Editing Ronald Colman (section)

===Film===
[[File:Ronald Colman still from Beau Geste 1926.jpg|left|thumb|[[Beau Geste (1926 film)|Colman in ''Beau Geste'']]]]
Colman had first appeared in films in Britain in 1917 and 1919 for director [[Cecil Hepworth]]. He subsequently acted for the old [[Broadwest Film Company]] in ''[[Snow in the Desert]]''. While he was on stage in New York City in ''La Tendresse'', director [[Henry King (director)|Henry King]] saw him and engaged him as the leading man in the 1923 film ''[[The White Sister (1923 film)|The White Sister]]'', opposite [[Lillian Gish]]. He was an immediate success. Thereafter, Colman virtually abandoned the stage for film. 

He became a very popular [[silent film]] star in both romantic and adventure films, among them ''[[The Dark Angel (1925 film)|The Dark Angel]]'' (1925), ''[[Stella Dallas (1925 film)|Stella Dallas]]'' (1926), ''[[Beau Geste (1926 film)|Beau Geste]]'' (1926), and ''[[The Winning of Barbara Worth]]'' (1926). His dark hair and eyes and his athletic and riding ability (he did most of his own stunts until late in his career{{cn|date=January 2023}}) led reviewers to describe him as a "[[Rudolph Valentino|Valentino]] type". He was often cast in similar, exotic roles.<ref>Quirk, Lawrence J., ''The Films of Ronald Colman'', Secaucus, New Jersey, 1977.</ref> Towards the end of the silent era, Colman was teamed with Hungarian actress [[Vilma Bánky]] under [[Samuel Goldwyn]]; the two were a popular film team, rivalling [[Greta Garbo]] and [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]].

Although he was a huge success in silent films, he was unable to capitalise on one of his chief assets until the advent of the talking picture – "his beautifully modulated and cultured voice"<ref>Franklin, Joe, ''Classics of the Silent Screen'', p. 148, 1959 The Citadel Press</ref> also described as "a bewitching, finely modulated, resonant voice". Colman was often viewed as a suave English gentleman, whose voice embodied chivalry and mirrored the image of a "stereotypical English gentleman".<ref>Franklin, Joe. ''Classics of the Silent Screen: A Pictorial Treasury''. New York: Bramhall House, 1959. Print</ref><ref>Zito, Stephen F., American Film Institute and the Library of Congress, Cinema Club 9 Program Notes, April, 1973 Post Newsweek Stations, Washington, DC</ref> Commenting on Colman's appeal, English film critic [[David Shipman (writer)|David Shipman]] stated that he was "the dream lover – calm, dignified, trustworthy. Although he was a lithe figure in adventure stories, his glamour – which was genuine – came from his respectability; he was an aristocratic figure, without being aloof."<ref>Morley, p. 65.</ref>

His first major talkie success was in 1930, when he was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] for his performances in ''[[Condemned (1929 film)|Condemned]]'' and ''[[Bulldog Drummond (1929 film)|Bulldog Drummond]]''. He thereafter appeared in a number of notable films: ''[[Raffles (1930 film)|Raffles]]'' in 1930, ''[[Clive of India]]'' and ''[[A Tale of Two Cities (1935)|A Tale of Two Cities]]'' in 1935, ''[[Under Two Flags (1936 film)|Under Two Flags]]'' in 1936, ''[[The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 film)|The Prisoner of Zenda]]'' and ''[[Lost Horizon (1937)|Lost Horizon]]'' in 1937, ''[[If I Were King]]'' in 1938, and ''[[Random Harvest (film)|Random Harvest]]'' and ''[[The Talk of the Town (1942 film)|The Talk of the Town]]'' in 1942. He won the [[Academy Awards|Best Actor Oscar]] in 1948 for ''[[A Double Life (1947 film)|A Double Life]]''. He next starred in a screwball comedy, 1950's ''[[Champagne for Caesar]]''.

At the time of his death, Colman was contracted by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] for the lead role in ''[[Village of the Damned (1960 film)|Village of the Damned]]''. After Colman's death, however, the film transferred production from MGM Studios in [[Culver City, California]] to [[MGM-British Studios]] in [[Borehamwood]], England. [[George Sanders]], who married Colman's widow, [[Benita Hume]], was cast in the role intended for Colman.