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Ronald Colman

Ronald Colman

Actor · Died May 19, 1958, aged 67 · Richmond, Surrey, England, UK

British leading man of primarily American films, one of the great stars of the Golden Age. Raised in Ealing, the son of a successful silk merchant, he attended boarding school in Sussex, where he first discovered amateur theatre. He intended to attend Cambridge and become an engineer, but his father's death cost him the financial support necessary. He joined the London Scottish Regionals and at the outbreak of World War I was sent to France. Seriously wounded at the battle of Messines--he was gassed--he was invalided out of service scarcely two months after shipping out for France. Upon his recovery he tried to enter the consular service, but a chance encounter got him a small role in a London play. He dropped other plans and concentrated on the theatre, and was rewarded with a succession of increasingly prominent parts. He made extra money appearing in a few minor films, and in 1920 set out for New York in hopes of finding greater fortune there than in war-depressed England. After two years of impoverishment he was cast in a Broadway hit, "La Tendresse". Director Henry King spotted him in the show and cast him as Lillian Gish's leading man in The White Sister (1923). His success in the film led to a contract with Samuel Goldwyn, and his career as a Hollywood leading man was underway. He became a vastly popular star of silent films, in romances as well as adventure films. The coming of sound made his extraordinarily beautiful speaking voice even more important to the film industry. He played sophisticated, thoughtful characters of integrity with enormous aplomb, and swashbuckled expertly when called to do so in films like The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). A decade later he received an Academy Award for his splendid portrayal of a tormented actor in A Double Life (1947). Much of his later career was devoted to "The Halls of Ivy", a radio show that later was transferred to television "The Halls of Ivy" (1954). He continued to work until nearly the end of his life, which came in 1958 after a brief lung illness. He was survived by his second wife, actress Benita Hume, and their daughter Juliet Benita Colman.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 8, 1891
Died
May 19, 1958 (aged 67)
From
Richmond, Surrey, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 57 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 46% in 30 days

What are Ronald Colman's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
32%
Bonds
30%
Self
21%
Survival
6%
Power
5%
Ideas
3%
Society
2%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 12 · Serious 4 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 11 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 14 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

23 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 18 of 23 analyzed roles.

Hero
18 of 23
Shadow
2 of 23
Mentor
1 of 23
Trickster
1 of 23
Shapeshifter
1 of 23
Show the 23 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Romantic
9
Joyful
6
Melancholic
5
Warm
6
Other
19

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ronald Colman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ronald Colman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

57 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Story of Mankind(1957)

    as The Spirit of Man

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Around the World in 80 Days(1956)

    as Railway Official

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Halls of Ivy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 38 episodes · Actor

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Graham

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Writer · as Caller · as Cameron · as Dr. Bosanquent · as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Jack Benny Program (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Ronald Colman

  • Champagne for Caesar(1950)

    as Beauregard Bottomley

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • A Double Life(1947)

    as Anthony John

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Late George Apley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as George Apley

  • Kismet(1944)

    as Hafiz

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Random Harvest(1942)

    as Charles Rainier

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Talk of the Town(1942)

    as Michael Lightcap

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • My Life with Caroline (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Anthony Mason

  • Lucky Partners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as David Grant

  • The Light That Failed(1939)

    as Dick Heldar

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • If I Were King(1938)

    as François Villon

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Prisoner of Zenda(1937)

    as Major Rudolf Rassendyll / The Prisoner of Zenda

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Lost Horizon(1937)

    as Robert " Bob " Conway

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Under Two Flags (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Sgt. Victor

  • A Tale of Two Cities(1935)

    as Sydney Carton

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo(1935)

    as Paul Gaillard

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Clive of India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Robert Clive

  • Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back(1934)

    as Captain Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Masquerader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Sir John Chilcote / John Loder

  • Cynara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as James Warlock

  • Arrowsmith(1931)

    as Dr. Martin Arrowsmith

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Unholy Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Barrington Hunt

  • Governor C.C. Young Hails Greater Talkie Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Actor

  • The Devil to Pay!(1930)

    as Willie Hale

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Terra Melophon Magazin Nr. 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Actor

  • Raffles(1930)

    as A.J. Raffles

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Condemned! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Michel

  • Bulldog Drummond(1929)

    as Captain Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Rescue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Tom Lingard

  • Two Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Mark van Rycke

  • The Magic Flame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Tito the Clown / The Count

  • The Night of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Montero

  • The Winning of Barbara Worth(1926)

    as Willard Holmes

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Beau Geste (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Michael 'Beau' Geste

  • Kiki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Victor Renal

  • Lady Windermere's Fan(1925)

    as Lord Darlington

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Stella Dallas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Stephen Dallas

  • The Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Captain Alan Trent

  • Her Sister from Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Joseph

  • A Thief in Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Maurice Blake

  • His Supreme Moment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as John Douglas

  • The Sporting Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Donald MacAllan

  • Romola(1924)

    as Carlo Bucellini

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Her Night of Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Paul Menford

  • Tarnish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Emmet Carr

  • Twenty Dollars a Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Chester Reeves

  • The White Sister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Capt. Giovanni Severi

  • Handcuffs or Kisses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Lodyard

  • The Black Spider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Vicomte de Beaurais

  • Anna the Adventuress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Brendan

  • The Toilers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Bob

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 57 titles from 1919 to 1976.

Biggest box office

Random Harvest (1942)

$25K worldwide

Highest rated

Random Harvest (1942)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

The Talk of the Town (1942)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout

Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting57 of 57: 56 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thWriting1 of 57: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1910s1 · acting1920s24 · acting1930s17 · acting1940s7 · acting1950s7 · 7 acting · 1 crew1970s1 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 77% of 13 roles
2540

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Ronald Colman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 22; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · actor

The Story of Mankind (1957)

50th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Random Harvest (1942)

Midcredits 96th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 77/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Ronald Colman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ronald Colman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Samuel Goldwyn shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers