Joseph Cotten

Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio, and television actor. He first garnered attention on Broadway, captivating audiences in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story (1939) and Sabrina Fair (1953). Cotten soon made his mark in Hollywood, partnering with Orson Welles to bring to life notable films like Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), and Journey into Fear (1943) where Cotten moved beyond acting to also contribute to the screenplay. He continued his cinematic success into the 1940s with films like Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Gaslight (1944), and Love Letters (1945), among others. His role in Portrait of Jennie (1948) earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Towards the end of his career, he played in Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate (1980). Despite his illustrious career, he remains one of the exceptional actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.

Cotten was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on May 15, 1905, the eldest of three sons to Joseph Cheshire Cotten Sr., an assistant postmaster, and Sally Willson Cotten. His early life was marked by a deep appreciation for drama and storytelling. He attended private lessons at the Hickman School of Expression in Washington, D.C., and later served in the First Motion Picture Unit of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He played professional football and worked as a lifeguard, an advertising salesman, and performed at the Miami Civic Theatre, all contributing to the resilience and diversity that characterized his acting career. Cotten passed away from pneumonia on February 6, 1994 less than a decade after suffering a heart attack and stroke in 1981 and later having his larynx removed due to cancer in 1990.