---
name: "Spencer Tracy"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/spencer-tracy"
fi1m_id: "spencer-tracy"
imdb_id: "nm0000075"
tmdb_id: 12147
wikidata_id: "Q71275"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "5 April 1900"
died: "10 June 1967"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 12
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 12
updated: "2026-09-25T07:05:16.252663+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."
---

# Spencer Tracy

## Identity

Spencer Tracy

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/spencer-tracy
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** spencer-tracy
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000075
- **TMDB ID:** 12147
- **Wikidata ID:** Q71275
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Tracy, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q71275, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000075/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12147

Actor. Born 5 April 1900 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Died 10 June 1967.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 5 April 1900, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
- **Died:** 10 June 1967
- **Active:** 1932–1967
- **Also known as:** Spencer Bonaventure Tracy, Спенсер Трэйси, Спенсер Треси
- **Frequently works with:** [Clark Gable](https://film.one/person/clark-gable.md), [Dore Schary](https://film.one/person/dore-schary.md), [Joan Bennett](https://film.one/person/joan-bennett.md), [Katharine Hepburn](https://film.one/person/katharine-hepburn.md), [Lawrence Weingarten](https://film.one/person/lawrence-weingarten.md), [Lionel Barrymore](https://film.one/person/lionel-barrymore.md), [Louis D. Lighton](https://film.one/person/louis-d-lighton.md), [Myrna Loy](https://film.one/person/myrna-loy.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won · 7 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 12 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 72 (6), 1940s 82 (1), 1950s 82 (2), 1960s 71 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 71 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 8 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 8 of 11 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 9, Romance 7, Comedy 4, Adventure 2, Western 2, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 23 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $85m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Tracy, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q71275, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000075/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12147

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Judgment at Nuremberg*](https://film.one/film/judgment-at-nuremberg.md) (82), [*Guess Who's Coming to Dinner*](https://film.one/film/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner.md) (70)
- **Tubi:** [*Adam's Rib*](https://film.one/film/adams-rib.md) (82)

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

## Fi1m on Spencer Tracy

> Spencer Tracy makes listening worth watching, with little movement and no need to advertise the thinking. His restraint is invaluable in *Judgment at Nuremberg*, though even he cannot make every speech necessary.

While other actors press their points, Spencer Tracy appears to be considering what they have said. In *Judgment at Nuremberg* (1961), his judge Dan Haywood hears people out without making a display of his own intelligence. We felt relief whenever the film returned to him, because his unforced attention gave us a break from the emphatic speeches. Tracy gives us time to think alongside him. That makes Stanley Kramer's courtroom drama easier to stay with over its 191 minutes.

The path from *Fury* (1936) and *Boys Town* (1938) to the later courtroom roles can make the work sound uniformly grave. His nine films with Katharine Hepburn, including *Adam's Rib* (1949), are a useful reminder of the comedy alongside the weightier drama. *Bad Day at Black Rock* (1955) puts his stillness to work in a tense setting, requiring little outward effort from him to hold our attention. The later turn towards principled professionals brings us to Henry Drummond, the lawyer he plays in *Inherit the Wind* (1960), where that economical manner carries considerable conviction.

The useful comparison in *Judgment at Nuremberg* is with Maximilian Schell's Hans Rolfe. Schell presses his points with force; Tracy gives the impression that he has time to hear them. The exchanges gain tension because the actors are not competing to be the loudest person present. Kramer gets particular value from Tracy's lack of fuss, giving us a steady presence among so many emphatic performances. His judge has authority without sounding as though he arrived with every answer prepared, which makes the questions before him harder to dismiss.

The limitation comes when a film treats that trustworthy presence as proof that everything it says is wise. The later message dramas can lean too heavily on his seriousness, asking us to accept another speech because he lends it conviction. Even *Judgment at Nuremberg* keeps explaining points that have already been made sufficiently clear, and Tracy's restraint cannot shorten the script. Start there, but allow for the over-explanation; his listening deserves as much attention as anyone else's lines.

## Biography

Spencer Tracy (1900–1967) was an American actor. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After several years in stock companies and on Broadway, he made his film debut in Up the River (1930).

Tracy spent five years under contract to Fox Film Corporation before moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1935. He won Academy Awards for Best Actor for Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938), and received further nominations for performances including those in Inherit the Wind (1960), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967). Among his other notable films are Fury (1936), Adam's Rib (1949), Father of the Bride (1950) and Bad Day at Black Rock (1955).

*Sources: imdb.com, themoviedb.org, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (12)

- *Guess Who's Coming to Dinner* (1967), Fi1m 70, as Matt Drayton — [page](https://film.one/film/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner.md)
- *How the West Was Won* (1962), Fi1m 62, as Narrator (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md)
- *Judgment at Nuremberg* (1961), Fi1m 82, as Dan Haywood — [page](https://film.one/film/judgment-at-nuremberg.md)
- *Bad Day at Black Rock* (1955), Fi1m 86, as John J. Macreedy — [page](https://film.one/film/bad-day-at-black-rock.md)
- *Father of the Bride* (1950), Fi1m 77, as Stanley T. Banks — [page](https://film.one/film/father-of-the-bride.md)
- *Adam's Rib* (1949), Fi1m 82, as Adam Bonner — [page](https://film.one/film/adams-rib.md)
- *Boys Town* (1938), Fi1m 65, as Father Flanagan — [page](https://film.one/film/boys-town.md)
- *Test Pilot* (1938), Fi1m 73, as Gunner Morse — [page](https://film.one/film/test-pilot.md)
- *Captains Courageous* (1937), Fi1m 84, as Manuel Fidello — [page](https://film.one/film/captains-courageous.md)
- *Libeled Lady* (1936), Fi1m 77, as Haggerty — [page](https://film.one/film/libeled-lady.md)
- *San Francisco* (1936), Fi1m 71, as Father Tim Mullin — [page](https://film.one/film/san-francisco.md)
- *Me and My Gal* (1932), Fi1m 61, as Danny Dolan — [page](https://film.one/film/me-and-my-gal.md)

## Complete filmography (90)

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

- *Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story* (2024), as Fr. Edward Flanagan (archive footage)
- *DEVO* (2024), as Henry Drummond (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults* (1999), as (archive footage)
- *La Classe américaine* (1993), as The Professional Witness (archive footage)
- *Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To* (1990), as (archive footage)
- *George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey* (1985), as (archive footage)
- *That's Entertainment, Part II* (1976), as (archive footage)
- *That's Entertainment!* (1974), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Guess Who's Coming to Dinner* (1967), as Matt Drayton — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner.md)
- *The Big Parade of Comedy* (1964), as Haggerty in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage)
- *It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World* (1963), as C. G. Culpepper
- *How the West Was Won* (1962), as Narrator (voice) — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md)
- *Judgment at Nuremberg* (1961), as Dan Haywood — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/judgment-at-nuremberg.md)
- *The Devil at 4 O'Clock* (1961), as Father Matthew Doonan
- *Inherit the Wind* (1960), as Henry Drummond
- *The Last Hurrah* (1958), as Mayor Frank Skeffington
- *The Old Man and the Sea* (1958), as The Old Man
- *Desk Set* (1957), as Richard Sumner
- *The Mountain* (1956), as Zachary Teller
- *MGM Parade* (1955), series, Actor
- *Bad Day at Black Rock* (1955), as John J. Macreedy — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/bad-day-at-black-rock.md)
- *Broken Lance* (1954), as Matt Devereaux
- *The Actress* (1953), as Clinton Jones
- *Plymouth Adventure* (1952), as Capt. Christopher Jones
- *Pat and Mike* (1952), as Mike Conovan
- *The People Against O'Hara* (1951), as James P. Curtayne
- *Father's Little Dividend* (1951), as Stanley Banks
- *Father of the Bride* (1950), as Stanley T. Banks — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/father-of-the-bride.md)
- *Malaya* (1949), as Carnaghan
- *Adam's Rib* (1949), as Adam Bonner — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/adams-rib.md)
- *Edward, My Son* (1949), as Arnold Boult
- *State of the Union* (1948), as Grant Matthews
- *Cass Timberlane* (1947), as Cass Timberlane
- *The Sea of Grass* (1947), as Col. James B. Brewton
- *Without Love* (1945), as Pat Jamieson
- *Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo* (1944), as Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle
- *The Seventh Cross* (1944), as George Heisler
- *A Guy Named Joe* (1944), as Pete Sandidge
- *Twenty Years After* (1944), as (archive footage)
- *Keeper of the Flame* (1943), as Stevie O'Malley
- *His New World* (1943), as Narrator (voice)
- *Tortilla Flat* (1942), as Pilon
- *Ring of Steel* (1942), as Narrator (voice)
- *Woman of the Year* (1942), as Sam Craig
- *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* (1941), as Dr. Henry 'Harry' Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
- *Men of Boys Town* (1941), as Edward Flanagan
- *Boom Town* (1940), as Square John Sand
- *Edison, the Man* (1940), as Thomas A. Edison
- *Young Tom Edison* (1940), as Man Admiring Portrait of Thomas A. Edison
- *Northwest Passage* (1940), as Major Robert Rogers
- *I Take This Woman* (1940), as Karl Decker
- *Stanley and Livingstone* (1939), as Henry M. Stanley
- *Boys Town* (1938), as Father Flanagan — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/boys-town.md)
- *Test Pilot* (1938), as Gunner Morse — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/test-pilot.md)
- *Mannequin* (1938), as John Hennessey
- *Big City* (1937), as Joe Benton
- *Captains Courageous* (1937), as Manuel Fidello — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/captains-courageous.md)
- *They Gave Him a Gun* (1937), as Fred P. Willis
- *Libeled Lady* (1936), as Haggerty — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/libeled-lady.md)
- *San Francisco* (1936), as Father Tim Mullin — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/san-francisco.md)
- *Fury* (1936), as Joe Wilson
- *Riffraff* (1936), as Dutch
- *Whipsaw* (1935), as Ross 'Mac' McBride aka Danny Ross Ackerman
- *Dante's Inferno* (1935), as Jim Carter
- *The Murder Man* (1935), as Steven 'Steve' Grey
- *It's A Small World* (1935), as Bill Shevlin
- *Marie Galante* (1934), as Dr. Crawbett
- *Now I'll Tell* (1934), as Murray Golden
- *Bottoms Up* (1934), as 'Smoothie' King
- *Looking for Trouble* (1934), as Joe Graham
- *The Show-Off* (1934), as J. Aubrey Piper
- *Man's Castle* (1933), as Bill
- *The Mad Game* (1933), as Edward Carson
- *The Power and the Glory* (1933), as Tom Garner
- *Shanghai Madness* (1933), as Pat Jackson
- *Face in the Sky* (1933), as Joe Buck
- *20,000 Years in Sing Sing* (1932), as Tommy Connors
- *Me and My Gal* (1932), as Danny Dolan — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/me-and-my-gal.md)
- *The Painted Woman* (1932), as Tom Brian
- *Society Girl* (1932), as Briscoe
- *Young America* (1932), as Jack Doray
- *Disorderly Conduct* (1932), as Dick Fay
- *Sky Devils* (1932), as Wilkie
- *She Wanted a Millionaire* (1932), as William Kelley
- *Goldie* (1931), as Bill
- *Six Cylinder Love* (1931), as William Donroy
- *Quick Millions* (1931), as Daniel J. 'Bugs' Raymond
- *Up the River* (1930), as Saint Louis
- *The Hard Guy* (1930), as Guy
- *Taxi Talks* (1930), as Taxi Driver

## Gallery

- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-a07ddb09614e.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (work for hire), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Spencer_tracy_state_of_the_union.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Theatrical release poster for the 1955 film Bad Day at Black Rock.](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-9ddaab30a720.jpg) Theatrical release poster for the 1955 film Bad Day at Black Rock. — "Copyright 1955 Loew's Incorporated.", Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Bad_Day_at_Black_Rock_%281955_poster%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Day_at_Black_Rock_%281955_poster%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Title: Home of Spencer Tracy, North Hollywood, Calif. Subjects: Houses Places: California > Los Angeles (county) > Los Angeles > North Hollywood Notes:](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-ee9bc76b47c9.jpg) Title: Home of Spencer Tracy, North Hollywood, Calif. Subjects: Houses Places: California > Los Angeles (county) > Los Angeles > North Hollywood Notes: — Tichnor Brothers, Publisher, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Home_of_Spencer_Tracy%2C_North_Hollywood%2C_Calif_%2868335%29.jpg/1280px-Home_of_Spencer_Tracy%2C_North_Hollywood%2C_Calif_%2868335%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-d519cb526002.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Inherit_the_wind_trailer_%281%29_Spencer_Tracy_Fredric_March.jpg/1280px-Inherit_the_wind_trailer_%281%29_Spencer_Tracy_Fredric_March.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-cd26cf8871b8.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Image via TMDB
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-d29976929432.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Image via TMDB
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-5efdff7ae70b.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Image via TMDB
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-996ca8fda2c3.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Inherit_the_wind_trailer_%283%29_Spencer_Tracy.jpg/1280px-Inherit_the_wind_trailer_%283%29_Spencer_Tracy.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-05b01977713e.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Inherit_the_wind_trailer_%286%29_Spencer_Tracy_Fredric_March.jpg/1280px-Inherit_the_wind_trailer_%286%29_Spencer_Tracy_Fredric_March.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-8a4394520730.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Image via TMDB
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-c254f73780c3.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Image via TMDB
- ![Spencer Tracy](https://film.one/media/person/104814/gallery-decfb8babb6f.jpg) Spencer Tracy — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 2 won, 7 nominated

- 1968: Best Actor (nominated), for *Guess Who's Coming to Dinner*
- 1962: Best Actor (nominated), for *Judgment at Nuremberg*
- 1961: Best Actor (nominated), for *Inherit the Wind*
- 1959: Best Actor (nominated), for *The Old Man and the Sea*
- 1956: Best Actor (nominated), for *Bad Day at Black Rock*
- 1951: Best Actor (nominated), for *Father of the Bride*
- 1939: Best Actor (won), for *Boys Town*
- 1938: Best Actor (won), for *Captains Courageous*
- 1937: Best Actor (nominated), for *San Francisco*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 1969: Best Actor in a Leading Role (won), for *Guess Who's Coming to Dinner*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 1953: Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (won), for *The Actress*

### Cannes Film Festival — 1 won

- 1955: Best Actor (won), for *Bad Day at Black Rock*

*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/spencer-tracy