History Creator / JosephCotten

He was born in Petersburg, Virginia. His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' Mercury Theatre troupe, both on the stage and in radio as ''Radio/TheMercuryTheatreOnTheAir''. When Welles got a Hollywood deal, Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in Welles' films ''Citizen Kane'' (1941) and ''The Magnificent Ambersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Heaven's Gate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice and put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Cotten was one of the most dependable character actors of his time. He usually played affable romantic leads but could also play a mentally unstable jealous husband (''Niagara'') or a murderous sociopath (''Shadow of a Doubt''). His distinct hairstyle and face was the visual inspiration for the likeness of ComicBook/NormanOsborn and his son.

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor.

He was born in Petersburg, Virginia. His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' Mercury Theatre troupe, both on the stage and in radio as ''Radio/TheMercuryTheatreOnTheAir''. When Welles got a Hollywood deal, Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in Welles' films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice and put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joseph_cotten.jpg]]

Cotten was one of the most dependable character actors of his time. His distinct hairstyle and face was the visual inspiration for the likeness of ComicBook/NormanOsborn and his son.

His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' ''Radio/TheMercuryTheatreOnTheAir'' troupe. When Welles got a Hollywood deal, Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in Welles' films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice and put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Cotten was one of the most dependable character actors of his time. His distinct hairstyle and face was the visual inspiration for the likeness of ''ComicBook/NormanOsborn'' and his son.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joseph_cotten.jpg]]

* ''Film/LoveLetters' (1945)

His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' ''Radio/TheMercuryTheatreOnTheAir'' troupe. When Welles got a Hollywood deal, Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in Welles' films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice, but put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' ''Radio/TheMercuryTheatreOnTheAir'' troupe. When Welles got a Hollywood deal, Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in Welles' films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice, but put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' ''Radio/TheMercuryTheatreOnTheAir'' troupe. When Welles got a Hollywood deal Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in the Creator/OrsonWelles films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice, but put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' ''Radio/TheMercuryTheaterOnTheAir'' troupe. When Welles got a Hollywood deal Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in the Creator/OrsonWelles films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice, but put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. His first big break in show business was as a member of Creator/OrsonWelles' ''Radio/MercuryTheaterOnTheAir'' troupe. When Welles got a Hollywood deal Cotten went with him, and gained worldwide fame in the Creator/OrsonWelles films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice, but put an end to his career before his death in 1994.

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. He first gained worldwide fame in the Creator/OrsonWelles films ''Film/CitizenKane'' (1941) and ''Film/TheMagnificentAmbersons'' (1942), going on to become one of the leading Hollywood actors of the 1940s. One of his final films was ''Film/HeavensGate'' (1980). Shortly after completing that film, Cotten had a stroke which caused him to temporarily lose his voice, but put an end to his career before his death in 1994.