1941 Films

The year 1941 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, '' Citizen Kane''.

Top-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten 1941 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Events

*January 17 – '' Gone with the Wind'' goes into general release in the United States after touring in a roadshow version during 1940. Becoming a cultural phenomenon, it sells an estimated 60 million tickets this year alone. Adjusted for inflation with numerous rereleases, it remains the highest grossing domestic film of all time with $1.8 billion.
* March 24 – Glenn Miller begins work on his 1st movie '' Sun Valley Serenade'' for Twentieth Century Fox.
* May 1 – Orson Welles' '' Citizen Kane'', consistently rated as one of the films considered the all-time best, is premiered at the Palace Theatre (New York City).
* July 2 – '' Sergeant York'', the film biopic of World War I hero Alvin C. York, starring Gary Cooper in the title role, premieres in New York City. It is the highest-grossing picture of the year and earns Cooper the first of two Academy Awards for Best Actor.
*September – Senate Investigation into Motion Picture War Propaganda in the United States.
* October 3 – '' The Maltese Falcon'', considered one of the greatest films noir, is released.

Academy Awards

* Best Picture: '' How Green Was My Valley'' – 20th Century-Fox
* Best Actor: Gary Cooper – '' Sergeant York''
* Best Actress: Joan Fontaine – '' Suspicion''
* Best Supporting Actor: Donald Crisp – ''How Green Was My Valley''
* Best Supporting Actress: Mary Astor – '' The Great Lie''
* Best Director: John Ford – ''How Green Was My Valley''

1941 film releases

United States unless stated

January–March

*January 1941
**1 January
***'' Princess Iron Fan'' (China)
**16 January
***'' The Face Behind the Mask''
**17 January
***'' The Philadelphia Story''
**21 January
***'' High Sierra''
**23 January
***'' Suvorov''
**24 January
***'' Life with Henry''
***'' The Saint in Palm Springs''
**28 January
***'' Sullivan's Travels''
**31 January
***'' Buck Privates''
***'' Mr. & Mrs. Smith''
*February 1941
**7 February
***'' Back Street''
**18 February
***'' Adam Had Four Sons''
**20 February
***'' Tobacco Road''
**21 February
***'' Andy Hardy's Private Secretary''
***'' Nice Girl?''
***'' The Strawberry Blonde''
***'' Western Union''
**25 February
***'' The Lady Eve''
*March 1941
**1 March
***'' Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family'' (Japan)
**7 March
***'' Rage in Heaven''
**8 March
***'' Footsteps in the Dark''
**10 March
***'' Flying Wild''
**21 March
***'' The Sea Wolf''
**26 March
***'' I Wanted Wings''
**28 March
***'' Man Made Monster''

April–June

*April 1941
**4 April
***'' The Devil and Miss Jones''
***'' Ohm Krüger'' (Germany)
**6 April
***'' The Flame of New Orleans''
**10 April
***'' Piccolo mondo antico'' (Italy)
**11 April
***'' Road to Zanzibar''
***'' That Night in Rio''
**12 April
***'' The Great Lie''
**19 April
***'' The Farmer's Wife'' ( Britain)
***'' Hatter's Castle'' ( Britain)
***'' Quiet Wedding'' ( GB)
**24 April
***'' Crook's Tour'' ( Britain)
***'' Penny Serenade''
**25 April
***'' They Met in Argentina''
***'' Ziegfeld Girl''
**30 April
***'' That Hamilton Woman'' ( GB)
*May 1941
**1 May
***'' Citizen Kane''
**2 May
***'' The Black Cat''
**3 May
***'' Meet John Doe''
**5 May
***'' Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It'' ( GB)
**7 May
***'' Sheriff of Tombstone''
**9 May
***'' U-Boat Course West!'' (Germany)
**10 May
***'' Spellbound''
**22 May
***'' Blood and Sand''
**23 May
***'' A Woman's Face''
**24 May
***'' Crook's Tour''
**30 May
***'' In the Navy''
*June 1941
**7 June
***'' Shining Victory''
**11 June
***'' The Gang's All Here''
**13 June
***'' Broadway Limited''
***'' Man Hunt''
***'' One Night in Lisbon''
**18 June
***'' Moon Over Miami''
**20 June
***'' The Big Store''
***'' The Reluctant Dragon''
**25 June
***'' Caught in the Draft''
**26 June
***'' Blossoms in the Dust''
**27 June
***'' Hit the Road''
**28 June
***'' Kipps''
***'' Love on the Dole'' ( GB)

July–September

*July 1941
**2 July
***'' Sergeant York''
***'' The Sea Wolf''
**4 July
***'' A Charming Man'' (Czechoslovakia)
**12 July
***'' The Bride Came C.O.D.''
**18 July
***'' The Shepherd of the Hills''
**25 July
***'' Target for Tonight'' ( GB)
**26 July
***'' Bad Men of Missouri''
***'' Pimpernel Smith''
*August 1941
**1 August
***'' Bowery Blitzkrieg''
***'' Charley's Aunt''
**2 August
***''Major Barbara'' ( GB)
**6 August
***''Hold That Ghost''
**7 August
***'' Here Comes Mr. Jordan''
**8 August
***'' Six Gun Gold''
**9 August
***''Manpower''
**12 August
***'' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''
**15 August
***'' Life Begins for Andy Hardy''
**21 August
***'' Sun Valley Serenade''
**28 August
***'' The Blue Star Hotel'' (Czechoslovakia)
**29 August
***'' The Little Foxes''
*September
**1 September
***'' Lady Be Good''
**5 September
***'' Charlie Chan in Rio''
**6 September
***'' Cottage to Let'' ( GB)
**18 September
***'' Ladies in Retirement''
**19 September
***'' The Tyrant Father'' (Portugal)
**25 September
***'' A Yank in the RAF''
***'' You'll Never Get Rich''
**26 September
***'' Hold Back the Dawn''
***'' It Started with Eve''

October–December

*October 1941
**2 October
***'' Honky Tonk''
***'' One Foot in Heaven''
**8 October
***'' 49th Parallel''
***'' Week-End in Havana''
**10 October
***'' Never Give a Sucker an Even Break''
**17 October
***'' The Devil and Daniel Webster''
***'' Jesse James at Bay''
**18 October
***'' The Maltese Falcon''
**22 October
***'' You Belong to Me''
**23 October
***'' Dumbo''
**24 October
***'' Spooks Run Wild''
**25 October
***'' The Tell-Tale Heart''
**28 October
***'' How Green Was My Valley''
**31 October
***'' The Chocolate Soldier''
*November 1941
**7 November
***'' Unexpected Uncle''
**14 November
***'' I Wake Up Screaming''
***'' Suspicion''
**15 November
***'' Blues in the Night''
**21 November
***'' Look Who's Laughing''
***'' Shadow of the Thin Man''
***'' Skylark''
***'' They Died with Their Boots On''
**27 November
***'' Stormy Waters'' (France)
**28 November
***'' The Corsican Brothers''
***'' Keep 'Em Flying''
*December 1941
**1 December
***'' The 47 Ronin'' (Part 1) (Japan)
***'' Tarzan's Secret Treasure''
**2 December
***'' Ball of Fire''
**5 December
***'' Mr. Bug Goes to Town''
**12 December
***''Among the Living''
***'' Red River Valley''
***'' The Wolf Man''
**18 December
***'' H.M. Pulham, Esq.''
***'' Kathleen''
**21 December
***'' The Heavenly Play'' (Sweden)
**25 December
***''Louisiana Purchase''
***'' The Shanghai Gesture''
**26 December
***'' Hellzapoppin'''
***'' The Sausage-Maker Who Disappeared'' (Norway)

Notable films released in 1941

United States unless stated

#

*'' The 47 Ronin'' (Genroku chushingura), directed by Kenji Mizoguchi – (Japan)
*'' 49th Parallel'', directed by Michael Powell, starring Leslie Howard (actor), Leslie Howard and Laurence Olivier – ( GB)

A

*'' Adam Had Four Sons'', starring Ingrid Bergman and Warner Baxter
*''Among the Living'', starring Albert Dekker and Susan Hayward
*'' Andy Hardy's Private Secretary'', starring Mickey Rooney

B

*''Babes on Broadway'', directed by Busby Berkeley, starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
*'' Back Street'', starring Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan
*'' Bad Men of Missouri'', starring Dennis Morgan and Jane Wyman
*'' Ball of Fire'', directed by Howard Hawks, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
*'' The Big Store'', starring the Marx Brothers, Margaret Dumont, Tony Martin (entertainer), Tony Martin
*'' The Black Cat'', starring Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi
*'' Blood and Sand'', starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Rita Hayworth
*'' Blossoms in the Dust'', starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon
*'' The Blue Star Hotel'' (Hotel Modrá hvězda), directed by Martin Frič – (Czechoslovakia)
*'' Blues in the Night'', starring Priscilla Lane and Betty Field
*'' Bowery Blitzkrieg'', starring the East Side Kids
*'' The Bride Came C.O.D.'', starring James Cagney and Bette Davis
*'' Broadway Limited'', starring Victor McLaglen, Dennis O'Keefe, Patsy Kelly
*'' Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family'', directed by Yasujirō Ozu – (Japan)
*'' Buck Privates'', starring Abbott and Costello

C

*'' Caught in the Draft'', starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour
*'' Charlie Chan in Rio'', starring Sidney Toler
*'' Charley's Aunt'', starring Jack Benny
*'' A Charming Man'' (Roztomilý člověk), directed by Martin Frič – (Czechoslovakia)
*'' The Chocolate Soldier'', starring Nelson Eddy
*''Churchill's Island'' (La Forteresse de Churchill) – (List of Canadian films#1940s, Canada)
*'' Citizen Kane'', directed by and starring Orson Welles, with Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Dorothy Comingore, Ray Collins (actor), Ray Collins
*'' The Corsican Brothers'', starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
*'' Cottage to Let'', directed by Anthony Asquith, starring Leslie Banks, Alastair Sim, John Mills – ( GB)
*'' Crook's Tour'', starring Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne
*''Cuando los hijos se van (1941 film), Cuando los hijos se van'' (When Children Leave Home) – (List of Mexican films of 1941, Mexico)

D

*'' The Devil and Daniel Webster'' (aka ''All That Money Can Buy''), starring Walter Huston and Edward Arnold (actor), Edward Arnold
*'' The Devil and Miss Jones'', starring Jean Arthur and Robert Cummings
*'' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'', starring Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman
*'' Dumbo'', animated film from Walt Disney

F

*'' The Face Behind the Mask'', starring Peter Lorre
*'' The Farmer's Wife'', starring Basil Sydney
*'' Footsteps in the Dark'', starring Errol Flynn
*'' The Flame of New Orleans'', starring Marlene Dietrich
*'' Flying Wild'', starring the East Side Kids
*''Freedom Radio'', directed by Anthony Asquith – ( GB)

G

*'' The Gang's All Here'', starring Frankie Darro and Mantan Moreland
*''The Ghost of St. Michael's'', starring Will Hay and Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1914), Charles Hawtrey – ( GB)
*'' The Great Lie'', starring Mary Astor and Bette Davis

H

*'' H.M. Pulham, Esq.'', starring Hedy Lamarr and Robert Young (actor), Robert Young
*''The Hard Life of an Adventurer'' (Těžký život dobrodruha) – (Czechoslovakia)
*'' Hatter's Castle'', starring Robert Newton and Deborah Kerr – ( Britain)
*'' The Heavenly Play'' (Himlaspelet), directed by Alf Sjöberg – (Sweden)
*'' Hellzapoppin''', starring Ole Olsen (comedian), Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson
*'' Here Comes Mr. Jordan'', starring Robert Montgomery (actor), Robert Montgomery
*'' High Sierra'', starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart
*'' Hit the Road'', starring the Dead End Kids
*'' Hold Back the Dawn'', starring Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland and Paulette Goddard
*''Hold That Ghost'', starring Abbott and Costello
*'' Honky Tonk'', starring Clark Gable and Lana Turner
*'' How Green Was My Valley'', directed by John Ford, starring Walter Pidgeon and Maureen O'Hara – winner of 5 14th Academy Awards, Academy Awards

I

*'' I Wake Up Screaming'', starring Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis
*'' I Wanted Wings'', starring Ray Milland, William Holden, Veronica Lake, Brian Donlevy
*'' In the Navy'', starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
*'' Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It'', starring Gordon Harker and Alastair Sim – ( GB)
*''International Lady'', starring George Brent and Basil Rathbone
*''The Iron Crown'' (La corona di ferro) – (Italy)
*'' It Started with Eve'', starring Deanna Durbin and Robert Cummings

J

*'' Jesse James at Bay'', starring Roy Rogers

K

*'' Kathleen'', starring Shirley Temple
*'' Keep 'Em Flying'', starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
*''Khazanchi (1941 film), Khazanchi'' (Cashier) – (Bollywood films of 1941, India)
*'' Kipps'' (British), based on the H.G. Wells novel, directed by Carol Reed, starring Michael Redgrave – ( GB)

L

*'' Ladies in Retirement'', starring Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward
*'' Lady Be Good'', starring Eleanor Powell and Robert Young (actor), Robert Young
*'' The Lady Eve'', directed by Preston Sturges, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
*'' Life Begins for Andy Hardy'' starring Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden
*'' Life with Henry'', starring Jackie Cooper.
*'' The Little Foxes'', directed by William Wyler, starring Bette Davis
*'' Look Who's Laughing'', starring Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly
*''Louisiana Purchase'', starring Bob Hope
*'' Love on the Dole'', starring Deborah Kerr – ( GB)

M

*''Major Barbara'', directed by Gabriel Pascal, starring Wendy Hiller and Rex Harrison – ( GB)
*'' The Maltese Falcon'', directed by John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre
*'' Man Hunt'', starring Walter Pidgeon and Joan Bennett
*'' Man Made Monster'', starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Lionel Atwill
*''Manpower'', starring Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, George Raft
*'' Meet John Doe'', starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
*'' Moon Over Miami'', starring Betty Grable
*'' Mr. & Mrs. Smith'', directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery (actor), Robert Montgomery
*'' Mr. Bug Goes to Town''

N

*'' Never Give a Sucker an Even Break'', starring W. C. Fields
*'' Nice Girl?'', starring Deanna Durbin

O

*'' Ohm Krüger'' (Uncle Kruger), starring Emil Jannings – (Germany)
*'' One Foot in Heaven'', starring Fredric March and Martha Scott
*'' One Night in Lisbon'', starring Fred MacMurray and Madeleine Carroll
*''One Night in Transylvania'' (Egy éjszaka Erdélyben) – (List of Hungarian films 1901-1947, Hungary)

P

*''Penn of Pennsylvania'', starring Clifford Evans (actor), Clifford Evans and Deborah Kerr – ( GB)
*'' Penny Serenade'', starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant
*'' Piccolo mondo antico'' (Old-Fashioned World), starring Alida Valli – (Italy)
*'' Pimpernel Smith'', directed by and starring Leslie Howard (actor), Leslie Howard – ( GB)
*''A Place to Live (1941 film), A Place to Live''
*''Pride of the Bowery'', starring the East Side Kids
*'' Princess Iron Fan'' (Tie shan gong zhu) – (China)

Q

*'' Quiet Wedding'', directed by Anthony Asquith, starring Margaret Lockwood – ( GB)

R

*'' Rage in Heaven'', starring Robert Montgomery (actor), Robert Montgomery and Ingrid Bergman
*'' Red River Valley'', directed by Joseph Kane, starring Roy Rogers
*'' The Reluctant Dragon'', starring Robert Benchley
*'' Road to Zanzibar'', starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby

S

*'' The Saint in Palm Springs'', starring George Sanders
*''Den forsvundne pølsemaker, The Sausage-Maker Who Disappeared'' (Den forsvundne pølsemaker) – (Norway)
*'' The Sea Wolf'', starring Edward G. Robinson, Ida Lupino, John Garfield
*'' Sergeant York'', directed by Howard Hawks, starring Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan
*'' Shadow of the Thin Man'', starring William Powell and Myrna Loy
*'' The Shanghai Gesture'', starring Gene Tierney
*'' The Shepherd of the Hills'', starring John Wayne
*'' Sheriff of Tombstone'', starring Roy Rogers
*'' Shining Victory'', starring James Stephenson (actor), James Stephenson and Geraldine Fitzgerald
*''Sikandar (1941 film), Sikandar'' (Alexander the Great) – (List of Bollywood films of 1941, India)
*'' Six Gun Gold'', starring Tim Holt
*'' Skylark'', starring Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland
*'' Spellbound'', starring Derek Farr – ( GB)
*'' Spooks Run Wild'', starring East Side Kids and Bela Lugosi
*'' Stormy Waters'' (Remorques), starring Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan – (France)
*'' The Strawberry Blonde'', starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth
*'' Sullivan's Travels'', directed by Preston Sturges, starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake
*'' Sun Valley Serenade'', starring Sonja Henie
*'' Suspicion'', directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant
*'' Suvorov'' – (Soviet films of 1941, U.S.S.R.)
*''Swamp Water'', directed by Jean Renoir, starring Walter Brennan and Walter Huston

T

*''The Tale of the Fox'' (Le Roman de Renard) – (France)
*'' Target for Tonight'', a propaganda documentary – ( GB)
*'' Tarzan's Secret Treasure'', starring Johnny Weissmuller
*''Teresa Venerdì'', directed by and starring Vittorio De Sica – (Italy)
*'' That Hamilton Woman'' (aka ''Lady Hamilton''), starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier – ( GB)
*'' That Night in Rio'', starring Don Ameche, Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda
*'' The Tell-Tale Heart'', starring Joseph Schildkraut
*'' They Died with Their Boots On'', starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland
*'' They Met in Argentina'', starring Maureen O'Hara and James Ellison (actor), James Ellison
*'' Tobacco Road'', starring Gene Tierney
*''Tosca (1941 film), Tosca'', directed by Jean Renoir, starring Imperio Argentina and Michel Simon (Italy)
*''Turned Out Nice Again'', starring George Formby – ( GB)
*'' The Tyrant Father'' (O Pai Tirano) – (Portugal)

U

*'' U-Boat Course West!'' (U-Boote westwärts) – (Germany)
*'' Unexpected Uncle'', starring Anne Shirley (actress), Anne Shirley, James Craig (actor), James Craig, Charles Coburn
*''Unholy Partners'', starring Edward G. Robinson and Laraine Day

W

*'' Week-End in Havana'', starring Alice Faye, John Payne (actor), John Payne, Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero
*'' Western Union'', starring Randolph Scott
*''When Ladies Meet (1941 film), When Ladies Meet'', starring Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Robert Taylor (American actor), Robert Taylor and Herbert Marshall
*'' The Wolf Man'', starring Lon Chaney Jr.
*'' A Woman's Face'', starring Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas

Y

*'' A Yank in the RAF'', starring Tyrone Power and Betty Grable
*'' You Belong to Me'', starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
*'' You'll Never Get Rich'', starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth

Z

*'' Ziegfeld Girl'', starring Judy Garland and James Stewart

Serials

*''The Adventures of Captain Marvel'', starring Tom Tyler, directed by William Witney and John English (film director), John English
*''Dick Tracy vs Crime Inc'', starring Ralph Byrd, directed by William Witney and John English (film director), John English
*''The Green Hornet (serial), The Green Hornet'', starring Gordon Jones (actor), Gordon Jones
*''Holt of the Secret Service'', directed by James W. Horne
*''The Iron Claw (1941 serial), The Iron Claw'', directed by James W. Horne
*''Jungle Girl (serial), Jungle Girl'', starring Frances Gifford, directed by William Witney and John English (film director), John English
*''King of the Texas Rangers'', directed by William Witney and John English (film director), John English
*''Riders of Death Valley'', directed by Ray Taylor (director), Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
*''Sea Raiders'', directed by Ray Taylor (director), Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
*''Sky Raiders'', directed by Ray Taylor (director), Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
*''The Spider Returns'', starring Warren Hull, directed by James W. Horne
*''White Eagle (1941 serial), White Eagle'', directed by James W. Horne

Comedy film series

*''Buster Keaton'' (1917 in film, 1917–1944 in film, 1944)
*''Laurel and Hardy'' (1921 in film, 1921-1945)
*''Our Gang'' (1922 in film, 1922–1944 in film, 1944)
*''Marx Brothers'' (1929–1946)
*''The Three Stooges'' (1933 in film, 1933–1962 in film, 1962)

Animated short film series

*''Mickey Mouse'' (1928 in film, 1928–1942 in film, 1942, 1947 in film, 1947–1953 in film, 1953)
*''Looney Tunes'' (1930 in film, 1930–1969 in film, 1969)
**''Bugs Bunny'' (1941–1964 in film, 1964)
**''Daffy Duck'' (1938 in film, 1938–1968 in film, 1968)
**''Porky Pig'' (1936 in film, 1936–1946 in film, 1946, 1948 in film, 1948–1951 in film, 1951)
**''Sniffles (Merrie Melodies), Sniffles'' (1939 in film, 1939–1946 in film, 1946)
**''Inki'' (1939 in film, 1939–1950 in film, 1950)
*''Terrytoons'' (1930 in film, 1930–1964 in film, 1964)
*''Merrie Melodies'' (1931 in film, 1931–1969 in film, 1969)
*''Scrappy'' (1931 in film, 1931-1941)
*''Popeye'' (1933 in film, 1933–1957 in film, 1957)
*''Color Rhapsodies'' (1934 in film, 1934–1949 in film, 1949)
*''Donald Duck'' (1937 in film, 1937–1956 in film, 1956)
*''Walter Lantz Cartunes (also known as New Universal Cartoons or Cartune Comedies)'' (1938 in film, 1938–1942 in film, 1942)
*''Goofy'' (1939 in film, 1939–1955 in film, 1955)
*''Andy Panda'' (1939 in film, 1939–1949 in film, 1949)
*''Tom and Jerry'' (1940 in film, 1940–1958 in film, 1958, 1961 in film, 1961–1967 in film, 1967)
** ''The Midnight Snack''
** ''The Night Before Christmas''
*''Woody Woodpecker'' (1941–1949 in film, 1949, 1951 in film, 1951–1972 in film, 1972)
*''Swing Symphonies'' (1941–1945 in film, 1945)
*''The Fox and the Crow (animated characters), The Fox and the Crow'' (1941–1950 in film, 1950)
*''Superman (1940s animated film series), Superman'' (1941–1943 in film, 1943)

Births

*January 1
**Simón Andreu, Spanish actor
**Eva Ras, Serbian actress, writer and painter
*January 3 - Derrick O'Connor, Irish actor (died 2018)
*January 4 - John Bennett Perry, American actor
*January 7 - Harvey Evans, American actor (died 2021)
*January 10 – José Greci, Italian actress (died 2017)
*January 12 - Long John Baldry, English-Canadian singer, musician and voice actor (died 2005)
*January 14
**Faye Dunaway, American actress
**Jack Thibeau, American former actor
*January 15 - Geoffrey Beevers, British actor
*January 19 - Putter Smith, American jazz bassist and actor
*January 24 - Neil Diamond, American actor and singer
*January 27 - Jeannie Epper, American stuntwoman and actress (died 2024)
*January 31 – Jessica Walter, American actress (died 2021)
*February 5 - David Selby, American actor
*February 8 – Nick Nolte, American actor and producer
*February 10 – Michael Apted, English director, producer and screenwriter (died 2021)
*February 11 - Sonny Landham, American actor and stunt performer (died 2017)
*February 13 - Bo Svenson, Swedish-American actor, director, screenwriter and producer
*February 27 - Charlotte Stewart, American actress
*March 3 - Rada Rassimov, Italian actress
*March 4
**John Aprea, American actor and comedian (died 2024)
**Adrian Lyne, English director and producer
*March 6 - George P. Wilbur, American actor and professional stuntman (died 2023)
*March 14 – Wolfgang Petersen, German director, producer and screenwriter (died 2022)
*March 16
**Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian director (died 2018)
**Jerry Chipman, American actor (died 2020)
*March 18 - Frank McRae, American actor (died 2021)
*March 20 - Paul Junger Witt, American producer (died 2018)
*March 22 - Bruno Ganz, Swiss actor (died 2019)
*March 24 - David Fox (actor), David Fox, Canadian actor (died 2021)
*April 3 - Eric Braeden, German actor
*April 7
**Cornelia Frances, English-Australian actress (died 2018)
**Danny Wells, Canadian actor and comedian (died 2013)
*April 9 - Hannah Gordon, Scottish actress and presenter
*April 12 - Manuel de Blas, Spanish actor
*April 13 - Michael Alldredge, American actor (died 1997)
*April 20
**David Leland, English director (died 2023)
**Ryan O'Neal, American actor (died 2023)
*April 26 - Claudine Auger, French actress (died 2019)
*April 28 – Ann-Margret, Swedish-born American actress, dancer and singer
*May 2 - Paul Darrow, English actor (died 2019)
*May 13 – Senta Berger, Austrian actress and producer
*May 17 - Grace Zabriskie, American actress
*May 18 - Miriam Margolyes, British-Australian character actress
*May 19
**Nora Ephron, American writer and filmmaker (died 2012)
**Tania Mallet, English actress and model (died 2019)
*May 24 – Andrés García, Dominican-Mexican actor
*May 29
**Nick McLean, American cinematographer and actor
**Bill Weston (actor), Bill Weston, British stunt performer and actor (died 2012)
*June 2
**Stacy Keach, American actor
**Mahmoud Yassine, Egyptian actor (died 2020)
*June 5 – Spalding Gray, American actor and screenwriter (died 2004)
*June 8 - Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, American actor (died 2019)
*June 10
**Mickey Jones, American musician and actor (died 2018)
**Jürgen Prochnow, German actor
*June 17 - Roberta Maxwell, Canadian actress
*June 20
**Stephen Frears, English film director
**Dieter Mann, German actor (died 2022)
*June 21
**Joe Flaherty, Canadian-American actor and comedian (died 2024)
**Lyman Ward (actor), Lyman Ward, Canadian actor
*June 22 – Michael Lerner (actor), Michael Lerner, American actor (died 2023)
*June 25 – Denys Arcand, Canadian director and screenwriter
*June 27 – Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish director (died 1996)
*July 1 - Milos Milos, Serbian-born American actor and stunt double (died 1966)
*July 10 - Robert Pine, American actor
*July 13 - Robert Forster, American actor (died 2019)
*July 17 - Paula Shaw, American actress
*July 18 - Starletta DuPois, American actress
*July 21 - Edward Herrmann, American actor, director and writer (died 2014)
*July 26 - Darlene Love, American actress and singer
*July 28
**Peter Cullen, Canadian voice actor
**Colin Higgins, Australian-American screenwriter, actor, director and producer (died 1988)
*July 29 – David Warner (actor), David Warner, English actor (died 2022)
*August 4
**Martin Jarvis (actor), Martin Jarvis, English actor
**Paul Mooney (comedian), Paul Mooney, American comedian, writer and actor (died 2021)
*August 7 - Franco Columbu, Italian bodybuilder, actor and producer (died 2019)
*August 8 - Earl Boen, American actor (died 2023)
*August 12
**Dana Ivey, American actress
**Deborah Walley, American actress (died 2001)
*August 15 - Lou Perryman, American character actor (died 2009)
*August 26 - Joan Freeman (actress), Joan Freeman, American retired actress
*August 28 - Tony Barry, Australian actor (died 2022)
*August 29
**Ellen Geer, American actress
**Mark Kasdan, American screenwriter and producer
**Orestes Matacena, Cuban-American actor, director, producer and writer
*September 4 - Rochelle Kaffenberger, American actress (died 2024)
*September 18 - Gerry Bamman, American actor
*September 26 – Martine Beswick, English actress and model
*October 6 – Billy Murray (actor), Billy Murray, English actor
*October 9 - Michael Goodwin (actor), Michael Goodwin, American character actor
*October 10 – Peter Coyote, American actor
*October 11 - Charles Shyer, American director, screenwriter and producer (died 2024)
*October 19 – Simon Ward, English actor (died 2012)
*October 20 – Clare Peploe, English-Italian screenwriter and director (died 2021)
*October 23 – Mel Winkler, American actor (died 2020)
*October 24 – Frank Aendenboom, Belgian actor (died 2018)
*October 25 – Gordon Tootoosis, Aboriginal Canadian actor (died 2011)
*October 31
**Mischa Hausserman, Austrian-born American actor (died 2021)
**Sally Kirkland, American actress
*November 1 – Robert Foxworth, American actor
*November 18 – David Hemmings, English actor, director and producer (died 2003)
*November 22 – Tom Conti, Scottish actor
*November 23 – Franco Nero, Italian actor
*November 25 – Tiit Lilleorg, Estonian actor (died 2021)
*November 27 - Tom Morga, American stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor
*November 30 - Sally Douglas, British actress (died 2001)
*December 4 – Leila Säälik, Estonian actress
*December 6
**Evald Hermaküla, Estonian actor and director (died 2000)
**Leon Russom, American actor
*December 8 – Valora Noland, American actress (died 2022)
*December 9 – Beau Bridges, American actor
*December 10 - Fionnula Flanagan, Irish actress
*December 15 - Vladan Živković, Serbian actor (died 2022)
*December 25 - John Capodice, American character actor (died 2024)
*December 27 - Aharon Ipalé, Israeli-American actor (died 2016)

Deaths

*January 4 – Henri Bergson, 81, French writer
*January 10 – Joe Penner, 36, American comedian, actor, ''The Boys from Syracuse (film), The Boys from Syracuse'', ''Millionaire Playboy'', ''The Day the Bookies Wept'', ''Mr. Doodle Kicks Off''
*March 13 – Stuart Armstrong Walker, Stuart Walker, 63, American director, ''White Woman'', ''Great Expectations (1934 film), Great Expectations''
*April 23 – Stanley Fields (actor), Stanley Fields, 57, American actor, ''The Great Plane Robbery (1940 film), The Great Plane Robbery'', ''The Lady from Cheyenne''
*May 8 – Tore Svennberg, 83, Swedish actor, ''The Phantom Carriage'', ''A Woman's Face (1938 film), A Woman's Face''
*May 12 – Ruth Stonehouse, 48, American actress, film director, ''The Satin Woman''
*May 22 – Ida Waterman, 89, American actress, ''Stella Maris (1918 film), Stella Maris'', ''The Enchanted Cottage (1924 film), The Enchanted Cottage'', ''Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley'', ''Esmerelda (1915 film), Esmerelda''
*June 28 – Richard Carle, 69, American actor, ''The Little Red Schoolhouse'', ''Love Before Breakfast'', ''Rhythm in the Clouds'', ''She Asked for It''
*July 25 - Purnell Pratt, 55, American actor, ''Alibi (1929 film), Alibi'', ''Scarface (1932 film), Scarface'', ''The Mystery Squadron'', ''Dancing Feet (film), Dancing Feet''
*July 29 - James Stephenson (actor), James Stephenson, 52, English actor, ''The Letter (1940 film), The Letter'', '' Shining Victory''
*August 13 – J. Stuart Blackton, 66, British-American film producer and director, co-founder of Vitagraph Studios, ''The Glorious Adventure (1922 film), The Glorious Adventure''
*September 18 – Claude King (English actor), Claude King, 66, English actor, ''Behind the Mask (1932 film), Behind the Mask'', ''It Couldn't Have Happened – But It Did''
*October 9 – Helen Morgan (singer), Helen Morgan, 41, American actress and singer, ''You Belong to Me (1934 film), You Belong to Me'', ''Applause (1929 film), Applause'', ''Show Boat (1936 film), Show Boat''
*October 26 – Victor Schertzinger, 53, American director, ''Paramount on Parade'', '' Road to Zanzibar''
*November 2 – Bengt Djurberg, 43, Swedish actor, ''Troll-elgen (1927 film), Troll-elgen''
*December 21 – David Howard (director), David Howard, 45, American film director, ''Daniel Boone (1936 film), Daniel Boone''

Film Debuts

References

External links

List of 1941 films
at IMDb
List of 1941 deaths
at IMDb

List of 1941 births
at IMDb

{{1941 films

1941 in film,
Film by year