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Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall

Highest Rated: 100% The Pied Piper (1942)

Lowest Rated: 8% Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971)

Birthday: Sep 17, 1928

Birthplace: Herne Hill, London, England, UK

Roddy McDowall began his prolific career as a child model in his native England. Segueing to features, he appeared in over 15 British films in the mid- to late 1930s, including "Convict 99" (1937) and "Murder in the Family" (1938). With his mother and older sister, McDowall was evacuated to the USA. Almost immediately upon his arrival in Hollywood, he was signed to a contract by 20th-Century Fox. McDowall first came to the attention of American audiences as the cabin boy who helps Walter Pidgeon escape from the Nazis in Fritz Lang's superb "Man Hunt" (1941). Pidgeon and McDowall were again teamed in John Ford's Oscar-winning "How Green Was My Valley" (also 1941), this time with the older actor as a minister encouraging the youth in his attempts to overcome a crippling accident. The film established McDowall as a rising young lead, at once sensitive but also manly, and engendered comparisons with other child actors from Shirley Temple and Freddie Bartholomew. Throughout the 40s, he appeared in a number of well-crafted films, many centered around animals like "Son of Fury" (1942) and "Lassie Come Home" (1943). By the end of the decade, as he approached adulthood, McDowall attempted more interesting fare including a turn as David Balfour in the beautifully photographed but slow remake of "Kidnapped" (which also marked his producing debut) and as Malcolm in Orson Welles' "Macbeth" (both 1948). Slowly, though, despite producing a number of efforts, good feature roles became scarce.

Highest rated movies

100% 76% The Pied Piper
94% 72% That Darn Cat!
94% 77% Lassie Come Home
93% 81% How Green Was My Valley
93% 75% Man Hunt
92% 73% Evil Under the Sun
87% 76% Macbeth
86% 88% Planet of the Apes

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Keepers of the Frame Self - 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Truth About Lying Henry Stokes (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 74% Behind the Planet of the Apes Self (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Something to Believe In Gambler (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet All About Alfred Unknown (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 26% The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli and Baloo King Murphy (Character) $479.1K 1997
No Score Yet 69% Unlikely Angel Saint Peter (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dead Man's Island Trevor Dunnaway (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 8% Star Hunter Riecher (Character) - 1995
50% 93% The Grass Harp Amos Legrand (Character) $511.6K 1995
64% 44% Last Summer in the Hamptons Thomas (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fatally Yours Pauly (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Alien Within Dr. Henry Lazarus (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 30% Unknown Origin Dr. Henry Lazarus (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 0% Angel 4: Undercover Geoffrey Kagen (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is Jeremy Sennet (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Color of Evening Henry Seaton (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 8% Mirror, Mirror 2: Raven Dance Dr. Lasky (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Naked Target Ernest Peabody (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 40% Double Trouble Philip Chamberlain (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet An Inconvenient Woman Cyril Rathbone (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 33% Deadly Game Dr. Aaron (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 42% Shakma Sorenson (Character) - 1990
13% 22% Cutting Class Mr. Dante (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nightmare Classics I Inspector Amos (Character) - 1989
36% 43% Fright Night Part 2 Peter Vincent (Character) $2.4M 1988
46% 74% Overboard Andrew (Character),
Executive Producer
$23.9M 1987
No Score Yet 70% Wind in the Willows Ratty (Voice) - 1987
77% 47% Dead of Winter Mr. Murray (Character) $2.2M 1986
20% 55% GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords Nuggit (Voice) $531.9K 1986
83% 76% Fright Night Peter Vincent (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 40% The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood Prince John (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet This Girl for Hire Manfred Hayes (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet 67% Mae West Rene Valentine (Character) - 1982
92% 73% Evil Under the Sun Rex Brewster (Character) - 1982
71% 67% Class of 1984 Terry Corrigan (Character) - 1982
29% 32% Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen Gillespie (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Forgotten City of the Planet of the Apes Galen (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Treachery and Greed on the Planet of the Apes Galen (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Life, Liberty and Pursuit on the Planet of the Apes Galen (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 50% Back to the Planet of the Apes Galen (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 47% Farewell to the Planet of the Apes Galen (Character) - 1981
67% 39% The Return of the King Samwise Gamgee (Voice) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Martian Chronicles Father Stone (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 74% Nutcracker Fantasy Franz / Fritz (Voice) - 1979
No Score Yet 74% Scavenger Hunt Jenkins (Character) - 1979
38% 59% Circle of Iron White Robe (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hart to Hart Unknown (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 44% The Thief of Baghdad Hasan (Character) - 1978
67% 59% The Cat From Outer Space Mr. Stallwood (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 15% Laserblast Doctor Mellon (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sixth and Main Skateboard (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fantastic Journey Dr. Jonathan Willoway (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 43% Flood! Mr. Franklin (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet 16% Embryo Frank Riley (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet 9% Mean Johnny Barrows Tony Da Vince (Character) - 1975
30% 54% Funny Lady Bobby Moore (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Elevator Marvin Ellis (Character) - 1974
67% 56% The Legend of Hell House Benjamin Franklin Fischer (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet 61% Arnold Robert (Character) $23.6K 1973
36% 30% Battle for the Planet of the Apes Caesar (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet 50% Miracle on 34th Street Dr. Henry Sawyer (Character) - 1973
80% 76% The Poseidon Adventure Acres (Character) - 1972
80% 74% The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Frank Gass (Character) - 1972
52% 46% Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Caesar (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet 31% Tam Lin Director - 1971
67% 74% Bedknobs and Broomsticks Mr. Jelk (Character) - 1971
76% 53% Escape From the Planet of the Apes Cornelius (Character) - 1971
8% 47% Pretty Maids All in a Row Mr. Proffer (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Terror in the Sky Dr. Ralph Baird (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet What's a Nice Girl Like You...? Albert Soames (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Taste of Evil Dr. Michael Lomas (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet 79% Night Gallery Jeremy Evans (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 38% Cult of the Damned Santoro (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 59% Hello Down There Nate Ashbury (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Midas Run Wister (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 51% Five Card Stud Nick Evers (Character) - 1968
86% 88% Planet of the Apes Dr. Cornelius (Character) - 1968
No Score Yet 40% The Cool Ones Tony Krum (Character) - 1967
50% 41% The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin Bullwhip Griffin (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet 39% It! Arthur Pimm (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet 28% Cricket on the Hearth Unknown (Voice) - 1967
No Score Yet 24% The Defector Agent Adams (Character) - 1966
70% 72% Lord Love a Duck Alan 'Mollymauk' Musgrave (Character) - 1966
No Score Yet 22% The Third Day Oliver Parsons (Character) - 1965
29% 51% Inside Daisy Clover Walter Baines (Character) - 1965
47% 76% The Loved One D.J. Jr. (Character) - 1965
42% 64% The Greatest Story Ever Told Matthew (Character) - 1965
94% 72% That Darn Cat! Gregory Benson (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet Shock Treatment Martin Ashley (Character) - 1964
56% 67% Cleopatra Caesar Augustus (Octavian) (Character) - 1963
84% 90% The Longest Day Pvt. Morris (Character) - 1962
No Score Yet 60% The Power and the Glory Mestizo (Character) - 1961
86% 73% Midnight Lace Malcolm (Character) - 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Tempest Ariel (Character) - 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Steel Fist Eric Kardin (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet No Score Yet Killer Shark Ted White (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet No Score Yet Big Timber Jimmy (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet No Score Yet Black Midnight Scott Jordan (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tuna Clipper Alec MacLennan (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kidnapped David Balfour (Character) - 1948
87% 76% Macbeth Malcolm (Character) - 1948
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rocky Chris Hammond (Character) - 1948
No Score Yet 33% Holiday in Mexico Stanley Owen (Character) - 1946
No Score Yet 74% Thunderhead: Son of Flicka Ken McLaughlin (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet 55% Molly and Me Jimmy Graham (Character) - 1945
80% 57% The White Cliffs of Dover Young John Ashwood II (Character) - 1944
No Score Yet 83% The Keys of the Kingdom Francis Chisholm as a Boy (Character) - 1944
94% 77% Lassie Come Home Joe Carraclough (Character) - 1943
86% 80% My Friend Flicka Ken McLaughlin (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet 60% Son of Fury Benjamin (As a Boy) (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet On the Sunny Side Hugh Aylesworth (Character) - 1942
100% 76% The Pied Piper Ronnie Cavanaugh (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet Confirm or Deny Albert Perkins (Character) - 1941
93% 81% How Green Was My Valley Huw Morgan, Youngest Son (Character) - 1941
93% 75% Man Hunt Vaner (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet No Score Yet Just William Ginger (Character) - 1940

TV

Credit
43% No Score Yet Burke's Law Maurice Gillette (Guest Star) 1994
No Score Yet 90% Quantum Leap Edward St. John V (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Around the World in 80 Days Unknown (Character) 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1987 1989
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Gordon Fairchild (Guest Star) 1985 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hollywood Wives Jason Swandle (Character) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hotel Unknown (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tales of the Gold Monkey Bon Chance Louie (Character) 1982-1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1979-1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Disney's Wonderful World Gregory Benson (Character) 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Trapper John, M.D. Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hart to Hart Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
100% 80% Wonder Woman Unknown (Guest Star) 1977-1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Carol Burnett Show Guest 1974-1976 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fantastic Journey Dr. Jonathan Willoway (Character) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Harry O Unknown (Guest Star) 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Police Woman Moulton (Guest Star) 1975
55% 86% Planet of the Apes Galen (Character) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Snoop Sisters Unknown (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet McMillan and Wife Jamie McMillan (Guest Star) 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Barnaby Jones Unknown (Guest Star) 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet McCloud Phil Sandler (Guest Star) 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Rookies Unknown (Guest Star) 1972
No Score Yet 81% Columbo Roger Stanford (Guest Star) 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Walt Disney's Disneyland Bullwhip Griffin (Character) 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Name of the Game Unknown (Guest Star) 1968 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet What's My Line? Guest 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Felony Squad Ollie Olds (Guest Star) 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Danny Kaye Show Guest 1967
72% 78% Batman Unknown (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet 12 O'Clock High Unknown (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ben Casey Dwight Franklin (Guest Star) 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet Combat! Unknown (Guest Star) 1964
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alfred Hitchcock Hour Unknown (Character) 1964
92% 96% The Twilight Zone Sam Conrad (Character) 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Alcoa Hour Max (Character) 1957