--- name: "Dean Jagger" canonical: "https://film.one/person/dean-jagger" roles: ["Actor"] born: "7 November 1903" died: "5 February 1991" reviewed_on_fi1m: 5 average_fi1m_score: 76 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-09-20T03:38:27.661374+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dean Jagger Actor. Born 7 November 1903 in Columbus Grove, Ohio, USA. Died 5 February 1991. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 7 November 1903, Columbus Grove, Ohio, USA - **Died:** 5 February 1991 - **Active:** 1949–1971 - **Also known as:** Ira Dean Jagger, Jeffrey Dean - **Frequently works with:** [Jean Simmons](https://film.one/person/jean-simmons.md) - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 83 (1), 1950s 66 (2), 1960s 78 (1), 1970s 86 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 72 across 3 titles - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 5, Action 1, Crime 1, History 1, Mystery 1, War 1 - **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $62m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Jagger, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q471309, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0415591/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/29313 ## Streaming the US now - **Tubi:** [*The Nun's Story*](https://film.one/film/the-nuns-story.md) (84) - **Pluto TV:** [*Elmer Gantry*](https://film.one/film/elmer-gantry.md) (78) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Dean Jagger > A supporting player for most of a long career, Dean Jagger was the older man the hero explained himself to, and he made patience look like a skill. In *Twelve O'Clock High* he could carry a shot by doing almost nothing. Watch Dean Jagger stand still. In *Twelve O'Clock High* (1949) he walks an empty airfield with a Toby jug under his arm, and the film needs nothing more from him than that he look at the grass while the soundtrack brings up engines that are not there. Directors saw that face and cast him as the one man present who would not panic: officers, sheriffs, principals, fathers. He was older than everyone and he played it as a qualification. He had come up the slow way, through vaudeville, stock companies and Broadway in the 1920s, with a film debut in *The Woman from Hell* (1929) and a decade of small parts before *Brigham Young* (1940) gave him a lead and a Fox contract. The lead did not stick. From then on he was a supporting player, and he stayed one for the rest of his working life, which ran into the mid-1980s and included a long stretch on television as a high-school principal in *Mr. Novak* (1963–65). We do not think this was a failure. Some actors carry the argument of a film on their own, and some are the man the hero explains himself to. Jagger was the second kind. The part that shows what he could do is Harvey Stovall, the adjutant in Henry King's bomber-group drama. Stovall is a lawyer in peacetime, and his job is paperwork; the script gives him one quiet act of defiance, slowing the transfer requests when every pilot on the base wants out, and Jagger plays it with a lawyer's patience rather than a soldier's. He moved us more than we expected to be moved by an adjutant, and he did it by doing almost nothing, letting Leon Shamroy's held shot of cracked concrete do the talking. Gregory Peck's colonel is the film's engine; Jagger is what tells you the engine cost something. He was less well used four years later. *The Robe* (1953) gives him Justus, a part that is mostly a lesson to deliver, and deliver it he does, while Barbara McLean holds the cut until every word has landed. We were bored, and it was not Jagger's fault; nobody could have made a person out of what Philip Dunne and Albert Maltz wrote for him. Put him in front of a director who wants a man rather than a sermon and his stillness reads as thought. Put him in front of one who wants a sermon and it reads as furniture. He said in 1951 that "it has always been important to 'feel' the part before I even allow myself to get interested in it," which is a modest way of describing a modest method. He worked twice with Henry Hathaway, turned up in westerns and war films, played a retired general in *White Christmas* (1954) and a supporting part in *Elmer Gantry* (1960), and the pattern held: the older man other people needed. Start with *Twelve O'Clock High*, and wait for the airfield. It is the whole career in one shot. ## Biography Dean Jagger (born Ira Dean Jagger) was an American actor of film, stage and television. He was born on 7 November 1903 in Columbus Grove, Ohio, and died on 5 February 1991 in Santa Monica, California. He is known for his role as Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Harvey Stovall in the 1949 film *Twelve O'Clock High*, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Jagger appeared in numerous films including *The Robe* (1953), *White Christmas* (1954), *Bad Day at Black Rock* (1955), *Elmer Gantry* (1960), *Vanishing Point* (1971), *Game of Death* (1978) and *Alligator* (1980). On television he played roles in series such as *The Twilight Zone*, *Columbo* and *Kung Fu*, and was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on *Mr. Novak* (1963–65). He also received a Daytime Emmy Award in 1980. He made his film debut in the 1929 silent film *The Woman from Hell* and later received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to motion pictures. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (5) - *Columbo* (1971), Fi1m 86, as Walter Cannell — [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Elmer Gantry* (1960), Fi1m 78, as William L. Morgan — [page](https://film.one/film/elmer-gantry.md) - *The Nun's Story* (1959), Fi1m 84, as Dr. Hubert Van Der Mal — [page](https://film.one/film/the-nuns-story.md) - *The Robe* (1953), Fi1m 48, as Justus — [page](https://film.one/film/the-robe.md) - *Twelve O'Clock High* (1949), Fi1m 83, as Major / Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Stovall — [page](https://film.one/film/twelve-oclock-high.md) ## Complete filmography (124) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney* (2000), as Major General Thomas F. Waverly (archive footage) (uncredited) - *Evil Town* (1987), as Doctor Schaeffer - *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as David Domedion — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md) - *Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady* (1982), Actor - *Alligator* (1980), as Slade - *Gideon's Trumpet* (1980), as 6th Supreme Court Justice - *Game of Death* (1978), as Dr. Land - *End of the World* (1977), as Ray Collins - *Hunter* (1977), series, Actor - *The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case* (1976), as Koehler - *Dr. Shagetz* (1975), as Dr. Shagetz - *Harry O* (1974), series, Actor - *The Great Lester Boggs* (1974), Actor - *The Hanged Man* (1974), as Josiah Lowe - *I Heard the Owl Call My Name* (1973), as Jim Wallace - *The Lie* (1973), as Arnold Edgarton - *The Stranger* (1973), as Carl Webster - *So Sad About Gloria* (1973), as Frederick Wellman - *Kung Fu* (1972), series, as Henry Raphael Caine - *Delphi Bureau* (1972), series, as Quick - *The Waltons* (1972), series, as Professor Bowen - *The Delphi Bureau: The Merchant of Death Assignment* (1972), as Matthew Keller - *The Glass House* (1972), as Warden Auerbach - *Columbo* (1971), series, as Walter Cannell — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Incident in San Francisco* (1971), as Sam Baldwin - *Vanishing Point* (1971), as Prospector - *Alias Smith and Jones* (1971), series, Actor - *The Partridge Family* (1970), series, as Charlie - *The Brotherhood of the Bell* (1970), as Chad Harmon - *The Kremlin Letter* (1970), as Highwayman - *Tiger by the Tail* (1970), as Top Polk - *The Lonely Profession* (1969), as Charles Van Cleve - *Medical Center* (1969), series, Actor - *Smith!* (1969), as Judge James C. Brown - *Day of the Evil Gun* (1968), as Jimmy Noble - *Firecreek* (1968), as Whittier - *First to Fight* (1967), as Colonel Baseman - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Bishop John Atwood - *Mr. Novak* (1963), series, as Principal Albert Vane - *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Tony Donovan — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md) - *Billy Rose's Jumbo* (1962), as John Noble - *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as George Davies - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Lt. Gen. John Sparrow - *The Honeymoon Machine* (1961), as Admiral Fitch - *Parrish* (1961), as Sala Post - *Elmer Gantry* (1960), as William L. Morgan — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/elmer-gantry.md) - *Cash McCall* (1960), as Grant Austen - *The Twilight Zone* (1959), series, as Ed Lindsay — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md) - *The Nun's Story* (1959), as Dr. Hubert Van Der Mal — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-nuns-story.md) - *King Creole* (1958), as Mr. Fisher - *The Proud Rebel* (1958), as Harry Burleigh - *The Dark Side of the Earth* (1957), as Anton Rojas - *Forty Guns* (1957), as Sheriff Ned Logan - *Bernardine* (1957), as J. Fullerton Weldy - *Armored Attack!* (1957), as as Rodion Pavlov - *The Great Man* (1956), as Philip Carleton - *Three Brave Men* (1956), as John W. Rogers - *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Bert Ensign - *X: The Unknown* (1956), as Dr. Adam Royston - *On the Threshold of Space* (1956), as Dr. Hugo Thornton - *Red Sundown* (1956), as Jade Murphy - *It's a Dog's Life* (1955), as Mr. Wyndham - *The 20th Century Fox Hour* (1955), series, Actor - *The Eternal Sea* (1955), as Vice-Adm. Thomas L. Semple - *Bad Day at Black Rock* (1955), as Tim Horn - *White Christmas* (1954), as General Waverly - *Private Hell 36* (1954), as Police Capt. Michaels - *Executive Suite* (1954), as Jesse Q. Grimm - *Letter to Loretta* (1953), series, as Harry Holt - *The Robe* (1953), as Justus — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/the-robe.md) - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Adam 'Mister Doc' Darrow - *Cavalcade of America* (1952), series, Actor - *It Grows on Trees* (1952), as Phil Baxter - *Denver and Rio Grande* (1952), as General William J. Palmer - *My Son John* (1952), as Dan Jefferson - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as 6th Supreme Court Justice - *Warpath* (1951), as Sam Quade - *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Ed Gorman - *Rawhide* (1951), as Yancy - *Dark City* (1950), as Captain Garvey - *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as John Straley - *Sierra* (1950), as Jeff Hassard - *Twelve O'Clock High* (1949), as Major / Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Stovall — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/twelve-oclock-high.md) - *C-Man* (1949), as Cliff Holden, alias William Harrah - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Ben Willson - *The Philco Television Playhouse* (1948), series, as Charles Burnett - *Driftwood* (1947), as Dr. Steve Webster - *Pursued* (1947), as Grant - *Sister Kenny* (1946), as Kevin Connors - *I Live in Grosvenor Square* (1945), as Sgt. John Patterson - *Alaska* (1944), as John Masters - *When Strangers Marry* (1944), as Paul Baxter - *The North Star* (1943), as Rodion Pavlov - *I Escaped from the Gestapo* (1943), as Torgut Lane - *The Omaha Trail* (1942), as 'Pipestone' Ross - *Valley of the Sun* (1942), as Jim Sawyer - *The Men in Her Life* (1941), as David Gibson - *Western Union* (1941), as Edward Creighton - *Brigham Young* (1940), as Brigham Young - *Having Wonderful Time* (1938), as Charlie (uncredited) - *Exiled to Shanghai* (1937), as Charlie Sears - *Escape by Night* (1937), as James 'Capper' Regan - *Song of the City* (1937), as Paul Herrick - *Dangerous Number* (1937), as Dillman - *Woman in Distress* (1937), as Fred Stevens - *Under Cover of Night* (1937), as Alan Shaw - *Star for a Night* (1936), as Fritz Lind - *Pepper* (1936), as Bob O'Ryan - *Revolt of the Zombies* (1936), as Armand Louque - *13 Hours by Air* (1936), as Hap Waller - *Woman Trap* (1936), as 'Honey' Hogan - *It's a Great Life* (1935), as Arnold - *Wanderer of the Wasteland* (1935), as Adam Larey - *Men Without Names* (1935), as Agent Jones - *People Will Talk* (1935), as Bill Trask - *Car 99* (1935), as Trooper Jim Burton - *Wings in the Dark* (1935), as Top Harmon - *Home on the Range* (1935), as Thurman - *Behold My Wife!* (1934), as Pete - *College Rhythm* (1934), as Coach Robbins - *You Belong to Me* (1934), as Military School Instructor - *Whoopee!* (1930), as Deputy (uncredited) - *Handcuffed* (1929), as Gerald Morely - *The Woman from Hell* (1929), as Jim Coakley ## Gallery - ![Dean Jagger](https://film.one/media/person/467649/gallery-782242340680.jpg) Dean Jagger — Trailer screenshot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Dean_Jagger_in_Dangerous_Number_trailer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of Dean Jagger from The Twilight Zone episode Static. Jagger plays Ed Lindsay, a man whose old radio is able to receive radio broadcasts from years past. (1961)](https://film.one/media/person/467649/gallery-9c79f3418791.jpg) Photo of Dean Jagger from The Twilight Zone episode Static. Jagger plays Ed Lindsay, a man whose old radio is able to receive radio broadcasts from years past. (1961) — The Bureau of Industrial Service for CBS Television. The Bureau was a division of ad agency Young & Rubicam and was widely used by those in the television industry during the 1950s and 1960s for distributing publicty material., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Dean_Jagger_The_Twilight_Zone_1961.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of James Franciscus and Dean Jagger from the television series Mr. Novak.](https://film.one/media/person/467649/gallery-f4625eaa0bdd.jpg) Photo of James Franciscus and Dean Jagger from the television series Mr. Novak. — NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/James_Franciscus_Dean_Jagger_Mr._Novak_1964.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Dean Jagger](https://film.one/media/person/467649/gallery-f2ca0e524c38.jpg) Dean Jagger — Image via TMDB - ![Dean Jagger](https://film.one/media/person/467649/gallery-23f27220ee42.jpg) Dean Jagger — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won - 1950: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *Twelve O'Clock High* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/dean-jagger