Alan Ladd
Known for
Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1913, Alan Ladd rose to Hollywood stardom in the 1940s as one of Paramount's cool, laconic leading men. He broke through as the hitman Raven in Frank Tuttle's This Gun for Hire (1942), formed a signature partnership with Veronica Lake in noirs such as The Glass Key (1942) and The Blue Dahlia (1946), and reached his most enduring role as the retired gunslinger in George Stevens's Shane (1953). His restraint and diminutive frame gave his westerns and thrillers a quiet melancholy. He died young in 1964, closing a career that helped define postwar American masculine cool.
Alan Ladd
88 Movies
1 Series
Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1913, Alan Ladd rose to Hollywood stardom in the 1940s as one of Paramount's cool, laconic leading men. He broke through as the hitman Raven in Frank Tuttle's This Gun for Hire (1942), formed a signature partnership with Veronica Lake in noirs such as The Glass Key (1942) and The Blue Dahlia (1946), and reached his most enduring role as the retired gunslinger in George Stevens's Shane (1953). His restraint and diminutive frame gave his westerns and thrillers a quiet melancholy. He died young in 1964, closing a career that helped define postwar American masculine cool.
Movies
Plays Shane
Shane
1953
Plays Al Goddard
Appointment with Danger
1950
Plays Alan Ladd
Hollywood Victory Caravan
1945
Plays Baby Weems Storyboard Artist
The Reluctant Dragon
1941
Plays Johnny Morrison
The Blue Dahlia
1946
Plays Thomas O'Rourke
Saskatchewan
1954
Producer
Plays Johnny MacKay
Drum Beat
1954
Plays Peter Van Hoek (The Dutchman)
The Badlanders
1958
Plays John Chandler
The Proud Rebel
1958
Plays Dr. James 'Jim' Calder
Boy on a Dolphin
1957
Producer
Plays Caleb 'Cash' Adams
Santiago
1956
Plays Philip Raven
This Gun for Hire
1942
Plays Salty O'Rourke
Salty O'Rourke
1945
Plays Ed Beaumont
The Glass Key
1942
Plays Capt. Brett Sherwood
Red Mountain
1951
Plays Duncan Craig
Hell Below Zero
1954
Plays Nevada Smith
The Carpetbaggers
1964
Plays Jay Gatsby
The Great Gatsby
1949
Plays Steve 'Canada' McKendrick
The Red Beret
1953
Plays Alan Ladd
Star Spangled Rhythm
1942
Plays John Hamilton
The Man in the Net
1959
Plays Walt Sherill
13 West Street
1962
Plays John
The Black Knight
1954
Plays Capt. Joseph C. 'Mac' McConnell, Jr.
The McConnell Story
1955
Plays Paul Lartal
Desert Legion
1953
Plays Richard Hartley
The Black Cat
1941
Plays John Gilman
Her First Romance
1940
Plays Karl Bach
Hitler: Beast of Berlin
1939
Producer
Plays Jim Hadley
Guns of the Timberland
1960
Plays Lucky Jordan
Lucky Jordan
1942
Plays Cadet in Trouble
Brother Rat and a Baby
1940
Producer
Plays Steve Rollins
Hell on Frisco Bay
1955
Plays Major Larry Briggs
Saigon
1947
Plays Jim Bowie
The Iron Mistress
1952
Plays Hugh Tallant
Botany Bay
1952
Producer
Plays Chad Morgan
The Big Land
1957
Plays Steve Gibbs
Thunder in the East
1952
Plays Capt. Rockwell 'Rocky' Gilman
Beyond Glory
1948
Plays Ed Adams
Chicago Deadline
1949
Plays Newton
Captain Caution
1940
Plays Whispering Smith
Whispering Smith
1948
Plays Captain Webster Carey
Captain Carey, U.S.A.
1950
Plays John Martin / Lt. (j.g.) Philip Masson, U.S.N.R. / Philippe Martine
O.S.S.
1946
Plays Horatius
Duel of Champions
1961
Plays Sgt. Kincaid
All the Young Men
1960
Plays Neale Gordon
Calcutta
1946
Plays Mr. Williams
Cross-Country Romance
1940
Plays David Jones
China
1943
Plays Charles Stewart
Two Years Before the Mast
1946
Plays Danny
The Light of Western Stars
1940
Latest Trailers
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The Carpetbaggers
Full Filmography
The Carpetbaggers
Nevada Smith
1964
Film
13 West Street
Walt Sherill
1962
Film
Duel of Champions
Horatius
1961
Film
One Foot in Hell
Mitch Barrett
1960
Film
All the Young Men
Sgt. Kincaid
1960
Film
Guns of the Timberland
Jim Hadley
1960
Film
The Man in the Net
John Hamilton
1959
Film
The Badlanders
Peter Van Hoek (The Dutchman)
1958
Film
The Proud Rebel
John Chandler
1958
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alan Ladd still alive?
Alan Ladd passed away on January 29, 1964 at age 50.
What are the most famous roles of Alan Ladd?
Alan Ladd is best known for roles in Citizen Kane, Shane, This Gun for Hire.
How many movies has Alan Ladd been in?
Over a 32-year career (since 1932), Alan Ladd has appeared in 87 movies and 1 TV shows.
What was Alan Ladd's first movie?
The career of Alan Ladd began with Tom Brown of Culver (1932).
What is Alan Ladd's most recent movie or series?
Alan Ladd's most recent release is The Carpetbaggers, which premiered on April 8, 1964.
What TV shows has Alan Ladd appeared in?
On television, Alan Ladd has appeared in The Bob Cummings Show, General Electric Theater.
Alan Ladd
1913-09-03 · Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA
Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and producer known for his cool, understated screen presence and his defining roles in 1940s and 1950s film noir and Westerns. Standing 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), Ladd became famous for the contrast between his modest height and his commanding on‑screen persona, a combination studios often enhanced through camera techniques and staging. He was frequently paired with Veronica Lake, one of the few major actresses shorter than he was, and together they became one of Hollywood’s iconic noir duos.
Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ladd moved to North Hollywood as a child and worked various jobs before entering the film industry. After years of small roles — including an uncredited appearance in Citizen Kane — he achieved stardom with This Gun for Hire (1942). His quiet intensity and stoic charm resonated strongly with wartime audiences, making him one of the decade’s top box‑office draws.
Ladd went on to star in a series of successful films, including The Glass Key (1942), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Whispering Smith (1948), Shane (1953), and The Proud Rebel (1958). Though his popularity declined somewhat in the late 1950s, he continued to work steadily in both film and television and produced several of his later projects.
Ladd died in 1964 at the age of 50 from cerebral edema caused by acute alcohol and barbiturate intoxication, which was ruled an accidental death. Despite his relatively short life, he remains a defining figure of classic Hollywood — a performer whose quiet strength, distinctive presence, and memorable roles continue to influence the Western and noir genres.