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John Dilson
★ Acting

John Dilson

1891 – 1944 · Brooklyn, New York, USA · Active 1934–1944

John Dilson, born in 1891, was a prolific American actor whose career flourished during the 1930s and early 1940s. He appeared in They Made Me a Criminal (1939), where he showcased his ability to navigate the gritty world of crime drama. In Each Dawn I Die (1939), Dilson's performance added layers to the narrative of prison life, while his role in The Face Behind the Mask (1941) highlighted his versatility in the thriller genre. His contributions to these films reflect the era's fascination with crime and morality, solidifying his place in the landscape of classic cult cinema.

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Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane

★ 8.1
as Ward Heeler (uncredited)

Newspaper magnate, Charles Foster Kane is taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. As a result, every well-meaning, tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event.

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Career Highlights Top 6 by popularity · TMDB

Filmography

163 credits
1940s 95 credits
1944
Movie ★ 8.0
1944
The Ghost That Walks Alone as Bascomb (uncredited)
Movie ★ 4.8
1944
Movie ★ 6.0
1943
All by Myself as Mr. Dilson
Movie ★ 8.0
1943
Happy Land as Charles Clayton (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.1
1943
This Land Is Mine as Mayor's Secretary
Movie ★ 7.2
1943
Idaho as Board Member
Movie ★ 6.3
1943
Movie ★ 6.0
1943
The Leopard Man as Coroner (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1943
Slightly Dangerous as 'Telegram' reporter (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.0
1943
Movie ★ 6.3
1943
Movie ★ 6.0
1943
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case as Green, Parole Board Member (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.0
1943
Mission to Moscow as American Senator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.7
1943
Princess O'Rourke as Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1943
She Has What It Takes as Chamberlain Jones (as John H. Dilson)
Movie ★ 9.0
1942
Wildcat as Gus Sloane
Movie ★ 5.7
1942
Madame Spy as Proprietor Martin
Movie ★ 6.5
1942
The Mayor of 44th Street as Carter, the General Manager (as John H. Dilson)
Movie ★ 5.0
1942
Movie ★ 6.3
1942
Sabotage Squad as Guthrie
Movie ★ 7.5
1942
The Great Gildersleeve as Mayor Appleton
Movie ★ 6.3
1942
Ten Gentlemen from West Point as Senator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.4
1942
Movie ★ 8.0
1942
Obliging Young Lady as Uncle Joe (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.0
1942
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! as Judge Smith
Movie ★ 5.3
1942
A Night to Remember as Medical Examiner (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.7
1942
You Can't Escape Forever as Pop (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.0
1942
For Me and My Gal as Lou (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1942
Fly By Night as Police Dr. Tracy
Movie ★ 6.7
1941
Manpower as Jail Clerk (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.8
1941
Movie ★ 5.2
1941
Two Latins from Manhattan as Jerome Kittleman
Movie ★ 6.0
1941
The Monster and the Girl as Employment Agency Clerk (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.8
1941
They Meet Again as William Merrill Sr.
Movie ★ 7.5
1941
Johnny Eager as Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.2
1941
The Wagons Roll at Night as Minister (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1941
Man-Made Monster as Medical Examiner
Movie ★ 6.2
1941
Movie ★ 7.0
1941
Jesse James at Bay as Collins (uncredited)
Movie ★ 4.8
1941
Father Steps Out as Tom Oliver
Movie ★ 6.5
1941
The Lady from Cheyenne as Special Prosecutor Fitzpatrick
Movie ★ 5.7
1941
Movie ★ 5.7
1941
Sergeant York as Reporter (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.2
1941
Movie ★ 6.8
1941
Citizen Kane as Ward Heeler (uncredited)
Movie ★ 8.0
1941
The Deadly Game as Harkness
Movie ★ 7.0
1941
Across the Sierras as Dan Woodworth
Movie ★ 4.5
1941
I'll Fix It as Burger, the lawyer
Movie ★ 10.0
1941
Cyclone on Horseback as Mr. Williams
Movie ★ 6.4
1941
New York Town as Doctor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 8.5
1941
Movie ★ 6.0
1941
Naval Academy as John Frazier
Movie ★ 9.0
1941
Highway West as The Judge (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.6
1941
Whistling in the Dark as Hugo in Show (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.9
1941
1-2-3-Go! as Mayor
Movie ★ 6.6
1941
The Face Behind the Mask as Man at Dock Asking for a Light (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1941
Unfinished Rainbows as Prof. Jewett
Movie ★ 9.0
1940
The Secret Seven as Walter W. Carter
Movie ★ 10.0
1940
Phantom of Chinatown as Charlie Frasier
Movie ★ 6.0
1940
Girls Under 21 as Albert Carter, School Principal
Movie ★ 4.8
1940
Marked Men as Dr. James Prentiss Harkness
Movie ★ 5.6
1940
Movie ★ 6.7
1940
Movie ★ 7.0
1940
Movie ★ 8.0
1940
The Man with Nine Lives as John Hawthorne
Movie ★ 6.3
1940
Stage to Chino as Jim Pierce - Postal Inspector (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.9
1940
You, the People as Mr. Sanders
Movie ★ 6.2
1940
Movie ★ 7.5
1940
Danger Ahead as Thomas Hatch
Movie ★ 8.0
1940
Drums of Fu Manchu as Prof. Ezra Howard
Movie ★ 6.3
1940
The Big Premiere as Theater Owner
Movie ★ 6.7
1940
Thundering Frontier as Carter Filmore
Movie ★ 10.0
1940
The Grapes of Wrath as Bookseller (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.8
1940
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise as Police Doctor at Hotel
Movie ★ 6.8
1940
Movie ★ 7.0
1940
Music in My Heart as City Editor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1940
Legion of the Lawless as Surveyor Dave Martin (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.2
1940
Movie ★ 6.1
1940
Movie ★ 6.8
1940
Dark Command as Town Leader
Movie ★ 6.4
1940
My Love Came Back as Accountant (uncredited)
Movie ★ 4.9
1940
Gallant Sons as Druggist (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.4
1940
City for Conquest as Mr. Cahn - Man Buying Newspaper (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.9
1940
I Love You Again as Worker 'Trying It in Tile and Clay' (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.2
1940
The Golden Fleecing as Cashier (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.9
1940
No, No, Nanette as Desk Clerk
Movie ★ 6.2
1940
Millionaires in Prison as Observer at Train Station (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.1
1940
Movie ★ 9.0
1940
Hold That Woman! as Bill Lannigan
Movie ★ 7.0
1940
The Great Profile as Doctor Perkins
Movie ★ 6.8
1940
Movie ★ 4.7
1940
Movie ★ 4.9
1940
Glamour for Sale as Wilson (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.0
1940
Private Affairs as Stock Buyer (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.0
1930s 68 credits
1939
Movie ★ 8.0
1939
Flying G-Men as Dr. Alexander Craig
Movie ★ 8.0
1939
Scandal Sheet as Chris Durk
Movie ★ 7.0
1939
Racketeers of the Range as Wiliam J. Benson
Movie ★ 6.7
1939
Stand Up and Fight as Auctioneer
Movie ★ 6.0
1939
They Made Me a Criminal as Doctor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.3
1939
Nancy Drew... Reporter as Deputy Coroner (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.1
1939
Blackwell's Island as Finlay (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.5
1939
It's a Wonderful World as Doctor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1939
Each Dawn I Die as Parole Board Member (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.8
1939
In Name Only as Head Train Steward (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.0
1939
The Man They Could Not Hang as King - City Editor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.7
1939
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as Secretary (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.8
1939
Reno as Mr. Jones - Casino Manager
Movie ★ 6.7
1939
Bad Little Angel as Mr. Brown, Man in Jim's Office (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.5
1939
Fixer Dugan as Steve
Movie ★ 6.6
1939
Movie ★ 7.3
1939
Trouble in Sundown as Edward Simmons
Movie ★ 8.0
1939
Money to Loan as Clarence Z. Dodds, Hanley's Accountant
Movie ★ 7.0
1939
Weather Wizards as California Meteorologist
Movie ★ 7.0
1939
Sabotage as (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.6
1939
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever as Mr. Davis (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.7
1939
Movie ★ 6.8
1939
Movie ★ 7.0
1939
Ex-Champ as Lawton
Movie ★ 7.3
1939
Drunk Driving as Doctor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.8
1938
Movie ★ 7.3
1938
Women in Prison as Henry Russell
Movie ★ 8.0
1938
Movie ★ 6.5
1938
Gang Bullets as Capt. Brown
Movie ★ 5.9
1938
Racket Busters as Mr. Robbins (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.6
1938
Tarnished Angel as Mr. Greer
Movie ★ 5.3
1938
Kentucky as Man at Race Track
Movie ★ 6.1
1938
A Clean Sweep as Bank Manager
Movie ★ 10.0
1938
The Chaser as Process Server
Movie ★ 8.0
1938
Too Hot to Handle as Film Developing Laboratory Foreman (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.0
1937
Easy Living as Nervous Hotel Registrant (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.1
1937
Dick Tracy as Ellery Brewster [Chs. 1, 12]
Movie ★ 5.2
1937
Midnight Taxi as Doc Wilson
Movie ★ 6.3
1937
Love Is on the Air as Meeting Chairman
Movie ★ 6.3
1937
Love Is News as Clerk (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.3
1937
The Shadow Strikes as Bill Gordan
Movie ★ 4.7
1937
Movie ★ 7.0
1936
The President's Mystery as Banker (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.8
1936
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford as Analyst Examining Gelatin Capsule (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.2
1936
Three of a Kind as Doc Adams
Movie ★ 5.8
1936
The Drag Net as Arnold Crane
Movie ★ 5.4
1936
Movie ★ 7.3
1936
The Country Doctor as City Editor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1936
Easy Money as Lawyer Rusick
Movie ★ 4.8
1936
Movie ★ 8.0
1936
Hitch Hike To Heaven as Charlie Reed
Movie ★ 10.0
1936
The Public Pays as Milk Company Executive Moore (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.1
1936
Great Guy as City Editor (Uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.3
1936
Wives Never Know as Doctor (uncredited)
Movie ★ 9.0
1935
Movie ★ 7.5
1935
The Girl Who Came Back as Henchman Waddy
Movie ★ 6.0
1935
Movie ★ 7.0
1935
Twin Triplets as J. Benton, City Editor
Movie ★ 8.0
1935
We're Only Human as Ballistics Expert
Movie ★ 7.3
1935
Woman Wanted as Juror Talking to Mike (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.8
1935
Cheers of the Crowd as Barney Booth (as John H. Dilson)
Movie ★ 5.8
1935
The Calling of Dan Matthews as City Editor Edison (uncredited)
Movie ★ 4.7
1935
Special Agent as Gus (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.2
1935
Movie ★ 5.2
1934
A Man's Game as John T. Bradley
Movie ★ 10.0
1934
Movie ★ 7.0
1934
The Westerner as Senator Lockhart
Movie ★ 8.0