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Joseph Cotten

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Biography

Born

5/15/1905, Petersburg, Virginia, USA

Died

2/6/1994

Birth Name

Joseph Cheshire Cotten

Gender

Male

Credits

Star (4)

Role
- Hollywood and the Stars
  Host
  - S 1: Ep 8 The Unsinkable Bette Davis
    11/18/63
  - S 1: Ep 7 Birth Of A Star
    10/11/63
  - S 1: Ep 2 Sirens, Symbols, And Glamour Girls (pt 1)
    10/7/63
- On Trial
  Host
  - S 2: Ep 5 Strange Witness
    8/3/59
  - S 2: Ep 4 The Lonely Wizard
    7/27/59
  - S 2: Ep 2 Eleanor
    7/13/59
  - S 1: Ep 29 The Deadly Chain
    6/7/57
  - S 1: Ep 27 The Gentle Voice of Murder
    5/24/57
  - + 15 More Credits
- On Trial
  host
  - S 1: Ep 30 The Case of the Girl on the Elsewhere
    6/14/57
- The 20th Century-Fox Hour
  Host (1955-1956)
  - S 1: Ep 18 The Hefferan Family
    6/13/56
  - S 1: Ep 17 The Empty Room
    5/30/56
  - S 1: Ep 16 Overnight Haul
    5/16/56
  - S 1: Ep 15 Broken Arrow
    5/2/56
  - S 1: Ep 14 Mr. Belvedere
    4/18/56
  - + 13 More Credits
Recurring Role (14)

Role
- It Takes A Thief
  Mr. Jack
  - S 3: Ep 13 To Lure a Man
    12/18/69
  - S 3: Ep 23 Beyond a Treasonable Doubt
    3/16/70
  - S 3: Ep 20 To Sing a Song of Murder
    2/23/70
- On Trial
  Reed
  - S 1: Ep 30 The Case of the Girl on the Elsewhere
    6/14/57
- On Trial
  Reed Murrow
  - S 1: Ep 28 The Secret of Polanta
    5/31/57
- On Trial
  Clint Anderson
  - S 1: Ep 26 The Case of the Sudden Death
    5/10/57
- On Trial
  Ray Barnes
  - S 1: Ep 25 The Case of the Absent Man
    5/3/57
- On Trial
  Frank Parsons
  - S 1: Ep 22 The Case of the Jealous Bomber
    4/5/57
- On Trial
  William Seward
  - S 1: Ep 20 The Freeman Case
    3/15/57
- On Trial
  Gregg Bolton
  - S 1: Ep 19 The Case of the Panicky Man
    3/8/57
- On Trial
  Joseph Downey
  - S 1: Ep 18 The Case of the Double Trouble
    3/1/57
- On Trial
  Sanders
  - S 1: Ep 17 The Case of the Forgotten Man
    2/15/57
- On Trial
  Senator George Graham Vest
  - S 1: Ep 13 Dog Versus Biddeford
    1/11/57
- On Trial
  Robert Westwood
  - S 1: Ep 8 The Trial of Mary Surratt
    11/23/56
- On Trial
  Mr. Patterson
  - S 1: Ep 4 Twice in Peril
    10/19/56
- On Trial
  Edward Pritchard
  - S 1: Ep 1 The Trial of Edward Pritchard
    9/14/56
Guest Star (53)

Role
- The Love Boat
  Col. van Ryker
  - S 4: Ep 23 Two for Julie/Aunt Hilly/The Duel
    3/14/81
- Tales of the Unexpected
  Lionel
  - S 2: Ep 10 Depart in Peace
    5/3/80
- Fantasy Island
  Thomas Cummings, Helena's Father
  - S 3: Ep 7 The Wedding
    11/3/79
- Tales of the Unexpected
  Edward
  - S 1: Ep 7 Edward the Conqueror
    5/5/79
- Over Easy
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 106 April 10, 1978
    4/10/78
- The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
  Rathbone
  - S 2: Ep 21 Arson & Old Lace
    4/1/78
- Fantasy Island
  Mr. Grant
  - S 1: Ep 0 Return to Fantasy Island
    1/20/78
- The Rockford Files
  Warren Jameson
  - S 1: Ep 7 This Case Is Closed
    10/18/74
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972)
  John R. James
- The Virginian
  Judge Hobbs
  - S 9: Ep 6 Gun Quest
    10/21/70
- The Name of the Game
  Henry Worthington Rayner
  - S 2: Ep 20 The King of Denmark
    2/20/70
- The Great Adventure
  Guest Star
  - — Massacre at Wounded Knee
- The Joey Bishop Show
  Himself
  - S 3: Ep 211 June 27, 1969
    6/27/69
- Kraft Music Hall
  Himself
  - S 11: Ep 16 Don Adams and Don Rickles Are Alive and Well and Living In California
    2/19/69
- Journey to the Unknown
  Jeff Wheeler
  - S 1: Ep 11 Do Me a Favor and Kill Me
    12/19/68
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
  Cameo Appearance
  - S 2: Ep 10 Episode #24
    11/25/68
- It Takes A Thief
  Colonel Heinrich
  - S 2: Ep 8 Hans Across the Border (2)
    11/19/68
  - S 2: Ep 7 Hans Across the Border (1)
    11/12/68
- Ironside
  Dr. Ben Stern
  - S 2: Ep 3 Split Second to an Epitaph (2)
    9/26/68
  - S 2: Ep 2 Split Second to an Epitaph (1)
    9/26/68
- Off to See the Wizard
  Gen. Antigonus
  - S 1: Ep 20 Alexander the Great
    1/26/68
- Cimarron Strip
  Nathan Tio
  - S 1: Ep 9 The Search
    11/9/67
- 77 Sunset Strip
  Arnold Buhler
  - S 6: Ep 9 By His Own Verdict
    11/15/63
- The Great Adventure
  Captain Meehan
  - S 1: Ep 3 The Massacre at Wounded Knee
    10/11/63
  - — The Death of Sitting Bull
    10/4/63
  - S 1: Ep 2 The Death of Sitting Bull
    10/4/63
- Stump the Stars
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 30 April 15, 1963
    4/15/63
- Wagon Train
  John Augustus
  - S 6: Ep 5 The John Augustus Story
    10/17/62
- Dr. Kildare
  Charles Ladovan
  - S 1: Ep 16 The Adminstrator
    1/11/62
- Bus Stop
  Professor Wheelwright
  - S 1: Ep 7 Cherie
    11/12/61
- Wagon Train
  Captain Dan Brady
  - S 5: Ep 1 The Captain Dan Brady Story
    9/7/61
- Barbara Stanwyck Show
  Mac McClay
  - S 1: Ep 34 The Hitch-Hiker
    5/29/61
- Checkmate
  George Mallinson
  - S 1: Ep 5 Face In The Window
    10/22/60
- The June Allyson Show
  Charles Lawrence
  - S 2: Ep 3 Dark Fear
    10/13/60
- The June Allyson Show
  Dick Burlingame
  - S 1: Ep 25 The Blue Goose
    3/21/60
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  Courtney Masterson
  - S 5: Ep 9 Dead Weight
    11/22/59
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
  Black McSween
  - S 2: Ep 2 The Day the Town Stood Up
    10/2/59
- On Trial
  Henty
  - S 2: Ep 7 High Green Wall
    8/17/59
- What's My Line?
  Mystery Guest
  - S 10: Ep 19 EPISODE #447
    1/11/59
- Suspicion
  Gregg Carey
  - S 1: Ep 23 The Eye of Truth
    3/17/58
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  Tony Gould
  - S 3: Ep 15 Together
    1/12/58
- Zane Grey Theater
  Ben Harper
  - S 2: Ep 13 Man Unforgiving
    1/3/58
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
  Guest Star
  - S 7: Ep 11 Neighbors
    12/6/57
- Playhouse 90
  Robert Rainey
  - S 2: Ep 8 The Edge of Innocence
    10/31/57
- Telephone Time
  Commander Joseph Fyffe
  - S 3: Ep 6 The Man the Navy Couldn't Sink
    10/15/57
- The Jane Wyman Show
  Bruce Malone
  - S 3: Ep 2 Contact
    10/3/57
- The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 30 May 2, 1957
    5/2/57
- General Electric Theater
  Corporal
  - S 5: Ep 4 The Enemies
    10/14/56
- Star Stage
  Narrator
  - S 1: Ep 37 The Man in the Black Robe
    5/18/56
- General Electric Theater
  Captain
  - S 4: Ep 31 H.M.S. Marlborough Will Enter Port
    4/29/56
- Ford Theatre: All Star Theatre
  John Ashburn
  - S 4: Ep 22 Man Without Fear
    3/1/56
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  William Callew
  - S 1: Ep 7 Breakdown
    11/13/55
- Star Stage
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 6 The U.S. vs Alexander Holmes
    10/14/55
  - S 1: Ep 3 On Trial
    9/23/55
- Loretta Young Show
  Guest Host
  - S 3: Ep 3 Reunion
    9/11/55
- The Best Of Broadway
  Dan McCorn
  - S 1: Ep 9 Broadway
    5/4/55
- Producers' Showcase
  Grant Matthews
  - S 1: Ep 2 State of the Union
    11/15/54
- General Electric Theater
  Hanly
  - S 3: Ep 4 The High Green Wall
    10/3/54
Cameo (1)

Role
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
  Cameo Appearance
  - S 2: Ep 11 Episode #25
    12/2/68
Special Guest Star (2)

Role
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972)
  John R. James
  - S 1: Ep 18 A Collection of Eagles
    2/1/73
- Saints and Sinners (1962)
  Preston Cooper
  - S 1: Ep 3 The Man On The Rim
    10/1/62

Trivia and Quotes

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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- Joseph wrote additional scenes for The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) as well as the screenplay for Journey Into Fear (1943).
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- Joseph published his autobiography "Vanity Will Get You Somewhere" in 1987.
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- Joseph enjoyed gardening, something he pursued fulltime after retiring from acting in 1981 due to a stroke.
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Joseph starred with Edward G. Robinson in Robinson's final film, Soylent Green (1973).
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- Joseph Cotten: I didn't care about the movies really. I was tall. I could talk. It was easy to do.
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- (about Orson Welles) Joseph Cotten: I know a little about Orson's childhood and seriously doubt if he ever was a child.
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