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Michael Whalen

Michael Whalen

Actor · Died April 14, 1974, aged 71 · Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA

A dark, debonair, mustachioed, slick-looking leading man who cut a fine figure in 1930s Fox movies, Michael Whalen's good looks were interestingly offset by a slightly prominent Romanesque nose. Born Joseph Shovlin on June 30, 1902, in Wilkes-Barre, Penssylvania, he took piano lessons as a child but the talent never went anywhere. He eventually was hired by the Woolworths department store chain and worked his way up to manager by the time he resigned at the age of 23. During an extensive period of travel, he stopped in New York City and became hooked on acting after catching a Broadway show. He apprenticed and made his stage debut with Eva Le Gallienne's repertory company. To make do, the handsome hopeful worked as an artist's model, including the renowned 'James Montgomery Flagg'. Whalen came to Hollywood in 1933 and started out on the L.A. stage with roles in "When Knighthood Was in Flower" (as the Dauphin) and "Common Flesh." Noticed by Twentieth Century-Fox talent agents, he made his debut with a second-lead role in Professional Soldier (1935) starring Victor McLaglen. On screen he appeared opposite a bevy of Hollywood lovelies, notably Alice Faye, Gloria Stuart, Claire Trevor and June Lang, in standard "B" filmmaking, playing a series of virile, flashy roles including Hollywood producers and sports editor types. He also had the adult male leads in two of little Shirley Temple's popular vehicles -- Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) and Wee Willie Winkie (1937). In 1938 he starred as newsman Barney Callahan in a string of murder mystery tales (Time Out for Murder (1938), While New York Sleeps (1938) and Inside Story (1939)) alongside love interest Jean Rogers. By the early 1940s his leading man career started to falter. He went to Broadway for two years in "Ten Little Indians" (1944), then toured with the show on the road. By the 1950s he was appearing less frequently on film and more and more into character roles. TV became a source of income for him. His last movie was an unbilled bit in Elmer Gantry (1960), and in 1964 he made his final appearance on an episode of My Three Sons (1960). Once engaged to sultry actress Ilona Massey, the couple never made it to the altar. Whalen remained a bachelor and lived with his mother until her death in the 1960s. He collected antiques and enjoyed gardening until his death of bronchial pneumonia in 1974 at age 71.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
June 30, 1902
Died
April 14, 1974 (aged 71)
From
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
26 on Motif · 72 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 39 days to Oct 28Up 14% in 30 days

What are Michael Whalen's films like?

Across their 17 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their Motif 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
39%
Bonds
18%
Self
14%
Power
12%
Survival
9%
Society
4%
Ideas
4%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAddiction2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 6 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 9 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 10 · Intense 1

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

Steady 12 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 10 · 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 14 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 7
Hero
2 of 7
Shadow
2 of 7
Mentor
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Melancholic
6
Romantic
4
Warm
4
Joyful
3
Other
14

How their films linger

Feel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet6
  • 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 Michael Whalen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 26 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Whalen's titles on Motif; 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

72 credits, 26 with a Motif page.

  • Deep Inside The Titanic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Composer

  • My Three Sons (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Burke

  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Elmer Gantry(1960)

    as Rev. Phillips (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Missile to the Moon(1958)

    as Dirk Green

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Bat Masterson(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Marshal

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Sea Hunt(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Oliver Brandon

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Tombstone Territory(1957)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mayor Fred Donolon

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    as Prof. King

  • Highway Patrol(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Outlaw Treasure(1955)

    as Maj. Cooper

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Silver Star(1955)

    as Shakespeare

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Lassie(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Phil Potter

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Waco (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    as Banker Barnes

  • The Living Bible (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    as Pharisee

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Otis Crane

  • Boston Blackie (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Doctor

  • G.I. Jane (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    as James Simpkins

  • According to Mrs. Hoyle(1951)

    as Rev. Haverford

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Kentucky Jubilee (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    as Touhy

  • Mask of the Dragon (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    as Maj. Clinton

  • Fingerprints Don't Lie(1951)

    as Police Commissioner Frank Kelso

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Living Christ (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 7 episodes · as Simon the Zealot

  • King of the Bullwhip (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    as Thurman

  • The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Bagley

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Blaisdell · as Carson · as George Cooper · as Peterson

  • The Cisco Kid(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Cain Haggar / Matt Haggar · as Hank Winters · as Pete · as Pete Sturgis

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Cody of the Pony Express (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    as Maj. Walker (uncredited)

  • Everybody's Dancin' (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    as Mr. London

  • Sarumba(1950)

    as Señor Valdez

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tough Assignment (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    as 'Hutch' Hutchison

  • The Lone Ranger(1949)

    Show 1 episode · as Marshal Hawkins · as Marshal Mason · as Monk Gow · as Sheriff McClelland · as Tom Harding

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Treasure of Monte Cristo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    as Lt. Michael Perry

  • Sky Liner (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    as Ben Howard

  • Wild Weed(1949)

    as Jonathan Treanor

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Omoo-Omoo the Shark God(1949)

    as 'Chips'

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Batman and Robin(1949)

    as Private Investigator Dunne [Chs. 2, 9, 12]

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Son of a Badman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    as Doc Jarvis

  • Highway 13 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)

    as Frank Denton

  • Shep Comes Home (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)

    as 'Chance' Martin

  • Parole, Inc.(1948)

    as Kid Redmond

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Thunder in the Pines (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)

    as Pete

  • Blonde Ice(1948)

    as Stanley Mason, Attorney

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Gas House Kids in Hollywood (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)

    as Lance Carter

  • Tahiti Honey (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1943)

    as Lt. John Barton

  • The Dawn Express(1942)

    as Robert Norton

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • I'll Sell My Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mordecai Breen

  • Sign of the Wolf (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Rod Freeman

  • Ellery Queen, Master Detective (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1940)

    as Dr. James Rogers

  • They Asked For It (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    as Howard Adams

  • Outside These Walls (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    as Dan Sparling

  • Inside Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    as Barney Callahan

  • Pardon Our Nerve (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    as Dick Malone

  • The Mysterious Miss X (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1939)

    as Keith Neville

  • While New York Sleeps (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Barney Callahan

  • Time Out for Murder (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Barney Callahan

  • Speed to Burn (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Matt Kerry

  • Island in the Sky (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Michael Fraser

  • Walking Down Broadway (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Peter Claybourne

  • Change of Heart (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1938)

    as Anthony Murdock

  • Wee Willie Winkie(1937)

    as Lt. Brandes aka 'Coppy'

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Lady Escapes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1937)

    as Michael Hilton

  • Time Out for Romance(1937)

    as Bob Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Woman-Wise(1937)

    as Tracey Browne

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Career Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Barry Conant

  • The Man I Marry (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Ken Durkin

  • Sing, Baby, Sing(1936)

    as Ted Blake

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Poor Little Rich Girl(1936)

    as Richard Barry

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • White Fang (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Gordon Weedon Scott

  • The Country Doctor (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Tony Luke

  • Song and Dance Man(1936)

    as Alan Davis

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Professional Soldier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)

    as George Foster

Career shape

Star power in the 74th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 72 titles from 1935 to 1999.

Highest rated

Poor Little Rich Girl (1936)

Midcredits 78th

Most popular right now

Time Out for Romance (1937)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting71 of 72: 71 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score32ndMusic1 of 72: 1 only music, 0 with another role

By decade

1930s23 · acting1940s19 · acting1950s26 · acting1960s3 · acting1990s1 · crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 5 roles

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 Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Michael Whalen's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 26th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 31st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned4
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Woman-Wise (1937)

95th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Elmer Gantry (1960)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 48/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 64, detractors 29. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif 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 Michael Whalen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Whalen's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lyle Talbot shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers