Cullen Landis

Biography

Cullen Landis (July 9, 1896 – August 26, 1975) was an American motion picture actor and director whose career began in the early ears of the silent film era. James Cullen Landis was the middle of three siblings (two sons and a daughter) raised by Lulan and Margaret (née Cullen) Landis in Nashville, Tennessee, where his father supported his family as a stock broker. As a boy, James was a train enthusiast and dreamed to be an railroad engineer. Though the ambition eventually faded, his interest in railroads did not, and some years later he helped design for himself a model train set powered by steam. He began working in the fledgling film industry at age 18 around the time his older sister, Margaret Landis, appeared in her first film. In 1928 Cullen Landis starred in the first ‘all talking’ motion picture, Lights of New York. He once confided in a friend that talkies were perfect for musicals and that he was no "song and dance man". He left Hollywood for Detroit in 1930 to produce and direct industrial films for automobile companies. Landis began as a movie director, only turning to acting after his lead player broke a leg and it was discovered that the actor’s costumes fit him. He…

Movies & TV Shows

1. The Ace of Hearts (1921) — Young Man in Restaurant (uncredited)
2. Lights of New York (1928) — Eddie Morgan
3. The Voice That Thrilled the World (1943) — Self (segment 'Lights of New York') (archive footage)
4. With Buffalo Bill on the U. P. Trail (1926) — Gordon Kent
5. Born Rich (1924) — Jack Le Moyne
6. The Fighting Coward (1924) — Tom Rumford
7. The Man Life Passed By (1923) — Harold Trevis
8. Pioneer Trails (1923) — Jack Dale / Jack Plains
9. Soul of the Beast (1923) — Paul Nadeau
10. Christine of the Big Tops (1926) — Bob Hastings
11. The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1919) — Billy Lanyon / Tommy Oakhurst
12. Cupid In Quarantine (1918) — The Boyfriend
13. On to Reno (1928) — Bud
14. Convict's Code (1930) — Kenneth Avery
15. Wasted Lives (1925) — John Grayson
16. Gay and Devilish (1922) — Peter Armitage
17. The Little Wild Girl (1928) — Jules Barbier
18. Bunty Pulls the Strings (1921) — Rab
19. Two to One (1927) — George Minafer
20. One Law for the Woman (1924) — Ben Martin
21. With Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo (1926) — Davy Crockett
22. The Midnight Flyer (1925) — David Henderson
23. Crashin' Thru (1923) — Cons Saunders
24. Snowblind (1921) — Pete Garth
25. The Old Nest (1921) — Jim at 22-32
26. The Midnight Alarm (1923) — Chaser
27. Pinto (1920) — Bob DeWitt
28. Remembrance (1922) — Seth Smith
29. Upstairs (1919) — Lemuel Stallings
30. The Famous Mrs. Fair (1923) — Alan Fair
31. Where's My Wandering Boy Tonight? (1922)
32. The Broken Mask (1928) — Pertio
33. The Dixie Flyer (1926) — 'Sunrise' Smith
34. My Old Dutch (1926) — Herbert Brown
35. Voices of the City (1921) — Jimmy
36. A Girl of the Limberlost (1924) — Hart Henderson
37. Peacock Feathers (1925) — Jerry Chandler
38. Pampered Youth (1925) — George Minafer
39. We're All Gamblers (1927) — Georgie McCarver
40. Where the West Begins (1919) — Ned Caldwell (as J. Cullen Landis)

Directed

1. Auto-Lite on Parade (1940) — Director
2. Refreshment Through the Years (1939) — Director