Ronald Colman
Known for Acting · 61 credits
- Born
- 1891-02-08
- Died
- 1958-05-19
- Place of birth
- Richmond, Surrey, England, UK
- Also known as
- Ronald Charles Colman
Biography
British leading man of primarily American films, one of the great stars of the Golden Age. Raised in Ealing, the son of a successful silk merchant, he attended boarding school in Sussex, where he first discovered amateur theatre. He intended to attend Cambridge and become an engineer, but his father's death cost him the financial support necessary. He joined the London Scottish Regionals and at the outbreak of World War I was sent to France. Seriously wounded at the battle of Messines--he was gassed--he was invalided out of service scarcely two months after shipping out for France. Upon his recovery he tried to enter the consular service, but a chance encounter got him a small role in a London play. He dropped other plans and concentrated on the theatre, and was rewarded with a succession of increasingly prominent parts. He made extra money appearing in a few minor films, and in 1920 set out for New York in hopes of finding greater fortune there than in war-depressed England. After two years of impoverishment he was cast in a Broadway hit, "La Tendresse". Director Henry King spotted him in the show and cast him as Lillian Gish's leading man in The White Sister (1923). His success in the film led to a contract with Samuel Goldwyn, and his career as a Hollywood leading man was underway. He became a vastly popular star of silent films, in romances as well as adventure films. The coming of sound made his extraordinarily beautiful speaking voice even more important to the film industry. He played sophisticated, thoughtful characters of integrity with enormous aplomb, and swashbuckled expertly when called to do so in films like The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). A decade later he received an Academy Award for his splendid portrayal of a tormented actor in A Double Life (1947). Much of his later career was devoted to "The Halls of Ivy", a radio show that later was transferred to television "The Halls of Ivy" (1954). He continued to work until nearly the end of his life, which came in 1958 after a brief lung illness. He was survived by his second wife, actress Benita Hume, and their daughter Juliet Benita Colman.
Known For
Four Star Playhouse
1952
as Caller / Cameron / Dr. Bosanquent / Narrator
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
The Jack Benny Program
1950
as Ronald Colman
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Railway Official
General Electric Theater
1953
as Graham
Lost Horizon
1937
as Robert " Bob " Conway
TV Shows (5)
Movies (56)
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Railway Official
Lost Horizon
1937
as Robert " Bob " Conway
Kiki
1926
as Victor Renal
A Tale of Two Cities
1935
as Sydney Carton
Random Harvest
1942
as Charles Rainier
Kismet
1944
as Hafiz
The Rescue
1929
as Tom Lingard
The Prisoner of Zenda
1937
as Major Rudolf Rassendyll / The Prisoner of Zenda
The Talk of the Town
1942
as Michael Lightcap
The Devil to Pay!
1930
as Willie Hale
Tarnish
1924
as Emmet Carr
The Toilers
1919
as Bob
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
A Double Life
1947
as Anthony John
Bulldog Drummond
1929
as Captain Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
as Self (archive footage)
Arrowsmith
1931
as Dr. Martin Arrowsmith
If I Were King
1938
as François Villon
Beau Geste
1926
as Michael 'Beau' Geste
The White Sister
1923
as Capt. Giovanni Severi
Lucky Partners
1940
as David Grant
Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies
2001
as Self (archive footage)
The Story of Mankind
1957
as The Spirit of Man
Clive of India
1935
as Robert Clive
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back
1934
as Captain Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond
The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
1935
as Paul Gaillard
The Light That Failed
1939
as Dick Heldar
Champagne for Caesar
1950
as Beauregard Bottomley
Raffles
1930
as A.J. Raffles
Cynara
1932
as James Warlock
Stella Dallas
1925
as Stephen Dallas
Under Two Flags
1936
as Sgt. Victor
The Late George Apley
1947
as George Apley
The Winning of Barbara Worth
1926
as Willard Holmes
Lady Windermere's Fan
1925
as Lord Darlington
The Art Director
1949
as Self - from 'Late George Apley' (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Magic Flame
1927
as Tito the Clown / The Count
Condemned!
1929
as Michel
Romola
1924
as Carlo Bucellini
My Life with Caroline
1941
as Anthony Mason
The Night of Love
1927
as Montero
The Unholy Garden
1931
as Barrington Hunt
Two Lovers
1928
as Mark van Rycke
Her Sister from Paris
1925
as Joseph
The Masquerader
1933
as Sir John Chilcote / John Loder
Her Night of Romance
1924
as Paul Menford
Terra Melophon Magazin Nr. 1
1930
Twenty Dollars a Week
1924
as Chester Reeves
His Supreme Moment
1925
as John Douglas
The Sporting Venus
1925
as Donald MacAllan
The Dark Angel
1925
as Captain Alan Trent
Anna the Adventuress
1920
as Brendan
Governor C.C. Young Hails Greater Talkie Season
1930
A Thief in Paradise
1925
as Maurice Blake
Handcuffs or Kisses
1921
as Lodyard
The Black Spider
1920
as Vicomte de Beaurais
About Ronald Colman
British leading man of primarily American films, one of the great stars of the Golden Age. Raised in Ealing, the son of a successful silk merchant, he attended boarding school in Sussex, where he first discovered amateur theatre. He intended to attend Cambridge and become an engineer, but his father's death cost him the financial support necessary. He joined the London Scottish Regionals and at the outbreak of World War I was sent to France. Seriously wounded at the battle of Messines--he was gassed--he was invalided out of service scarcely tw… With 61 credits spanning from 1919 to 2001, Ronald Colman has appeared in 56 films and 5 TV shows.
Fans searching for Ronald Colman movies, Ronald Colman filmography, or the latest projects starring Ronald Colman can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Ronald Colman Movies
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) — as Railway Official
- Lost Horizon (1937) — as Robert " Bob " Conway
- Kiki (1926) — as Victor Renal
- A Tale of Two Cities (1935) — as Sydney Carton
- Random Harvest (1942) — as Charles Rainier
Where to Watch Ronald Colman Films
Most Ronald Colman movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Ronald Colman, check our movies catalogue and browse page.