Joseph Cotten

May 15, 1905 - February 6, 1994 Petersburg, Virginia, USA
IMDb

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American actor of stage and film. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair. He is associated with Orson Welles, leading to appearances in Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Journey into Fear (1943), for which Cotten was also credited with the screenplay, and The Third Man (1949). He was a star in his own right with films such as Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Love Letters (1945), Portrait of Jennie (1948), and The Third Man (1949).

His titles like Citizen Kane, The Third Man, and Shadow of a Doubt - his biggest roles first.
Last updated: August 17, 2026

Watched: 0/89
Weighted avg: 7.03 /10
  • 1
    1
    1941April 1941 by Orson Welles
    Starring as Jedediah Leland
    Starring as Jedediah Leland
    7.65 Excellent-
  • 2
    2
    1949August 1949 by Carol Reed
    Lead role as Holly Martins
    Lead role as Holly Martins
    7.54 Excellent-
  • 3
    3
    1943January 1943 by Alfred Hitchcock
    Starring as Uncle Charlie
    Starring as Uncle Charlie
    7.09 Good++
  • 4
    4
    1973April 1973 by Richard Fleischer
    Supporting as William R. Simonson
    Supporting as William R. Simonson
    6.46 Good-
  • 5
    5
    1942July 1942 by Orson Welles
    Lead role as Eugene Morgan
    Lead role as Eugene Morgan
    6.87 Good+
  • 6
    6
    1958March 1958 by Orson Welles
    Minor role as Coroner (uncredited)
    Minor role as Coroner (uncredited)
    7.37 Excellent--
  • 7
    7
    1944May 1944 by George Cukor
    Starring as Brian Cameron
    Starring as Brian Cameron
    7.05 Good++
  • 8
    8
    1953January 1953 by Henry Hathaway
    Starring as George Loomis
    Starring as George Loomis
    6.33 Good--
  • 9
    9
    1970January 1970 by Toshio Masuda
    Supporting as Henry L. Stimson
    Supporting as Henry L. Stimson
    6.72 Good
  • 10
    10
    1971April 1971 by Robert Fuest
    Starring as Dr. Vesalius
    Starring as Dr. Vesalius
    6.47 Good-
  • 11
    11
    1977March 1977 by Jerry Jameson
    Supporting as Nicholas St. Downs III
    Supporting as Nicholas St. Downs III
    5.19 Okay--
  • 12
    12
    1964December 1964 by Robert Aldrich
    Starring as Drew Bayliss
    Starring as Drew Bayliss
    6.79 Good+
  • 13
    13
    1980November 1980 by Michael Cimino
    Supporting as The Reverend Doctor
    Supporting as The Reverend Doctor
    6.23 Good--
  • 14
    14
    1972February 1972 by Mario Bava
    Lead role as Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred Becker
    Lead role as Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred Becker
    5.71 Okay+
  • 15
    15
    1949September 1949 by Alfred Hitchcock
    Starring as Sam Flusky
    Starring as Sam Flusky
    5.61 Okay
  • 16
    16
    1946December 1946 by King Vidor
    Starring as Jesse McCanles
    Starring as Jesse McCanles
    5.95 Okay++
  • 17
    17
    1973September 1973 by Orson Welles
    Minor role as Self
    Minor role as Self
    6.91 Good+
  • 18
    18
    1943January 1943 by Norman Foster
    Lead role as Howard Graham
    Lead role as Howard Graham
    5.74 Okay+
  • 19
    19
    1972August 1972 by Luigi Comencini
    Starring as George
    Starring as George
    6.74 Good
  • 20
    20
    1948December 1948 by William Dieterle
    Starring as Eben Adams
    Starring as Eben Adams
    6.56 Good
  • 21
    21
    1971October 1971 by Mel Welles
    Lead role as Baron Frankenstein
    Lead role as Baron Frankenstein
    5.42 Okay-
  • 22
    22
    1967February 1967 by Sergio Corbucci
    Lead role as Colonel Jonas
    Lead role as Colonel Jonas
    6.02 Okay++
  • 23
    23
    1951November 1951 by Orson Welles
    Minor role as Senator (uncredited)
    Minor role as Senator (uncredited)
    6.82 Good+
  • 24
    24
    1956February 1956 by Budd Boetticher
    Lead role as Detective Sam Wagner
    Lead role as Detective Sam Wagner
    6.15 Good--
  • 25
    25
    1961June 1961 by Robert Aldrich
    Supporting as John Breckenridge
    Supporting as John Breckenridge
    6.22 Good--
  • 26
    26
    1953July 1953 by Andrew L. Stone
    Lead role as Whitney 'Cam' Cameron
    Lead role as Whitney 'Cam' Cameron
    5.88 Okay+
  • 27
    27
    1977February 1977 by Robert Aldrich
    Supporting as Arthur Renfrew - Secretary of State
    Supporting as Arthur Renfrew - Secretary of State
    6.03 Okay++
  • 28
    28
    1980June 1980 by George Bowers
    Starring as Walter Prichard
    Starring as Walter Prichard
    5.32 Okay-
  • 29
    29
    1949October 1949 by King Vidor
    Starring as Doctor Louis Moline
    Starring as Doctor Louis Moline
    6.15 Good--
  • 30
    30
    2018August 2018 by Morgan Neville
    Minor role as Self (archive footage)
    Minor role as Self (archive footage)
    6.55 Good-
  • 31
    31
    1958November 1958 by Byron Haskin
    Lead role as Victor Barbicane
    Lead role as Victor Barbicane
    5.50 Okay
  • 32
    32
    1979January 1979 by Sergio Martino
    Supporting as Prof. Ernest Marvin
    Supporting as Prof. Ernest Marvin
    5.51 Okay
  • 33
    33
    1944June 1944 by John Cromwell
    Starring as Tony Willett
    Starring as Tony Willett
    6.09 Okay++
  • 34
    34
    1950October 1950 by Robert Wise
    Lead role as Clay Tucker
    Lead role as Clay Tucker
    5.90 Okay++
  • 35
    35
    1944December 1944 by William Dieterle
    Starring as Zachary Morgan
    Starring as Zachary Morgan
    6.24 Good--
  • 36
    36
    1950October 1950 by Robert Stevenson
    Lead role as Chris Hale/Steve
    Lead role as Chris Hale/Steve
    5.48 Okay
  • 37
    37
    1947March 1947 by H. C. Potter
    Starring as Glenn Morley
    Starring as Glenn Morley
    6.31 Good--
  • 38
    38
    1969July 1969 by Ishirō Honda
    Lead role as Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzie
    Lead role as Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzie
    5.78 Okay+
  • 39
    39
    2013October 2013 by Orson Welles
    Lead role as Augustus Billings
    Lead role as Augustus Billings
    5.61 Okay
  • 40
    40
    1952November 1952 by Andrew L. Stone
    Lead role as Jim Osborne
    Lead role as Jim Osborne
    6.06 Okay++
  • 41
    41
    1975August 1975 by Umberto Lenzi
    Starring as Paternò
    Starring as Paternò
    5.80 Okay+
  • 42
    42
    1981July 1981 by David Hemmings
    Starring as Priest
    Starring as Priest
    5.40 Okay-
  • 43
    43
    1968June 1968 by José Briz Méndez
    Lead role as Sheriff Logan
    Lead role as Sheriff Logan
    5.44 Okay-
  • 44
    44
    1951November 1951 by Fletcher Markle
    Lead role as Dupin
    Lead role as Dupin
    6.12 Good--
  • 45
    45
    1945October 1945 by William Dieterle
    Starring as Allen Quinton
    Starring as Allen Quinton
    6.05 Okay++
  • 46
    46
    1950October 1950 by William Dieterle
    Starring as David Lawrence
    Starring as David Lawrence
    5.84 Okay+
  • 47
    47
    1968June 1968 by Richard Lester
    Minor role as Mr. Danner
    Minor role as Mr. Danner
    5.75 Okay+
  • 48
    48
    1979March 1979 by Ruggero Deodato
    Supporting as Milland
    Supporting as Milland
    6.02 Okay++
  • 49
    49
    1965September 1965 by Burt Kennedy
    Supporting as Dr. Horace Van Tilden
    Supporting as Dr. Horace Van Tilden
    5.57 Okay
  • 50
    50
    1981January 1981 by Alan Beattie
    Starring as Ivar Langrock
    Starring as Ivar Langrock
    5.57 Okay
  • 51
    51
    1965April 1965 by Sidney Salkow
    Lead role as Major Marcus A. Reno
    Lead role as Major Marcus A. Reno
    5.64 Okay
  • 52
    52
    1957January 1957 by Joseph H. Lewis
    Lead role as Daniel Halliday
    Lead role as Daniel Halliday
    5.96 Okay++
  • 53
    53
    2018January 2018 by Galen Johnson
    Supporting
    Supporting
    5.87 Okay+
  • 54
    54
    1979September 1979 by René Cardona Jr.
    Starring as Richard Gable
    Starring as Richard Gable
    5.60 Okay
  • 55
    55
    1972January 1972 by Jack Smight
    Supporting as George Tresvant
    Supporting as George Tresvant
    6.11 Okay++
  • 56
    56
    1978November 1978 by James Fargo
    Supporting as Crandall
    Supporting as Crandall
    5.81 Okay+
  • 57
    57
    1970May 1970 by Jerry Paris
    Starring as Richard Morgan
    Starring as Richard Morgan
    5.66 Okay
  • 58
    58
    1966March 1966 by Russell Rouse
    Supporting as Kenneth Regan
    Supporting as Kenneth Regan
    5.63 Okay
  • 59
    59
    1952July 1952 by Hugo Fregonese
    Lead role as Kirk Denbow
    Lead role as Kirk Denbow
    Needs more reviews
  • 60
    60
    1973January 1973 by Jeannot Szwarc
    Supporting as Judge Weatherby
    Supporting as Judge Weatherby
    6.06 Okay++
  • 61
    61
    1976August 1976 by Marcello Aliprandi
    Supporting as The Professor
    Supporting as The Professor
    5.87 Okay+
  • 62
    62
    1968April 1968 by Mino Guerrini
    Lead role as Destil
    Lead role as Destil
    Needs more reviews
  • 63
    63
    1941September 1941 by Julien Duvivier
    Supporting as Michael Fitzpatrick
    Supporting as Michael Fitzpatrick
    6.01 Okay++
  • 64
    64
    1960April 1960 by Nunnally Johnson
    Starring as Hawthorne
    Starring as Hawthorne
    5.73 Okay+
  • 65
    65
    1973November 1973 by Tony Richardson
    Supporting as Harry
    Supporting as Harry
    5.95 Okay++
  • 66
    66
    1943July 1943 by Frank Ryan
    Starring as Bill Morley
    Starring as Bill Morley
    Needs more reviews
  • 67
    67
    1965December 1965 by Mario Sequi
    Starring as Temple Cordeen
    Starring as Temple Cordeen
    Needs more reviews
  • 68
    68
    1978November 1978 by Giuseppe Rosati
    Starring as Sir Arthur Dundee
    Starring as Sir Arthur Dundee
    5.82 Okay+
  • 69
    69
    1971July 1971 by Irwin Allen
    Minor role as Dr. Ziegler
    Minor role as Dr. Ziegler
    5.47 Okay
  • 70
    70
    1976March 1976 by Charles Romine
    Supporting as Narrator
    Supporting as Narrator
    5.81 Okay+
  • 71
    71
    1967August 1967 by Vernon Sewell
    Lead role as Colonel Woodward
    Lead role as Colonel Woodward
    Needs more reviews
  • 72
    72
    1951May 1951 by Richard Sale
    Starring as John Raymond Jr.
    Starring as John Raymond Jr.
    Needs more reviews
  • 73
    73
    1967November 1967 by Don Taylor
    Starring as Ace
    Starring as Ace
    Needs more reviews
  • 74
    74
    1956February 1956 by Henry Hathaway
    Starring as Pat 'P.M.' Martin
    Starring as Pat 'P.M.' Martin
    Needs more reviews
  • 75
    75
    1971January 1971 by Marvin J. Chomsky
    Lead role as Admiral
    Lead role as Admiral
    Needs more reviews
  • 76
    76
    1966November 1966 by Norman Foster
    Lead role as Jim
    Lead role as Jim
    Needs more reviews
  • 77
    77
    2000January 2000 by Laurent Bouzereau
    Starring as Self
    Starring as Self
    Needs more reviews
  • 78
    78
    1978August 1978 by Claude d'Anna
    Supporting as Foster Johnson
    Supporting as Foster Johnson
    Needs more reviews
  • 79
    79
    1976February 1976 by Buzz Kulik
    Minor role as Dr. Joseph Francis Condon
    Minor role as Dr. Joseph Francis Condon
    6.00 Okay++
  • 80
    80
    1963–1964
    Lead role as Narrator
    Lead role as Narrator
    Needs more reviews
  • 81
    81
    1961December 1961 by Marshall Flaum
    Supporting as Self (uncredited)
    Supporting as Self (uncredited)
    Needs more reviews
  • 82
    82
    1968January 1968 by Phil Karlson
    Supporting as Antigonus
    Supporting as Antigonus
    Needs more reviews
  • 83
    83
    1990January 1990 by Sandy Oliveri
    Starring as (archive footage)
    Starring as (archive footage)
    Needs more reviews
  • 84
    84
    1978January 1978 by George McCowan
    Supporting as Simon Grant
    Supporting as Simon Grant
    Needs more reviews
  • 85
    85
    1970February 1970 by Vincent McEveety
    Supporting as General Spalding
    Supporting as General Spalding
    Needs more reviews
  • 86
    86
    1980August 1980 by Don Chaffey
    Supporting as Ed Booker
    Supporting as Ed Booker
    Needs more reviews
  • 87
    87
    1991January 1991 by Ted Newsom
    Minor role as Baron Frankenstein (archive footage)
    Minor role as Baron Frankenstein (archive footage)
    Needs more reviews
  • 88
    88
    1967January 1967
    Minor role as Self - Ace of Diamonds (archive footage) (uncredited)
    Minor role as Self - Ace of Diamonds (archive footage) (uncredited)
    Needs more reviews
  • 89
    89
    1977
    Minor role as Horton Paine
    Minor role as Horton Paine
    Needs more reviews
Co-starring with:
Orson Welles 9 titles
William Shatner 3 titles
Bette Davis 3 titles
Ingrid Bergman 3 titles
Shelley Winters 2 titles
Marilyn Monroe 2 titles
Charlton Heston 2 titles
Carroll Baker 2 titles
Alberto Sordi 1 title