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Stanley Ridges

Stanley Ridges

Actor · Died April 22, 1951, aged 60 · Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Stanley Ridges (17 July 1890 – 22 April 1951) was a British-born actor who made his mark in films by playing a wide assortment of character parts. Born 17 July 1890 in Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK, Stanley Ridges became a protégé of Beatrice Lillie, a star of musical stage comedies, and spent many years learning and honing his craft on the stage. Eventually making his way to America, Ridges began as a song-and-dance man on Broadway, but later turned to dramatic roles onstage, appearing in such plays as Maxwell Anderson's Mary of Scotland (as Lord Morton) and Valley Forge (as Lieutenant Colonel Lucifer Tench), becoming a romantic leading man. Ridges' silent film debut was in Success (1923). With his excellent diction and rich speaking voice, he easily made the transition into sound films, with his career taking off at age 43, in Crime Without Passion (1934), with Claude Rains. Ridges found himself cast in character roles, as his greying hair put his romantic leading man days at an end. His most best known roles were probably two different characters in one film, one of them the kindly Professor Kingsley and the other the murderous Red Cannon in the thriller Black Friday (1940). The Jekyll and Hyde transformations gave Ridges a chance to display his acting ability. Ridges was often cast in supporting roles in many classic films, and played the lead only once, in the B-picture False Faces (1943). Among Ridges's other film roles were as the Scotland Yard inspector who is shadowing Charles Laughton in the film The Suspect (1944), as Major Buxton (Gary Cooper's commanding officer) in Sergeant York (1942), as Professor Siletsky in To Be or Not to Be (also 1942), and as Cary Travers Grayson, the official White House physician in Wilson (1944). By 1950, he had just begun appearing in television anthologies such as Studio One and Philco Television Playhouse. His last feature film, the Ginger Rogers comedy The Groom Wore Spurs, in which he played a mobster, was released a month before he died. Stanley Ridges died 22 April 1951, in Westbrook, Connecticut, aged 60.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 17, 1890
Died
April 22, 1951 (aged 60)
From
Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 26% in 30 days

What are Stanley Ridges' films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure 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
37%
Bonds
24%
Self
11%
Society
10%
Power
9%
Survival
8%
Ideas
1%
Justice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 9 · Dark 10

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 11 · Intense 11

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 3

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 3

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

A split, not a type: Casual 14 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 8 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 7

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

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

16 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 16 analyzed roles.

Shadow
7 of 16
Threshold guardian
3 of 16
Mentor
3 of 16
Herald
2 of 16
Hero
1 of 16
Show the 16 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Warm
8
Joyful
6
Dread
6
Melancholic
9
Other
24

How their films linger

Rousing10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

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 Stanley Ridges' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Stanley Ridges' 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

56 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Groom Wore Spurs(1951)

    as Harry Kallen

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • No Way Out(1950)

    as Sam Moreland

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Had Influence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as J. C. Grant

  • Paid in Full (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Dr. P.J. 'Phil' Winston

  • The File on Thelma Jordon(1949)

    as Kingsley Willis

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Task Force(1949)

    as Sen. Bentley

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • You're My Everything(1949)

    as Mr. Henry Mercer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Streets of Laredo(1949)

    as Major Bailey

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • An Act of Murder(1948)

    as Doctor Walter Morrison

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as J.C. Grant · as Police Chief Scott Anderson

  • Possessed(1947)

    as Dr. Harvey Willard

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Ace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Toomey

  • Canyon Passage(1946)

    as Jonas Overmire

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Because of Him (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Charles Gilbert

  • Captain Eddie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Col. Hans Adamson

  • The Phantom Speaks(1945)

    as Dr. Paul Renwick

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • God Is My Co-Pilot(1945)

    as Col. Merian 'Steve' Cooper

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Suspect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Inspector Huxley

  • The Master Race (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Phil Carson

  • Wilson(1944)

    as Dr. Cary Grayson

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Story of Dr. Wassell(1944)

    as Cmdr. William B. 'Bill' Goggins

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • This Is the Army(1943)

    as John Davidson

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • False Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as District Attorney Stanley S. Harding

  • Air Force(1943)

    as Maj. Mallory - Clark Field

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Tarzan Triumphs(1943)

    as Colonel Von Reichart

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Eyes in the Night(1942)

    as Hansen

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Eagle Squadron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Air Minister

  • The Big Shot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Martin T. Fleming, Attorney

  • To Be or Not to Be(1942)

    as Professor Alexander Siletsky

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Lady Is Willing(1942)

    as Kenneth Hanline

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • They Died with Their Boots On(1941)

    as Maj. Romulus Taipe

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Sergeant York(1941)

    as Major Buxton

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Mr. District Attorney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as District Attorney Tom F. Winton

  • The Sea Wolf(1941)

    as Johnson

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Black Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Prof. George Kingsley / Red Cannon

  • Nick Carter, Master Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Doctor Frankton (as Stanley C. Ridges)

  • Espionage Agent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Hamilton Peyton

  • Dust Be My Destiny(1939)

    as Charles 'Charlie' Garreth

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Each Dawn I Die(1939)

    as Mueller

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • I Stole a Million(1939)

    as Downs (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Union Pacific(1939)

    as Gen. Casement

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Silver on the Sage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Earl Brennan / Dave Talbot

  • Let Us Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as District Attorney

  • There's That Woman Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Tony Croy

  • The Mad Miss Manton(1938)

    as Edward Norris

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • If I Were King(1938)

    as Rene de Montigny

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • They're Always Caught (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Dr. John Pritchard

  • Yellow Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Dr. James Carroll

  • Internes Can't Take Money(1937)

    as Dan Innes

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Sinner Take All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as MacKelvey

  • Winterset(1936)

    as Shadow

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Scoundrel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Paul Decker

  • Crime Without Passion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Eddie White

  • For Two Cents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Actor

  • The Poor Fish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as George

  • Success (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Gilbert Gordon

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 56 titles from 1923 to 1951.

Biggest box office

Sergeant York (1941)

$16M worldwide

Highest rated

To Be or Not to Be (1942)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout

Top draw in 1 MovieCove title.

  • 1934Screen debut· Crime Without Passion
  • 1940First top-billed film· Black Friday
  • 1940Breakout· Black Friday

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting56 of 56: 56 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rd

By decade

1920s1 · acting1930s20 · acting1940s31 · acting1950s4 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 5% of 20 roles
3444

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 Stanley Ridges' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 30; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

This Is the Army (1943)

54th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

To Be or Not to Be (1942)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 27 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 49. 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.

Is Stanley Ridges' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 7 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 10 · minimalMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Stanley Ridges work with?

People who share at least 2 of Stanley Ridges' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hal B. Wallis shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers