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Joel McCrea
★ Acting

Joel McCrea

1905 – 1990 · South Pasadena, California, USA · Active 1923–2008

Born in 1905, Joel McCrea emerged as a prominent figure in American cinema, showcasing his range in genres from Westerns to thrillers. He is particularly memorable in Ride the High Country (1962), where he plays a retired lawman navigating the complexities of morality and friendship. McCrea's earlier work in The Most Dangerous Game (1932) illustrates his ability to captivate audiences in high-stakes scenarios. With a career spanning nearly five decades, his contributions to cult cinema remain significant, especially in the context of adventure and suspense.

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Ride the High Country

Ride the High Country

1962 ★ 7.0
as Steve Judd

An ex-lawman is hired to transport gold from a mining community through dangerous territory. But what he doesn't realize is that his partner and old friend is plotting to double-cross him.

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Career Highlights Top 6 by popularity · TMDB

Filmography

106 credits
2000s 2 credits
2008
Movie ★ 6.1
2004
Movie ★ 8.0
1990s 1 credit
1997
Movie ★ 7.7
1980s 2 credits
1985
Movie ★ 5.8
1982
Movie ★ 6.8
1970s 4 credits
1976
Movie ★ 5.5
1973
Movie ★ 6.6
1970
Movie ★ 7.8
1970
Cry Blood Apache as Pitcalin as an Older Man
Movie ★ 2.6
1960s 4 credits
1966
Movie ★ 7.0
1962
Movie ★ 7.1
1962
TV ★ 6.6
1960
The Crowning Experience as Prologue Narrator
Movie ★ 6.5
1950s 22 credits
1959
Movie ★ 5.7
1959
Wichita Town as Marshal Mike Dunbar
TV ★ 4.9
1958
Fort Massacre as Vinson
Movie ★ 6.2
1958
Cattle Empire as John Cord
Movie ★ 6.2
1957
Movie ★ 5.8
1957
Trooper Hook as Sgt. Clovis Hook
Movie ★ 6.8
1957
The Tall Stranger as Ned Bannon
Movie ★ 6.6
1957
Gunsight Ridge as Mike Ryan
Movie ★ 6.0
1956
The First Texan as Sam Houston
Movie ★ 6.7
1955
Stranger on Horseback as Judge Richard 'Rick' Thorne
Movie ★ 5.8
1955
Wichita as Wyatt Earp
Movie ★ 6.3
1954
Border River as Clete Mattson
Movie ★ 6.2
1954
Black Horse Canyon as Del Rockwell
Movie ★ 6.3
1953
Rough Shoot as Lt. Col. Robert Taine
Movie ★ 6.7
1953
The Lone Hand as Zachary Hallock
Movie ★ 5.7
1952
Movie ★ 4.9
1951
Hollywood Story as Joel McCrea
Movie ★ 6.7
1951
Cattle Drive as Dan Mathews
Movie ★ 6.5
1950
Stars in My Crown as Josiah Doziah Gray
Movie ★ 7.0
1950
Saddle Tramp as Chuck Conner
Movie ★ 6.5
1950
The Outriders as Will Owen
Movie ★ 7.3
1950
Frenchie as Sheriff Tom Banning
Movie ★ 6.0
1940s 19 credits
1949
Colorado Territory as Wes McQueen
Movie ★ 7.0
1949
Movie ★ 5.8
1948
Four Faces West as Ross McEwen
Movie ★ 5.8
1948
TV ★ 6.8
1947
Ramrod as Dave Nash
Movie ★ 6.5
1946
The Virginian as The Virginian
Movie ★ 6.2
1945
The Unseen as David Fielding
Movie ★ 4.7
1944
The Great Moment as William Thomas Green Morton
Movie ★ 5.8
1944
Buffalo Bill as William Frederick 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
Movie ★ 5.8
1943
Movie ★ 7.0
1943
Movie ★ 4.0
1942
The Palm Beach Story as Tom Jeffers
Movie ★ 7.0
1941
Sullivan's Travels as John Sullivan
Movie ★ 7.4
1941
The Great Man's Lady as Mr. Sempler
Movie ★ 6.3
1941
Movie ★ 7.3
1940
Movie ★ 7.0
1940
Primrose Path as Ed Wallace
Movie ★ 6.7
1940
He Married His Wife as T.H. Randall
Movie ★ 5.6
1940
Movie ★ 4.0
1930s 41 credits
1939
Union Pacific as Jeff Butler
Movie ★ 6.7
1939
Espionage Agent as Barry Corvall
Movie ★ 6.3
1939
They Shall Have Music as Peter McCarthy
Movie ★ 6.5
1938
Three Blind Mice as Van Dam Smith
Movie ★ 6.1
1938
Youth Takes a Fling as Joe Meadows
Movie ★ 5.5
1937
Dead End as Dave
Movie ★ 7.1
1937
Internes Can't Take Money as Jimmie Kildare
Movie ★ 6.5
1937
Woman Chases Man as Kenneth Nolan
Movie ★ 5.9
1937
Wells Fargo as Ramsay MacKay
Movie ★ 5.5
1936
These Three as Dr. Joseph 'Joe' Cardin
Movie ★ 7.2
1936
Come and Get It as Richard Glasgow
Movie ★ 6.8
1936
Adventure in Manhattan as George Melville
Movie ★ 6.1
1936
Banjo on My Knee as Ernie Holley
Movie ★ 5.8
1936
Two in a Crowd as Larry Stevens
Movie ★ 8.0
1935
Barbary Coast as Jim Carmichael
Movie ★ 6.4
1935
Private Worlds as Dr. Alex MacGregor
Movie ★ 6.4
1935
Splendor as Brighton Lorrimore
Movie ★ 6.7
1935
Movie ★ 6.8
1935
Our Little Girl as Donald Middleton
Movie ★ 5.0
1934
Movie ★ 5.8
1934
Gambling Lady as Garry Madison
Movie ★ 6.2
1934
Half a Sinner as John Adams
Movie ★ 8.0
1933
The Silver Cord as David Phelps
Movie ★ 7.3
1933
Chance at Heaven as Blacky Gorman
Movie ★ 5.8
1933
Movie ★ 6.1
1933
One Man's Journey as Jimmy Watt
Movie ★ 6.7
1933
Scarlet River as Himself (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.6
1932
The Most Dangerous Game as Robert Rainsford
Movie ★ 6.9
1932
Bird of Paradise as Johnny Baker
Movie ★ 5.0
1932
Movie ★ 6.5
1932
Rockabye as Jacobs 'Jake' Van Riker Pell
Movie ★ 6.5
1932
The Sport Parade as Sandy Brown
Movie ★ 5.3
1932
Business and Pleasure as Lawrence Ogle
Movie ★ 6.3
1931
Movie ★ 6.6
1931
Kept Husbands as Richard 'Dick' Brunton
Movie ★ 5.3
1931
Born to Love as Barry Craig
Movie ★ 5.3
1931
The Common Law as John 'Jack' Neville
Movie ★ 5.4
1931
Once a Sinner as Tommy Mason
Movie ★ 8.0
1930
The Silver Horde as Boyd Emerson
Movie ★ 5.5
1930
Lightnin' as John Marvin
Movie ★ 5.3
1930
Framed as Waiter (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.3
1920s 8 credits
1929
Dynamite as Marco
Movie ★ 6.4
1929
So This Is College as Bruce Nolan (uncredited)
Movie ★ 4.7
1929
The Single Standard as Party Guest (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.9
1929
The Jazz Age as Todd Sayles
Movie ★ 8.0
1928
Dead Man's Curve as Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Movie ★ 9.0
1928
The Divine Lady as Extra (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.3
1927
Movie ★ 6.7
1927
The Enemy as Extra (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.3
Crew Credits
1920s 3 credits
1926
Torrent Stunts
Movie ★ 6.7
1924
Movie ★ 10.0
1923
Movie ★ 7.5