Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr.

 Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. was an American film, stage, radio and television actor.

He was born on May 15, 1905 and died on February 6, 1994.

He made 78 films between 1938 and 1981. His first film was as Augustus Billings in "Too Much Johnson." His final film was as a priest in "Survivor." I would suggest that anyone who likes his work, or wants to learn more about him, take a moment to review his filmography. You might be (pleasantly) surprised by some of the films he worked on and acted in. He had great range and covered more than a few genres.

At the 10th Venice International Film Festival, Cotten was awarded the Volpi Cup for "Best Actor." for his performance in the film "Portrait of Jennie" (1948).

Multiple film critics and media outlets have cited him as one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.

He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

In 1961, Cotten was admitted to the Society of the Cincinnati in North Carolina based on his descent from Captain Hudson Whitaker, Seventh Regiment, North Carolina Continental Line. He held Captain Whitaker's hereditary seat until his death in 1994.

On June 8, 1981, Cotten experienced a heart attack followed by a stroke that affected his brain's speech center. He began years of therapy that eventually restored his ability to speak. As he began to recover, he and Orson Welles talked on the phone each week for several hours. Cotten wrote, "He was strong and supportive, and whenever I used the wrong word (which was frequently) he would say, 'That's a much better word, Joe, I'm going to use it.'" He and Welles would meet for lunch and reminisce. When Cotten announced he had written a book, Welles asked for the manuscript and read it that night.

In 1990, Cotten's larynx was removed because of cancer. He died on February 6, 1994, of pneumonia at the age of 88. He was buried at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia.

He was an incredibly talented man, who is much deserving of his place as a true "star" of classic movies.