John Landers Stevens (1877–1940) was an American

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

and

film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...

. A

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

he appeared in prominent screen roles in the early 1920s before switching to smaller supporting parts, often authority figures, in the following decade. He was the brother of the journalist Ashton Stevens and the father of film director

George Stevens George Cooper Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, film producer, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', March 12, 1975, page 79. Films he produced were nomi ...

. He appeared in the 1936 musical film ''

Swing Time In music, the term ''swing'' has two main uses. Colloquially, it is used to describe the propulsive quality or "feel" of a rhythm, especially when the music prompts a visceral response such as foot-tapping or head-nodding (see pulse). This sens ...

'' directed by his son.Green p.61 His final screen appearance was in ''

Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American drama film produced by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles' first feature film. ''Citizen Kane'' is frequently cited ...

''.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Price of Redemption ''The Price of Redemption'' is a lost 1920 American silent crime film directed by Dallas M. Fitzgerald and starring Bert Lytell, Seena Owen and Cleo Madison.A Thousand to One ''A Thousand to One'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Hobart Bosworth, Ethel Grey Terry and Charles West. Plot The story follows William Newlands, a man deep in debt who marries wealthy Beatrice on ...

'' (1920) * ''

Keeping Up with Lizzie ''Keeping Up with Lizzie'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Lloyd Ingraham and starring Enid Bennett, Edward Hearn and Otis Harlan.Munden p.402 Cast * Enid Bennett as Lizzie Henshaw * Edward Hearn as Dan Pettigrew * Otis Harla ...

'' (1921) * ''

Shadows of Conscience ''Shadows of Conscience'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by John P. McCarthy and starring Russell Simpson, Barbara Tennant and Gertrude Olmstead.Connelly, p. 250. Cast * Russell Simpson as Jim Logan * Landers Stevens as Wad ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Veiled Woman ''The Veiled Woman'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by Emmett J. Flynn and starring Lia Torá, Lupita Tovar and Walter McGrail, also featuring Bela Lugosi.Kohner p. 347 This film was initially advertised as being a sound film, but at th ...

'' (1922) * '' Wild Honey'' (1922) * '' Handle with Care'' (1922) * ''

A Wonderful Wife ''A Wonderful Wife'' is a 1922 American drama film directed by Paul Scardon and written by Arthur F. Statter. It is based on the 1904 novel ''The Rat Trap'' by Dolf Wyllarde. The film stars Miss DuPont, Vernon Steele, Landers Stevens, Charles A ...

'' (1922) * '' Youth Must Have Love'' (1922) * ''

Battling Bunyan ''Battling Bunyan'' is a 1924 American silent film, silent sports film, sports comedy film directed by Paul Hurst (actor), Paul Hurst and starring Wesley Barry, Frank Campeau, and Molly Malone (actress), Molly Malone. In order to raise cash in a ...

'' (1924) * ''

Frozen Justice ''Frozen Justice'' is a 1929 American pre-Code drama film directed by Allan Dwan. The picture starred Lenore Ulric in her first sound film and is based on the 1920 novel, ''Norden For Lov og Ret'', by Ejnar Mikkelsen. A shorter, silent versio ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Trial of Mary Dugan ''The Trial of Mary Dugan'' is a play written by Bayard Veiller. The 1927 melodrama concerns a sensational courtroom trial of a showgirl accused of killing her millionaire lover. Her defense attorney is her brother, Jimmy Dugan. It was first pr ...

'' (1929) * '' The Gorilla'' (1930) * '' Little Caesar'' (1931) * ''

The Rainbow Trail ''The Rainbow Trail'', also known as ''The Desert Crucible'', is Western author Zane Grey's sequel to ''Riders of the Purple Sage''. Originally published under the title ''The Rainbow Trail'' in 1915, it was re-edited and re-released in recent ...

'' (1932) * ''

Hell Divers ''Hell Divers'' is a 1932 American pre-Code black-and-white film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Wallace Beery and Clark Gable as a pair of competing chief petty officers in early naval aviation. The film, made with the cooperation of the Unite ...

'' (1932) * ''

Midshipman Jack ''Midshipman Jack'' is a 1933 American pre-Code action film directed by Christy Cabanne and written by Frank Wead and F. McGrew Willis. The film stars Bruce Cabot, Betty Furness, Frank Albertson, Arthur Lake, and Florence Lake. The film was re ...

'' (1933) * ''

After Tonight ''After Tonight'' is a 1933 American pre-Code World War I spy film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Constance Bennett and Gilbert Roland. The studio considered firing Bennett after the film lost $100,000 at the box office. Plot With ...

'' (1933) * ''

Bachelor Bait ''Bachelor Bait'' is a 1934 American comedy film about a man (William Watts) who is fired from his job issuing marriage licenses at city hall because of the actions of a co-worker. He starts a match making business which becomes very successful b ...

'' (1934) * ''

Elinor Norton ''Elinor Norton'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by Rose Franken and Philip Klein. It is based on the 1933 novel, ''The State versus Elinor Norton'' by Mary Roberts Rinehart. The film stars Claire Trevor ...

'' (1934) * ''

The Great Hotel Murder ''The Great Hotel Murder'' is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and starring Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen, Rosemary Ames and Mary Carlisle. It is based on ''Recipe for Murder'' a 1934 story by Vincent Starrett. The film stars ...

'' (1935) * ''

Romance in Manhattan ''Romance in Manhattan'' is a 1935 American comedy/romance film directed by Stephen Roberts, starring Francis Lederer and Ginger Rogers, and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Plot Karel Novak (Lederer), an incredibly naive Czech immigrant, arr ...

'' (1935) * ''

Thunder in the Night ''Thunder in the Night'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Frances Hyland and Eugene Solow. It is based on the 1934 play ''A Woman Lies'' by Ladislas Fodor. The film stars Edmund Lowe, Karen Morley, Pau ...

'' (1935) * ''

Charlie Chan's Secret ''Charlie Chan's Secret'' is a 1936 American mystery film directed by Gordon Wiles and starring Warner Oland, Henrietta Crosman and Rosina Lawrence. It is the tenth film in 20th Century Fox, Fox's Charlie Chan series featuring Oland as the detec ...

'' (1936) * ''

Postal Inspector Postal inspector may refer to: * The United States Postal Inspection Service The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), or the Postal Inspectors, is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. It supports and protect ...

'' (1936) * ''

Educating Father ''Educating Father'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by James Tinling and starring Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane, and Dixie Dunbar. It was part of the Jones Family series of films.Drew p.180 Cast * Jed Prouty as John Jones * Shirley Deane ...

'' (1936) * '' Gentle Julia'' (1936) * '' The Cowboy Star'' (1936) * ''

'' (1936) * ''

Bill Cracks Down ''Bill Cracks Down'' is a 1937 American action romantic drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Grant Withers, Beatrice Roberts, Ranny Weeks and Judith Allen. It was produced and distributed by Republic Pictures. The film was released u ...

'' (1937) * ''

We Who Are About to Die ''We Who Are About to Die'' is a 1937 film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Preston Foster, Ann Dvorak Ann Dvorak (born Anna McKim; August 2, 1911 – December 10, 1979) was an American stage and film actress. Asked how to pronounc ...

'' (1937) * ''

Join the Marines ''Join the Marines'' is a 1937 American action film directed by Ralph Staub and written by Joseph Krumgold and Olive Cooper. The film stars Paul Kelly, June Travis, Purnell Pratt, Reginald Denny, Warren Hymer and Irving Pichel. It was released ...

'' (1937) * '' The Zero Hour'' (1939) * ''

Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

'' (1939) * ''

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt ''The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt'' is a 1939 American adventure film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by Jonathan Latimer. The film stars Warren William and Ida Lupino. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on January 27, 1939. The Lone W ...

'' (1939) * '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939) * ''

Cross-Country Romance ''Cross-Country Romance'' is a 1940 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Woodruff and starring Gene Raymond and Wendy Barrie. With the huge success of ''It Happened One Night'', the 1934 American romantic comedy film directed by Fran ...

'' (1939) * ''

The Story of Alexander Graham Bell ''The Story of Alexander Graham Bell'' is a somewhat fictionalized 1939 biographical film of the famous inventor. It was filmed in black-and-white and released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The film stars Don Ameche as Bell and Loretta Young as Mab ...

'' (1939) * ''

Danger on Wheels ''Danger on Wheels'' is a 1940 American film noir sport film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Richard Arlen and Andy Devine. Plot A test driver (Richard Arlen) tries racing with his girlfriend's ( Peggy Moran) father's new engine. Ca ...

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1941)

References

Bibliography

* Green, Stanley. ''Hollywood Musicals Year by Year''. Hal Leonard Corporation, 1999. * Moss, Marilyn Ann. ''Giant: George Stevens, a Life on Film''. Terrace Books, 2015.

External links

* 1877 births 1940 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors People from San Francisco {{US-film-bio-stub