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Howland Chamberlain

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Howland Chamberlain
Born(1911-08-02)August 2, 1911
DiedSeptember 1, 1984(1984-09-01) (aged 73)
Other namesHoward Chamberlin

Howland Chamberlin (August 2, 1911 – September 1, 1984) was an American actor. He is sometimes billed as Howard Chamberlin.[1]

Chamberlain was born in The Bronx.[1] He moved in the 1930s from New York to California and worked at a Federal Theatre Project, where he met his wife Leona, and at the Pasadena Playhouse. He made his film debut in the 1946 drama The Best Years of Our Lives, and the film won seven Oscars. In the next years, he often portrayed nervous figures in film noir. Although Chamberlain's appearance was uncredited, he was memorable as the cynical hotel receptionist in 1952's High Noon. High Noon remained Chamberlain's last film for 25 years, because he was blacklisted by the House of Un-American Activities and did not get any film roles.

He returned to working in New York, where he worked as a stage actor. In 1977 he made his screen comeback in the TV film A Touch of the Poet. He played Judge Atkins in the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer by Robert Benton. This was Chamberlain's third film in which a fellow cast member won the Oscar for Best Actor. He worked as an actor until his death.

Chamberlain's Broadway credits included Achilles Had a Heel (1935), Sly Fox (1976), and Stages (1978).[1]

Chamberlain died in Oakland, California, on September 1, 1984.[1]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1946 The Best Years of Our Lives Thorpe
1947 The Web James Nolan
1947 Brute Force Joe's Lawyer uncredited
1947 Driftwood Hiram Trumbell
1948 Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' Doc Overholt
1948 Angel in Exile J. H. Higgins
1948 A Song Is Born Mr. Setter
1948 Force of Evil Freddie Bauer
1949 Thieves' Highway Mr. Faber uncredited
1949 And Baby Makes Three Otto Stacy - Lawyer
1950 Francis Maj. Nadel
1950 House by the River District Attorney
1950 Edge of Doom Mr. Murray, the Funeral Director
1950 Surrender The Casino Manager
1950 Mister 880 Duff uncredited
1951 No Questions Asked Beebe
1951 Pickup 'The Professor', tramp
1951 The Racket Roy Higgins uncredited
1951 The Big Night Flanagan
1952 High Noon Hotel Clerk Uncredited
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Judge Atkins
1982 Barbarosa Emil
1984 Electric Dreams Neighbor

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Howland Chamberlain". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
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