Dick Powell biography
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Dick Powell filmography

[h3]Born in Mountain View, Arkansas, Powell attended Little Rock College in Arkansas, before starting 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.[/h3]

Powell migrated to Pittsburgh, where he found great local success as the Master of Ceremonies at the Enright Theatre, and the Stanley Theatre.

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.

In 1944 he abruptly switched to noir detective roles, first starring as Philip Marlowe in 'Murder, My Sweet'. He became a popular tough-guy lead, appearing in movies such as 'Cornered', 'Johnny O'Clock', and 'The Tall Target'. Even when he appeared in lighter fare, such as 'The Reformer and the Redhead' and 'Mrs. Mike', he never sang in his later roles.

In the 1950s Powell produced and directed several B-movies, and was one of the founders of Four Star Television, appearing in and supervising several shows for that company.

Powell died on 2nd January 1963 of stomach cancer, one of many of the cast and crew of the 1956 movie, 'The Conqueror', who died of the disease. 'The Conqueror' had been filmed in Utah near an atomic test site. Powell was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

Powell's second wife was Joan Blondell, and his third wife was June Allyson.
Dick Powell biography



- One of a number of cast and crew to die of stomacj cancer, attributed by some to the filming of 'The Conqueror' near an atomic test site.
Dick Powell biography



"Ensign O'Toole" (1 episode, 1963)

"G.E. True" (1 episode, 1963)

"The Dick Powell Show" (14 episodes, 1961-1962)

"Car 54, Where Are You?" (1 episode, 1962)

"The Law and Mr. Jones" (1 episode, 1961)

"Zane Grey Theater" (15 episodes, 1956-1961)

"The DuPont Show with June Allyson" (2 episodes, 1959-1960)

"Mr. Adams and Eve" (1 episode, 1958)

"The Best in Mystery" (1956) TV Series (1956)

"Four Star Playhouse" (31 episodes, 1952-1956)

"Climax!" (1 episode, 1954)

Susan Slept Here (1954)

"The Red Skelton Show" (1 episode, 1954)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Callaway Went Thataway (1951) (scenes deleted)

You Never Can Tell (1951)

The Tall Target (1951)

Cry Danger (1951)

Right Cross (1950)

The Reformer and the Redhead (1950)

Mrs. Mike (1949)

Rogues' Regiment (1948)

Station West (1948)

Pitfall (1948)

To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Johnny O'Clock (1947)

Cornered (1945)

Murder, My Sweet (1944)

Meet the People (1944)

It Happened Tomorrow (1944)

True to Life (1943)

Riding High (1943)

Happy Go Lucky (1943)

In the Navy (1941)

Model Wife (1941)

Christmas in July (1940)

I Want a Divorce (1940)

Naughty But Nice (1939)

Going Places (1938)

Hard to Get (1938)

Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938)

Hollywood Hotel (1937)

Varsity Show (1937)

The Singing Marine (1937)

On the Avenue (1937)

Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936)

Stage Struck (1936)

Hearts Divided (1936)

Colleen (1936)

Thanks a Million (1935)

Shipmates Forever (1935)

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)

Page Miss Glory (1935)

Broadway Gondolier (1935)

Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)

Flirtation Walk (1934)

Happiness Ahead (1934)

Dames (1934)

Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934)

Wonder Bar (1934)

Convention City (1933)

College Coach (1933)

Footlight Parade (1933)

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

42nd Street (1933)

The King's Vacation (1933)

The Road Is Open Again (1933)

Just Around the Corner (1933)

Too Busy to Work (1932)

Big City Blues (1932) (voice) (uncredited)

Blessed Event (1932)
Dick Powell biography




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