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Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd

Actor · 1913 – 1964 · Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA

Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and producer known for his cool, understated screen presence and his defining roles in 1940s and 1950s film noir and Westerns. Standing 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), Ladd became famous for the contrast between his modest height and his commanding on‑screen persona, a combination studios often enhanced through camera techniques and staging. He was frequently paired with Veronica Lake, one of the few major actresses shorter than he was, and together they became one of Hollywood’s iconic noir duos. Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ladd moved to North Hollywood as a child and worked various jobs before entering the film industry. After years of small roles — including an uncredited appearance in Citizen Kane — he achieved stardom with This Gun for Hire (1942). His quiet intensity and stoic charm resonated strongly with wartime audiences, making him one of the decade’s top box‑office draws. Ladd went on to star in a series of successful films, including The Glass Key (1942), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Whispering Smith (1948), Shane (1953), and The Proud Rebel (1958). Though his popularity declined somewhat in the late 1950s, he continued to work steadily in both film and television and produced several of his later projects. Ladd died in 1964 at the age of 50 from cerebral edema caused by acute alcohol and barbiturate intoxication, which was ruled an accidental death. Despite his relatively short life, he remains a defining figure of classic Hollywood — a performer whose quiet strength, distinctive presence, and memorable roles continue to influence the Western and noir genres.

Movies23

  • Movie8.0

    Citizen Kane

    1941 · 6.2K votes

  • Movie7.3

    Shane

    1953 · 708 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

    1982 · 465 votes

  • Movie5.8

    Boy on a Dolphin

    1957 · 39 votes

  • Movie6.6

    The Reluctant Dragon

    1941 · 170 votes

  • Movie7.0

    This Gun for Hire

    1942 · 197 votes

  • Movie6.0

    The Proud Rebel

    1958 · 52 votes

  • Movie6.2

    The Badlanders

    1958 · 46 votes

  • Movie6.0

    Saskatchewan

    1954 · 26 votes

  • Movie5.9

    The Carpetbaggers

    1964 · 41 votes

  • Movie6.7

    The Glass Key

    1942 · 135 votes

  • Movie5.3

    Hell on Frisco Bay

    1955 · 19 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Whispering Smith

    1948 · 24 votes

  • Movie6.8

    The Movie Orgy

    1968 · 19 votes

  • Movie5.2

    The Man in the Net

    1959 · 20 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Red Mountain

    1951 · 22 votes

  • Movie6.6

    My Favorite Brunette

    1947 · 63 votes

  • Movie5.3

    The Iron Mistress

    1952 · 13 votes

  • Movie6.2

    Guns of the Timberland

    1960 · 14 votes

  • Movie6.7

    The Blue Dahlia

    1946 · 176 votes

  • Movie6.0

    Great Guns

    1941 · 43 votes

  • Movie6.5

    The Big Land

    1957 · 19 votes

  • Movie5.4

    The Great Gatsby

    1949 · 24 votes

Series2

  • TV6.3

    The Bob Cummings Show

    1955 · 8 votes

  • TV6.8