1941 in film

Top-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten 1941 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Events

• January 17 – Gone with the Wind goes into general release in the United States after touring in a roadshow version during 1940. Becoming a cultural phenomenon, it sells an estimated 60 million tickets this year alone. Adjusted for inflation with numerous rereleases, it remains the highest grossing domestic film of all time with $1.8 billion.
• March 24 – Glenn Miller begins work on his 1st movie Sun Valley Serenade for Twentieth Century Fox.
• May 1 – Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the films considered the all-time best, is premiered at the Palace Theatre (New York City).
• July 2 – Sergeant York, the film biopic of World War I hero Alvin C. York, starring Gary Cooper in the title role, premieres in New York City. It is the highest-grossing picture of the year and earns Cooper the first of two Academy Awards for Best Actor.
• July 28 - The assets of Hollywood studios in Japan are frozen by Japan's Ministry of Finance.
• September – Senate Investigation into Motion Picture War Propaganda in the United States.
• October 3 – The Maltese Falcon, considered one of the greatest films noir, is released.

Academy Awards

Main article: 14th Academy Awards

• Best Picture: How Green Was My Valley – 20th Century-Fox
• Best Actor: Gary Cooper – Sergeant York
• Best Actress: Joan Fontaine – Suspicion
• Best Supporting Actor: Donald Crisp – How Green Was My Valley
• Best Supporting Actress: Mary Astor – The Great Lie
• Best Director: John Ford – How Green Was My Valley

Films by country/region

• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Czechoslovakia
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• India
• Italy
• Japan
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Soviet Union
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• United States

Notable films

Films produced in the United States unless stated otherwise

• The 47 Ronin (Genroku Chūshingura), directed by Kenji Mizoguchi – (Japan)
• 49th Parallel, directed by Michael Powell, starring Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier and Raymond Massey – (GB)

A

• Adam Had Four Sons, directed by Gregory Ratoff, starring Ingrid Bergman and Warner Baxter
• Among the Living, directed by Stuart Heisler, starring Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward and Harry Carey
• Andy Hardy's Private Secretary, directed by George B. Seitz, starring Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney and Fay Holden

B

• Babes on Broadway, directed by Busby Berkeley, starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
• Back Street, directed by Robert Stevenson, starring Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan
• Ball of Fire, directed by Howard Hawks, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
• The Big Store, directed by Charles Reisner, starring the Marx Brothers and Tony Martin
• The Black Cat, directed by Albert S. Rogell, starring Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi
• Blood and Sand, directed by Rouben Mamoulian, starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Rita Hayworth
• Blossoms in the Dust, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon
• Blues in the Night, directed by Anatole Litvak, starring Priscilla Lane
• The Bride Came C.O.D., directed by William Keighley, starring James Cagney and Bette Davis
• Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family (Toda-ke no kyōdai), directed by Yasujirō Ozu – (Japan)
• Buck Privates, directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Abbott and Costello and the Andrews Sisters

C

• Caught in the Draft, directed by David Butler, starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour
• Charlie Chan in Rio, directed by Harry Lachman, starring Sidney Toler
• Charley's Aunt, directed by Archie Mayo, starring Jack Benny and Kay Francis
• The Chocolate Soldier, directed by Roy Del Ruth, starring Nelson Eddy and Risë Stevens
• Citizen Kane, directed by and starring Orson Welles, with Joseph Cotten and Agnes Moorehead
• The Corsican Brothers, directed by Gregory Ratoff, starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
• Cottage to Let, directed by Anthony Asquith, starring Leslie Banks, Alastair Sim and John Mills – (GB)

D

• The Devil and Daniel Webster, directed by William Dieterle, starring Edward Arnold and Walter Huston
• The Devil and Miss Jones, directed by Sam Wood, starring Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings and Charles Coburn
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, directed by Victor Fleming, starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner
• Dumbo, Disney Classic directed by Ben Sharpsteen

F

• The Face Behind the Mask, directed by Robert Florey, starring Peter Lorre
• Footsteps in the Dark, directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring Errol Flynn
• The Flame of New Orleans, directed by René Clair, starring Marlene Dietrich

G

• The Ghost of St. Michael's, directed by Marcel Varnel, starring Will Hay and Charles Hawtrey – (GB)
• The Great Lie, directed by Edmund Goulding, starring Mary Astor, George Brent and Bette Davis

H

• H.M. Pulham, Esq., directed by King Vidor, starring Hedy Lamarr and Robert Young
• Hellzapoppin', directed by H. C. Potter, starring Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson and Martha Raye
• Here Comes Mr. Jordan, directed by Alexander Hall, starring Robert Montgomery and Claude Rains
• High Sierra, directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart
• Hold Back the Dawn, directed by Mitchell Leisen, starring Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland and Paulette Goddard
• Hold That Ghost, directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Abbott and Costello, the Andrews Sisters and Ted Lewis
• Honky Tonk, directed by Jack Conway, starring Clark Gable and Lana Turner
• How Green Was My Valley, directed by John Ford, starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara and Roddy McDowall

I

• I Wake Up Screaming, directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, starring Betty Grable, Victor Mature and Carole Landis
• In the Navy, directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Abbott and Costello, Dick Powell and the Andrews Sisters
• It Started with Eve, directed by Henry Koster, starring Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton and Robert Cummings

K

• Kathleen, directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Shirley Temple and Herbert Marshall
• Keep 'Em Flying, directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Abbott and Costello and Martha Raye
• Khazanchi (Cashier), directed by Moti B. Gidwani – (India)
• Kipps, directed by Carol Reed, starring Michael Redgrave – (GB)

L

• Ladies in Retirement, directed by Charles Vidor, starring Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward
• Lady Be Good, directed by Norman Z. McLeod, starring Eleanor Powell, Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Lionel Barrymore and Red Skelton
• The Lady Eve, directed by Preston Sturges, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
• Life Begins for Andy Hardy, directed by George B. Seitz, starring Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden and Judy Garland
• The Little Foxes, directed by William Wyler, starring Bette Davis and Herbert Marshall
• Louisiana Purchase, directed by Irving Cummings, starring Bob Hope
• Love on the Dole, directed by John Baxter, starring Deborah Kerr – (GB)

M

• Major Barbara, directed by Gabriel Pascal, starring Wendy Hiller and Rex Harrison – (GB)
• The Maltese Falcon, directed by John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor and Peter Lorre
• Man Hunt, directed by Fritz Lang, starring Walter Pidgeon, Joan Bennett and George Sanders
• Man-Made Monster, directed by George Waggner, starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Lionel Atwill
• Manpower, directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich and George Raft
• Meet John Doe, directed by Frank Capra, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
• Men of Boys Town, directed by Norman Taurog, starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney
• Moon Over Miami, directed by Walter Lang, starring Don Ameche, Betty Grable and Robert Cummings
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Carole Lombard, Robert Montgomery and Gene Raymond
• Mr. Bug Goes to Town, animated film directed by Dave Fleischer

N

• Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, directed by Edward F. Cline, starring W. C. Fields
• Nice Girl?, directed by William A. Seiter, starring Deanna Durbin, Franchot Tone, Walter Brennan and Robert Stack

O

• Ohm Krüger (Uncle Kruger), propaganda film directed by Hans Steinhoff, starring Emil Jannings – (Germany)
• One Foot in Heaven, directed by Irving Rapper, starring Fredric March and Martha Scott

P

• Penny Serenade, directed by George Stevens, starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant
• Piccolo mondo antico (Old-Fashioned World), directed by Mario Soldati, starring Alida Valli – (Italy)
• Pimpernel Smith, propaganda film directed by and starring Leslie Howard – (GB)
• Princess Iron Fan (Tiě shàn gōngzhǔ), directed by Wan Guchan and Wan Laiming – (China)

R

• Rage in Heaven, directed by W. S. Van Dyke, starring Robert Montgomery, Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders
• The Reluctant Dragon, directed by Alfred L. Werker, starring Robert Benchley
• Road to Zanzibar, directed by Victor Schertzinger, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour

S

• The Sea Wolf, directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Edward G. Robinson, Ida Lupino and John Garfield
• Sergeant York, directed by Howard Hawks, starring Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan
• Shadow of the Thin Man, directed by W. S. Van Dyke, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy
• The Shanghai Gesture, directed by Josef von Sternberg, starring Gene Tierney, Walter Huston and Victor Mature
• The Shepherd of the Hills, directed by Henry Hathaway, starring John Wayne and Harry Carey
• Skylark, directed by Mark Sandrich, starring Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland
• Spooks Run Wild, directed by Phil Rosen, starring Bela Lugosi and the East Side Kids
• Stormy Waters (Remorques), directed by Jean Grémillon, starring Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan – (France)
• The Strawberry Blonde, directed by Raoul Walsh, starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth
• Sullivan's Travels, directed by Preston Sturges, starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake
• Sun Valley Serenade, directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, starring Sonja Henie, John Payne and Glenn Miller
• Suspicion, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine
• Swamp Water, directed by Jean Renoir, starring Walter Brennan, Walter Huston, Anne Baxter and Dana Andrews

T

• Target for Tonight, a propaganda documentary directed by Harry Watt – (GB)
• Tarzan's Secret Treasure, directed by Richard Thorpe, starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan
• That Hamilton Woman, directed by Alexander Korda, starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier – (GB)
• That Night in Rio, directed by Irving Cummings, starring Alice Faye, Don Ameche and Carmen Miranda
• They Died with Their Boots On, directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland
• Tobacco Road, directed by John Ford, starring Charley Grapewin, Marjorie Rambeau and Gene Tierney

W

• Week-End in Havana, directed by Walter Lang, starring Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, John Payne and Cesar Romero
• Western Union, directed by Fritz Lang, starring Robert Young and Randolph Scott
• When Ladies Meet, directed by Robert Z. Leonard, starring Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson and Herbert Marshall
• The Wolf Man, directed by George Waggner, starring Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Warren William and Ralph Bellamy
• A Woman's Face, directed by George Cukor, starring Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas and Conrad Veidt

Y

• A Yank in the R.A.F., directed by Henry King, starring Tyrone Power and Betty Grable
• You Belong to Me, directed by Wesley Ruggles, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
• You'll Never Get Rich, directed by Sidney Lanfield, starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth

Z

• Ziegfeld Girl, directed by Robert Z. Leonard, starring James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner

1941 film releases

United States unless stated

January–March

• January 1941
  • 1 January
    • Princess Iron Fan (China)
  • 16 January
    • The Face Behind the Mask
  • 17 January
    • The Philadelphia Story
  • 21 January
    • High Sierra
  • 23 January
    • Suvorov
  • 24 January
    • Life with Henry
    • The Saint in Palm Springs
  • 28 January
    • Sullivan's Travels
  • 31 January
    • Buck Privates
    • Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• February 1941
  • 7 February
    • Back Street
  • 18 February
    • Adam Had Four Sons
  • 20 February
    • Tobacco Road
  • 21 February
    • Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
    • Nice Girl?
    • The Strawberry Blonde
    • Western Union
  • 25 February
    • The Lady Eve
• March 1941
  • 1 March
    • Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family (Japan)
  • 7 March
    • Rage in Heaven
  • 8 March
    • Footsteps in the Dark
  • 10 March
    • Flying Wild
  • 21 March
    • The Sea Wolf
  • 26 March
    • I Wanted Wings
  • 28 March
    • Man Made Monster

April–June

• April 1941
  • 4 April
    • The Devil and Miss Jones
    • Ohm Krüger (Germany)
  • 6 April
    • The Flame of New Orleans
  • 10 April
    • Piccolo mondo antico (Italy)
  • 11 April
    • Road to Zanzibar
    • That Night in Rio
  • 12 April
    • The Great Lie
  • 19 April
    • The Farmer's Wife (Britain)
    • Hatter's Castle (Britain)
    • Quiet Wedding (GB)
  • 24 April
    • Crook's Tour (Britain)
    • Penny Serenade
  • 25 April
    • They Met in Argentina
    • Ziegfeld Girl
  • 30 April
    • That Hamilton Woman (GB)
• May 1941
  • 1 May
    • Citizen Kane
  • 2 May
    • The Black Cat
  • 3 May
    • Meet John Doe
  • 5 May
    • Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It (GB)
  • 7 May
    • Sheriff of Tombstone
  • 9 May
    • U-Boat Course West! (Germany)
  • 10 May
    • Spellbound
  • 22 May
    • Blood and Sand
  • 23 May
    • A Woman's Face
  • 24 May
    • Crook's Tour
  • 30 May
    • In the Navy
• June 1941
  • 7 June
    • Shining Victory
  • 11 June
    • The Gang's All Here
  • 13 June
    • Broadway Limited
    • Man Hunt
    • One Night in Lisbon
  • 18 June
    • Moon Over Miami
  • 20 June
    • The Big Store
    • The Reluctant Dragon
  • 25 June
    • Caught in the Draft
  • 26 June
    • Blossoms in the Dust
  • 27 June
    • Hit the Road
  • 28 June
    • Kipps
    • Love on the Dole (GB)

July–September

• July 1941
  • 2 July
    • Sergeant York
    • The Sea Wolf
  • 4 July
    • A Charming Man (Czechoslovakia)
  • 12 July
    • The Bride Came C.O.D.
  • 18 July
    • The Shepherd of the Hills
  • 25 July
    • Target for Tonight (GB)
  • 26 July
    • Bad Men of Missouri
    • Pimpernel Smith
• August 1941
  • 1 August
    • Bowery Blitzkrieg
    • Charley's Aunt
  • 2 August
    • Major Barbara (GB)
  • 6 August
    • Hold That Ghost
  • 7 August
    • Here Comes Mr. Jordan
  • 8 August
    • Six Gun Gold
  • 9 August
    • Manpower
  • 12 August
    • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
  • 15 August
    • Life Begins for Andy Hardy
  • 21 August
    • Sun Valley Serenade
  • 28 August
    • The Blue Star Hotel (Czechoslovakia)
  • 29 August
    • The Little Foxes
• September
  • 1 September
    • Lady Be Good
  • 5 September
    • Charlie Chan in Rio
  • 6 September
    • Cottage to Let (GB)
  • 18 September
    • Ladies in Retirement
  • 19 September
    • The Tyrant Father (Portugal)
  • 25 September
    • A Yank in the RAF
    • You'll Never Get Rich
  • 26 September
    • Hold Back the Dawn
    • It Started with Eve

October–December

• October 1941
  • 2 October
    • Honky Tonk
    • One Foot in Heaven
  • 8 October
    • 49th Parallel
    • Week-End in Havana
  • 10 October
    • Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
  • 17 October
    • The Devil and Daniel Webster
    • Jesse James at Bay
  • 18 October
    • The Maltese Falcon
  • 22 October
    • You Belong to Me
  • 23 October
    • Dumbo
  • 24 October
    • Spooks Run Wild
  • 25 October
    • The Tell-Tale Heart
  • 28 October
    • How Green Was My Valley
  • 31 October
    • The Chocolate Soldier
• November 1941
  • 7 November
    • Unexpected Uncle
  • 14 November
    • I Wake Up Screaming
    • Suspicion
  • 15 November
    • Blues in the Night
  • 21 November
    • Look Who's Laughing
    • Shadow of the Thin Man
    • Skylark
    • They Died with Their Boots On
  • 27 November
    • Stormy Waters (France)
  • 28 November
    • The Corsican Brothers
    • Keep 'Em Flying
• December 1941
  • 1 December
    • The 47 Ronin (Part 1) (Japan)
    • Tarzan's Secret Treasure
  • 2 December
    • Ball of Fire
  • 5 December
    • Mr. Bug Goes to Town
  • 12 December
    • Among the Living
    • Red River Valley
    • The Wolf Man
  • 18 December
    • H.M. Pulham, Esq.
    • Kathleen
  • 21 December
    • The Heavenly Play (Sweden)
  • 25 December
    • Louisiana Purchase
    • The Shanghai Gesture
  • 26 December
    • Hellzapoppin'
    • The Sausage-Maker Who Disappeared (Norway)

Serials

• The Adventures of Captain Marvel, starring Tom Tyler, directed by William Witney and John English
• Dick Tracy vs Crime Inc, starring Ralph Byrd, directed by William Witney and John English
• The Green Hornet, starring Gordon Jones
• Holt of the Secret Service, directed by James W. Horne
• The Iron Claw, directed by James W. Horne
• Jungle Girl, starring Frances Gifford, directed by William Witney and John English
• King of the Texas Rangers, directed by William Witney and John English
• Riders of Death Valley, directed by Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
• Sea Raiders, directed by Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
• Sky Raiders, directed by Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
• The Spider Returns, starring Warren Hull, directed by James W. Horne
• White Eagle, directed by James W. Horne

Comedy film series

• Buster Keaton (1917–1944)
• Laurel and Hardy (1921–1945)
• Our Gang (1922–1944)
• Marx Brothers (1929–1946)
• The Three Stooges (1933–1962)

Animated short film series

• Mickey Mouse (1928–1942, 1947–1953)
• Looney Tunes (1930–1969)
  • Bugs Bunny (1941–1964)
  • Daffy Duck (1938–1968)
  • Porky Pig (1936–1946, 1948–1951)
  • Sniffles (1939–1946)
  • Inki (1939–1950)
• Terrytoons (1930–1964)
• Merrie Melodies (1931–1969)
• Scrappy (1931-1941)
• Popeye (1933–1957)
• Color Rhapsodies (1934–1949)
• Donald Duck (1937–1956)
• Walter Lantz Cartunes (also known as New Universal Cartoons or Cartune Comedies) (1938–1942)
• Goofy (1939–1955)
• Andy Panda (1939–1949)
• Tom and Jerry (1940–1958, 1961–1967)
  • The Midnight Snack
  • The Night Before Christmas
• Woody Woodpecker (1941–1949, 1951–1972)
• Swing Symphonies (1941–1945)
• The Fox and the Crow (1941–1950)
• Superman (1941–1943)

Births

• January 1
  • Simón Andreu, Spanish actor
  • Eva Ras, Serbian actress, writer and painter
• January 3 - Derrick O'Connor, Irish actor (died 2018)
• January 4
  • George P. Cosmatos, Greek-Italian director and screenwriter (died 2005)
  • John Bennett Perry, American actor
• 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
  • Faye Dunaway, American actress
  • Jack Thibeau, American former actor
• 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
  • John Aprea, American actor and comedian (died 2024)
  • Adrian Lyne, English director and producer
• 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
  • Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian director (died 2018)
  • Jerry Chipman, American actor (died 2020)
• 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
  • Cornelia Frances, English-Australian actress (died 2018)
  • Danny Wells, Canadian actor and comedian (died 2013)
• 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
  • David Leland, English director (died 2023)
  • Ryan O'Neal, American actor (died 2023)
• 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
  • Nora Ephron, American writer and filmmaker (died 2012)
  • Tania Mallet, English actress and model (died 2019)
• May 24 – Andrés García, Dominican-Mexican actor
• May 29
  • Nick McLean, American cinematographer and actor
  • Bill Weston, British stunt performer and actor (died 2012)
• June 2
  • Stacy Keach, American actor
  • Mahmoud Yassine, Egyptian actor (died 2020)
• June 5 – Spalding Gray, American actor and screenwriter (died 2004)
• June 8 - Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, American actor (died 2019)
• June 10
  • Mickey Jones, American musician and actor (died 2018)
  • Jürgen Prochnow, German actor
• June 17 - Roberta Maxwell, Canadian actress
• June 20
  • Stephen Frears, English film director
  • Dieter Mann, German actor (died 2022)
• June 21
  • Joe Flaherty, Canadian-American actor and comedian (died 2024)
  • Lyman Ward, Canadian actor
• 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
  • Peter Cullen, Canadian voice actor
  • Colin Higgins, Australian-American screenwriter, actor, director and producer (died 1988)
• July 29 – David Warner, English actor (died 2022)
• August 4
  • Martin Jarvis, English actor
  • Paul Mooney, American comedian, writer and actor (died 2021)
• August 7 - Franco Columbu, Italian bodybuilder, actor and producer (died 2019)
• August 8 - Earl Boen, American actor (died 2023)
• August 12
  • Dana Ivey, American actress
  • Deborah Walley, American actress (died 2001)
• August 15 - Lou Perryman, American character actor (died 2009)
• August 26
  • Joan Freeman, American retired actress
  • Barbet Schroeder, Iranian-born Swiss director, producer and actor
• August 28 - Tony Barry, Australian actor (died 2022)
• August 29
  • Ellen Geer, American actress
  • Mark Kasdan, American screenwriter and producer
  • Orestes Matacena, Cuban-American actor, director, producer and writer
• September 4 - Rochelle Kaffenberger, American actress (died 2024)
• September 18 - Gerry Bamman, American actor
• September 26 – Martine Beswick, English actress and model
• October 6
  • Billy Murray, English actor
  • Winston Ntshona, South African actor (died 2018)
• 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
  • Mischa Hausserman, Austrian-born American actor (died 2021)
  • Sally Kirkland, American actress (died 2025)
• 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
  • Evald Hermaküla, Estonian actor and director (died 2000)
  • Leon Russom, American actor
• 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)

Deaths

• 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 of Vitagraph 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

Film debuts

• Reginald Beckwith – Freedom Radio
• Adriana Benetti – Teresa Venerdì
• Marina Berti – La fuggitiva
• Barbara Britton – Secrets of the Wasteland
• Faith Brook – Suspicion
• Leslie Brooks – Ziegfeld Girl
• Phil Brown – I Wanted Wings
• Janis Carter – Cadet Girl
• John Cason – Buck Privates
• Cyd Charisse – Escort Girl
• Françoise Christophe – Premier rendez-vous
• David Clarke – Knockout
• George Cole – Cottage to Let
• Ray Collins – Citizen Kane
• Joseph Cotten – Citizen Kane
• Yvonne De Carlo – Harvard, Here I Come
• Dino De Laurentiis (producer) – L'amore canta
• John Dehner – The Reluctant Dragon
• Anita Durante – Scampolo
• Faye Emerson – Affectionately Yours
• Bill Erwin – You're in the Army Now
• Renée Faure – Who Killed Santa Claus?
• Suzanne Flon – Ce n'est pas moi
• Elisabeth Fraser – One Foot in Heaven
• Terry Frost – Cyclone on Horseback
• Eva Gabor – Forced Landing
• Ava Gardner – Shadow of the Thin Man
• Karen X. Gaylord – The Chocolate Soldier
• Jackie Gleason – Navy Blues
• Kenneth Griffith – The Farmer's Wife
• Eloise Hardt – You Belong to Me
• Richard Haydn – Charley's Aunt
• Sterling Hayden – Virginia
• Charlton Heston – Peer Gynt
• Jennifer Holt – Stick to Your Guns
• Bruce Lee – Golden Gate Girl
• Anna Maestri – Teresa Venerdì
• Patrick McVey – Caught in the Draft
• Sid Melton – New York Town
• Agnes Moorehead – Citizen Kane
• Margaret O'Brien – Babes on Broadway
• Larry Parks – Mystery Ship
• Annette Poivre – Premier rendez-vous
• Vera Ralston – Ice-Capades
• Carl Benton Reid – The Little Foxes
• Adeline De Walt Reynolds – Come Live with Me
• Natalie Schafer – The Body Disappears
• Frank Sinatra – Las Vegas Nights
• Everett Sloane – Citizen Kane
• Woody Strode – Sundown
• Simone Valère – Premier rendez-vous
• Tito Vuolo – Shadow of the Thin Man
• Ruth Warrick – Citizen Kane
• Orson Welles – Citizen Kane
• Rhys Williams – How Green Was My Valley
• Marie Windsor – Unexpected Uncle
• Barbara Woodell – Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• Teresa Wright – The Little Foxes

References

References

1. 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
2. "The Eddie Mannix Ledger". Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
3. [https://archive.org/stream/variety149-1943-01#page/n57/mode/1up "101 Pix Gross in Millions" ''Variety'' 6 Jan 1943 p 58]
4. (October 15, 1990). "All-time Film Rental Champs". [[Variety (magazine).
5. (December 31, 1941). "York's 4,000,000". [[Variety (magazine).
6. "All Time Box Office Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation".
7. (2003). "Hollywood Goes to Tokyo: American Cultural Expansion and Imperial Japan, 1918–1941".