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IMDb > Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)

Man of a Thousand Faces (1957) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   967 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Contact:
View company contact information for Man of a Thousand Faces on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
October 1957 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Only Two Women Knew The Secret Behind Lon Chaney, The Fabulous Man Of A Thousand Faces! more
Plot:
Loose biography of actor Lon Chaney. Growing up with deaf parents, he learns what it is like to be different... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. more
User Reviews:
A darned good entertainment! more (35 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

James Cagney ... Lon Chaney
Dorothy Malone ... Cleva Creighton Chaney
Jane Greer ... Hazel Bennet Chaney
Marjorie Rambeau ... Gert
Jim Backus ... Clarence Locan

Robert Evans ... Irving Thalberg (as Robert J. Evans)
Celia Lovsky ... Mrs. Chaney
Jeanne Cagney ... Carrie Chaney
Jack Albertson ... Dr. J. Wilson Shiels
Roger Smith ... Creighton Chaney at 21
Robert Lyden ... Creighton Chaney at 13
Rickie Sorensen ... Creighton Chaney at 8
Dennis Rush ... Creighton Chaney at 4
Nolan Leary ... Pa Chaney
Simon Scott ... Carl Hastings
Clarence Kolb ... Clarence Kolb
Danny Beck ... Max Dill
Philip Van Zandt ... George Loane Tucker
Hank Mann ... Comedy Waiter
'Snub' Pollard ... Comedy Waiter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Halloran ... Saloon Proprietor (scenes deleted)
Natalie Masters ... Nurse (scenes deleted)
Harry Antrim ... Cleva's Birth Doctor (uncredited)

Bobby Barber ... Miracle Man Extra (uncredited)
Russ Bender ... Divorce Judge (uncredited)
Marjorie Bennett ... Vera, Housekeeper (uncredited)
June Blair ... Chorine (uncredited)
Nicky Blair ... Cameraman of 'Unholy Three' (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake ... David T. Stone (uncredited)
Harold Bostwick ... Piano Player (uncredited)
Helen Brown ... Mrs. Heinley (uncredited)
Robert Brubaker ... Jack Conway, Director of 'Unholy Three' (uncredited)
John Bryant ... William R. Darrow Jr. (uncredited)
Charles Cane ... Studio Guard (uncredited)
Anna Lee Carroll ... Chorine (uncredited)
Spencer Chan ... Chinese Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
Bill Chatham ... Shadow Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Chefe ... Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin ... Audience Extra (uncredited)
Billy Curtis ... Harry Earles - Midget Actor in 'The Unholy Three' (uncredited)
Michael Dale ... Reporter at Chaney's House (uncredited)

Troy Donahue ... Assistant Director in Bullpen (uncredited)
Helene Drake ... Script Supervisor, 'Laugh Clown Laugh' (uncredited)
Steve Drexel ... Messenger Boy (uncredited)
Richard Emory ... Assistant Director in Bullpen (uncredited)
William Flaherty ... Assistant Director of 'Hunchback' (uncredited)
Elizabeth Flournoy ... Thalberg's Secretary (uncredited)
Evelyn Ford ... Chorine (uncredited)
Clem Fuller ... Cowboy Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
John George ... Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
Jerry Hartleben ... Lon Chaney at 8 (uncredited)
Charles Horvath ... Ivan Linow, Actor playing Hercules in 'Unholy Three' (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy ... Assistant Director in Bullpen (uncredited)
William Hudson ... David Anderson, Reporter (uncredited)
Dave Kashner ... Flogger of 'Hunchback' (uncredited)
Tom Kennedy ... Audience at Eulogy (uncredited)
Donald Kerr ... Don, a Stagehand (uncredited)
Nancy Kilgas ... Mary Philbin in 'Phantom' (uncredited)
Jess Kirkpatrick ... Police Lieutenant in Hospital (uncredited)
Mike Lally ... Lighting Man of 'Unholy Three' (uncredited)
Louise Lane ... Chorine (uncredited)
Hugh Lawrence ... George Chaney (uncredited)
Walter Lawrence ... Stagehand (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton ... Emergency Room Doctor (uncredited)
Della Malzahn ... Chorine (uncredited)
George E. Mather ... Assistant Director in Bullpen (uncredited)
Joe Merritt ... Assistant Director in Bullpen (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery ... Director in Bullpen (uncredited)
Carol Morris ... Chorine (uncredited)
Leo Needham ... John Chaney (uncredited)
Eddie Parker ... Studio Guard (uncredited)
Hank Patterson ... Scotty, Stage Door Man (uncredited)
George Pembroke ... Mr. Tait (uncredited)
George Peters ... Director of 'Hunchback' (uncredited)
Foster H. Phinney ... Director of 'Phantom' (uncredited)
Allen Pinson ... Reporter at Chaney's House (uncredited)
Mike Portanova ... Assistant Director of 'Unholy Three' (uncredited)
Paul Power ... Studio Executive (uncredited)
George Ramsey ... Assistant Director (uncredited)
James Seay ... Casting Director (uncredited)
Cap Somers ... Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
Lelani Sorenson ... Carrie Chaney at 6 (uncredited)
Robert Stevenson ... Policeman, 'Unholy Three' Set (uncredited)
Jane Strangis ... Chorine (uncredited)
Hal Taggart ... Chaney's Divorce Lawyer (uncredited)
Forrest Taylor ... Miracle Man (uncredited)
Ken Terrell ... Reporter at Chaney's House (uncredited)
Jack Tesler ... Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Sammee Tong ... Chinese Extra (uncredited)
Frances E. Williams ... Louisa, Cleva's Maid (uncredited)
Harry Wilson ... Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
Annie Yip ... Chinese Extra in Bullpen (uncredited)
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Directed by
Joseph Pevney 
 
Writing credits
Ralph Wheelwright (story)

R. Wright Campbell (writer) and
Ivan Goff (writer) &
Ben Roberts (writer)

Produced by
Robert Arthur .... producer
 
Original Music by
Frank Skinner 
 
Cinematography by
Russell Metty 
 
Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent 
 
Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen 
Eric Orbom 
 
Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman 
Julia Heron 
 
Costume Design by
Bill Thomas 
 
Makeup Department
Jack Kevan .... makeup artist (unconfirmed)
Bud Westmore .... makeup artist
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Bowles .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey .... sound recordist
Robert Pritchard .... sound recordist
 
Special Effects by
Clifford Stine .... special photographic effects
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marilyn Sotto .... wardrobe: Mr. Cagney
 
Music Department
Joseph Gershenson .... orchestrator
Milton Rosen .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Edward Ward .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Marjorie Ramsey .... technical advisor
Doreen Taylor .... singing double: "Malone" (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
122 min
Country:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Last full length feature film of Philip Van Zandt. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: Lon Chaney did not die at home surrounded by loved ones, he died very suddenly in the hospital (around midnight) after suffering a hemorrhage. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Guard: Good morning, Mr. Thalberg.
Irving Thalberg: Good morning.
more
Movie Connections:
References Tell It to the Marines (1926) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
9 out of 13 people found the following review useful.
A darned good entertainment!, 18 November 2004
Author: mainlybigbands from West Midlands

An excellent story, well told in the manner of the era the film was made. This means the story telling was paramount - thank heavens no tedious digital effects.

So what the story was loosely based on Chaney's life. In the 2 hours or so the film ran it was not possible to tell the whole story. So they use shortcuts and invention - so what. I bet more than one person started to research Chaney and other stories from the silent era. Interest stimulated...... job done.

Rather like the Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman stories, same applies. How many started to appreciate the music, they knew nothing of the inaccuracies. They saw a good story and heard some interesting music, helped me to start listening to jazz and I am grateful.

You will never satisfy the 'expert'.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (35 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Lon Chaney Sr. deserves a new/better bio-pic! gillmanfan2000
make-up montage? wencer
Will the copyright holders please listen to the fans of Chaney + Cagney john-kelly-3
Cagney good.. movie dreadful beverlyamason
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