Richard Arlen: Silent Film Pioneer and Aviation Hero
Richard Arlen (September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television. He is best known for his role as a pilot in the Academy Award-winning film Wings (1927), the inaugural winner of the Academy Award for Outstanding Picture.
Early Life and Education
Born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, Arlen served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, flying for Canada. After the war, he attended the University of Pennsylvania. Before entering the film industry, he worked various odd jobs until an accident while employed as a film laboratory delivery boy led to his first role as an extra in a silent Hollywood film.
Career and Achievements
Arlen’s breakthrough came with Wings (1927), where he starred alongside Clara Bow, Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers, Gary Cooper, El Brendel, and his future wife Jobyna Ralston. The film’s success established him as a notable figure in early Hollywood. In 1932, he appeared in the science fiction horror film Island of Lost Souls with Charles Laughton, an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau.
From 1939 to 1941, Universal paired Arlen with Andy Devine for a series of 14 B-pictures, mostly action-comedies that relied heavily on stock footage from larger productions. The pair were billed as the “Aces of Action” in trailers. When Arlen departed the studio in 1941, the series continued with Devine and other actors. During World War II, Arlen served as a flight instructor for the United States Army Air Forces.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Arlen transitioned to television, guest-starring in anthology series including Playhouse 90, The Loretta Young Show, The 20th Century Fox Hour, and three episodes of Crossroads, a series about clergymen. He also appeared in westerns such as Lawman, Branded, Bat Masterson, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, and Yancy Derringer, as well as drama and adventure programs including Ripcord, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The New Breed, Coronado 9, and Michael Shayne. On November 9, 1968, he appeared on Petticoat Junction in an episode titled “Wings,” a direct reference to his 1927 film.
Notable Events and Milestones
Arlen married actress Jobyna Ralston in January 1927, the same year Wings was released; they had one son together. Ralston divorced him in 1945, citing in court that he had “packed up” and left her. Arlen married New York socialite Margaret Kinsella in 1946. He was a resident of Toluca Lake, California, a celebrity enclave. In 1960, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry.
Awards and Honors
Arlen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 for his work in motion pictures.
Additional Resources
Richard Arlen’s career spanned nearly five decades, from the silent era through the early days of television. More detailed information about his filmography, personal life, and legacy is available through Wikipedia and other biographical archives dedicated to early Hollywood cinema and aviation history.
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