Dick Powell
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.
42nd Street
(Billy Lawler)
Murder, My Sweet
(Philip Marlowe)
It Happened Tomorrow
(Lawrence 'Larry' Stevens)
Gold Diggers of 1933
(Brad Roberts)
The Bad and the Beautiful
(James Lee Bartlow)
Pitfall
(John Forbes)
Cry Danger
(Rocky Mulloy)
In the Navy
(Thomas Halstead)
The Tall Target
(John Kennedy)
Christmas in July
(Jimmy McDonald)
Footlight Parade
(Scotty Blair)
Cornered
(Laurence Gerard)
Station West
(Lt. John Martin Haven)
Blessed Event
(Bunny Harmon)
Broadway Gondolier
(Richard 'Dick' Purcell, aka Ricardo Purcelli)
Hollywood Hotel
(Ronnie Bowers)
Gold Diggers of 1935
(Dick Curtis)
Dames
(Jimmy Higgens)
The Reformer and the Redhead
(Andrew Hale)
Going Places
(Peter Mason)
To the Ends of the Earth
(Commissioner Michael Barrows)
Johnny O'Clock
(Johnny O'Clock)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(Lysander)
Susan Slept Here
(Mark Christopher)
Flirtation Walk
(Dick "Canary" Dorcy)
Gold Diggers of 1937
(Rosmer Peck)
Meet the People
(William 'Swanee' Swanson)
Star Spangled Rhythm
(Dick Powell)
On the Avenue
(Gary Blake)
Twenty Million Sweethearts
(Buddy Clayton)
Thanks a Million
(Eric Land)
Colleen
(Donald Ames)
You Never Can Tell
(Rex Shepherd)
Happiness Ahead
(Bob Lane)
Wonder Bar
(Tommy)
The King's Vacation
(John Kent)
Varsity Show
(Charles 'Chuck' Daly)
Cowboy from Brooklyn
(Elly Jordan)
College Coach
(Phil "Sarge" Sargeant)
Happy Go Lucky
(Pete Hamilton)
The Road Is Open Again
(The Songwriter)
Hearts Divided
(Jerome Bonaparte)
Page Miss Glory
(Bingo Nelson)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
(Self (archive footage) (uncredited))
Shipmates Forever
(Richard 'Dick' Melville III)
Right Cross
(Rick Garvey)
Stage Struck
(George Randall)
Just Around the Corner
(Jerry)
Riding High
(Steve Baird)
I Want a Divorce
(Alan MacNally)
Naughty But Nice
(Professor Donald Hardwick)
The Singing Marine
(Bob Brent)
Hard to Get
(Bill Davis)
True to Life
(Link Ferris)
Rogues' Regiment
(Whit Corbett)
Convention City
(Jerry Ford)
Hollywood Hobbies
(Self (uncredited))
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
(Self (archive footage))
Going Hollywood: The '30s
((archive footage))
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
(Self (archive footage))
Model Wife
(Frederick "Fred" Chambers)
Too Busy to Work
(Dan Hardy)
Who Killed Julie Greer?
(Host / Inspector Amos Burke)
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
(Self (archive footage))
Ricochet
(Self - Host)
Hollywood Newsreel
(Himself)
Television: The First Fifty Years
(Self (archive footage))
Gold Diggers: FDR'S New Deal... Broadway Bound
(Self (archive footage))
Mrs. Mike
(Sgt. Mike Flannigan)
One And One Is One
(Himself)
Big City Blues
(Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited))
Breakdowns of 1938
(Elly Jordan (archive footage) (uncredited))
Three Cheers for the Girls
(Singer (archive footage) (uncredited))
Things You Never See on the Screen
(Self)
A Dream Comes True
(Himself (uncredited))
Breakdowns of 1937
(Self)
Blow-Ups of 1947
(Self)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
(Self (archive footage))
And She Learned About Dames
(Himself)
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
(Self)
It's Showtime
(Self (archive footage))
That's Dancing!
Studio Highlights
(Self (archive footage))
This Is Your Life
(Self)
Climax!
(Philip Marlowe)
The DuPont Show of the Week
(Self)
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
(Paul Martin)
The Emmy Awards
(Self)
Lux Video Theatre
(Self - Intermission Guest)
The Dick Powell Show
(Self - Host)
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
(Self - Host)
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
(Dr. Timothy McVey)
Four Star Playhouse
(Willie Dante)
Four Star Playhouse
(Eddie White)
Four Star Playhouse
(US Marshal Philip Dana)
Four Star Playhouse
(Burt Stroude)
Four Star Playhouse
(Paul)
Four Star Playhouse
(Mike Donegan)
Four Star Playhouse
(Graham)
Four Star Playhouse
(Dan)
Four Star Playhouse
(Dan Hodges)
Four Star Playhouse
(Dave Robinson)
Four Star Playhouse
(Fred)
Four Star Playhouse
(Chris)
Four Star Playhouse
(Jeff)
Four Star Playhouse
(Eddie)
Four Star Playhouse
(Dave)
Four Star Playhouse
(Capt. Avery)
Four Star Playhouse
(Andrew)
Four Star Playhouse
(Will Sonnett)
Four Star Playhouse
(Fleet Mason)
Four Star Playhouse
(Grover Doane)
Four Star Playhouse
(Steve)
Four Star Playhouse
(Priest)
Four Star Playhouse
(Philip Benton)
Four Star Playhouse
(Dan Matson)
The Ed Sullivan Show
(Self)
What's My Line?
(Self - Mystery Guest)
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
(Self)
What's My Line?
(Self - Panelist)
The Conqueror
(Director)
Split Second
(Director)
The Enemy Below
(Director)
The Enemy Below
(Producer)
The Hunters
(Director)
You Can't Run Away from It
(Director)
The Hunters
(Producer)
Pericles on 31st Street
(Executive Producer)
The Losers
(Executive Producer)
Ghostbreakers
(Executive Producer)
The Conqueror
(Producer)
Cry Danger
(Director)
Who Killed Julie Greer?
(Executive Producer)
Ricochet
(Executive Producer)
Paper Moon
(Thanks)
One And One Is One
(Director)
Woman on the Run
(Director)
The Dick Powell Show
(Producer)
The Dick Powell Show
(Executive Producer)
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
(Creator)