History Creator / JamesMason

* ''[[Film/TheScarletPimpernel1934 Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel]]'' (1937) as Jean Tallien

* ''Film/MurderByDecree'' (1979) as John H. Watson

* ''Film/TheDesertRats'' (1953) as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

* ''Film/DontEatThePictures'' (1983) as Demon

* ''Series/JesusOfNazareth'' (miniseries, 1977) as Joseph of Arimathea
* ''Literature/SalemsLot'' (miniseries, 1979) as Richard K. Straker

* ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'' (TV movie, 1982) as Isaac of York
* ''Film/DontEatThePictures'' (TV movie, 1983) as Demon

!! James Mason works with pages on TV Tropes include:
* ''[[Film/TheScarletPimpernel1934 Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel]]'' (1937)
* ''Film/FireOverEngland'' (1937)
* ''Film/TheManInGrey'' (1943)
* ''Film/TheWickedLady'' (1945)
* ''Film/OddManOut'' (1947)
* ''Film/{{Caught}}'' (1949)
* ''Film/TheRecklessMoment'' (1949)
* ''Film/TheDesertFox'' (1951)
* ''Film/PandoraAndTheFlyingDutchman'' (1951)
* ''Film/{{Five Fingers|1952}}'' (1952)
* ''Film/ThePrisonerOfZenda'' (1952)
* ''Film/TheDesertRats'' (1953)
* ''Film/{{Julius Caesar|1953}}'' (1953) -- he starred as Brutus
* ''Film/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'' (1954)
* ''Literature/TheTellTaleHeart'' (1954) (animated short, narration)
* ''Film/{{Prince Valiant|1954}}'' (1954)
* ''Film/{{A Star Is Born|1954}}'' (1954)
* ''Film/BiggerThanLife'' (1956, which he produced)
* ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'' (1959)
* ''Film/{{North by Northwest}}'' (1959)
* ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' (1962)
* ''Film/TheFallOfTheRomanEmpire'' (1964)
* ''Literature/LordJim'' (1965)
* ''Film/TheBlueMax'' (1966)
* ''Film/GenghisKhan'' (1966)
* ''Film/GeorgyGirl'' (1966)
* ''Film/AgeOfConsent'' (1969)
* ''Film/ColdSweat'' (1970)
* ''Film/TheLastOfSheila'' (1973)
* ''Film/CrossOfIron'' (1977)
* ''Series/JesusOfNazareth'' (1977) (TV miniseries)
* ''Literature/TheBoysFromBrazil'' (1978)
* ''Film/{{Heaven Can Wait|1978}}'' (1978)
* ''Film/MurderByDecree'' (1979)
* ''Film/NorthSeaHijack'' (1979)
* ''Film/ThePassage'' (1979)
* ''Series/{{Hollywood|1980}}'' (1980) (TV documentary series; narrator)
* ''Literature/EvilUnderTheSun'' (1982)
* ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'' (1982) (TV movie)
* ''Film/TheVerdict'' (1982)
* ''Film/{{Yellowbeard}}'' (1983)

James Neville Mason (15 May 1909 – 27 July 1984) was an English actor notable for a long and distinct career as leading man and character actor whose distinct looks, smooth voice and intense presence made him flexible to play roles ranging from hero to villain, as well as characters who are in between. He specialized in playing the ByronicHero who is handsome, demanding, passionate and self-destructive.

Mason was one of the few British film stars of his generation without a long career in the stage or any formal training as an actor. Indeed, he found greater fame, renown and success acting on the screen than he ever did on stage. He initially began his career making quota quickies in the [[TheThirties 1930s]], steadily building a reputation as a dependable, and highly intelligent, actor who directors and technicians liked. Then in the [[TheForties '40s]] he appeared in more notable films until achieving his BreakthroughHit with ''The Seventh Veil''. The success of that film brought him to Hollywood, and Mason would continue to make films in both England and America along with many other European productions. He was especially famous for his role as Captain Nemo in the classic Creator/{{Disney}} adaptation of ''Film/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'', as well as the self-destructive Norman Maine in Creator/GeorgeCukor's 1954 version of ''Film/{{A Star Is Born|1954}}'' (opposite Creator/JudyGarland). Among his other notable films are Creator/CarolReed's ''Film/OddManOut'', Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/{{North by Northwest}}'' (as the villain Phillip Vandamm), and Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' (as Humbert Humbert[[note]] A CastingGag, as Humbert in the novel says he would have cast Mason to play himself. [[/note]]).

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/james_mason.jpg]]

Mason was one of the few British film stars of his generation without a long career in the stage or any formal training as an actor. Indeed, he found greater fame, renown and success acting on the screen than he ever did on stage. He initially began his career making quota quickies in TheThirties, steadily building a reputation as a dependable, and highly intelligent, actor who directors and technicians liked. Then in TheForties he appeared in more notable films until achieving his BreakthroughHit with ''The Seventh Veil''. The success of that film brought him to Hollywood and Mason would regularly make films in both England and America along with many other European productions. He was especially famous for his role as Captain Nemo in the classic Creator/{{Disney}} adaptation of ''Film/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'', as well as the self-destructive Norman Maine in Creator/GeorgeCukor's 1954 version of ''Film/{{A Star Is Born|1954}}'' (opposite Creator/JudyGarland). His other notable films include Creator/CarolReed's ''Film/OddManOut'', Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/{{North by Northwest}}'' (as the villain Phillip Vandamm), and Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' (as Humbert Humbert[[note]]A CastingGag, as Humbert in the book says he would have cast Mason to play him[[/note]]).

* ''Film/TheBoysFromBrazil'' (1978)

In his long career, he appeared in several notable films, remaining prolific until his death in 1984 with his final appearances released posthumously. He was nominated three times for an Academy Award but never won the award but he is considered one of the greatest actors of his generation. He was especially known for his cultured voice and frequently worked as a voiceover artist for documentaries, including documentaries on film history (Mason was [[TheMovieBuff a cinephile]]) and in particular the works of Creator/BusterKeaton. In fact, Mason helped preserve much of the Keaton filmography, when he found a cache of Keaton reels in a house he'd bought that once belonged to Keaton.

Mason was one of the few British stars of his generation without a long career in the stage or any formal training as an actor. Indeed, he found greater fame, renown and success as an actor on film than he ever did on stage. He initially began his career making quota quickies in TheThirties, steadily building a reputation as a dependable, and highly intelligent, actor who directors and technicians liked. Then in TheForties he appeared in more notable films until achieving his BreakthroughHit with ''The Seventh Veil''. The success of that film brought him to Hollywood and Mason would regularly make films in England, America as well as many other European productions. He was especially famous for his role as Captain Nemo in Disney's adaptation of Jules Verne's classic, as well as the self-destructive Norman Maine in Creator/GeorgeCukor's 1954 version of ''A Star Is Born'' opposite Creator/JudyGarland. His other notable roles include ''Odd Man Out'', ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' (as Humbert Humbert[[note]]The joke is that Humbert in the book says he would have cast Mason to play him[[/note]]) and as the villain Vandamm in ''Film/NorthByNorthwest''.

In his long career, he appeared in several notable films, remaining prolific until his death in 1984 with his final appearances released posthumously. He was nominated three times for an Academy Award but never won the award but he is considered one of the greatest actors of his generation. He was especially known for his voice and often worked as a voiceover actor for many documentaries, including documentaries on films (Mason was [[TheMovieBuff a cinephile]]) on Creator/BusterKeaton. In fact, Mason helped preserve much of the Keaton filmography, when he found a cache of Keaton reels in a house he'd bought that once belonged to Keaton.

Mason was one of the few British stars of his generation without a long career in the stage or any formal training as an actor. Indeed, he found greater fame, renown and success as an actor on film than he ever did on stage. He initially began his career making quota quickies in TheThirties, steadily building a reputation as a dependable, and highly intelligent, actor who directors and technicians liked. Then in TheForties he appeared in more notable films until achieving his BreakthroughHit with ''The Seventh Veil''. The success of that film brought him to Hollywood and Mason would regularly make films in England, America as well as many other European productions. He was especially famous for his role as Captain Nemo in Disney's adaptation of Jules Verne's classic, as well as the self-destructive Norman Maine in Creator/GeorgeCukor's 1954 version of ''A Star Is Born'' opposite Creator/JudyGarland. Other notable roles include ''Odd Man Out'', ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' (as Humbert Humbert[[note]]The joke is that Humbert in the book says he would have cast Mason to play him[[/note]]) and as the villain Vandamm in ''Film/NorthByNorthwest''.