Overview of the events of 1959 in film
The year1959 in film involved some significant events, withBen-Hur Academy Awards .
[ edit ] The top ten 1959 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
Highest-grossing films of 1959 Rank Title Distributor Domestic rentals 1 Ben-Hur MGM $36,000,000[ 1] 2 The Shaggy Dog Buena Vista $9,600,000[ 2] 3 Operation Petticoat Universal $9,321,555[ 3] 4 Some Like It Hot United Artists $8,127,835[ 3] 5 Pillow Talk Universal $7,669,713[ 3] 6 Imitation of Life $6,417,807[ 3] 7 Suddenly, Last Summer Columbia $6,375,000[ 3] 8 Rio Bravo The Nun's Story Warner Bros. $5,750,000[ 3] 9 North by Northwest MGM $5,740,000[ 4] 10 Anatomy of a Murder Columbia $5,500,000[ 1]
January 23 –Republic Pictures releases its last production,Plunderers of Painted Flats [ 5] January 29 –Walt Disney releases his 16th animated film,Sleeping Beauty Beverly Hills . It is Disney's first animated film to be shown in70mm and modern6-track stereophonic sound ,[ a] 1989 . Also on the program is Disney's new "pictorial interpretation"Grand Canyon Ferde Grofé 'sGrand Canyon Suite Grand Canyon wins anAcademy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) . April 30 –François Truffaut 'sThe 400 Blows 1959 Cannes Film Festival bringing international attention to theFrench New Wave . June 4 –The Three Stooges release their 190th and last short film,Sappy Bull Fighters June 7 – A contract between Paramount andJerry Lewis Productions is signed specifying a payment of $10 million plus 60% of the profits for 14 films over a seven-year period.[ 6] July 1 -Herbert J. Yates , founder ofRepublic Pictures , sells his controlling stake in the company. July –Les Cousins French New Wave , wins theGolden Bear at the9th Berlin International Film Festival . July 22 –Joseph E. Levine promotes the release ofHercules Steve Reeves which popularizes thesword and sandals genre. August 4 –The Big Fisherman Super Panavision 70 . September 30 – The film ofMise Éire George Morrison forGael Linn , is premiered to close theCork Film Festival , the first feature-lengthIrish language film. October 7 –Rock Hudson , who is later voted top in theTop Ten Money Making Stars Poll for the year, appears inPillow Talk Doris Day for the first time. October 14 – Legendary Australian-born actorErrol Flynn dies of a heart attack in Vancouver, Canada at the age of 50. November 18 –William Wyler 'sBen-Hur Loew's State Theatre (New York City) . It goes on to win a record 11Academy Awards .Principal photography hadwrapped on January 7 with filming the last shots of the crucifixion scene atCinecittà in Rome.[ 7] December 2 – The battle of the smellies starts with the release of the documentaryBehind the Great Wall inAromaRama , with scents pumped into the theater during the film. Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):
Black Orpheus Orfeu Negro ), directed byMarcel Camus , FranceGolden Lion (Venice Film Festival):
Il Generale della Rovere General della Rovere ), directed byRoberto Rossellini , Italy / FranceLa grande guerra The Great War ), directed byMario Monicelli , Italy / FranceGolden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):
Les Cousins The Cousins ), directed byClaude Chabrol , FranceUnited States unless stated
January 19592 January 6 January 13 January 16 January 22 January 25 January 28 January 29 January February 195911 February 12 February 15 February 17 February 19 February 22 February 24 February 26 February March 19593 March 4 March 5 March 6 March 8 March 10 March 11 March 12 March 18 March 19 March 20 March 25 March 29 March April 19591 April 4 April 6 April 8 April 10 April 14 April 16 April 21 April 23 April 25 April 29 April 30 April May 19591 May 2 May 4 May 8 May 9 May 12 May 14 May 19 May 21 May 23 May 27 May 29 May June 19594 June 10 June 12 June 16 June 17 June 18 June 24 June 25 June 26 June 27 June July 19591 July 2 July 3 July 5 July 8 July 11 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 20 July 22 July 24 July 29 July 30 July August 19594 August 5 August 6 August 9 August 11 August 13 August 19 August 20 August 22 August 24 August September 19593 September 4 September 9 September 10 September 11 September 12 September 15 September 16 September 18 September 24 September 25 September 26 September October 19593 October 6 October 7 October 8 October 9 October 15 October 16 October 18 October 21 October 22 October 23 October 25 October 27 October 30 October November 19592 November 3 November 4 November 6 November 10 November 11 November 12 November 13 November 14 November 17 November 18 November 22 November 23 November 29 November 30 November December 19591 December 5 December 7 December 11 December 12 December 15 December 16 December 17 December 18 December 20 December 21 December 25 December 26 December 28 December 30 December 31 December Notable films released in 1959 [ edit ] United States unless stated
The Adventures of Buratino USSR )Al Capone Rod Steiger [ 8] Alias Jesse James Bob Hope The Alligator People Beverly Garland Anari Raj Kapoor – (India )Anatomy of a Murder Otto Preminger , starringJames Stewart ,Lee Remick ,Ben Gazzara ,Eve Arden ,Arthur O'Connell ,Kathryn Grant ,George C. Scott The Angry Hills Robert Mitchum andGia Scala The Angry Red Planet Gerald Mohr Argument About Basia Poland )Bad Girls Don't Cry Rosanna Schiaffino – (Italy )Ballad of a Soldier Grigory Chukhray – (USSR )The Bat Vincent Price andAgnes Moorehead Battle Beyond the Sun Nebo zovet Battle in Outer Space Ishirō Honda – (Japan )The Battle of the Sexes Peter Sellers – (Britain )The Beat Generation Steve Cochran andMamie Van Doren Beloved Infidel Gregory Peck andDeborah Kerr Ben-Hur William Wyler , starringCharlton Heston ,Stephen Boyd ,Jack Hawkins – winner of 11Academy Awards and 4Golden Globes The Best of Everything Hope Lange ,Diane Baker ,Suzy Parker ,Stephen Boyd ,Joan Crawford The Big Circus Victor Mature ,Rhonda Fleming ,Red Buttons ,Gilbert Roland ,Kathryn Grant The Big Fisherman Howard Keel The Big Operator Mickey Rooney ,Steve Cochran ,Mamie Van Doren The Birth of Japan Toshiro Mifune – (Japan )Black Orpheus Marcel Camus – winner of Palme d'Or, Golden Globe, Oscar and Bafta – (Brazil /France /Italy )Blessings of the Land Rosa Rosal – (Philippines )Breakout Hazel Court The Bridge Bernhard Wicki – (West Germany )A Bucket of Blood Roger Corman But Not for Me Walter Lang , starringClark Gable ,Carroll Baker ,Lee J. Cobb The Captain's Table John Gregson andPeggy Cummins – (Britain )Career Dean Martin ,Shirley MacLaine ,Anthony Franciosa Carlton-Browne of the F.O. Peter Sellers ,Terry-Thomas ,John Le Mesurier – (Britain )Carry On Nurse Shirley Eaton andKenneth Connor – (Britain)Carry On Teacher Kenneth Connor andLeslie Phillips – (Britain)The Chasers Norway )City of Fear Come Dance with Me Brigitte Bardot – (France/Italy )Compulsion Orson Welles ,Bradford Dillman ,Dean Stockwell ,Diane Varsi ,E. G. Marshall Court Martial West Germany )Les Cousins Claude Chabrol – (France )The Crimson Kimono Samuel Fuller , starringJames Shigeta Danger Within Richard Todd ,Bernard Lee ,Richard Attenborough – (Britain )Darby O'Gill and the Little People Sean Connery Date With Death Gerald Mohr Day of the Outlaw Robert Ryan ,Tina Louise ,Burl Ives The Death Ship Horst Buchholz – (West Germany )Destiny of a Man Sergei Bondarchuk – (USSR )The Devil's Disciple Laurence Olivier ,Burt Lancaster ,Kirk Douglas – (U.S. /Britain )The Diary of Anne Frank George Stevens , starringMillie Perkins ,Joseph Schildkraut ,Shelley Winters ,Richard Beymer ,Diane Baker ,Ed Wynn Dil Deke Dekho Shammi Kapoor – (India )Donald in Mathmagic Land Don't Give Up The Ship Jerry Lewis Dust on the Brain Norway )The FBI Story James Stewart Face of a Fugitive Fred MacMurray The Facts of Murder Pietro Germi withClaudia Cardinale – (Italy )La fièvre monte à El Pao Luis Buñuel – (France /Mexico )Fires on the Plain Kon Ichikawa – (Japan )The Five Pennies Danny Kaye Floating Weeds Yasujirō Ozu – (Japan)Follow a Star Norman Wisdom ,Ron Moody ,Hattie Jacques – (Britain )Forbidden Women Mahmoud Zulfikar , starringSalah Zulfikar andHuda Sultan – (Egypt )The Fugitive Kind Sidney Lumet , starringMarlon Brando ,Anna Magnani ,Joanne Woodward The Gazebo Glenn Ford ,Debbie Reynolds ,Carl Reiner Il Generale della Rovere Roberto Rossellini , starringVittorio De Sica – (Italy )The Giant Behemoth Gene Evans andAndré Morell Gidget Sandra Dee Girls Town Mamie Van Doren Good Morning Yasujirō Ozu – (Japan )La grande guerra Mario Monicelli , starringAlberto Sordi andVittorio Gassman – (Italy)The Gunfight at Dodge City Joel McCrea Guns, Girls and Gangsters Edward L. Cahn The Hanging Tree Delmer Daves , starringGary Cooper ,Karl Malden ,George C. Scott The Hangman Robert Taylor andTina Louise Hannibal Victor Mature andRita Gam Happy Anniversary David Niven andMitzi Gaynor Have Rocket, Will Travel Moe Howard ,Larry Fine andJoe De Rita The Heart of a Man Frankie Vaughan andAnne Heywood – (Britain )Hiroshima Mon Amour Alain Resnais – (France /Japan)A Hole in the Head Frank Sinatra ,Edward G. Robinson ,Carolyn Jones ,Eddie Hodges Holiday for Lovers Jane Wyman ,Clifton Webb ,Jill St. John A Home for Tanya USSR )Honeymoon Michael Powell – (Britain /Spain )The Horse Soldiers John Wayne ,William Holden ,Constance Towers The Hound of the Baskervilles Peter Cushing as Holmes, Andre Morell as Watson andChristopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville – (Britain )House on Haunted Hill Vincent Price I'm All Right Jack Boulting Brothers , starringPeter Sellers andIan Carmichael – (Britain )Imitation of Life Douglas Sirk , starringLana Turner ,John Gavin ,Sandra Dee ,Susan Kohner ,Juanita Moore The Immoral Mr. Teas Russ Meyer The Indian Tomb Fritz Lang – (West Germany)Insan Jaag Utha Madhubala – (India )It Happened to Jane Doris Day ,Jack Lemmon ,Ernie Kovacs It Started with a Kiss Debbie Reynolds andGlenn Ford Jazz on a Summer's Day concert film of the 1958Newport Jazz Festival , directed byBert Stern andAram Avakian The Jazz Singer Jerry Lewis Jet Over the Atlantic Guy Madison andVirginia Mayo Jet Storm Richard Attenborough ,Stanley Baker ,Diane Cilento ,Mai Zetterling – (Britain )John Paul Jones Robert Stack The Journey Yul Brynner andDeborah Kerr Journey to the Center of the Earth James Mason andPat Boone The Last Angry Man Paul Muni Last Train from Gun Hill Kirk Douglas ,Anthony Quinn ,Carolyn Jones ,Earl Holliman The Law Gina Lollobrigida andYves Montand – (Italy)El Lazarillo de Tormes Golden Bear – (Spain )Le signe du lion , directed byÉric Rohmer – (France )The Legend of Tom Dooley Michael Landon Les liaisons dangereuses Roger Vadim , starringJeanne Moreau – (France )Letter Never Sent USSR )Little Greaser Libel Anthony Asquith , starringDirk Bogarde andOlivia de Havilland – (Britain )Li'l Abner Melvin Frank , starringPeter Palmer ,Leslie Parrish ,Stella Stevens ,Julie Newmar ,Stubby Kaye Look Back in Anger Tony Richardson , starringRichard Burton andClaire Bloom – (Britain )Magic Boy Maigret et l'affaire Saint-Fiacre Jean Delannoy , starringJean Gabin – (France )Make Mine a Million Lance Comfort and starringArthur Askey andSid James – (Britain )The Man in the Net Michael Curtiz , starringAlan Ladd andCarolyn Jones The Man Who Could Cheat Death Anton Diffring andHazel Court Model for Murder Keith Andes andHazel Court The Master and His Servants Norway )A Midsummer Night's Dream Jiří Trnka – (Czechoslovakia )The Miracle Carroll Baker andRoger Moore Mise Éire Ireland )The Mouse That Roared Peter Sellers andJean Seberg – (Britain )The Mummy Peter Cushing andChristopher Lee – (Britain)My Second Brother Shōhei Imamura – (Japan )Nazarín Luis Buñuel – (Mexico )Never So Few Frank Sinatra ,Gina Lollobrigida ,Peter Lawford ,Steve McQueen Night Train Poland )The Nightingale's Prayer Egypt )No Name on the Bullet Audie Murphy North by Northwest Alfred Hitchcock , starringCary Grant ,Eva Marie Saint ,James Mason North West Frontier Flame Over India , starringKenneth More andLauren Bacall – (Britain )The Nun's Story Fred Zinnemann , starringAudrey Hepburn Odd Obsession Kon Ichikawa – (Japan )Odds Against Tomorrow Harry Belafonte andRobert Ryan On the Beach Stanley Kramer , starringGregory Peck ,Ava Gardner ,Fred Astaire ,Anthony Perkins Operation Petticoat Cary Grant andTony Curtis Our Man in Havana Carol Reed , starringAlec Guinness ,Maureen O'Hara ,Noël Coward ,Ernie Kovacs – (Britain )The Overcoat USSR )Paigham S. S. Vasan , starringDilip Kumar ,Vyjayanthimala ,Raaj Kumar ,B. Saroja Devi – (India )Pickpocket Robert Bresson – (France )Pillow Talk Doris Day andRock Hudson El Pisito Marco Ferreri – (Spain )Plan 9 from Outer Space Edward D. Wood, Jr. , starringTor Johnson ,Vampira ,Bela Lugosi Porgy and Bess Otto Preminger , starringSidney Poitier andDorothy Dandridge , music byGeorge andIra Gershwin Pork Chop Hill Gregory Peck The Rest Is Silence Hardy Krüger – (West Germany )Return of the Fly Vincent Price Ride Lonesome Randolph Scott Rio Bravo Howard Hawks , starringJohn Wayne ,Dean Martin ,Ricky Nelson ,Walter Brennan ,Angie Dickinson The Rookie Julie Newmar ,Tommy Noonan ,Peter Marshall Room at the Top Jack Clayton , starringSimone Signoret andLaurence Harvey – (Britain )The Roots of Heaven John Huston , starringErrol Flynn ,Trevor Howard ,Juliette Gréco ,Eddie Albert ,Orson Welles Sampo USSR /Finland )Sapphire Basil Dearden – (Britain )Say One for Me Bing Crosby ,Debbie Reynolds andRobert Wagner The Scapegoat Alec Guinness andBette Davis – (Britain)Serious Charge Anthony Quayle – (Britain)Shadows John Cassavetes The Shaggy Dog Fred MacMurray ,Jean Hagen andTommy Kirk The Shakedown Donald Pleasence andHazel Court Shake Hands with the Devil James Cagney – (U.S./Ireland )Sleeping Beauty Walt Disney The Soldiers of Pancho Villa María Félix andDolores del Río – (Mexico )Solomon and Sheba Yul Brynner andGina Lollobrigida Some Like It Hot Billy Wilder , starringMarilyn Monroe ,Tony Curtis andJack Lemmon SOS Pacific Richard Attenborough – (Britain )The Sound and the Fury Yul Brynner andJoanne Woodward Stars Konrad Wolf – (East Germany /Bulgaria )A Stranger in My Arms Jeff Chandler ,June Allyson ,Mary Astor andSandra Dee Suddenly, Last Summer Joseph L. Mankiewicz , starringElizabeth Taylor ,Montgomery Clift andKatharine Hepburn A Summer Place Troy Donahue andSandra Dee Tarzan's Greatest Adventure John Guillermin , starringGordon Scott ,Anthony Quayle ,Sean Connery Telegrame Romania )Ten Seconds to Hell Robert Aldrich , starringJack Palance Terror Is a Man Francis Lederer – (U.S. /Philippines )That Kind of Woman Sidney Lumet , starringSophia Loren andTab Hunter The Unknown Woman Mahmoud Zulfikar , starringShadia ,Shoukry Sarhan andKamal El-Shennawi – (Egypt )There Will Be No Leave Today Andrei Tarkovsky – (USSR )These Thousand Hills Richard Egan ,Don Murray ,Lee Remick They Came to Cordura Gary Cooper ,Rita Hayworth ,Van Heflin ,Richard Conte ,Dick York ,Tab Hunter Third Man on the Mountain Michael Rennie Tiger Bay John Mills andHayley Mills – (Britain )The Tiger of Eschnapur Fritz Lang – (West Germany)The Tingler Vincent Price Tommy the Toreador Tommy Steele – (Britain)Too Many Crooks Terry-Thomas andGeorge Cole – (Britain)Train Without a Timetable Yugoslavia )The Trap Richard Widmark ,Lee J. Cobb ,Earl Holliman ,Tina Louise Two Men in Manhattan Jean-Pierre Melville – (France )Warlock Edward Dmytryk , starringHenry Fonda ,Richard Widmark andAnthony Quinn The Wasp Woman Susan Cabot We Are Altogether Crazy Denmark )Westbound Randolph Scott andVirginia Mayo When the Woman Butts In Czechoslovakia )The Wild and the Innocent Audie Murphy ,Joanne Dru ,Sandra Dee Woman Obsessed Susan Hayward The Wonderful Country Robert Mitchum andJulie London The World, the Flesh and the Devil Harry Belafonte andInger Stevens The World of Apu Satyajit Ray – (India )The Wreck of the Mary Deare Gary Cooper andCharlton Heston – (Britain /U.S. )January 1 -Adrian Hall , English former actor and co-director January 4 -Vanity , Canadian singer, songwriter, model and actress (died 2016) January 5 –Clancy Brown , American actor and voice actor January 12 -Ralf Moeller , German actor January 13 -Alan Taylor , American director January 17 –Momoe Yamaguchi , Japanese former actress and singer January 22 –Linda Blair , American actress January 23 January 26 -Herbert Sigüenza , American actor, writer, visual artist and performer January 27 -Glenn Taranto , American actor and writer January 28 -Frank Darabont , American director, screenwriter and producer January 30 -Alex Hyde-White , American actor January 31 February 1 -Slink Johnson , American rapper, actor and comedian February 2 –Laine Mägi , Estonian actress and dancer February 3 -Fredric Lehne , American actor February 4 –Pamelyn Ferdin , American actress February 8 -Henry Czerny , Canadian actor February 12 -Sigrid Thornton , Australian actress February 15 -Joseph R. Gannascoli , American actor, chef and author February 16 -Hazelle Goodman , American actress February 18 -Jayne Atkinson , British-American actress February 22 –Kyle MacLachlan , American actor March 3 March 5 –Darío Grandinetti , Argentinian actor March 6 –Tom Arnold , American actor and comedian March 7 March 8 –Aidan Quinn , Irish-American actor March 9 –Rodney A. Grant , American actor March 11 March 12 -Luenell , American comedian and actress March 14 March 15 –Renny Harlin , Finnish director and producer March 16 March 18 March 22 –Matthew Modine , American actor March 23 –Catherine Keener , American actress March 27 -Brian Tarantina , American character actor (died 2019) April 1 -Ivan G'Vera , Czech actor April 2 -David Frankel , American filmmaker April 3 –David Hyde Pierce , American actor April 4 -Phil Morris , American actor and voice actor April 10 -Jochen Nickel , German actor April 13 -Jodie Markell , American actress and director April 15 April 17 April 18 -Victoria Wicks , British actress April 19 -Patricia Charbonneau , American actress April 20 April 23 April 24 -Glenn Morshower , American character actor April 27 -Neil Pearson , British actor May 2 -Lone Scherfig , Danish director and screenwriter May 3 -Ben Elton , English comedian, actor and director May 10 -Victoria Rowell , American actress May 12 -Ving Rhames , American actor May 14 -Patrick Bruel , French singer-songwriter, actor and professional poker player May 15 -Chris Meledandri , American producer and founder and CEO ofIllumination May 16 –Mare Winningham , American actress May 19 -Jim Ward , American voice actor, radio personality and camera operator May 20 -Bronson Pinchot , American actor May 21 May 22 -Linda Emond , American actress May 24 -Nula Conwell , English character actress May 26 -Kevin Gage , American character actor May 29 –Rupert Everett , English actor June 4 -Neena Gupta , Indian actress June 6 June 7 -Francis Magee , Irish actor June 8 -Bernard White , American actor, screenwriter and director June 11 –Hugh Laurie , English actor June 16 -Willard E. Pugh , American actor June 22 –Wayne Federman , American actor and comedian June 23 -Duane Whitaker , American character actor June 28 -Chris Doohan , Canadian actor June 29 -Charlotte Attenborough , British actress June 30 –Vincent D'Onofrio , American actor July 2 -Jere Fields , American former actress July 3 July 7 -Billy Campbell , American actor July 8 July 9 -Kevin Nash , American actor and retired professional wrestler July 12 -Charlie Murphy , American actor, comedian and writer (died 2017) July 16 -Bob Joles , American voice actor and musician July 26 July 29 –Sanjay Dutt , Indian actor August 2 August 3 -John C. McGinley , American actor August 7 -Deborah Offner , American actress August 10 –Rosanna Arquette , American actress August 11 -Miguel A. Núñez Jr. , American actor August 14 –Marcia Gay Harden , American actress August 22 -Mark Williams , English actor, presenter and screenwriter August 27 -Peter Mensah , Ghanaian-British actor August 28 August 29 –Rebecca De Mornay , American actress September 3 -Merritt Butrick , American actor (died 1989) September 9 -Brent Stait , Canadian actor September 10 September 11 -John Hawkes , American actor September 13 -Dominic Fumusa , American actor September 14 September 15 -Kevin Allen , English actor, director, producer and writer September 16 -Peter Keleghan , Canadian actor and writer September 19 September 23 September 24 -Steve Whitmire , American puppeteer September 28 October 2 -Kevin Eldon , English actor and comedian October 3 –Greg Proops , American actor, stand-up comedian, voice artist and television host October 7 -Dylan Baker , American character actor October 8 -Brad Greenquist , American actor October 9 -Katt Shea , American actress October 10 October 14 -Vincent Riotta , British actor October 15 -Todd Solondz , American filmmaker October 17 -Norm Macdonald , Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor (died 2021) October 20 -Niamh Cusack , Irish actress October 21 October 22 -Marc Lawrence , American director, screenwriter and producer October 23 October 24 -Brad Johnson , American actor (died 2022) October 26 -François Chau , American actor October 31 -Michael DeLorenzo , American actor, director, writer, producer and musician November 2 -Peter Mullan , Scottish actor and filmmaker November 4 -Ken Kirzinger , Canadian actor and stuntman November 8 November 9 -Tony Slattery , British actor and comedian (died 2025) November 10 -Mackenzie Phillips , American actress and singer November 13 -Caroline Goodall , British actress and screenwriter November 14 –Paul McGann , English actor November 17 -Miyuki Ono , Japanese actress November 19 –Allison Janney , American actress November 20 –Sean Young , American actress November 23 November 28 –Judd Nelson , American actor November 30 December 13 –Johnny Whitaker , American actor December 14 -Debbie Lee Carrington , American actress and stuntwoman (died 2018) December 16 December 21 -Sergio Rubini , Italian actor, director and screenwriter December 24 December 26 -David Argue , Australian actor (died 2025) December 29 December 30 -Tracey Ullman , British-American actress, comedian, singer, writer, producer and director December 31 January 21 February 1 –Madame Sul-Te-Wan , 85, American actress,King of the Zombies In Old Chicago February 4 –Una O'Connor , 78, Irish actress,Witness for the Prosecution The Adventures of Robin Hood February 5 –Gwili Andre , 51, Danish actress,Secrets of the French Police No Other Woman February 20 –George Archainbaud , 68, French director,Thirteen Women Girls of the Big House February 22 –Helen Parrish , 34, American actress,Too Many Blondes X Marks the Spot March 2 –Eric Blore , 71, British actor,Top Hat The Lady Eve The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad March 3 –Lou Costello , 52, American comedian and actor, half ofAbbott and Costello comedy team,Africa Screams Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein March 26 –Raymond Chandler , 70, American author and screenwriter,The Big Sleep Double Indemnity March 27 –Grant Withers , 54, American actor,My Darling Clementine Fort Apache April 12 –James Gleason , 76, American actor,Here Comes Mr. Jordan The Bishop's Wife April 17 –Cecil Cunningham , 70, American actress,The Awful Truth Monkey Business April 18 –Irving Cummings , 70, American director,Louisiana Purchase The Dolly Sisters May 3 –Troy Sanders , 57, American score arranger and composer,White Christmas Going My Way June 2 –Lyda Borelli , 75, Italian actress,Malombra The Moth June 4 –Charles Vidor , 58, Hungarian director,Gilda Love Me or Leave Me June 16 –George Reeves , 45, American actor,Gone with the Wind So Proudly We Hail! June 18 –Ethel Barrymore , 79, American actress,Portrait of Jennie The Spiral Staircase August 6 –Preston Sturges , 60, American writer, director,Sullivan's Travels The Lady Eve September 6 September 11 –Paul Douglas , 52, American actor,A Letter to Three Wives It Happens Every Spring September 13 –Adrian , 56, American costume designer,The Wizard of Oz The Women September 14 –Wayne Morris , 45, American actor,Kid Galahad Paths of Glory September 25 –Helen Broderick , 68, American actress,Top Hat Swing Time September 30 –Taylor Holmes , 81, American actor,Kiss of Death Sleeping Beauty October 3 –William Bishop , 41, American actor,Harriet Craig Top Gun October 7 –Mario Lanza , 38, American singer and actor,The Great Caruso Winged Victory October 12 –Edward Keane , 75, American actor,Frontier Pony Express The Roaring Twenties October 14 –Errol Flynn , 50, Australian actor,The Adventures of Robin Hood Captain Blood October 21 –Olive Blakeney , 60, American actress,Leave It to Blanche Don't Get Me Wrong October 23 –Gerda Lundequist , 88, Swedish actress,Gosta Berlings Saga October 30 –Noel Francis , 53, American actress,Blonde Crazy I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang November 7 –Victor McLaglen , 72, British actor,The Quiet Man Gunga Din November 20 –Sylvia Lopez , 26, French actress,Hercules Unchained Son of the Red Corsair November 21 –Max Baer , 50, American boxer and actor,The Prizefighter and the Lady The Harder They Fall November 25 –Gérard Philipe , 36, French actor,Fan-Fan the Tulip Beauties of the Night December 1 –Jose Nepomuceno , 66, Filipino filmmaker and producer,Country Maiden The Three Humbugs December 22 –Gilda Gray , 58, American actress,Aloma of the South Seas Cabaret December 24 –Edmund Goulding , 68, American director,Grand Hotel The Razor's Edge ^ Fantasia Sleeping Beauty .
