This article is about films in the year 1941. For the Steven Spielberg film, see
1941 (film).
Overview of the events of 1941 in film
The year1941 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time,Citizen Kane
[ edit ] The top ten 1941 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
Highest-grossing films of 1941 Rank Title Distributor Domestic rentals 1 Sergeant York Warner Bros. $6,075,000[ 1] 2 Honky Tonk MGM $2,893,000[ 2] 3 Louisiana Purchase Paramount $2,750,000[ 3] 4 How Green Was My Valley 20th Century Fox $2,447,000[ 4] 5 The Philadelphia Story MGM $2,374,000[ 2] 6 Caught in the Draft Paramount $2,200,000[ 5] 7 A Yank in the R.A.F. 20th Century Fox $2,063,000[ 4] 8 Men of Boys Town MGM $2,009,000[ 2] 9 Ziegfeld Girl $1,891,000[ 2] 10 They Died with Their Boots On Warner Bros. $1,871,000[ 1]
[ edit ] Films produced in theUnited States unless stated otherwise
Babes on Broadway Busby Berkeley , starringMickey Rooney andJudy Garland Back Street Robert Stevenson , starringCharles Boyer andMargaret Sullavan Ball of Fire Howard Hawks , starringGary Cooper andBarbara Stanwyck The Big Store Charles Reisner , starring theMarx Brothers andTony Martin The Black Cat Albert S. Rogell , starringBasil Rathbone andBela Lugosi Blood and Sand Rouben Mamoulian , starringTyrone Power ,Linda Darnell andRita Hayworth Blossoms in the Dust Mervyn LeRoy , starringGreer Garson andWalter Pidgeon Blues in the Night Anatole Litvak , starringPriscilla Lane The Bride Came C.O.D. William Keighley , starringJames Cagney andBette Davis Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family (Toda-ke no kyōdai)Yasujirō Ozu – (Japan )Buck Privates Arthur Lubin , starringAbbott and Costello andthe Andrews Sisters Caught in the Draft David Butler , starringBob Hope andDorothy Lamour Charlie Chan in Rio Harry Lachman , starringSidney Toler Charley's Aunt Archie Mayo , starringJack Benny andKay Francis The Chocolate Soldier Roy Del Ruth , starringNelson Eddy andRisë Stevens Citizen Kane Orson Welles , withJoseph Cotten andAgnes Moorehead The Corsican Brothers Gregory Ratoff , starringDouglas Fairbanks Jr. Cottage to Let Anthony Asquith , starringLeslie Banks ,Alastair Sim andJohn Mills – (GB )H.M. Pulham, Esq. King Vidor , starringHedy Lamarr andRobert Young Hellzapoppin' H. C. Potter , starringOle Olsen ,Chic Johnson andMartha Raye Here Comes Mr. Jordan Alexander Hall , starringRobert Montgomery andClaude Rains High Sierra Raoul Walsh , starringIda Lupino andHumphrey Bogart Hold Back the Dawn Mitchell Leisen , starringCharles Boyer ,Olivia de Havilland andPaulette Goddard Hold That Ghost Arthur Lubin , starringAbbott and Costello ,the Andrews Sisters andTed Lewis Honky Tonk Jack Conway , starringClark Gable andLana Turner How Green Was My Valley John Ford , starringWalter Pidgeon ,Maureen O'Hara andRoddy McDowall Ladies in Retirement Charles Vidor , starringIda Lupino andLouis Hayward Lady Be Good Norman Z. McLeod , starringEleanor Powell ,Ann Sothern ,Robert Young ,Lionel Barrymore andRed Skelton The Lady Eve Preston Sturges , starringBarbara Stanwyck andHenry Fonda Life Begins for Andy Hardy George B. Seitz , starringLewis Stone ,Mickey Rooney ,Fay Holden andJudy Garland The Little Foxes William Wyler , starringBette Davis andHerbert Marshall Louisiana Purchase Irving Cummings , starringBob Hope Love on the Dole John Baxter , starringDeborah Kerr – (GB )Major Barbara Gabriel Pascal , starringWendy Hiller andRex Harrison – (GB )The Maltese Falcon John Huston , starringHumphrey Bogart ,Mary Astor andPeter Lorre Man Hunt Fritz Lang , starringWalter Pidgeon ,Joan Bennett andGeorge Sanders Man-Made Monster George Waggner , starringLon Chaney Jr. andLionel Atwill Manpower Raoul Walsh , starringEdward G. Robinson ,Marlene Dietrich andGeorge Raft Meet John Doe Frank Capra , starringGary Cooper andBarbara Stanwyck Men of Boys Town Norman Taurog , starringSpencer Tracy andMickey Rooney Moon Over Miami Walter Lang , starringDon Ameche ,Betty Grable andRobert Cummings Mr. & Mrs. Smith Alfred Hitchcock , starringCarole Lombard ,Robert Montgomery andGene Raymond Mr. Bug Goes to Town Dave Fleischer The Sea Wolf Michael Curtiz , starringEdward G. Robinson ,Ida Lupino andJohn Garfield Sergeant York Howard Hawks , starringGary Cooper andWalter Brennan Shadow of the Thin Man W. S. Van Dyke , starringWilliam Powell andMyrna Loy The Shanghai Gesture Josef von Sternberg , starringGene Tierney ,Walter Huston andVictor Mature The Shepherd of the Hills Henry Hathaway , starringJohn Wayne andHarry Carey Skylark Mark Sandrich , starringClaudette Colbert andRay Milland Spooks Run Wild Phil Rosen , starringBela Lugosi and theEast Side Kids Stormy Waters (Remorques)Jean Grémillon , starringJean Gabin andMichèle Morgan – (France )The Strawberry Blonde Raoul Walsh , starringJames Cagney ,Olivia de Havilland andRita Hayworth Sullivan's Travels Preston Sturges , starringJoel McCrea andVeronica Lake Sun Valley Serenade H. Bruce Humberstone , starringSonja Henie ,John Payne andGlenn Miller Suspicion Alfred Hitchcock , starringCary Grant andJoan Fontaine Swamp Water Jean Renoir , starringWalter Brennan ,Walter Huston ,Anne Baxter andDana Andrews Target for Tonight propaganda documentary directed byHarry Watt – (GB )Tarzan's Secret Treasure Richard Thorpe , starringJohnny Weissmuller andMaureen O'Sullivan That Hamilton Woman Alexander Korda , starringVivien Leigh andLaurence Olivier – (GB )That Night in Rio Irving Cummings , starringAlice Faye ,Don Ameche andCarmen Miranda They Died with Their Boots On Raoul Walsh , starringErrol Flynn andOlivia de Havilland Tobacco Road John Ford , starringCharley Grapewin ,Marjorie Rambeau andGene Tierney Week-End in Havana Walter Lang , starringAlice Faye ,Carmen Miranda ,John Payne andCesar Romero Western Union Fritz Lang , starringRobert Young andRandolph Scott When Ladies Meet Robert Z. Leonard , starringJoan Crawford ,Robert Taylor ,Greer Garson andHerbert Marshall The Wolf Man George Waggner , starringLon Chaney Jr. ,Claude Rains ,Warren William andRalph Bellamy A Woman's Face George Cukor , starringJoan Crawford ,Melvyn Douglas andConrad Veidt United States unless stated
January 19411 January 16 January 17 January 21 January 23 January 24 January 28 January 31 January February 19417 February 18 February 20 February 21 February 25 February March 19411 March 7 March 8 March 10 March 21 March 26 March 28 March April 19414 April 6 April 10 April 11 April 12 April 19 April 24 April 25 April 30 April May 19411 May 2 May 3 May 5 May 7 May 9 May 10 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 30 May June 19417 June 11 June 13 June 18 June 20 June 25 June 26 June 27 June 28 June July 19412 July 4 July 12 July 18 July 25 July 26 July August 19411 August 2 August 6 August 7 August 8 August 9 August 12 August 15 August 21 August 28 August 29 August September1 September 5 September 6 September 18 September 19 September 25 September 26 September October 19412 October 8 October 10 October 17 October 18 October 22 October 23 October 24 October 25 October 28 October 31 October November 19417 November 14 November 15 November 21 November 27 November 28 November December 19411 December 2 December 5 December 12 December 18 December 21 December 25 December 26 December The Adventures of Captain Marvel Tom Tyler , directed byWilliam Witney andJohn English Dick Tracy vs Crime Inc Ralph Byrd , directed byWilliam Witney andJohn English The Green Hornet Gordon Jones Holt of the Secret Service James W. Horne The Iron Claw James W. Horne Jungle Girl Frances Gifford , directed byWilliam Witney andJohn English King of the Texas Rangers William Witney andJohn English Riders of Death Valley Ray Taylor andFord Beebe Sea Raiders Ray Taylor andFord Beebe Sky Raiders Ray Taylor andFord Beebe The Spider Returns Warren Hull , directed byJames W. Horne White Eagle James W. Horne Animated short film series [ edit ] January 1 January 3 -Derrick O'Connor , Irish actor (died 2018) January 4 January 7 -Harvey Evans , American actor (died 2021) January 8 -Graham Chapman , British actor (died 1989) January 10 –José Greci , Italian actress (died 2017) January 12 -Long John Baldry , English-Canadian singer, musician and voice actor (died 2005) January 14 January 15 -Geoffrey Beevers , British actor January 19 -Putter Smith , American jazz bassist and actor January 20 -Henry Cele , South African actor (died 2007) January 24 -Neil Diamond , American actor and singer January 27 -Jeannie Epper , American stuntwoman and actress (died 2024) January 31 –Jessica Walter , American actress (died 2021) February 5 -David Selby , American actor February 8 –Nick Nolte , American actor and producer February 10 –Michael Apted , English director, producer and screenwriter (died 2021) February 11 -Sonny Landham , American actor and stunt performer (died 2017) February 13 -Bo Svenson , Swedish-American actor, director, screenwriter and producer February 27 -Charlotte Stewart , American actress March 3 -Rada Rassimov , Italian actress March 4 March 6 -George P. Wilbur , American actor and professional stuntman (died 2023) March 14 –Wolfgang Petersen , German director, producer and screenwriter (died 2022) March 16 March 18 -Frank McRae , American actor (died 2021) March 20 -Paul Junger Witt , American producer (died 2018) March 22 -Bruno Ganz , Swiss actor (died 2019) March 24 -David Fox , Canadian actor (died 2021) April 3 -Eric Braeden , German actor April 7 April 9 -Hannah Gordon , Scottish actress and presenter April 12 -Manuel de Blas , Spanish actor April 13 -Michael Alldredge , American actor (died 1997) April 20 April 26 -Claudine Auger , French actress (died 2019) April 28 –Ann-Margret , Swedish-born American actress, dancer and singer May 2 -Paul Darrow , English actor (died 2019) May 13 –Senta Berger , Austrian actress and producer May 17 -Grace Zabriskie , American actress May 18 -Miriam Margolyes , British-Australian character actress May 19 May 24 –Andrés García , Dominican-Mexican actor May 29 June 2 June 5 –Spalding Gray , American actor and screenwriter (died 2004) June 8 -Jessie Lawrence Ferguson , American actor (died 2019) June 10 June 17 -Roberta Maxwell , Canadian actress June 20 June 21 June 22 –Michael Lerner , American actor (died 2023) June 25 –Denys Arcand , Canadian director and screenwriter June 27 –Krzysztof Kieślowski , Polish director (died 1996) July 1 -Milos Milos , Serbian-born American actor and stunt double (died 1966) July 9 -Yosef Shiloach , Israeli actor (died 2011) July 10 -Robert Pine , American actor July 13 -Robert Forster , American actor (died 2019) July 17 -Paula Shaw , American actress (died 2025) July 18 -Starletta DuPois , American actress July 21 -Edward Herrmann , American actor, director and writer (died 2014) July 26 -Darlene Love , American actress and singer July 28 July 29 –David Warner , English actor (died 2022) August 4 August 7 -Franco Columbu , Italian bodybuilder, actor and producer (died 2019) August 8 -Earl Boen , American actor (died 2023) August 12 August 15 -Lou Perryman , American character actor (died 2009) August 26 August 28 -Tony Barry , Australian actor (died 2022) August 29 September 4 -Rochelle Kaffenberger , American actress (died 2024) September 18 -Gerry Bamman , American actor September 26 –Martine Beswick , English actress and model October 6 October 9 -Michael Goodwin , American character actor October 10 –Peter Coyote , American actor October 11 -Charles Shyer , American director, screenwriter and producer (died 2024) October 19 –Simon Ward , English actor (died 2012) October 20 –Clare Peploe , English-Italian screenwriter and director (died 2021) October 23 –Mel Winkler , American actor (died 2020) October 24 –Frank Aendenboom , Belgian actor (died 2018) October 25 –Gordon Tootoosis , Aboriginal Canadian actor (died 2011) October 31 November 1 –Robert Foxworth , American actor November 18 –David Hemmings , English actor, director and producer (died 2003) November 22 –Tom Conti , Scottish actor November 23 –Franco Nero , Italian actor November 25 –Tiit Lilleorg , Estonian actor (died 2021) November 27 -Tom Morga , American stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor November 30 -Sally Douglas , British actress (died 2001) December 4 –Leila Säälik , Estonian actress December 6 December 8 –Valora Noland , American actress (died 2022) December 9 –Beau Bridges , American actor December 10 -Fionnula Flanagan , Irish actress December 11 -John Davidson , American actor, singer and game show host December 15 -Vladan Živković , Serbian actor (died 2022) December 25 -John Capodice , American character actor (died 2024) December 27 -Aharon Ipalé , Israeli-American actor (died 2016) January 4 –Henri Bergson , 81, French writer January 10 –Joe Penner , 36, American comedian, actor,The Boys from Syracuse Millionaire Playboy The Day the Bookies Wept Mr. Doodle Kicks Off March 13 –Stuart Walker , 63, American director,White Woman Great Expectations April 23 –Stanley Fields , 57, American actor,The Great Plane Robbery The Lady from Cheyenne May 8 –Tore Svennberg , 83, Swedish actor,The Phantom Carriage A Woman's Face May 12 –Ruth Stonehouse , 48, American actress, film director,The Satin Woman May 22 –Ida Waterman , 89, American actress,Stella Maris The Enchanted Cottage Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley Esmerelda June 28 –Richard Carle , 69, American actor,The Little Red Schoolhouse Love Before Breakfast Rhythm in the Clouds She Asked for It July 25 -Purnell Pratt , 55, American actor,Alibi Scarface The Mystery Squadron Dancing Feet July 29 -James Stephenson , 52, English actor,The Letter Shining Victory August 13 –J. Stuart Blackton , 66, British-American film producer and director, co-founder ofVitagraph Studios ,The Glorious Adventure September 18 –Claude King , 66, English actor,Behind the Mask It Couldn't Have Happened – But It Did October 9 –Helen Morgan , 41, American actress and singer,You Belong to Me Applause Show Boat October 26 –Victor Schertzinger , 53, American director,Paramount on Parade Road to Zanzibar November 2 –Bengt Djurberg , 43, Swedish actor,Troll-elgen December 21 –David Howard , 45, American film director,Daniel Boone ^a b Warner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 28 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551 ^a b c d The Eddie Mannix Ledger , Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study^ "101 Pix Gross in Millions"Variety 6 Jan 1943 p 58 ^a b "All-time Film Rental Champs".Variety ^ "York's 4,000,000" .Variety . December 31, 1941. p. 20. RetrievedDecember 9, 2023 .^ "All Time Box Office Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation" .www.boxofficemojo.com .Archived from the original on 2014-06-07.^ Tosaka, Yuji (2003).Hollywood Goes to Tokyo: American Cultural Expansion and Imperial Japan, 1918–1941 . p. 321.
