John Houseman

Acting

John Houseman

Born September 22, 1902 · Bucharest, Romania

Died October 31, 1988 · aged 86

John Houseman (September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born British-American actor and film producer who became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director Orson Welles from their days in the Federal Theatre Project through to the production of Citizen Kane. He is perhaps best known for his role as Professor Charles Kingsfield in the 1973 film The Paper Chase for whic…

Known For

Jane EyreJane Eyre · 1943
Jane Eyre
6.91943
MovieDramaRomance
After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meets the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Edward Rochester. Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Rochester's terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! · 1988
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
7.31988
MovieComedyCrime
When the bumbling Lieutenant Frank Drebin investigates events following the shooting of his partner, he stumbles upon an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.
The FogThe Fog · 1980
The Fog
6.71980
MovieHorror
Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
Three Days of the CondorThree Days of the Condor · 1975
Three Days of the Condor
7.31975
MovieThrillerMystery
When bookish CIA researcher Joe Turner finds all his co-workers dead, he, together with a woman he has kidnapped, must work together to outwit those responsible until he determines who he can really trust.
My BodyguardMy Bodyguard · 1980
My Bodyguard
6.41980
MovieComedyDrama
Clifford Peache, an easygoing teenager, is finding less than easy to fit in at his new high school, where a tough-talking bully terrorizes his classmates and extorts their lunch money. Refusing to pay up, Clifford enlist the aid of an overgrown misfit whose mere presence intimidates students and teachers alike. But their "business relationship" soon turns personal as Clifford and the troubled loner forge a winning alliance against their intimidators - and a very special friendship with each other.
ScroogedScrooged · 1988
Scrooged
6.81988
MovieFantasyComedy
Frank Cross is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life. But after firing a staff member on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past.
Old BoyfriendsOld Boyfriends · 1979
Old Boyfriends
5.11979
MovieDramaComedy
When her marriage falls apart, a psychiatrist seeks out those of her former boyfriends who left the biggest impact on her life, mostly in a bad way.
Julius CaesarJulius Caesar · 1953
Julius Caesar
7.11953
MovieDramaHistory
The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

Movies

Jane EyreJane Eyre · 1943
Jane Eyre
6.91943
MovieDramaRomance
After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meets the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Edward Rochester. Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Rochester's terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! · 1988
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
7.31988
MovieComedyCrime
When the bumbling Lieutenant Frank Drebin investigates events following the shooting of his partner, he stumbles upon an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.
The FogThe Fog · 1980
The Fog
6.71980
MovieHorror
Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
Three Days of the CondorThree Days of the Condor · 1975
Three Days of the Condor
7.31975
MovieThrillerMystery
When bookish CIA researcher Joe Turner finds all his co-workers dead, he, together with a woman he has kidnapped, must work together to outwit those responsible until he determines who he can really trust.
My BodyguardMy Bodyguard · 1980
My Bodyguard
6.41980
MovieComedyDrama
Clifford Peache, an easygoing teenager, is finding less than easy to fit in at his new high school, where a tough-talking bully terrorizes his classmates and extorts their lunch money. Refusing to pay up, Clifford enlist the aid of an overgrown misfit whose mere presence intimidates students and teachers alike. But their "business relationship" soon turns personal as Clifford and the troubled loner forge a winning alliance against their intimidators - and a very special friendship with each other.
ScroogedScrooged · 1988
Scrooged
6.81988
MovieFantasyComedy
Frank Cross is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life. But after firing a staff member on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past.
Old BoyfriendsOld Boyfriends · 1979
Old Boyfriends
5.11979
MovieDramaComedy
When her marriage falls apart, a psychiatrist seeks out those of her former boyfriends who left the biggest impact on her life, mostly in a bad way.
Julius CaesarJulius Caesar · 1953
Julius Caesar
7.11953
MovieDramaHistory
The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.
Evening PrimroseEvening Primrose · 1966
Evening Primrose
7.51966
MovieDramaMusic
A man becomes part of a secret society of people who live in a department store and quickly falls in love with their leader’s young maid.
They Live by NightThey Live by Night · 1949
They Live by Night
6.81949
MovieCrimeRomance
An escaped convict, injured during a robbery, falls in love with the woman who nurses him back to health, but their relationship seems doomed from the beginning.
Seven Days in MaySeven Days in May · 1964
Seven Days in May
7.31964
MovieDramaThriller
A U.S. Marine Corps colonel alerts the president of a planned military coup against him.
RollerballRollerball · 1975
Rollerball
6.31975
MovieScience FictionAction
In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game.
Lust for LifeLust for Life · 1956
Lust for Life
7.21956
MovieDramaHistory
An intense and imaginative artist, revered Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh possesses undeniable talent, but he is plagued by mental problems and frustrations with failure. Supported by his brother, Theo, the tormented Van Gogh eventually leaves Holland for France, where he meets volatile fellow painter Paul Gauguin and struggles to find greater inspiration.
The Bad and the BeautifulThe Bad and the Beautiful · 1952
The Bad and the Beautiful
7.31952
MovieDramaRomance
Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers.
The Blue DahliaThe Blue Dahlia · 1946
The Blue Dahlia
6.71946
MovieCrimeMystery
Soon after a veteran returns from war, his cheating wife is found dead. He evades police in an attempt to find the real murderer.
Ghost StoryGhost Story · 1981
Ghost Story
6.01981
MovieHorrorDrama
Four successful elderly gentlemen, members of the Chowder Society, share a gruesome, 50-year-old secret. When one of Edward Wanderley's twin sons dies in a bizarre accident, the group begins to see a pattern of frightening events developing.
The Cheap DetectiveThe Cheap Detective · 1978
The Cheap Detective
6.41978
MovieComedyCrime
A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife.
Gideon's TrumpetGideon's Trumpet · 1980
Gideon's Trumpet
6.41980
MovieDramaCrime
True story of Clarence Gideon's fight to be appointed counsel at the expense of the state. This landmark case led to the Supreme Court's decision which extended this right to all criminal defendants.
Another WomanAnother Woman · 1988
Another Woman
6.81988
MovieDrama
Marion is a woman who has learned to shield herself from her emotions. She rents an apartment to work undisturbed on her new book, but by some acoustic anomaly she can hear all that is said in the next apartment in which a psychiatrist holds his office. When she hears a young woman tell that she finds it harder and harder to bear her life, Marion starts to reflect on her own life. After a series of events she comes to understand how her unemotional attitude towards the people around her affected them and herself.
The Company She KeepsThe Company She Keeps · 1951
The Company She Keeps
6.21951
MovieDrama
A lady con artist sets out to steal her parole officer's fiance.
Letter from an Unknown WomanLetter from an Unknown Woman · 1948
Letter from an Unknown Woman
7.81948
MovieDramaRomance
A pianist about to flee from a duel receives a letter from a woman he cannot remember. As she tells the story of her lifelong love for him, he is forced to reinterpret his own past.
This Property Is CondemnedThis Property Is Condemned · 1966
This Property Is Condemned
6.51966
MovieDramaRomance
Owen Legate, a railroad official, comes to Dodson, Mississippi to shut down the local railway - the town's main income. But Owen unexpectedly finds love with Dodson's flirt and main attraction, Alva Starr.
Wholly MosesWholly Moses · 1980
Wholly Moses
4.81980
MovieComedy
Harvey and Zoey, two tourists in Israel, discover an ancient scroll about Herschel, the man who was almost Moses. Herschel receives the command from God to free his people from slavery, but Moses keeps getting all the credit.
Bright Lights, Big CityBright Lights, Big City · 1988
Bright Lights, Big City
5.71988
MovieDramaRomance
A disillusioned young writer living in New York City turns to drugs and drinking to block out the memories of his dead mother and estranged wife.

TV Shows

The Mike Douglas ShowThe Mike Douglas Show · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
5.81961
SeriesComedy
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Golden Globe AwardsGolden Globe Awards · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
7.01944
Series
An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign, bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Great PerformancesGreat Performances · 1971
Great Performances
6.11971
SeriesComedyDocumentary
The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.
American PlayhouseAmerican Playhouse · 1982
American Playhouse
6.61982
SeriesDramaComedy
American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.
The Dick Cavett ShowThe Dick Cavett Show · 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
6.81968
Series
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.
The Six Million Dollar ManThe Six Million Dollar Man · 1974
The Six Million Dollar Man
7.31974
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
Follow the adventures of Steve Austin, cybernetically enhanced astronaut turned secret agent, employed by the OSI, under the command of Oscar Goldman and supervised by the scientist who created his cybernetics, Rudy Wells. Steve uses the superior strength and speed provided by his bionic arm and legs, and the enhanced vision provided by his artificial eye, to fight enemy agents, aliens, mad scientists, and a wide variety of other villains.
Silver SpoonsSilver Spoons · 1982
Silver Spoons
6.31982
SeriesComedy
Wealthy, young-at-heart business owner Edward Stratton III is stunned to discover his brief marriage several years ago produced a son, Richard Bluedhorn-Stratton, now 12 and standing in Edward's living room, wanting to live with the father he never knew. Although Edward's first impulse is to send Ricky to boarding school, he soon relents and let his son move in with him and Kate, his love-struck secretary.
The Bionic WomanThe Bionic Woman · 1976
The Bionic Woman
7.01976
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
After fully recovering from her near fatal bout of bionic rejection, Jaime Sommers, the first female cyborg, is assigned to spy missions of her own.
227227 · 1985
227
6.81985
SeriesComedyFamily
A housewife sits on the stoop of her apartment building in a black neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and discusses all manner of things with her neighbors.
The Great AdventureThe Great Adventure · 1963
The Great Adventure
10.01963
SeriesDrama
The Great Adventure is a historical anthology series that appeared on CBS for the 1963-1964 television season. The series, narrated each week by Van Heflin, and featuring theme music by Richard Rodgers, presented a weekly one-hour dramatization of the lives of famous Americans and important historical events in American History.
The Paper ChaseThe Paper Chase · 1978
The Paper Chase
7.61978
SeriesDrama
Critically lauded drama about the life and pressures of a group of students at a prestigious Eastern law school, with a strict and domineering contract-law professor named Charles Kingsfield, who alternately inspires and terrifies the students.
The Winds of WarThe Winds of War · 1983
The Winds of War
7.31983
SeriesDrama
Against the backdrop of world events that led to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Victor 'Pug' Henry is a career naval officer who, along with his family, learns to navigate the waters of his dangerous times in the late 1930s.
The American Film Institute Salute to ...The American Film Institute Salute to ... · 1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
6.31973
Series
In 1973 the American Film Institute initiated its Life Achievement Award, to be presented to a yearly recipient whose talent has fundamentally advanced the film art; whose accomplishments have been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.
Marco PoloMarco Polo · 1982
Marco Polo
6.71982
SeriesDrama
The life of the 13th-century Venetian explorer who sought to connect the civilizations of China and Europe through trade.
A.D.A.D. · 1985
A.D.
5.41985
SeriesDrama
A.D. is a 1985 television drama miniseries created and written by Vincenzo Labella and Anthony Burgess, based on Burgess' historical novel The Kingdom of the Wicked. The five-part serial is considered the third and final part of a trilogy, preceded by Moses the Lawgiver (1974) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977). Set just after Jesus' Crucifixion, the lives and adventures of His disciples are explored, and events in Rome during the reigns of Emperors Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.
The Adams ChroniclesThe Adams Chronicles · 1976
The Adams Chronicles
7.41976
SeriesDrama
Chronicles the story of the Adams political family over a 150-year span, including John Adams (drafter and signer of the Declaration, accomplished diplomat, and the 2nd President of the U.S.), his wife Abigail Adams, his son John Quincy Adams (acclaimed Secretary of State, the 6th President, and prominent abolitionist Congressman), grandson Charles Francis Adams, Congressman and Ambassador to Great Britain during the Civil War, and much-heralded members of the fourth generation Henry Brooks Adams, the historian and author of the novel Democracy, and Charles Francis Adams II, the industrialist.
Captains and the KingsCaptains and the Kings · 1976
Captains and the Kings
8.81976
SeriesDrama
Rags-to-riches tale of an Irish immigrant in late 1800s based on the novel by Taylor Caldwell.
Hallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of Fame · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.81951
SeriesDrama
Long-running anthology program sponsored by Hallmark Cards. Beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2019, the series received 80 Emmy Awards, 24 Christopher Awards, 11 Peabody Awards, 9 Golden Globes, and 4 Humanitas Prizes. Early seasons were a weekly live drama, eventually transitioning to videotaped and then filmed productions broadcast as occasional specials.
Noble HouseNoble House · 1988
Noble House
7.11988
SeriesDramaMystery
Despite its impressive history and reputation, the international trading company Struan's is in trouble. Overextended by the previous management, new tai-pan Ian Dunross has had to issue public stock to improve the company's financial standing. Even this, however, has not given him the capital he needs. As a result, he is courting a private investor, American billionaire Linc Bartlett. Bartlett decides secretly to back Dunross' arch enemy, Quillian Gornt, who will stop at nothing to destroy Struan's. When Dunross realises that Gornt is suddenly strong enough to ruin the Noble House, he must urgently forge new alliances or reshape ancient ones.
The French Atlantic AffairThe French Atlantic Affair · 1979
The French Atlantic Affair
7.21979
SeriesCrimeDrama
When the SS Festivale sets sail from New York to France, its 3,000 passengers include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Harold Columbine and 146 members of the Church of the Cosmic Path, led by Father Craig Dunleavy, their charismatic messiah. Seizing control of the ship, Dunleavy demands $70 million in gold, intending to kill everyone onboard once it's paid. Without knowing which passengers are cultists and warned that 12 will die for every hijacker harmed, Columbine and the captain search for a way to save 3,000 lives before Dunleavy makes good on his threat. Based on a novel by screenwriter Ernest Lehman, this mini-series was broadcast over three nights in November 1979.
The Last ConvertibleThe Last Convertible · 1979
The Last Convertible
8.01979
SeriesDrama
A star-laden adaptation of Anton Myrer's sprawling 1978 novel tracing the lives of five Harvard roommates of the class of '44, following them through the next 30 years. At the center of the story is a green 1939 Packard convertible and Chris Farris, a beautiful Radcliffe girl.
Washington: Behind Closed DoorsWashington: Behind Closed Doors · 1977
Washington: Behind Closed Doors
7.81977
SeriesDrama
CIA director Bill Martin knows that an incoming president means a new direction for the country—and another set of eyes on the top secret Primula Report. Martin tries to build a rapport with his new boss, but President Richard Monckton is more interested in settling old scores and cleaning house with the help of the FBI.
LincolnLincoln · 1988
Lincoln
7.51988
SeriesDrama
The life of Abraham Lincoln, from his election as President of the United States to the time of his assassination. Based on Gore Vidal's historical novel.
AspenAspen · 1977
Aspen
8.01977
SeriesDramaCrime
This sprawling miniseries details the trial of Lee Bishop, an Aspen man who was arrested, tried, and sentenced to die for the rape and murder of a fifteen-year-old girl, a crime for which Bishop is not guilty. As the years pass, and Bishop sits on death row, his attorney, Tom Keating, does everything in his power to clear Bishop's name and find the true killer.