Profile Text
Birth Name: James Albert Stephenson
Date of Birth: 14 April, 1889
Place of Birth: Selby, Yorkshire, England, U.K.
Date of Death: July 29, 1941
Place of Death: Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: English
James Stephenson was a British stage and film actor. He began acting at 49, and was most known for his Academy Award-nominated performance in the William Wyler-directed melodrama The Letter (1940), opposite Bette Davis. His roles also included the films The Perfect Crime , The Man Who Made Diamonds , You Live and Learn , Take It from Me (1937), Mr. Satan , It’s in the Blood , When Were You Born , White Banners , Nancy Drew… Detective ; Heart of the North , Wanted by Scotland Yard , Devil’s Island , King of the Underworld , Torchy Blane in Chinatown , Secret Service of the Air , The Adventures of Jane Arden , On Trial , Confessions of a Nazi Spy , The Old Maid , Espionage Agent , The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex , We Are Not Alone (1939), Wolf of New York , Calling Philo Vance , Murder in the Air , The Sea Hawk , River’s End (1940), A Dispatch from Reuters , South of Suez , Flight from Destiny , Shining Victory , and International Squadron . Just as his acting career was starting to rise, he died of a heart attack at the age of 52.
James was the son of Emma and John Gathorne Stansfield Stephenson, who was a chemist and druggist. He was married to Lorna Anderson.
James’s paternal grandfather was named James Stephenson (the son of Tabitha Stephenson). James was born in Stansfield, Yorkshire. Tabitha was born in Stansfield, the daughter of John Stephenson and Mary Marsh/Marshall.
James’s paternal grandmother was Isabella Stansfield (the daughter of John Stansfield and Mary Smith). Isabella was born in Stansfield, Yorkshire. John was born in Stansfield, the son of James Stansfield and Betty Crowther. Mary was born in Keighley, Yorkshire.
James’s maternal grandfather was named James Longbottom (the son of George Longbottom). James was born in Brayton, Yorkshire.
James’s maternal grandmother was Ann Taylor (the daughter of William Taylor and Elizabeth Carlton). Ann was born in Cawood, Yorkshire. Elizabeth was born in Gilberdike, Yorkshire, the daughter of Richard Carlton and Mary.