# Wendell Corey
**Wendell Corey** (Wendell Reid Corey; March 20, 1914 – November 8, 1968) was an American stage, film, and television actor who later entered politics, serving as president of the [Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-of-motion-picture-arts-and-sciences) from 1961 to 1963 and as a member of the Santa Monica City Council from 1965 until his death.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/) • [2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) He was known for his piercing eyes and gruff voice and for playing solid, sober, and sometimes cynical characters.[2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) • [3](https://www.fandango.com/people/wendell-corey-138634)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | March 20, 1914, Dracut, Massachusetts; November 8, 1968, Motion Picture & Television Hospital, Woodland Hills, California, aged 54[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/) |
| Broadway breakthrough | The cynical newspaperman Clark Redfield in Elmer Rice's *Dream Girl* (1945–46), which brought him to producer Hal Wallis's attention[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/wendell-corey-36335) • [5](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/154353) |
| Film debut | Johnny Ryan in Hal Wallis's *Desert Fury* (1947), starring Burt Lancaster, John Hodiak, Lizabeth Scott, and Mary Astor[5](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/154353) • [6](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/wendell-corey) |
| Best-known film role | Det. Lt. Thomas J. Doyle in Alfred Hitchcock's *Rear Window* (1954)[5](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/154353) |
| Academy presidency | President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 1961–1963[2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) |
| Political career | Elected to the Santa Monica City Council in 1965, beating 12 other candidates; served until his death[2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) |
| Honors | Theatre World Award, 1946, for *The Wind Is Ninety*; star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Television, 6328 Hollywood Blvd), dedicated February 8, 1960[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/wendell-corey-36335) • [7](https://walkoffame.com/wendell-corey/) |
## Early life and stage career
Corey was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, the son of Milton Rothwell Corey, a Congregationalist clergyman, and Julia Etta McKenney, and was educated in [Springfield, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/springfield-massachusetts).[6](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/wendell-corey) He began acting in summer stock, and during the [Depression](https://www.edgepedia.org/depression) worked with the Federal Theater Project, part of the [Works Progress Administration](https://www.edgepedia.org/works-progress-administration).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/) While selling washing machines and refrigerators at a Springfield department store, he stopped by to see a friend acting at the Springfield Repertory Theater, which drew him back to the stage.[6](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/wendell-corey)
His Broadway debut was in *Comes the Revelation* (1942), followed by roles in *Strip for Action*, *The First Million*, *Manhattan Nocturne*, *Jackpot*, *But Not Goodbye*, and *The Wind Is Ninety*, for which he received a Theatre World Award in 1946.[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/wendell-corey-36335) The break came as the cynical newspaperman in Elmer Rice's comedy *Dream Girl* (1945), a performance that highlighted his intensity and commanding presence and that producer Hal Wallis saw in person.[2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) • [4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/wendell-corey-36335) Wallis wanted him immediately but had to wait until his stage contract expired in June 1946.[8](https://files.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/232565409.pdf)
## Film career
Wallis persuaded Corey to sign a contract with Paramount, and his feature film debut came as the gangster Johnny Ryan in Wallis's *Desert Fury* (1947).[6](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/wendell-corey) • [5](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/154353) Over the next two decades he appeared in both supporting and starring roles, usually playing solid, sober, and sometimes cynical characters.[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/wendell-corey-138634) Notable parts include a doctor in *Sorry, Wrong Number* (1948), a homicide detective opposite [Loretta Young](https://www.edgepedia.org/loretta-young) in *The Accused* (1948), the husband of a terminally ill wife in *No Sad Songs for Me* (1950), Cleve Marshall opposite [Barbara Stanwyck](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbara-stanwyck) in *The File on Thelma Jordon* (1950), Rip Darrow in *The Furies* (1950), [Frank James](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-james) in *The Great Missouri Raid* (1951), and a deputy sheriff in *The Rainmaker* (1956).[5](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/154353) • [2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) • [9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wendell_corey)
His most memorable role was Lt. Thomas Doyle, the detective in [Alfred Hitchcock](https://www.edgepedia.org/alfred-hitchcock)'s *Rear Window* (1954) starring [James Stewart](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-stewart) and [Grace Kelly](https://www.edgepedia.org/grace-kelly).[6](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/wendell-corey) A contemporary critic, James Agee, singled out his work alongside Kirk Douglas in *The Big Knife* (1955) for good performances.[10](https://core.ac.uk/download/233569786.pdf) In the 1960s his film work shifted toward lower-budget pictures such as *Women of the Prehistoric Planet* (1966), *Agent for H.A.R.M.* (1966), and *The Astro-Zombies* (1968).[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/)
A 2017 study of Hollywood typecasting describes Corey as a journeyman actor, destined for neither greatness nor obscurity, with a deadpan look that could be either creepy or comic depending on the role, and notes that he could appear opposite stars such as [Lizabeth Scott](https://www.edgepedia.org/lizabeth-scott), Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford, and [Katharine Hepburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/katharine-hepburn) without diverting attention to himself.[8](https://files.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/232565409.pdf)
## Television
Corey appeared in many television drama series of the 1950s and 1960s, including *Alfred Hitchcock Presents*, *Perry Mason*, *The Untouchables*, *Zane Grey Theatre*, and *Burke's Law*, and held four short-lived regular series roles: Capt. Ralph Baxter in *Harbor Command* (1957–58), Steve Peck in *Peck's Bad Girl* (1959), Dan McGovern in *Westinghouse Playhouse* (1961), and Dr. Theodore Bassett in *The Eleventh Hour* (1962–63).[12](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/wendell-corey/credits/3030484781/) • [13](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Radio-Programming/TV-Stars-The-Complete-Directory-to-Prime-Time-1964-Present-B--221117.pdf) His Walk of Fame star, dedicated February 8, 1960, is in the television category at 6328 [Hollywood Boulevard](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollywood-boulevard).[7](https://walkoffame.com/wendell-corey/)
## Politics and industry service
Corey won election to the [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild)'s board and held the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presidency between 1961 and 1963; Academy records from that period record his announcement of 17 new special committees for the awards process.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/) • [14](https://digitalcollections.oscars.org/digital/api/collection/p15759coll4/id/2761/download) A Republican, he was master of ceremonies at the Republican National Conventions of 1956 and 1960, supported [Barry Goldwater](https://www.edgepedia.org/barry-goldwater) in the 1964 presidential election, and was elected to the Santa Monica City Council in April 1965, beating 12 other candidates.[2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/) In 1966 he made a bid for the Republican nomination for a seat in Congress but was defeated in the primary.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/) As a councilman he supported programs to improve Santa Monica's parks and recreational areas, and he served until his death.[2](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/)
## Personal life and death
Corey met his future wife, Alice Wiley, while appearing with a Works Progress Administration theater company in the late 1930s; they married on November 19, 1939, and had four children, one son and three daughters.[7](https://walkoffame.com/wendell-corey/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/) He died on November 8, 1968, at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 54, while still serving on the city council; initial reports attributed the death to a liver ailment.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/)
## References
1. [Wendell Corey Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/bio/)
2. [Wendell Corey, Hollywood Star Walk, Los Angeles Times](https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/wendell-corey/)
3. [Wendell Corey Overview, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/wendell-corey-138634)
4. [Wendell Corey, Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/wendell-corey-36335)
5. [Wendell Corey, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/154353)
6. [Wendell Corey (1914–1968), VALÉORINE](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/wendell-corey)
7. [Wendell Corey, Hollywood Walk of Fame](https://walkoffame.com/wendell-corey/)
8. [Typecasting study, University of Kentucky / CORE](https://files.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/232565409.pdf)
9. [Wendell Corey Movies & TV Shows List | Rotten Tomatoes | Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wendell_corey)
10. [Agee on Film excerpt, CORE](https://core.ac.uk/download/233569786.pdf)
11. [Wendell Corey, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179819/)
12. [Wendell Corey Credits, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/wendell-corey/credits/3030484781/)
13. [TV Stars: The Complete Directory to Prime Time, WorldRadioHistory](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Radio-Programming/TV-Stars-The-Complete-Directory-to-Prime-Time-1964-Present-B--221117.pdf)
14. [Seventeen Special Committees Established, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences digital collections](https://digitalcollections.oscars.org/digital/api/collection/p15759coll4/id/2761/download)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1940s to 1960s › Surnames Br to C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license