Bill Smith
Flying Blind
Movie • 1941
Jim Clark
Song of the Eagle
Movie • 1933
Bill Hoffman
Torpedo Boat
Movie • 1942
Skinner Barnes
The Bounty Killer
Movie • 1965
Matthew Ridgeway
Soaring Stars
Movie • 1942
Himself
The Mine with the Iron Door
Movie • 1936
Bob Harvey
Caught
Movie • 1931
Lt. Tom Colton
The Sea God
Movie • 1930
Phillip 'Pink' Barker
The Return of Wildfire
Movie • 1948
Dobe Williams
Murder in Greenwich Village
Movie • 1937
Steve Havens Jackson Jr.
Wayward
Movie • 1932
David Frost
Sex and the College Girl
Movie • 1964
Charles Devon
Fort Utah
Movie • 1967
Sam Tyler
Black Diamonds
Movie • 1940
Walter Norton
Paramount on Parade
Movie • 1930
Hunter (Dream Girl)
Hot Steel
Movie • 1940
Frank Stewart
The Calling of Dan Matthews
Movie • 1935
Dan Matthews
Kansas Raiders
Movie • 1950
Union Captain
Golden Harvest
Movie • 1933
Walt Martin
The Secret Call
Movie • 1931
Tom Blake
Gun Smoke
Movie • 1931
Brad Farley
She's a Sheik
Movie • 1927
Capt. Colton
Sky Bride
Movie • 1932
Bert 'Speed' Condon
Waco
Movie • 1966
Billy Kelly
Come On, Marines!
Movie • 1934
Lucky Davis
Wrecking Crew
Movie • 1942
Matt Carney
Devil's Point
Movie • 1954
John 'Captain' Martin
How to Break 90 #4: Downswing
Movie • 1933
The Santa Fe Trail
Movie • 1930
Stan Hollister
The All-American
Movie • 1932
Gary King
The Conquering Horde
Movie • 1931
Dan McMasters
Sally in Our Alley
Movie • 1927
Jimmie Adams
The Blood Ship
Movie • 1927
John Shreve
Figures Don't Lie
Movie • 1927
Bob Blewe
Men of the Timberland
Movie • 1941
Dick O'Hara
Hollywood Hobbies
Movie • 1935
Himself
The Enchanted Hill
Movie • 1926
Link Halliwell
The Best Man
Movie • 1964
Sen. Oscar Anderson
Touchdown!
Movie • 1931
Dan Curtis
Under the Tonto Rim
Movie • 1928
Edd Denmeade
A Whale of a Tale
Movie • 1976
Mr. Monahan
Padlocked
Movie • 1926
'Tubby' Clark
The Sky's the Limit
Movie • 1975
Grimes
Grand Canyon
Movie • 1949
Mike Adams
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Movie • 1976
Silent Film Star 2
The French Key
Movie • 1946
Himself (uncredited)
Clara Bow: Hollywood's Lost Screen Goddess
Movie • 2012
Child of Trouble
Movie • 1957
Louis Contino
Road to Nashville
Movie • 1966
Studio Boss
Quicksands
Movie • 1923
The Shepherd of the Hills
Movie • 1964
Old Matt
Hollywood on Parade No. B-10
Movie • 1934
Self
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV • 1950
Self
The Lucy Show
TV • 1962
Richard
Petticoat Junction
TV • 1963
Self
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Dr. Harrison
Yancy Derringer
TV • 1958
General Hugh Morgan
This Is Your Life
TV • 1952
Self
Your Show of Shows
TV • 1950
Climax!
TV • 1954
Nevers
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV • 1955
Matinee Theater
TV • 1955
Branded
TV • 1965
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV • 1958
Damon Ring, Sr.
Lock-Up
TV • 1959
Bat Masterson
TV • 1958
John Minor
The New Breed
TV • 1961
Willits
The Whistler
TV • 1954
Coronado 9
TV • 1960
Letter to Loretta
TV • 1953
Christopher Waring
Bat Masterson
TV • 1958
Sheriff Dan Rainey