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Meet John Doe ()

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A penniless drifter is recruited by an ambitious columnist to impersonate a non-existent person who said he'd be committing suicide as a protest, and a social movement begins.
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Writers:
Stars:
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Photos and Videos

110 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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'Long John' Willoughby
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Ann Mitchell
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D.B. Norton
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The 'Colonel'
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Mrs. Mitchell
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Henry Connell
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Mayor Lovett
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Ted Sheldon
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Beany
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Bert Hansen
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'Sourpuss' Smithers
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Angelface
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Mayor Hawkins
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Spencer
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Hammett
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Weston
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Bennett
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Charlie Dawson (as Charles Wilson)
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Governor
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Dan - Diner Counterman
M.J. Frankovich ...
Radio Announcer (as Mike Frankovich)
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Radio Announcer
John B. Hughes ...
Radio Announcer
Hall Johnson Choir
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Andre ...
American Girl (uncredited)
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Grubbel (uncredited)
American Legion Band ...
Musical Ensemble (uncredited)
Evelyn Barlow ...
(uncredited)
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Red (uncredited)
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Secretary (uncredited)
Max Blum ...
(uncredited)
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Pop Dwyer (uncredited)
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Club Member (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Earle D. Bunn ...
Policeman (uncredited)
Nora Bush ...
Citizen (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Howard Chase ...
Electrician (uncredited)
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Cop with Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
St. Brendan's Boy Choir ...
Vocal Ensemble (uncredited)
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Cop Guarding Ann (uncredited)
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Secretary (uncredited)
Alan Copeland ...
Choirboy (uncredited)
Madge Crane ...
Mrs. Brewster (uncredited)
Floyd Criswell ...
Electrician (uncredited)
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Midget (uncredited)
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The Mitchells' Dog (uncredited)
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Former Bulletin Owner (uncredited)
Lew Davis ...
Electrician (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Evelyn Dockson ...
(uncredited)
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Mrs. Hansen (uncredited)
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Radio Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
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Mrs. Hawkins (uncredited)
Carl Ekberg ...
Reporter (uncredited)
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GOP Man (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Eddie Fetherston ...
Reporter (uncredited)
Walter Findon ...
(uncredited)
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Mike (uncredited)
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Mattie (uncredited)
Fern Formica ...
Midget (uncredited)
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Governor's Associate (uncredited)
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Fired Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Gardner ...
Photographer (uncredited)
Inez Gay ...
(uncredited)
Ethel Gilstrom ...
(uncredited)
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Sergeant (uncredited)
Eddie Graham ...
Tall Autograph Hound (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Jay Guedillio ...
(uncredited)
Alfred Hall ...
Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Jim (uncredited)
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Publicity Man (uncredited)
James Harrison ...
(uncredited)
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Bum (uncredited)
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Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian ...
Radio Station Audience Member (uncredited)
Max Hoffman Jr. ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Doctor (uncredited)
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Radio Announcer at Convention (uncredited)
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Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Carlotta Jelm ...
Ann's Sister (uncredited)
Sheldon Jett ...
Man in Radio Audience (uncredited)
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Wall Street Tycoon (uncredited)
Edward Keane ...
Relief Administrator (uncredited)
Richard Kipling ...
Police Commissioner (uncredited)
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Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
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Foreign Dignitary (uncredited)
Florence Lawler ...
(uncredited)
Al Lloyd ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Eddie (uncredited)
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Foreign Dignitary (uncredited)
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Attendant (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy ...
(uncredited)
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Derelict (uncredited)
Larry McGrath ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Mr. Delaney (uncredited)
James McNamara ...
Sheriff (uncredited)
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Joe (uncredited)
Claire Meade ...
(uncredited)
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Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
Frank Meredith ...
Guard (uncredited)
Dave Miller and His New York French Casino Band ...
Musical Ensemble (uncredited)
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Photographer (uncredited)
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City Hall Janitor (uncredited)
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Man at Stadium Rally (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Clark Morgan ...
(uncredited)
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Mug (uncredited)
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Guard (uncredited)
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Legislator (uncredited)
Gail Newbray ...
Phone Operator (uncredited)
Mrs. Wilfrid North ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Sign Painter (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
George Pembroke ...
(uncredited)
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Delegate (uncredited)
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Autograph Hound (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Earl Pingree ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Man in Diner (uncredited)
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Radio Technician (uncredited)
Don Roberts ...
(uncredited)
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Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Sally Sage ...
(uncredited)
Cliff Saum ...
Guard (uncredited)
Sada Simmons ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Barrington (uncredited)
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Democrat (uncredited)
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Democrat (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
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Radio Station Audience Member (uncredited)
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Policeman (uncredited)
Emma Tansey ...
Mrs. Delaney (uncredited)
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Ann's Sister (uncredited)
Cyril Thornton ...
D.B.'s Butler (uncredited)
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John Doe Applicant (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Don Turner ...
Guard (uncredited)
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Bixler (uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Bess Wade ...
(uncredited)
Lillian West ...
(uncredited)
Bernard Wheeler ...
(uncredited)
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(uncredited)
Ed Williams ...
(uncredited)
Lottie Williams ...
(uncredited)
Rhoda Williams ...
Minor Role (uncredited)
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Diner Patron / Radio Station Audience Member (uncredited)
Jack Wise ...
Delegate (uncredited)
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Autograph Hound (uncredited)

Directed by

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Frank Capra

Written by

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Richard Connell ... (based on a story by) and
Robert Presnell Sr. ... (based on a story by) (as Robert Presnell)
 
Robert Riskin ... (screen play)
 
Myles Connolly ... (contributor to dialogue and screenplay constuction) (uncredited)

Produced by

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Frank Capra ... producer (uncredited)
Robert Riskin ... producer (uncredited)

Music by

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Dimitri Tiomkin ... (musical score)

Cinematography by

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George Barnes ... director of photography

Editing by

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Daniel Mandell ... film editor

Editorial Department

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Slavko Vorkapich ... montage effects
Don Siegel ... montage effects (uncredited)

Art Direction by

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Stephen Goosson

Costume Design by

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Natalie Visart ... (gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Arthur S. Black Jr. ... assistant director (as Arthur S. Black)

Sound Department

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C.A. Riggs ... sound

Special Effects by

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Jack Cosgrove ... special effects

Camera and Electrical Department

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Mack Elliott ... still photographer (uncredited)
Irving Lippman ... still photographer (uncredited)
Irving Rosenberg ... camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Eugene Joseff ... costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department

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Leo F. Forbstein ... musical director
Hall Johnson ... choral arrangements
George Bassman ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Simon Bucharoff ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Lucien Cailliet ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Hugo Friedhofer ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leigh Harline ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Maxwell ... orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leonid Raab ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Max Reese ... orchestrator (uncredited)
David Tamkin ... orchestrator (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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William Erbes ... rain effects: supervisor (uncredited)
William S. Holman ... general manager (uncredited)
William Cameron Menzies ... production advisor (uncredited)
Arthur Turelly ... instructor: harmonica, Gary Cooper (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby (Gary Cooper) to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole social movement. At last everyone, even Ann, takes her creation seriously...but publisher D.B. Norton (Edward Arnold) has a secret plan. Written by Rod Crawford

Plot Keywords
Taglines ALL AMERICA WANTS TO MEET THE "MR. DEEDS" OF 1941! (original print media ad - all caps) See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Frank Capra's 'Meet John Doe' (United States)
  • The Life and Death of John Doe (United States)
  • The Life of John Doe (United States)
  • John Doe, Dynamite (United Kingdom)
  • L'Homme de la rue (France)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 135 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Did You Know?

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Trivia Four different endings were filmed, but all were ultimately deemed unsatisfactory during previews. A letter from an audience member suggested a fifth ending, which Frank Capra liked and used in the finished film. See more »
Goofs After "John Doe" intrudes on D. B. Norton's dinner party and tells him off, Norton calls his newspaper and orders a special edition which will reveal Doe as a fraud. Doe takes a cab from Norton's house directly to the convention hall. Within minutes of his arrival there, a horde of newsboys appear with copies of the newspaper. It would be impossible to print an extra edition in such a short period of time. Correction: There isn't a plot hole, because D.B. Norton isn't saying nor implying that the newspaper will be printed from them on. He stated, before Ann is running after John Doe's in the Rain, "that he was prepared for this" and this does imply that the papers were already prepared, printed before. D.B. was a very rich man, callous, evil man. He foresaw all the problems in his investments. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The 54th Annual Academy Awards (1982). See more »
Soundtracks THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC See more »
Quotes Beany: What's a helot?
The Colonel: You've ever been broke, sonny?
Beany: Sure, mostly often.
The Colonel: All right. You're walking along, not a nickel in your jeans, you're free as the wind, nobody bothers ya. Hundreds of people pass you by in every line of business: shoes, hats, automobiles, radios, everything, and they're all nice lovable people and they lets you alone, is that right? Then you get a hold of some dough and what happens, all those nice sweet lovable people become helots, a lotta heels. They begin to creep up on ya, trying to sell ya something: they get long claws and they get a stranglehold on ya, and you squirm and you duck and you holler and you try to push them away but you haven't got the chance. They gots ya. First thing ya know you own things, a car for instance, now your whole life is messed up with alot more stuff: you get license fees and number plates and gas and oil and taxes and insurance and identification cards and letters and bills and flat tires and dents and traffic tickets and motorcycle cops and tickets and courtrooms and lawers and fines and... a million and one other things. What happens? You're not the free and happy guy you used to be. You need to have money to pay for all those things, so you go after what the other fellas got. There you are, you're a helot yourself.
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