---
name: "Janet Leigh"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/janet-leigh"
fi1m_id: "janet-leigh"
imdb_id: "nm0001463"
tmdb_id: 7302
wikidata_id: "Q205314"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "6 July 1927"
died: "3 October 2004"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 87
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-09-26T14:37:20.309864+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."
---

# Janet Leigh

## Identity

Janet Leigh

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/janet-leigh
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** janet-leigh
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001463
- **TMDB ID:** 7302
- **Wikidata ID:** Q205314
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Leigh, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205314, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001463/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7302

Actor. Born 6 July 1927 in Merced, California, USA. Died 3 October 2004.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 6 July 1927, Merced, California, USA
- **Died:** 3 October 2004
- **Active:** 1953–1971
- **Also known as:** Jeanette Helen Morrison, جنت لی
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 producing
- **Golden Globes:** 1 Golden Globe (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 87, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 87 (3), 1960s 89 (2), 1970s 86 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 89 to 88 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 3 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Thriller 3, Crime 2, Mystery 2, Horror 1, Western 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $60m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Leigh, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205314, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001463/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7302

## Streaming the US now

- **AMC+:** [*Psycho*](https://film.one/film/psycho.md) (90)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Manchurian Candidate*](https://film.one/film/the-manchurian-candidate.md) (88)
- **Tubi:** [*Touch of Evil*](https://film.one/film/touch-of-evil.md) (88)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Janet Leigh

> Janet Leigh makes Marion Crane worth caring about without asking us to approve of her. *Psycho* deserves its reputation, but her attentive listening is as good a reason to watch as its shocks.

In the parlour conversation in *Psycho* (1960), Janet Leigh makes listening look like something that requires care. As Marion Crane, she registers the strain in Anthony Perkins's Norman Bates without making her attention seem unkind. Her vulnerability brings us close, but never settles what we should make of her. Alfred Hitchcock leaves room for sympathy and suspicion, and Leigh is persuasive enough to sustain both. She makes our interest in Marion feel slightly intrusive, even when we think we are being sympathetic.

The early ingénue parts explain only a portion of her work. *The Naked Spur* (1953), in which she plays Lina Patch, already offered an earthier role than that label suggests. The move towards more dramatic parts became clearer in the late 1950s, with Susan Vargas in Orson Welles's *Touch of Evil* (1958). *Psycho* followed, then the enigmatic supporting role of Eugenie Rose Chaney in *The Manchurian Candidate* (1962).

With Perkins, her responsiveness is especially valuable: his strained politeness has someone alert enough to notice it. We felt uneasy during their conversation because his need for it to go well meets her watchfulness, and neither performance lets the exchange become comfortable. Leigh does not compete with his awkwardness or supply a reassuring response on our behalf. The scene gives us time to examine Marion even while we are concerned for her, a difficult balance that Leigh never makes look calculated. When *Psycho* labours its mystery elsewhere, this ordinary conversation is a reminder of how little its actors need to hold our attention.

Her later work was more occasional, including a cameo in *Halloween H20: 20 Years Later* (1998), while Marion continued to define her reputation. That can make it tempting to describe Leigh solely in terms of horror, overlooking the dramatic work that preceded it. We would start with Hitchcock, who gives her unease time to register and never insists that we resolve our doubts about her. For a second evening, we would choose *Touch of Evil*.

## Biography

Janet Leigh was an American actor whose career spanned over five decades. Born Jeanette Helen Morrison on 6 July 1927 in Merced, California, she was discovered at the age of 18 by actress Norma Shearer, who recommended her for a screen test leading to a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. She made her film debut in *The Romance of Rosy Ridge* (1947).

Leigh appeared in numerous MGM productions across genres, including *Little Women* (1949) and *Touch of Evil* (1958). She achieved her greatest recognition for her role as Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's *Psycho* (1960), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and received an Academy Award nomination. Other notable films include *The Manchurian Candidate* (1962) and *The Fog* (1980). She was married to actor Tony Curtis from 1951 to 1962 and was the mother of actor Jamie Lee Curtis.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these

- *Columbo* (1971), Fi1m 86, as Grace Wheeler Willis — [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md)
- *The Manchurian Candidate* (1962), Fi1m 88, as Eugenie Rose Chaney — [page](https://film.one/film/the-manchurian-candidate.md)
- *Psycho* (1960), Fi1m 90, as Marion Crane — [page](https://film.one/film/psycho.md)
- *Touch of Evil* (1958), Fi1m 88, as Susan 'Susie' Vargas — [page](https://film.one/film/touch-of-evil.md)
- *The Naked Spur* (1953), Fi1m 84, as Lina Patch — [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-spur.md)

### Produced (1)

- *Sweet Smell of Success* (1957), Fi1m 88, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/sweet-smell-of-success.md)

## Complete filmography (94)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *100 Years of the Idiot: A Jerry Lewis Centenary* (2026), Actor
- *Emergency: Donald Trump’s "Touch of Evil"* (2019), as (archive footage)
- *Hollywood: No Sex, Please!* (2018), Actor
- *Bad Girls from Valley High* (2005), as Mrs. Witt
- *Family Law* (1999), series, as Mary Sawyer
- *Halloween H20: 20 Years Later* (1998), as Norma
- *Unmasking the Horror* (1998), Actor
- *In My Sister's Shadow* (1997), as Kay Connor
- *E! True Hollywood Story* (1996), series, Actor
- *Secret Lives* (1995), series, Actor
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Vera King
- *The Egg* (1993), as The egg (voice) (archive footage)
- *The Making Of Psycho III* (1986), as Marion Crane (archive footage)
- *Psycho III* (1986), as Marion Crane (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as Barbara LeMay
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Cornelia Montaigne Harper
- *Psycho II* (1983), as Marion Crane (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Matt Houston* (1982), series, as Ramona
- *The Fog* (1980), as Kathy Williams
- *Boardwalk* (1979), as Florence Cohen
- *Mirror, Mirror* (1979), as Millie Gorman
- *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Joan Stackpole
- *The Horror Show* (1979), as (archive footage)
- *Telethon* (1977), as Elaine Cotten
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Joan Philipps / Gail
- *Murder at the World Series* (1977), as Karen Weese
- *Murdock's Gang* (1973), as Laura Talbot
- *Night of the Lepus* (1972), as Gerry Bennett
- *Ghost Story* (1972), series, as Carol
- *One Is a Lonely Number* (1972), as Gert Meredith
- *The Deadly Dream* (1971), as Laurel Hanley
- *Columbo* (1971), series, as Grace Wheeler Willis — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md)
- *House on Greenapple Road* (1970), as Marian Ord
- *Honeymoon with a Stranger* (1969), as Sandra Latham
- *The Monk* (1969), as Janice Barnes
- *Hello Down There* (1969), as Vivian Miller
- *Grand Slam* (1967), as Mary Ann
- *The Spy in the Green Hat* (1967), as Miss Diketon
- *An American Dream* (1966), as Cherry McMahon
- *Three on a Couch* (1966), as Dr Elizabeth Acord
- *Harper* (1966), as Susan Harper
- *Kid Rodelo* (1966), as Nora
- *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Miss Diketon
- *Wives and Lovers* (1963), as Bertie Austin
- *Bye Bye Birdie* (1963), as Rosie DeLeon
- *The Manchurian Candidate* (1962), as Eugenie Rose Chaney — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-manchurian-candidate.md)
- *Pepe* (1960), as Janet Leigh
- *Psycho* (1960), as Marion Crane — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/psycho.md)
- *Who Was That Lady?* (1960), as Ann Wilson
- *Startime* (1959), series, Executive Producer
- *The Perfect Furlough* (1958), as Vicki Loren
- *The Vikings* (1958), as Morgana · Executive Producer
- *Touch of Evil* (1958), as Susan 'Susie' Vargas — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/touch-of-evil.md)
- *Jet Pilot* (1957), as Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon / Olga Orlief
- *Sweet Smell of Success* (1957), Executive Producer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/sweet-smell-of-success.md)
- *Safari* (1956), as Linda Latham
- *Nightmare* (1956), as Janet
- *My Sister Eileen* (1955), as Eileen Sherwood
- *Pete Kelly's Blues* (1955), as Ivy Conrad
- *Rogue Cop* (1954), as Karen Stephanson
- *The Black Shield of Falworth* (1954), as Lady Anne of Mackworth
- *Living It Up* (1954), as Wally Cook
- *Miss Glucksman Visits Hollywood* (1954), Actor
- *Prince Valiant* (1954), as Princess Aleta
- *Walking My Baby Back Home* (1953), as Chris Hall
- *Houdini* (1953), as Bess Houdini
- *Confidentially Connie* (1953), as Connie Bedloe
- *The Naked Spur* (1953), as Lina Patch — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-spur.md)
- *Fearless Fagan* (1952), as Abby Ames
- *Scaramouche* (1952), as Aline de Gavrillac de Bourbon
- *Just This Once* (1952), as Lucy Duncan
- *An Eye for an Eye* (1952), Actor
- *Come Back Little Shiksa* (1952), Actor
- *Two Tickets to Broadway* (1951), as Nancy Peterson
- *It's a Big Country* (1951), as Rosa Szabo Xenophon
- *Angels in the Outfield* (1951), as Jennifer Paige
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, Actor
- *The Re-Inforcer* (1951), as Mary Muck
- *Strictly Dishonorable* (1951), as Isabelle Perry
- *A Spot In The Shade* (1951), Actor
- *Fairfax Avenue* (1951), Actor
- *Watch On The Lime* (1951), Actor
- *Nightmare* (1951), Actor
- *Holiday Affair* (1949), as Connie Ennis
- *That Forsyte Woman* (1949), as June Forsyte
- *The Red Danube* (1949), as Olga Alexandrova aka Maria Buhlen
- *The Doctor and the Girl* (1949), as Evelyn 'Taffy' Heldon
- *Little Women* (1949), as Meg
- *Act of Violence* (1949), as Edith Enley
- *How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border* (1949), Actor
- *Words and Music* (1948), as Dorothy Feiner
- *Hills of Home* (1948), as Margit Mitchell
- *If Winter Comes* (1947), as Effie Bright
- *The Romance of Rosy Ridge* (1947), as Lissy Anne MacBean

## Gallery

- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-d0c54e7586df.jpg) Janet Leigh — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Janet_Leigh_1940s_publicity_photo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Anthony Perkins, Alfred Hitchcock & Janet Leigh on Psycho (1960) Set](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-9bed5001b043.jpg) Anthony Perkins, Alfred Hitchcock & Janet Leigh on Psycho (1960) Set — Shamley Productions, Paramount Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Anthony_Perkins%2C_Alfred_Hitchcock_%26_Janet_Leigh_on_Psycho_Set.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![L to R: Clara Kimball Young, Tony Curtis, and Janet Leigh, 1950s](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-0cf23b6f89d8.jpg) L to R: Clara Kimball Young, Tony Curtis, and Janet Leigh, 1950s — Photographer not credited, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Clara_Kimball_Young%2C_Tony_Curtis%2C_and_Janet_Leigh%2C_1950s.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh in a promotional photograph for The Manchurian Candidate on the CBS Television Network. (1966)](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-8a2b8b245bed.jpg) Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh in a promotional photograph for The Manchurian Candidate on the CBS Television Network. (1966) — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Frank_Sinatra_and_Janet_Leigh_%22The_Manchurian_Candidate%22_%281966_CBS_press_photo%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-0dec923d73fa.jpg) Janet Leigh — Image via TMDB
- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-9d584950654c.jpg) Janet Leigh — Image via TMDB
- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-182cc6eca1fc.jpg) Janet Leigh — Image via TMDB
- ![Janet Leigh and daughters Kelly Curtis (left) and Jamie Lee Curtis at the National Film Society convention, May 1979. NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish,](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-5172a451c429.jpg) Janet Leigh and daughters Kelly Curtis (left) and Jamie Lee Curtis at the National Film Society convention, May 1979. NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Janet_Leigh_%26_daughters_%284505385395%29.jpg/1280px-Janet_Leigh_%26_daughters_%284505385395%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Janet Leigh, center background, at the National Film Society convention, May 1979. NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-12c98d3c8e8c.jpg) Janet Leigh, center background, at the National Film Society convention, May 1979. NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Janet_Leigh_%284505380085%29.jpg/1280px-Janet_Leigh_%284505380085%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-616adc25dc08.jpg) Janet Leigh — Image via TMDB
- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-3e52edb76394.jpg) Janet Leigh — Image via TMDB
- ![Janet Leigh](https://film.one/media/person/59194/gallery-73e9fb06431e.jpg) Janet Leigh — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1961: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *Psycho*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 1960: Golden Globe Awards (won)

*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/janet-leigh