Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899Although Arlen's birthplace is often listed as Charlottesville, Virginia, and his birth name as Cornelius Richard Van Mattimore, other non-Hollywood information is different. The "Van" is likely a shorten version of Sylvanus, not an additional name. The June 1, 1900 census data says Arlen's father, James Mattimore lived in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1900 with five children, the youngest of whom is Sylvanus, who was born in Minnesota (city unspecified) in September 1899 and was also listed as 8/12 years of age. Sylvanus was listed in the April 1, 1910 census as being 10 years old.
On Arlen's September 12, 1918 draft card, his name given as Van Mattimore, a member of the Royal Flying Corps of the British Army, based in Toronto, his nearest relative is listed as his father James Mattimore. The 1918 draft card's date of birth is given as September 1, 1900, and it would appear that the writer started to put the year of birth as 18 and then wrote over the 8 with a 9, so it appears as 1900. The Social Security Administration notes Richard Arlen was born on September 1, 1899 and died in March 1976. The census of 1930 lists Van Mattimore, Richard age 29. It says that he and both parents were born in Minnesota. According to the 1900 and 1910 census, his father was born in Ireland. – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television.
Early days Arlen served in Canada as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.
He later taught as a United States Army Air Forces flight instructor in World War II.TODAY in Masonic History: Richard Arlen Passes Away. Masonry Today. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
Following his World War I service, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, then worked a variety of odd jobs before an accident as a film laboratory delivery boy landed him a role as an extra in a silent Hollywood film.
Career Arlen is best known to modern audiences for his role as a pilot in the inaugural Academy Award-winning Wings (1927) with Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Gary Cooper, El Brendel, and his second wife, Jobyna Ralston, whom he married in 1927. Arlen later appeared in the science fiction horror Island of Lost Souls (1932) with Charles Laughton, adapted from the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. He was among the more famous residents of the celebrity enclave, Toluca Lake, California.History of Toluca Lake Toluca Lake Chamber of Commerce, retrieved on September 15, 2010.
In 1939, Universal teamed him with Andy Devine for a series of 14 B-pictures, mostly action-comedies with heavy reliance on stock footage from larger-scale films. They are informally known as the "Aces of Action" series, which is how the stars were billed in the trailers. When Arlen left the studio in 1941, the series continued with Devine teamed with a variety of other actors.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Arlen was active in television, having guest starred in several anthology series, including Playhouse 90, The Loretta Young Show, The 20th Century Fox Hour, and in three episodes of the series about clergymen, Crossroads.
He appeared on the November 9, 1968 episode of Petticoat Junction playing himself. The episode was called "Wings" and it was in direct reference to the 1927 silent movie Wings.
Arlen appeared in westerns, such as Lawman, Branded, Bat Masterson, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, and Yancy Derringer, and in such drama/adventure programs as Ripcord, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The New Breed, Coronado 9, and Michael Shayne.
Personal life Arlen supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election.
Arlen married actress Jobyna Ralston in January 1927, and they had one son. She divorced him in 1945 claiming in court that he had "packed up" and left her. He got married again in 1946 to New York socialite Margaret Kinsella.
Death
On March 28, 1976, Arlen died of pulmonary emphysema in North Hollywood, California.
Legacy In 1960, Arlen was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry.
Filmography + FeaturesYearTitleRole Notes 1921 Ladies Must Live Minor Role Uncredited Lost film1922 The Green Temptation Uncredited Lost filmThe Ghost Breaker Ghosts Uncredited 1923 Quicksands Uncredited Lost filmVengeance of the Deep Jean Lost filmHollywood Himself Lost film1924 The Fighting Coward Minor Role Uncredited 1925 Sally Minor Role Uncredited Lost filmIn the Name of Love Dumas Dufrayne Lost filmThe Coast of Folly Bather Scenes deleted Lost film1926 The Enchanted Hill Link Halliwell Lost filmBehind the Front Percy Brown Padlocked 'Tubby' Clark You'd Be Surprised Photographer Uncredited Old Ironsides Seaman Uncredited 1927 Wings David Armstrong Rolled Stockings Ralph Treadway Lost filmThe Blood Ship John Shreve Sally in Our Alley Jimmie Adams Lost filmFigures Don't Lie Bob Blewe Lost filmShe's a Sheik Capt. Colton 1928 Under the Tonto Rim Edd Denmeade Lost filmFeel My Pulse Her Problem Ladies of the Mob Red Lost filmBeggars of Life The Boy (Jim) Manhattan Cocktail Fred Tilden Lost film1929 The Man I Love Dum-Dum Brooks The Four Feathers Lt. Harry Faversham Thunderbolt Bob Moran Dangerous Curves Larry Lee The Virginian Steve 1930 Burning Up Lou Larrigan The Border Legion Heyst Dangerous Paradise Dick Bailey The Light of Western Stars Jim Cleve Paramount on Parade Hunter Episode: 'Dream Girl'The Sea God Phillip 'Pink' Barker The Santa Fe Trail Stan Hollister Only Saps Work Lawrence Payne 1931 The Conquering Horde Dan McMasters Gun Smoke Brad Farley The Lawyer's Secret Joe Hart The Secret Call Tom Blake Caught Lt. Tom Colton Touchdown Dan Curtis 1932 Wayward David Frost Sky Bride Bert 'Speed' Condon Guilty as Hell Frank C. Marsh Tiger Shark Pipes Boley The All American Gary King Island of Lost Souls Edward Parker 1933 Song of the Eagle Bill Hoffman College Humor Mondrake Three-Cornered Moon Dr. Alan Stevens Golden Harvest Walt Martin Hell and High Water Capt. J.J. Jericho Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat 1934 Come On Marines! Lucky Davis She Made Her Bed Wild Bill Smith Ready for Love Julian Barrow Helldorado Art Ryan 1935 Let 'Em Have It Mal Stevens The Calling of Dan Matthews Dan Matthews 1936 Three Live Ghosts William 'Bill' Jones, an alias of William Foster The Mine with the Iron Door Bob Harvey 1937 Secret Valley Lee Rogers The Great Barrier Hickey Artists and Models Alan Townsend Murder in Greenwich Village Steve Havens Jackson Jr. 1938 No Time to Marry Call of the Yukon Gaston Rogers Straight, Place and Show Denny Paine 1939 Missing Daughters Wally King Mutiny on the Blackhawk Capt. Robert Lawrence Tropic Fury Dan Burton Legion of Lost Flyers Gene 'Loop' Gillan Man from Montreal Clark Manning 1940 Danger on Wheels Larry Taylor Hot Steel Frank Stewart The Leather Pushers Dick 'Kid' Roberts The Devil's Pipeline Dick Talbot Black Diamonds Walter Norton 1941 Lucky Devils Dick McManus Mutiny in the Arctic Dick Barclay Men of the Timberland Dick O'Hara Power Dive Brad Farrell Forced Landing Dan Kendall Raiders of the Desert Dick Manning A Dangerous Game Dick Williams Flying Blind Jim Clark 1942 Torpedo Boat Skinner Barnes Wildcat Johnny Maverick Wrecking Crew Matt Carney 1943 Submarine Alert Lewis J. 'Lee' Deerhold Aerial Gunner Sgt / Lt. Jonathan 'Jon' Davis Alaska Highway Woody Ormsby Minesweeper Richard Houston – posing as Jim 'Tennessee' Smith 1944 Timber Queen Russell Evans The Lady and the Monster Dr. Patrick Cory That's My Baby! Tim Jones Storm Over Lisbon John Craig The Big Bonanza Captain Jed Kilton 1945 Identity UnknownJohnny March The Phantom Speaks Matt Fraser 1946 Accomplice Simon Lash 1947 Buffalo Bill Rides Again Buffalo Bill 1948 Speed to Spare Cliff Jordan The Return of Wildfire Dobe Williams When My Baby Smiles at Me Harvey Howell 1949 Grand Canyon Mike Adams 1950 Kansas Raiders Union Captain 1951 Silver City Charles Storrs 1952 Flaming Feather Showdown Calhoun Hurricane Smith Brundage The Blazing Forest Joe Morgan 1953 Sabre Jet Gen. Robert E. 'Bob' Hale 1954 Devil's Harbor John 'Captain' Martin 1955 Stolen Time Tony Pelassier 1956 Hidden Guns Sheriff Ward Young The Mountain C.W. Rivial 1958 Cavalry Command Sgt. Jim Heisler 1959 Warlock Bacon 1960 Raymie Garber 1961 The Last Time I Saw Archie Col. Edwin Martin 1963 The Young and The Brave Col. Ralph Holbein The Crawling Hand Lee Barrenger Law of the Lawless Ben the Bartender 1964 The Best Man Sen. Oscar Anderson The Shepherd of the Hills Old Matt Young Fury Sheriff Jenkins Sex and the College Girl Charles Devon 1965 The Human Duplicators Lt. Shaw – National Intelligence Black Spurs Pete Muchin Town Tamer Doctor Kent The Bounty Killer Matthew Ridgeway Apache Uprising Captain Gannon 1966 Johnny Reno Ned Duggan To the Shores of Hell Brig. Gen. F.W. Ramsgate Waco Sheriff Billy Kelly 1967 Red Tomahawk Deadwood Telegrapher Hostile Guns Sheriff Travis Fort Utah Sam Tyler The Road to Nashville Studio Boss 1968 Buckskin Townsman Anzio Capt. Gannon Uncredited Rogues' Gallery Man in Club 1975 The Sky's the Limit Grimes 1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Silent Film Star 2 1977 A Whale of a Tale Mr. Monahan Final film role
Short subjects
A Trip Through the Paramount Studio (1927) as Himself Hollywood on Parade No. A-6 (1933) as Himself / The Great Arlen (uncredited) Hollywood on Parade No. A-9 (1933) as Himself – Dick Arlen (uncredited) How to Break 90 #4: Downswing (1933) as Himself – Dick Arlen (uncredited) Hollywood on Parade No. B-6 (1934) as Himself Hollywood Hobbies (1935) as Himself Screen Snapshots Series 15, No. 3 (1935) as Himself Swing with Bing (1940) as Himself – Movie Star playing Golf Screen Snapshots: Sports in Hollywood (1940) as Himself, Golf Player Soaring Stars (1942) as Himself (uncredited) Unusual Occupations (1942) as Himself (uncredited) Paramount Victory Short: A Letter from Bataan (1942) as Pvt. John W. Lewis Bat Masterson (1961) as Sheriff Dan Rainey – S3E16 "The Price of Paradise"
References
External links
Photographs of Richard Arlen