Jean Arthur

Known For: Acting
Born: October 17, 1900
Place of Birth: Plattsburgh, New York, USA
Died: June 19, 1991

Jean Arthur

Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American actress celebrated as one of the defining screen personalities of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Known for her quick wit, expressive voice, and understated charm, she became one of the era’s most beloved comedic leading ladies, especially in the screwball comedy genre. Film historian James Harvey noted that “no one was more closely identified with the screwball comedy than Jean Arthur,” and her work remains central to the style’s legacy. Arthur rose to prominence in the mid‑1930s and became best known for her collaborations with director Frank Capra, starring in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). These films cemented her image as the relatable, spirited heroine of Depression‑era American cinema. She earned an Academy Award nominat…

Filmography

Becoming Cary Grant

2017 · Self (archive footage)

Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with You

2008 · Self (archive footage)

Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel

Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel

2001 · Self (archive footage)

Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl

1999 · Self (from The Saturday Night Kid [1929]) (archive footage)

Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero

1998 · Self (archive footage)

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

1988 · Self (archive footage)

Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984 · (archive footage)

The Jean Arthur Show

1966

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

1961 · Self - Actress 'Gone with the Wind' screen test (archive footage) (uncredited)

Gunsmoke

1955 · Julie Blane

Yesterday and Today

1953 · (archive footage)

Shane

1953 · Marian Starrett

A Foreign Affair

1948 · Congresswoman Phoebe Frost

The Impatient Years

1944 · Janie Anderson

A Lady Takes a Chance

1943 · Molly J. Truesdale

The More the Merrier

1943 · Constance Milligan

The Talk of the Town

1942 · Nora Shelley

The Devil and Miss Jones

1941 · Mary Jones

Arizona

1940 · Phoebe Titus

Too Many Husbands

1940 · Vicky Lowndes

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939 · Clarissa Saunders

Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1

Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1

1939 · Self

Only Angels Have Wings

1939 · Bonnie Lee

You Can't Take It with You

1938 · Alice Sycamore

Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12

1938 · Jean Arthur

Easy Living

1937 · Mary Smith

History Is Made at Night

1937 · Irene Vail

More Than a Secretary

1936 · Carol Baldwin

The Plainsman

1936 · Calamity Jane

Adventure in Manhattan

1936 · Claire Peyton

Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)

1936 · Self

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

1936 · Paula Bradford

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

1936 · Babe Bennett

If You Could Only Cook

1935 · Joan Hawthorne

The Public Menace

1935 · Cassie Nicholls

Diamond Jim

1935 · Jane Matthews / Emma

Public Hero Number 1

1935 · Maria Theresa 'Terry' O'Reilly

Party Wire

1935 · Marge Oliver

The Whole Town's Talking

1935 · Wilhelmina 'Bill' Clark

The Defense Rests

1934 · Joan Hayes

Most Precious Thing in Life

1934 · Ellen Holmes, aka Biddy, Babe

Whirlpool

1934 · Sandy

Get That Venus

1933 · Margaret Rendleby

The Past of Mary Holmes

1933 · Joan Hoyt

Ex-Bad Boy

1931 · Ethel Simmons

The Lawyer's Secret

1931 · Beatrice Stevens

Virtuous Husband

1931 · Barbara Olwell

The Gang Buster

1931 · Sylvia Martine

Danger Lights

1931 · Mary Ryan

The Silver Horde

1930 · Mildred Wayland

The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu

1930 · Lia Eltham

Paramount on Parade

1930 · Dream Girl

Young Eagles

1930 · Mary Gordon

Street of Chance

1930 · Judith Marsden

Half Way to Heaven

1929 · Greta Nelson

The Saturday Night Kid

1929 · Janie Barry

The Greene Murder Case

1929 · Ada Greene

The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu

1929 · Lia Eltham

Stairs of Sand

1929 · Ruth Hutt

The Canary Murder Case

1929 · Alice LaFosse

Sins of the Fathers

1928 · Mary Spengler

Brotherly Love

1928 · Mary

Warming Up

1928 · Mary Post

Wallflowers

1928 · Sandra

Flying Luck

1927 · The Girl

The Masked Menace

1927 · Faith Newton

The Poor Nut

1927 · Margie Blake

Bigger and Better Blondes

1927 · Ramona

Horse Shoes

1927 · Miss Baker

The Broken Gate

1927 · Ruth Hale

Hello Lafayette

1927

Winners Of The Wilderness

1927 · Bit Role (uncredited)

Husband Hunters

1927 · Lettie Crane

The Block Signal

1926 · Grace Ryan

The College Boob

1926 · Angela Boothby

Twisted Triggers

Twisted Triggers

1926 · Ruth Regan

The Cowboy Cop

1926 · Virginia Selby

Lightning Bill

1926 · Marie Denton

Double Daring

1926 · Marie Wells

Ridin' Rivals

1926 · Ruth Burroghs

The Mad Racer

1926

Eight-Cylinder Bull

Eight-Cylinder Bull

1926

The Fighting Cheat

The Fighting Cheat

1926 · Ruth Wells

Born to Battle

1926 · Eunice Morgan

The Roaring Rider

The Roaring Rider

1926 · Mary Watkins

Under Fire

1926 · Margaret Cranston

Thundering Through

Thundering Through

1925 · Ruth Burroughs

The Hurricane Horseman

The Hurricane Horseman

1925 · June Mathews

The Iron Horse

1925 · Reporter (uncredited)

A Man of Nerve

1925 · Loria Gatlin

Tearin' Loose

1925 · Sally Harris

The Fighting Smile

1925 · Rose Craddock

The Drug Store Cowboy

1925 · Jean

Seven Chances

1925 · Miss Smith the Country Club Receptionist (uncredited)

Travelin' Fast

1924 · Betty Conway

Thundering Romance

1924 · Mary Watkins

Bringin' Home the Bacon

1924 · Nancy Norton

Wine of Youth

1924 · Flapper

Biff Bang Buddy

1924 · Bonnie Norton

Fast and Fearless

1924 · Mary Brown

The Powerful Eye

The Powerful Eye

1924 · Dud's Sweetheart

Case Dismissed

1924 · Jean

Spring Fever

1923

Monks a la mode

Monks a la mode

1923 · Madame Maxine

Somebody Lied

1923

Cameo Kirby

1923 · Ann Playdell

Jean Arthur · Virelixia