Editing James Mason

{{short description|British actor (1909–1984)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = James Mason
| image         = James Mason Studio Publicity.jpg
| alt           = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption       = Mason, 1940s
| birth_name    = James Neville Mason
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1909|05|15||df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Huddersfield]], [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], England
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1984|07|27|1909|05|15|df=y}}
| death_place   = [[Lausanne]], Switzerland
| alma_mater    = [[Peterhouse, Cambridge]]
| occupation    = Actor
| years_active  = 1931–1984
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Pamela Mason]]|1941|1964|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|[[Clarissa Kaye]]|1971}}
}}
| children      = {{hlist|[[Portland Mason|Portland]]|[[Morgan Mason|Morgan]]}}
| relatives     = [[Belinda Carlisle]] (daughter-in-law)
}}
'''James Neville Mason''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|eɪ|s|ən}}; 15 May 1909{{spaced ndash}}27 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was nominated for three [[Academy Awards]], three [[Golden Globes]] (winning once) and two [[BAFTA Awards]] throughout his career.

Mason began his career as a stage actor on the [[West End theatre|West End]], before transitioning into [[leading man]] roles in films during the early 1940s. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films included ''[[The Seventh Veil]]'' (1945) and ''[[The Wicked Lady]]'' (1945). He starred in ''[[Odd Man Out]]'' (1947), the first recipient of the [[BAFTA Award for Best British Film]].

Moving to the United States in the following decade, Mason starred in such films as [[George Cukor]]'s ''[[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|A Star Is Born]]'' (1954) - earning a Golden Globe for  [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]], [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[North by Northwest]]'' (1959), [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[Lolita (1962 film)|Lolita]]'' (1962), [[Warren Beatty]]'s ''[[Heaven Can Wait (1978 film)|Heaven Can Wait]]'' (1978) and [[Sidney Lumet]]'s ''[[The Verdict]]'' (1982).

He also starred in a number of successful British and American films from the 1950s to the early 1980s, including: ''[[The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel|The Desert Fox]]'' (1951), ''[[Julius Caesar (1953 film)|Julius Caesar]]'' (1953), ''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]]'' (1954), ''[[Bigger Than Life]]'' (1956), ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959 film)|Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'' (1959), ''[[Georgy Girl]]'' (1966), ''[[Spring and Port Wine (film)|Spring and Port Wine]]'' (1970), and ''[[The Boys from Brazil (film)|The Boys from Brazil]]'' (1978). Following his death in 1984, his ashes were interred near the tomb of his close friend, fellow English actor [[Sir Charlie Chaplin]].

==Early life, family and education==
Mason was born on 15 May 1909 in [[Huddersfield]], in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], the youngest of three sons of John Mason and Mabel Hattersley, daughter of Joseph Shaw Gaunt.<ref>{{Cite ODNB|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-31418|isbn = 978-0-19-861412-8|doi = 10.1093/ref:odnb/31418|year = 2004|title = Mason, James Neville (1909–1984), actor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NO+BUYER+FOR+MASON+POSTER.-a0243339964| title=No Buyer for Mason Poster| date=2 December 2010| publisher=The Free Library| access-date=7 March 2018}}</ref> A wealthy wool merchant like his father, John Mason travelled often on business, mainly in France and Belgium. Mabel—who was "uncommonly well-educated" and had lived in London to study and begin work as an artist before returning to [[Yorkshire]] to care for her father—was "attentive and loving" in raising her sons.<ref>James Mason: A Bio-Bibliography, Kevin Sweeney, Greenwood Press, 1999, p. 3</ref> The Masons lived in a house in its own grounds on Croft House Lane in [[Marsh, Huddersfield|Marsh]]. (It was replaced in the mid-1970s by flats called Arncliffe Court.) A small residential development opposite where the house once stood is now called James Mason Court.

Mason was educated at [[Marlborough College]] and took a [[British undergraduate degree classification|first]] in architecture at [[Peterhouse, Cambridge]], where he became involved in [[Repertory theatre|stock theatre companies]] in his spare time. He had no formal acting training, and initially embarked upon it for fun.

==Career==
{{More citations needed|section|date=March 2023}}

=== 1931–1939: Early roles ===
After Cambridge, Mason made his stage debut in [[Aldershot]] in ''The Rascal'' in 1931.<ref>{{cite news| last=Russell| first= William| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19840728&id=0_89AAAAIBAJ&pg=2052,4920354| title=James Mason: Star of Magnetism and Menace| newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]]| date=28 July 1984| page=8| via=[[Google News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last=Sweeney| first=Kevin| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DVtVA4EajSgC&pg=PA5| title=James Mason: A Bio-bibliography| publisher=Greenwood Press| date=30 January 1999| page=5| isbn=978-0-313-28496-0}}</ref> He joined [[the Old Vic]] theatre in London under the guidance of [[Tyrone Guthrie]].<ref>Brian McFarlane [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/447497/index.html "Mason, James (1909–1984)"], BFI screenonline; McFarlane (ed) ''The Encyclopedia of British Film'', London: Methuen/BFI, 2003, p.438</ref> While there he appeared in productions of ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'', ''[[Henry VIII (play)|Henry VIII]]'', ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'', ''[[Love for Love]]'', ''[[The Tempest]]'', ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', and ''[[Macbeth]]''. Featuring in many of these were [[Charles Laughton]] and [[Elsa Lanchester]]. In the mid-1930s he also appeared at the [[Gate Theatre]], Dublin, notably in ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' with [[Betty Chancellor]].<ref>Christopher Fitz-Simon, ''The Boys'' (London: Nick Hern Books, 1994) p. 73 et seq.</ref> In 1933, [[Alexander Korda]] gave Mason a small role in ''[[The Private Life of Don Juan]]'' but sacked him three days into shooting.<ref>{{cite book| first=James| last=Mason| title=Before I forget: autobiography and drawings| location=London| publisher= Hamish Hamilton| date=7 September 1981| page=89|url-access=subscription | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sGRZAAAAMAAJ&q=don+juan| isbn=978-0-241-10677-8}}</ref>

From 1935 to 1938, Mason starred in many British [[quota quickies]], starting with his first film ''[[Late Extra]]'' (1935), in which he played the lead. Albert Parker directed. Mason appeared in ''[[Twice Branded]]'' (1936); ''[[Troubled Waters (1936 film)|Troubled Waters]]'' (1936), also directed by Parker; ''[[Prison Breaker]]'' (1936); ''[[Blind Man's Bluff (1936 film)|Blind Man's Bluff]]'' (1936), for Parker's ''[[The Secret of Stamboul]]'' (1936), and ''[[The Mill on the Floss (film)|The Mill on the Floss]]'' (1936), an "A" movie. Mason had a key support role in Korda's ''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937) with [[Laurence Olivier]] and [[Vivien Leigh]]. He was in another "A", ''[[The High Command]]'' (1937) directed by [[Thorold Dickinson]], then went back to quickies, starring in ''[[Catch as Catch Can (1937 film)|Catch As Catch Can]]'' (1937), directed by [[Roy Kellino]]. Korda cast him as the villain in ''[[The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel]]'' (1937)

Mason began appearing in some televised productions of plays, made in the very early days of television: ''[[Cyrano de Bergerac (1938 film)|Cyrano de Bergerac]]'' (1938), ''The Moon in the Yellow River'' (1938), ''Bees on the Boat-Deck'' (1939), ''Square Pegs'' (1939), ''L'Avare'' (1939), and ''The Circle'' (1939). He returned to features with ''[[I Met a Murderer]]'' (1939) based on a story by Mason and Pamela Kellino, who also starred with Mason and whom he would marry. Her husband Roy Kellino directed.
===1941–1957: Leading man status===
'''Second World War'''

Mason registered as a [[conscientious objector]] during World War II (causing his family to break with him for many years), but his tribunal did not exempt him on the requirement for non-combatant military service, which he also refused. He appealed against that aspect of the tribunal's decision,<ref name="Thomson">Thomson, David (15 May 2009) [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/may/15/james-mason Every word a poison dart], ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref> but it became irrelevant once he was included in a general exemption for film work.<ref>Eric Ambler, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/31418 Mason, James Neville (1909–1984)], rev. ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2013.</ref> In 1941–42 he returned to the stage to appear in ''Jupiter Laughs'' by [[A. J. Cronin]]. He established himself as a leading man in Britain in a series of films: ''[[The Patient Vanishes]]'' (1941); ''[[Hatter's Castle (film)|Hatter's Castle]]'' (1941) with [[Robert Newton]] and [[Deborah Kerr]]; ''[[The Night Has Eyes]]'' (1941); ''[[Alibi (1942 film)|Alibi]]'' (1942) with [[Margaret Lockwood]]; ''[[Secret Mission]]'' (1942); ''[[Thunder Rock (film)|Thunder Rock]]'' (1942) with [[Michael Redgrave]]; and ''[[The Bells Go Down]]'' (1943) with [[Tommy Trinder]].
[[File:A Star is Born trailer - James Mason as Norman Maine.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Mason as Norman Maine in ''A Star is Born'' (1954)]]
Mason became hugely popular for his brooding anti-heroes, and occasional outright villains, in the [[Gainsborough Pictures|Gainsborough]] [[Gainsborough melodramas|series of melodramas]] of the 1940s, starting with ''[[The Man in Grey]]'' (1943). The film was a huge hit and made him and co-stars Lockwood, [[Stewart Granger]] and [[Phyllis Calvert]] top-level stars.<ref name="edward">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-moguls-ted-black/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=1 December 2024|access-date=1 December 2024|title=Forgotten British Film Moguls: Ted Black}}</ref> Mason starred in two wartime dramas, ''[[They Met in the Dark]]'' (1943) and ''[[Candlelight in Algeria]]'' (1944), then returned to Gainsborough melodrama with ''[[Fanny by Gaslight (film)|Fanny By Gaslight]]'' (1944) with Granger and Calvert; it was another big hit. He starred in ''[[Hotel Reserve]]'' (1944), a thriller, then did a ghost story for Gainsborough with Lockwood, ''[[A Place of One's Own]]'' (1945). Far more popular was a melodrama, ''[[They Were Sisters]]'' (1945).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=xtGIAgAAQBAJ&dq=hungry+hill+film+box+office&pg=PA209 Robert Murphy, ''Realism and Tinsel: Cinema and Society in Britain 1939–48'', p 207]</ref><ref>Gaumont-British Picture: Increased Net Profit, ''The Observer'', 4 November 1945</ref>

[[Sydney Box]] cast Mason in a psychodrama about musicians, ''[[The Seventh Veil]]'' (1945), as the tyrannical guardian of pianist [[Ann Todd]]. It was a huge success in Britain and the US and demand for Mason was at a fever pitch. Exhibitors voted him the most popular star in [[UK|Britain]] in each year between 1944 and 1947. They also declared him the most popular international star in 1946; he dropped to second place the following year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26173214 |title=James Mason named again as Britain's brightest star |newspaper= [[The Mercury]] |location=Hobart, Tasmania |date=2 March 1946 |access-date=24 April 2012 |page=3 Supplement: The Mercury Magazine |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46266039 |title=FILM WORLD. |newspaper=[[The West Australian]] |location=Perth |date=28 February 1947 |access-date=27 April 2012 |page=20|edition=SECOND |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He was the most popular male star in Canada in 1948.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26631567 |title=FILM NEWS. |work= [[The Mercury]] |location= Hobart, Tas. |date=11 June 1949 |access-date=4 March 2013 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Mason had a relatively minor role in ''[[The Wicked Lady]]'' (1945) with Lockwood, a big hit. He then received his best reviews to date playing a mortally wounded [[Irish Republican Army|IRA]] bank robber on the run in [[Carol Reed]]'s ''[[Odd Man Out]]'' (1947).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49341927 |title=JAMES MASON TOP OF BRITISH BOX OFFICE. |newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]] |location=Brisbane |date=20 December 1946 |access-date=10 July 2012 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=JAMES MASON 1947 FILM FAVOURITE|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=2 January 1948|page=7}}</ref> He turned producer with Sydney Box on ''[[The Upturned Glass]]'' (1947), which starred Mason with a script by Mason's wife. It was not particularly successful. Neither was ''Bathsheba,'' a play the Masons did on Broadway. Mason went to Hollywood for his first film, ''[[Caught (1949 film)|Caught]]'' (1949), directed by [[Max Ophüls]], then played [[Gustave Flaubert]] in MGM's ''[[Madame Bovary (1949 film)|Madame Bovary]]'' (1949). He did another with Ophüls, ''[[The Reckless Moment]]'' (1949), and followed it with ''[[East Side, West Side (1949 film)|East Side, West Side]]'' (1949) with [[Barbara Stanwyck]] at MGM and ''[[One Way Street]]'' (1950) at Universal. He made ''[[Pandora and the Flying Dutchman]]'' (1951) with [[Ava Gardner]]. None of these films were particularly successful.
[[File:Garland Star Born recrop.jpg|thumb|170px|Mason acted alongside [[Judy Garland]] in ''[[A Star is Born (1954 film)|A Star is Born]]'' (1954)]]

'''Films at 20th Century Fox'''

Mason's Hollywood career was revived when he was cast as [[General Rommel]] in ''[[The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel]]'' (1951), directed by [[Henry Hathaway]]. To do the film he agreed to sign a contract with [[20th Century Fox]] for seven years at one film a year.<ref>{{Cite news|title=English Stars Thrive Happily in Unusual Marital Melange|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=6 May 1951|work=Los Angeles Times|page=E1}}</ref> Mason did a film at [[Republic Pictures]] written by his wife and directed by Roy Kellino, ''[[Lady Possessed]]'' (1951). At Fox, he played a spy in ''[[5 Fingers]]'' (1951), directed by [[Joseph L. Mankiewicz]]. MGM hired him to play [[Rupert of Hentzau]] in ''[[The Prisoner of Zenda (1952 film)|The Prisoner of Zenda]]'' (1952) opposite Granger. He was in the lower budgeted ''[[Face to Face (1952 film)|Face to Face]]'' (1952) then went to Paramount to play a villainous sea captain opposite [[Alan Ladd]] in ''[[Botany Bay (film)|Botany Bay]]'' (1953).

Mason was one of many stars in MGM's ''[[The Story of Three Loves]]'' (1953). At Fox, he reprised his role as Rommel in ''[[The Desert Rats (film)|The Desert Rats]]'' (1953), then he was reunited with Mankiewicz at MGM, playing Brutus in ''[[Julius Caesar (1953 film)|Julius Caesar]]'' (1953), opposite [[Marlon Brando]]. The film was very successful. Mason worked with Carol Reed in ''[[The Man Between]]'' (1953), then Fox used him as a villain again in ''[[Prince Valiant (1954 film)|Prince Valiant]]'' (1954). Mason did another film with a screenplay by his wife and directed by Roy Kellino, ''[[Charade (1953 film)|Charade]]'' (1954).

Warner Bros., hired him to play [[Judy Garland]]'s leading man in the [[George Cukor]] directed musical drama film ''[[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|A Star Is Born]]'' (1954). He took the role after [[Cary Grant]] turned the role down. Mason won the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]] and was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]. [[Jack Moffitt (screenwriter)|Jack Moffitt]] of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' praised the film writing, "''A Star Is Born'' is the perfect blend of drama and musical — of cinematic art and popular entertainment."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/a-star-is-born-review-1954-movie-1149092/|title= 'A Star Is Born': THR's 1954 Review|website= [[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date= 3 October 2018|accessdate= 31 July 2023}}</ref>

He went over to Disney to play [[Captain Nemo]] in ''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]]'' (1954), a huge hit which also starred [[Kirk Douglas]]. During 1954 and 1955, Mason was the host of some episodes of ''[[Lux Video Theatre]]'' on CBS television.<ref>{{cite journal| last1=Becker| first1=Christine| title= Televising Film Stardom in the 1950s| journal= Framework| date=1 October 2005| url=https://www.questia.com/read/1P3-1001342431}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}}</ref> Mason appeared with [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Desi Arnaz]] in ''[[Forever, Darling]]'' (1956) then starred in and produced a film at Fox, ''[[Bigger Than Life]]'' (1956), directed by [[Nicholas Ray]]. Mason played a small-town school teacher driven insane by the effects of cortisone. He did another for Fox, the hugely popular melodrama, ''[[Island in the Sun (film)|Island in the Sun]]'' (1957).

===1958–1970: Established actor===
[[File:North by Northwest movie trailer screenshot (27) James Mason.jpg|thumb|upright|Mason in Hitchcock's ''North by Northwest'' (1959)]]
Mason began appearing regularly on television in shows such as ''Panic!'', ''[[General Electric Theater]]'', ''[[Schlitz Playhouse]]'', ''[[Goodyear Theatre]]'' and ''[[Playhouse 90]]'' (several episodes including ''John Brown's Raid''). He starred in two thrillers for [[Andrew L. Stone]], ''[[Cry Terror!]]'' (1958) and ''[[The Decks Ran Red]]'' (1958) then played a suave master spy hunting down [[Cary Grant]] with romantic assistance from [[Eva Marie Saint]] in ''[[North by Northwest]]'' (1959), directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]].

At Fox he had a huge hit returning to [[Jules Verne]] science fantasy as the determined Scottish scientist and explorer in ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959 film)|Journey to the Centre of the Earth]]'' (1959), taking over a role meant for [[Clifton Webb]]. He did a comedy ''[[A Touch of Larceny]]'' (1960) and was [[Sir Edward Carson]] in ''[[The Trials of Oscar Wilde]]'' (1960). He continued to appear on TV shows like ''[[The DuPont Show with June Allyson]]'', ''Golden Showcase'', ''[[Theatre '62]]'' and ''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]''.

He did ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round (film)|The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' (1961), then played Dolores' sexually obsessive stepfather Humbert Humbert in [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s version of ''[[Lolita (1962 film)|Lolita]]'' (1962). He starred in ''[[Tiara Tahiti]]'' (1962), then ''[[Hero's Island]]'' (1962), which he also produced. He was in ''[[Torpedo Bay (film)|Torpedo Bay]]'' (1963).

In 1963 Mason settled in Switzerland, and embarked on a transatlantic career.<ref>Kevin Sweeney. ''James Mason: A Bio-Bibliography'', Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999, p.47</ref> He began to drift into support roles, or second leads: the epic ''[[The Fall of the Roman Empire (film)|The Fall of the Roman Empire]]'' (1964); ''[[The Pumpkin Eater]]'' (1964), with [[Anne Bancroft]]; a river pirate who betrays [[Peter O'Toole]]'s character in ''[[Lord Jim (1965 film)|Lord Jim]]'' (1965); a Chinese noble in ''[[Genghis Khan (1965 film)|Genghis Khan]]'' (1965); ''[[The Uninhibited]]'' (1965); a guest role on ''[[Dr. Kildare (TV series)|Dr Kildare]]''; James Leamington in the [[Swinging London]]-set ''[[Georgy Girl]]'' (1966), a role that earned him a second Academy Award nomination, this one for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

In 1967, Mason narrated the documentary ''The London Nobody Knows''. An ardent cinephile on top of his career interests, Mason narrated two British documentary series supervised by [[Kevin Brownlow]]: ''[[Hollywood (1980 TV series)|Hollywood]]'' (1980), on the silent cinema and ''[[Unknown Chaplin]]'' (1983), devoted to out-take material from the films of Sir [[Charlie Chaplin]]. Mason had been a long-time neighbour and friend of the actor and director Charlie Chaplin. In the late 1970s, Mason became a mentor to up-and-coming actor [[Sam Neill]].<ref>{{cite news| last=Iley| first=Chrissy| title=Put it away, Sam ...| url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/jul/24/features.features11| access-date=17 October 2013| newspaper=[[The Guardian]]| location=Manchester| date=23 July 2006}}</ref>

He was in several episodes of ''[[ITV Play of the Week]]'' and he had the lead in ''[[The Deadly Affair]]'' (1967) for Sidney Lumet (playing a character based on [[George Smiley]] though it was renamed); and ''[[Stranger in the House (1967 film)|Stranger in the House]]'' (1968). He provided a supporting role in ''[[Duffy (film)|Duffy]]'' (1968), ''[[The Blue Max|The Blue Max (1966)]]'' and ''[[Mayerling (1968 film)|Mayerling]]'' (1968) but was top billed in ''[[The Sea Gull]]'' (1968) for [[Sidney Lumet]] and starred as Bradley Morahan in ''[[Age of Consent (film)|Age of Consent]]'' (1969) for [[Michael Powell]], a film which Mason also produced. The movie featured [[Helen Mirren]]'s first major film role, and was Powell's last major film. He also had the star role in ''[[Spring and Port Wine (film)|Spring and Port Wine]]'' (1970).

===1970–1985: Later roles===
[[File:Genterispetto mason+oneill.jpg|thumb|left|Mason in 1975's ''[[The Flower in His Mouth]]'']]
Mason supported Charles Bronson in ''[[Cold Sweat (1970 film)|Cold Sweat]]'' (1970) and [[Lee Van Cleef]] in ''[[Bad Man's River]]'' (1971). He was a support in ''Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!'' (1971) and top billed in ''[[Child's Play (1972 film)|Child's Play]]'' (1972) for Lumet, replacing Marlon Brando. He was one of many stars in ''[[The Last of Sheila]]'' (1973) and played the evil [[John William Polidori|Doctor Polidori]] in ''[[Frankenstein: The True Story]]'' (1973). He had support roles in ''[[The MacKintosh Man]]'' (1973), ''[[11 Harrowhouse]]'' (1974), ''[[The Marseille Contract]]'' (1974), and ''[[Great Expectations (1974 film)|Great Expectations]]'' (1974) and was top billed in ''[[Mandingo (film)|Mandingo]]'' (1975).

Mason's later 70s performances included ''[[Kidnap Syndicate]]'' (1975), ''[[The Left Hand of the Law]]'' (1975), ''[[Autobiography of a Princess]]'' (1975), ''[[Inside Out (1975 film)|Inside Out]]'' (1975), ''[[The Flower in His Mouth]]'' (1975), ''[[Voyage of the Damned]]'' (1976), ''[[Hot Stuff (1971 film)|Hot Stuff]]'' (1977), ''[[Cross of Iron]]'' (1977), ''[[Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries)|Jesus of Nazareth]]'' (1977), ''[[The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go]]'' (1978), ''[[The Water Babies (film)|The Water Babies]]'' (1978), ''[[Heaven Can Wait (1978 film)|Heaven Can Wait]]'' (1978), ''[[The Boys from Brazil (film)|The Boys from Brazil]]'' (1978), ''[[Murder by Decree]]'' (1979) (as [[Dr. Watson]]), ''[[The Passage (1979 film)|The Passage]]'' (1979), ''[[Bloodline (1979 film)|Bloodline]]'' (1979) and as the [[Kurt Barlow|vampire]]'s servant, [[Kurt Barlow#Straker|Richard Straker]], in ''[[Salem's Lot (1979 miniseries)|Salem's Lot]]'' (1979).

Mason was in ''[[North Sea Hijack]]'' (1980), supporting [[Roger Moore]], ''[[Evil Under the Sun (film)|Evil Under the Sun]]'' (1982), ''[[Ivanhoe (1982 film)|Ivanhoe]]'' (1982), and ''[[A Dangerous Summer]]'' (1982). One of his last roles, that of the corrupt lawyer Ed Concannon in ''[[The Verdict]]'' (1982), opposite [[Paul Newman]], earned him his third and final Oscar nomination, for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He had parts in ''[[Yellowbeard]]'' (1983), ''[[Alexandre (film)|Alexandre]]'' (1983), and ''[[George Washington (miniseries)|George Washington]]'' (1984).

Having completed playing the lead role in ''[[Dr. Fischer of Geneva]]'' (1985), adapted from [[Graham Greene]]'s [[Doctor Fischer of Geneva|eponymous novella]] for the [[BBC]], he stepped into the role in ''[[The Shooting Party]]'' originally meant for [[Paul Scofield]], who was unable to continue after being seriously injured in an accident on the first day of shooting. This was to be Mason's final screen performance in a feature film.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4313352.stm| work=BBC News| title=Obituary: Paul Scofield| date=20 March 2008}}</ref> He did appear on television in ''[[A.D. (miniseries)|A.D.]]'' (1985) and ''[[The Assisi Underground]]'' (1985).

==Recordings==
James Mason recorded an album for [[York Records]]. The 13-track spoken word album, ''James Mason Reads from the Bible'' was issued on York BYK 703 in 1971.<ref>Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/artist/552762-James-Mason-6?superFilter=Releases&subFilter=Albums James Mason, Discography, Albums]</ref><ref>Fonorama - [http://www.fonorama.cz/firmy/Y/York.htm YORK RECORDS, Stars On Sunday, BYK 703 JAMES MASON READS FROM THE BIBLE LP 01.1971]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:James Mason and Family 1957.JPG|thumb|Mason and his family in 1957 in the television programme ''Panic!''. From left: son Morgan, Mason's wife Pamela, daughter Portland and Mason.]]

Mason was a devoted lover of animals, particularly cats. He and his wife, [[Pamela Mason]], co-authored the book ''The Cats in Our Lives'', which was published in 1949. James wrote most of the book and also illustrated it. In ''The Cats in Our Lives'', he recounted humorous and sometimes touching tales of the cats (as well as a few dogs) he had known and loved.

In 1952, Mason purchased a house previously owned by [[Buster Keaton]]. There he discovered reels of [[Nitrocellulose#Nitrate film fires|nitrate film]] of some of Keaton's work that was considered [[Lost film|lost]], including ''[[The Boat (1921 film)|The Boat]]'' (1921). He arranged to have the decomposing films transferred to [[Cellulose acetate film|safety stock]], saving them from oblivion.<ref>{{cite web| last=Bailey| first=Steve| title=The Boat| url=https://www.angelfire.com/indie/busterkeaton/boat.html| work=The Love Nest| access-date=19 February 2013}}</ref>

In his youth, Mason was a keen fan of his local [[Rugby League]] team, [[Huddersfield Giants|Huddersfield]]. In later years he also followed the fortunes of [[Huddersfield Town]].<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/I4LsSlWzITA Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20131110102541/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4LsSlWzITA&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4LsSlWzITA&t=1981| title = James Mason - Home James (1972) | date = 26 May 2013 | via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Mason was married twice:
* From 1941 to 1964 to British actress [[Pamela Mason]] (née Ostrer) (1916–1996). They had one daughter, [[Portland Mason|Portland Mason Schuyler]] (1948–2004), and one son, [[Morgan Mason|Morgan]] (who is married to [[Belinda Carlisle]], the lead singer of [[the Go-Go's]]). Pamela Mason filed suit for divorce in 1962 for lack of support, claiming adultery on his part with three Jane Does.<ref>{{cite news|title=Actress Charges Habitual Cruelty|newspaper=Morning World |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2540978/monroe_morning_world/|agency=Monroe Morning World|date=24 November 1962|page=8|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = 2 June 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref> According to their son Morgan and other sources, Pamela herself had had numerous affairs, but due to her attorney [[Marvin Mitchelson]]'s skill, she won a monetary settlement of at least $1&nbsp;million ($9.275&nbsp;million today) when the marriage was finally dissolved in 1964; it was reported as "America's first million-dollar divorce".<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |last= Smith |first= Dinitia |authorlink= Dinitia Smith |title= Pamela Mason, 80, An Author, Actress And Talk-Show Host |date= 2 July 1996 |accessdate= 22 June 2020 |newspaper= [[The New York Times]] |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/02/nyregion/pamela-mason-80-an-author-actress-and-talk-show-host.html}}</ref><ref name=edge>{{cite news|last=Edge |first=Simon |title=James Mason: The Sad Cad |url=http://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/96819/James-Mason-The-sad-cad |newspaper=[[Daily Express]]| location=United Kingdom|date=24 April 2009|accessdate = 23 October 2015}}</ref> As a result of this success, Mitchelson became a sought-after celebrity divorce attorney.<ref name=pleck>{{cite book |last=Pleck |first=Elizabeth H. |date=2012 |title=Not Just Roommates: Cohabitation After the Sexual Revolution |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Aiva6zfP8iAC&pg=PA148 |location=Chicago |publisher=Univ. of Chicago Press |page=148 |isbn=978-0226671031}}</ref>
* Australian actress [[Clarissa Kaye]] (1971 – his death). Tobe Hooper's DVD commentary for ''[[Salem's Lot (1979 miniseries)|Salem's Lot]]'' reveals that Mason regularly included contractual clauses in his later work guaranteeing Kaye bit parts in his films.

Mason's autobiography, ''Before I Forget'', was published in 1981.

==Death==
Mason survived a severe heart attack in 1959.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.thisisannouncements.co.uk/5848658 |title=James Mason: Obituary |access-date= 9 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140109124934/http://www.thisisannouncements.co.uk/5848658 |archive-date=9 January 2014 }}</ref> He died as result of another heart attack on 27 July 1984 in [[Lausanne]], Switzerland,<ref name="WVobit">James Mason Obituary, ''[[Variety Obituaries|Variety]]'', 1 August 1984.</ref> and was [[cremated]]. Mason left his entire estate to his second wife, Clarissa Kaye, but his will was challenged by his two children. The lawsuit had not been settled when she died on 21 July 1994 from cancer.<ref name="simon edge">{{cite news| last1=Edge| first1=Simon| title=James Mason: The sad cad| url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/96819/James-Mason-The-sad-cad| access-date=2 May 2015| work=[[Daily Express|Sunday Express]]| date=24 April 2009}}</ref> Clarissa Kaye Mason left her holdings to the religious guru [[Sathya Sai Baba]], including the actor's ashes, which she had retained in their shared home. Mason's children sued Sai Baba and subsequently had Mason's ashes interred in [[Corsier-sur-Vevey]], [[Vaud]], Switzerland.<ref name="Davies">{{cite news| first= Caroline | last= Davies | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1375863/James-Masons-ashes-finally-laid-to-rest.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1375863/James-Masons-ashes-finally-laid-to-rest.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | title= James Mason's ashes finally laid to rest | work= [[The Daily Telegraph]] | date= 25 November 2000}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The remains of Mason's friend Charlie Chaplin are in a tomb a few steps away.<ref name="Davies"/> Mason's children specified that his headstone read: "Never say in grief you are sorry he's gone. Rather, say in thankfulness you are grateful he was here", words that were spoken to Portland Mason by U.S. Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] after the actor's death.<ref name="Dan Glaister">{{cite news| last1=Glaister| first1=Dan| title=15 years after his death, film star finds rest| url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/mar/11/features11.g21| access-date=4 June 2018| work=[[The Guardian]]| date=10 March 1999}}</ref>

==Filmography==
=== Film ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class="unsortable" | Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| {{dts|1935}}
|''[[Late Extra]]''
|Jim Martin
|
|-
| rowspan="6" | {{dts|1936}}
|''[[Twice Branded]]''
|Henry Hamilton
|
|-
|''[[Prison Breaker]]''
|'Bunny' Barnes
|
|-
|''[[Troubled Waters (1936 film)|Troubled Waters]]''
|John Merriman
|
|-
|''[[Blind Man's Bluff (1936 film)|Blind Man's Bluff]]''
|Stephen Neville
|
|-
|''[[The Secret of Stamboul]]''
|Larry
|
|-
|''[[The Mill on the Floss (film)|The Mill on the Floss]]''
|Tom Tulliver
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{dts|1937}}
|''[[Fire Over England]]''
|Hillary Vane
|
|-
|''[[The High Command]]''
|Capt. Heverell
|
|-
|''[[Catch as Catch Can (1937 film)|Catch As Catch Can]]''
|Robert Leyland
|
|-
|''[[The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel]]''
|Jean Tallien
|
|-
| {{dts|1939}}
|''[[I Met a Murderer]]''
|Mark Warrow
|
|-
| {{dts|1941}}
|''[[This Man Is Dangerous (1941 film)|This Man Is Dangerous]]''
|Mick Cardby
|aka ''The Patient Vanishes''
|-
| rowspan="5" | {{dts|1942}}
|''[[Hatter's Castle (film)|Hatter's Castle]]''
|Dr Renwick
|
|-
|''[[The Night Has Eyes]]''
|Stephen Deremid
|aka ''Terror House''
|-
|''[[Alibi (1942 film)|Alibi]]''
|Andre Laurent
|
|-
|''[[Secret Mission]]''
|Raoul de Carnot
|
|-
|''[[Thunder Rock (film)|Thunder Rock]]''
|Streeter
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1943}}
|''[[The Bells Go Down]]''
|Ted Robbins
|
|-
|''[[The Man in Grey]]''
|Lord Rohan
|
|-
|''[[They Met in the Dark]]''
|Richard Francis Heritage
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1944}}
|''[[Candlelight in Algeria]]''
|Alan Thurston
|
|-
|''[[Fanny by Gaslight (film)|Fanny by Gaslight]]''
|Lord Manderstoke
|aka ''Man of Evil''
|-
|''[[Hotel Reserve]]''
|Peter Vadassy
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{dts|1945}}
|''[[A Place of One's Own]]''
|Smedhurst
|
|-
|''[[They Were Sisters]]''
|Geoffrey Lee
|
|-
|''[[The Seventh Veil]]''
|Nicholas
|
|-
|''[[The Wicked Lady]]''
|Capt. Jerry Jackson
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1947}}
|''[[Odd Man Out]]''
|Johnny McQueen
|
|-
|''[[The Upturned Glass]]''
|Michael Joyce
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{dts|1949}}
|''[[Caught (1949 film)|Caught]]''
|Larry Quinada
|
|-
|''[[Madame Bovary (1949 film)|Madame Bovary]]''
|Gustave Flaubert
|
|-
|''[[The Reckless Moment]]''
|Martin Donnelly
|
|-
|''[[East Side, West Side (1949 film)|East Side, West Side]]''
|Brandon Bourne
|
|-
| {{dts|1950}}
|''[[One Way Street]]''
|Frank Matson
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1951}}
|''[[Pandora and the Flying Dutchman]]''
|Hendrik van der Zee
|
|-
|''[[The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel|The Desert Fox]]''
|Field Marshal [[Erwin Rommel]]
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | {{dts|1952}}
|''[[Lady Possessed]]''
|Jimmy del Palma
|Also producer and writer
|-
|''[[5 Fingers]]''
|Ulysses Diello
|
|-
|''[[Face to Face (1952 film)|Face to Face]]''
|The Captain ('The Secret Sharer')
|
|-
|''[[The Prisoner of Zenda (1952 film)|The Prisoner of Zenda]]''
|[[Rupert of Hentzau]]
|
|-
|''[[Botany Bay (film)|Botany Bay]]''
|Capt. Paul Gilbert
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | {{dts|1953}}
|''[[The Story of Three Loves]]''
|Charles Coutray
|Segment: "The Jealous Lover"
|-
|''[[The Desert Rats (film)|The Desert Rats]]''
|Field Marshal [[Erwin Rommel]]
|
|-
|''[[Julius Caesar (1953 film)|Julius Caesar]]''
|[[Brutus]]
|-
|''[[The Man Between]]''
|Ivo Kern
|-
|''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1953 American film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]''
|Narrator
|Voice; Animated short subject
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{dts|1954}}
|''[[Prince Valiant (1954 film)|Prince Valiant]]''
|Sir Brack
|
|-
|''[[Charade (1953 film)|Charade]]''
|The Murderer / Maj. Linden / Jonah Watson
|Also producer and writer
|-
|''[[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|A Star Is Born]]''
|Norman Maine
|
|-
|''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]]''
|[[Captain Nemo]]
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1956}}
|''[[Forever, Darling]]''
|The Guardian Angel
|
|-
|''[[Bigger Than Life]]''
|Ed Avery
|Also producer and writer
|-
| {{dts|1957}}
|''[[Island in the Sun (film)|Island in the Sun]]''
|Maxwell Fleury
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1958}}
|''[[Cry Terror!]]''
|Jim Molner
|
|-
|''[[The Decks Ran Red]]''
|Capt. Edwin Rummill
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1959}}
|''[[North by Northwest]]''
|Phillip Vandamm
|
|-
|''[[A Touch of Larceny]]''
|Cmdr. Max Easton
|
|-
|''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959 film)|Journey to the Center of the Earth]]''
|Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook
|
|-
| {{dts|1960}}
|''[[The Trials of Oscar Wilde]]''
|Sir [[Edward Carson]]
|
|-
| {{dts|1961}}
|''[[The Marriage-Go-Round (film)|The Marriage-Go-Round]]''
|Paul Delville
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{dts|1962}}
|''[[Escape from Zahrain]]''
|Johnson
|Uncredited
|-
|''[[Lolita (1962 film)|Lolita]]''
|Prof. Humbert Humbert
|
|-
|''[[Tiara Tahiti]]''
|Capt. Brett Aimsley
|
|-
|''[[Hero's Island]]''
|Jacob Weber
|
|-
| {{dts|1963}}
|''[[Torpedo Bay (film)|Torpedo Bay]]''
|Captain Blayne
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1964}}
|''[[The Fall of the Roman Empire (film)|The Fall of the Roman Empire]]''
|Timonides
|
|-
|''[[The Pumpkin Eater]]''
|Bob Conway
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1965}}
|''[[Lord Jim (1965 film)|Lord Jim]]''
|Gentleman Brown
|
|-
|''[[Genghis Khan (1965 film)|Genghis Khan]]''
|Kam Ling
|
|-
|''[[The Uninhibited]]''
|Pascal Regnier
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1966}}
|''[[Georgy Girl]]''
|James Leamington
|
|-
|''[[The Blue Max]]''
|General Count von Klugermann
|
|-
|''Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn''
|Otto Hoffman
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1967}}
|''[[The Deadly Affair]]''
|Charles Dobbs
|
|-
|''The London Nobody Knows''
|Narrator
|Documentary
|-
|''[[Stranger in the House (1967 film)|Stranger in the House]]''
|John Sawyer
|(also known as ''Cop Out'')
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1968}}
|''[[Duffy (film)|Duffy]]''
|Charles Calvert
|
|-
|''[[Mayerling (1968 film)|Mayerling]]''
|[[Franz Joseph I of Austria|Emperor Franz-Joseph]]
|
|-
|''[[The Sea Gull]]''
|Trigorin, a writer
|
|-
| {{dts|1969}}
|''[[Age of Consent (film)|Age of Consent]]''
|Bradley Morahan
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1970}}
|''[[Spring and Port Wine (film)|Spring and Port Wine]]''
|Rafe Crompton
|
|-
|''[[Cold Sweat (1970 film)|Cold Sweat]]''
|Captain Ross
|
|-
|''[[The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go]]''
|Y.Y. Go
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1971}}
|''[[Bad Man's River]]''
|Francisco Paco Montero
|
|-
|''[[Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!]]''
|Alan Hamilton
|
|-
| {{dts|1972}}
|''[[Child's Play (1972 film)|Child's Play]]''
|Jerome Mailey
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1973}}
|''John Keats: His Life and Death''
|Narrator (voice)
|
|-
|''[[The Last of Sheila]]''
|Phillip
|
|-
|''[[The Mackintosh Man]]''
|Sir George Wheeler
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1974}}
|''[[11 Harrowhouse]]''
|Charles D. Watts
|
|-
|''[[Great Expectations (1974 film)|Great Expectations]]''
|Abel Magwitch
|
|-
|''[[The Marseille Contract]]''
|Jacques Brizard
|Released as ''The Destructors''
|-
| rowspan="7" | {{dts|1975}}
|''The Year of the Wildebeest''
|Narrator
|Documentary
|-
|''[[Mandingo (film)|Mandingo]]''
|Warren Maxwell
|
|-
|''[[Kidnap Syndicate]]''
|Fillippini
|
|-
|''[[The Left Hand of the Law]]''
|Senator Leandri
|
|-
|''[[Autobiography of a Princess]]''
|Cyril Sahib
|
|-
|''[[Inside Out (1975 film)|Inside Out]]''
|Ernst Furben
|
|-
|''[[The Flower in His Mouth]]''
|Bellocampo
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1976}}
|''[[People of the Wind]]''
|Narrator
|Documentary
|-
|''[[Voyage of the Damned]]''
|Juan Ramos
|
|-
|''[[Fear in the City]]''
|Prosecutor
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1977
|''[[Cross of Iron]]''
|Oberst Brandt
|
|-
|''[[Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love]]''
|Narrator
|Documentary
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1978}}
|''[[The Water Babies (film)|The Water Babies]]''
|Mr Grimes<br>Voice of Killer Shark
|
|-
|''[[Heaven Can Wait (1978 film)|Heaven Can Wait]]''
|[[God|Mr Jordan]]
|
|-
|''[[The Boys from Brazil (film)|The Boys from Brazil]]''
|Eduard Seibert
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{dts|1979}}
|''[[Murder by Decree]]''
|[[Dr. Watson|John H. Watson]]
|
|-
|''[[The Passage (1979 film)|The Passage]]''
|Prof. John Bergson
|
|-
|''[[Bloodline (1979 film)|Bloodline]]''
|Sir Alec Nichols
|
|-
| 1980
|''[[North Sea Hijack]]''
|Admiral Brinsden
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{dts|1982}}
|''[[Evil Under the Sun (1982 film)|Evil Under the Sun]]''
|Odell Gardener
|
|-
|''[[A Dangerous Summer]]''
|George Engels
|
|-
|''[[The Verdict]]''
|Ed Concannon
|
|-
|''Socrates''
|[[Socrates]]
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1983}}
|''[[Yellowbeard]]''
|Captain Hughes
|
|-
|''Alexandre''
|The Father
|
|-
| 1984
|''[[Dr. Fischer of Geneva]]''
|Dr Fischer
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{dts|1985}}
|''[[The Shooting Party]]''
|Sir Randolph Nettleby
| Posthumous release
|-
|''[[The Assisi Underground (film)|The Assisi Underground]]''
|[[Giuseppe Placido Nicolini|Bishop Nicolini]]
| Final film role; posthumous release
|-
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1956
|''[[G.E. Summer Originals]]''
|
|Season 1 Episode 2: "Duel at Dawn"
|-
|1962
|''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]''
|Warren Barrow
|Season 1 Episode 5: "Captive Audience"
|-
|1973
|''[[Frankenstein: The True Story]]''
|Dr. John Polidori
|TV miniseries
|-
| {{dts|1977}}
|''[[Jesus of Nazareth (TV series)|Jesus of Nazareth]]''
|[[Joseph of Arimathea]]
|TV miniseries
|-
|1979
|''[[Salem's Lot (1979 miniseries)|Salem's Lot]]''
|[[Kurt Barlow#Straker|Richard K. Straker]]
|TV miniseries
|-
|1980
|''[[Hollywood (British TV series)|Hollywood]]''
|Narrator
|TV documentary miniseries
|-
|1982
|''[[Ivanhoe (1982 film)|Ivanhoe]]''
|Isaac of York
|TV film
|-
|1983
|''[[Don't Eat the Pictures]]''
|Demon
|TV special
|-
| {{dts|1984}}
|''[[George Washington (miniseries)|George Washington]]''
|[[Edward Braddock]]
|TV miniseries
|-
|1985
|''[[A.D. (miniseries)|A.D.]]''
|[[Tiberius]]
|TV miniseries; posthumous release
|-
|}

=== Theatre ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1933 || ''[[Henry VIII (play)|Henry VIII]]'' || Cromwell || rowspan=6|[[The Old Vic]], London
|-
|1933 || ''[[Measure for Measure]]'' || Claudio
|-
|1933-34 || ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' || Yasha
|-
|1934 || ''[[The Tempest]]'' || Francisco
|-
|1934 || ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' || Merriman
|-
|1934 || ''[[Macbeth]]'' || Lennox
|-
|1947 || ''[[Bathsheba]]'' || David || [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|1979 || ''[[Faith Healer]]'' || Frank Hardy || [[Longacre Theatre]], Broadway
|}

===Radio===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Programme !! Episode/source
|-
| 1950 || rowspan="3" | ''[[Suspense (radio drama)|Suspense]]'' || ''Banquo's Chair''
|-
| 1952 || ''[[Odd Man Out]]''<ref>{{cite news| last1=Kirby| first1=Walter| title=Better Radio Programs for the Week| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2540149/the_decatur_daily_review/| newspaper=[[The Decatur Daily Review]]| date=10 February 1952| page=38| via=[[Newspapers.com]]| access-date=2 June 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>
|-
| 1953 || ''The Queen's Ring''
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Work
! Result
! Ref
|-
|[[27th Academy Awards|1954]] || rowspan=3|[[Academy Awards]] || [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] || ''[[A Star is Born (1954 film)|A Star is Born]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|[[39th Academy Awards|1966]] || rowspan=2|[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] || ''[[Georgy Girl]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|[[55th Academy Awards|1982]] || ''[[The Verdict]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|[[16th British Academy Film Awards|1962]] || rowspan=2|[[British Academy Film Awards]] || rowspan=2|[[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best British Actor]] || ''[[Lolita (1962 film)|Lolita]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|[[21st British Academy Film Awards|1967]] || ''[[The Deadly Affair]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
|[[12th Golden Globe Awards|1954]] || rowspan=3|[[Golden Globe Awards]] || [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]] || ''[[A Star is Born (1954 film)|A Star is Born]]'' || {{won}} ||
|-
|[[20th Golden Globe Awards|1962]] || [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama]] || ''[[Lolita (1962 film)|Lolita]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|[[40th Golden Globe Awards|1982]] || [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture]] || rowspan=2|''[[The Verdict]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
|1982 || [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]] || Best Supporting Actor || {{nom}}
|-
|1954 || rowspan=2|[[New York Film Critics Circle]] || rowspan=2|Best Actor || ''A Star is Born'' || {{nom}}
|-
|1957 || ''Child's Play''|| {{nom}}
|-
|1953 || [[National Board of Review]] || Best Actor || ''Face to Face'' / ''Julius Caesar'' <br /> ''The Desert Rats'' / ''The Man Between'' || {{won}}
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|title=The Films of James Mason|author1-first=Clive|author1-last=Hirschhorn|publisher=Citadel Press|year=1977|isbn=9780806505848}}
* {{cite book|title=James Mason: Odd Man Out|author1-first=Sheridan|author1-last=Morley|publisher=Orion Publishing Group|year=1989|isbn=9780297793236}}

==External links==
{{commons|James Mason}}
* {{AFI person | 77955-James-Mason }}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* [http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays_all?forename=James&amp;surname=MASON&amp;job=Actor&amp;pid=348&image_view=Yesamp;x=19amp;y=17 Performances listed in Theatre Archive University of Bristol]
* {{IBDB name}}
* [http://www.virtual-history.com/movie/person/245/james-mason Literature on James Mason]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009mtqp James Mason] interview on BBC Radio 4 ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'', 26 September 1981
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006161714/http://www.thegreatcat.org/famous-cat-lovers/famous-cat-lovers-actors-actresses-movie-celebrities/james-neville-mason-1909-1984-british/ |date=6 October 2017 |title=James Mason's Cats }}

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for James Mason
|list =
{{GoldenGlobeBestActorMotionPictureMusicalComedy 1950–1960}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Actor}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2010}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, James}}
[[Category:James Mason family]]
[[Category:1909 births]]
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Alumni of Peterhouse, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners]]
[[Category:English conscientious objectors]]
[[Category:English expatriate male actors in the United States]]
[[Category:English expatriates in Switzerland]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Huddersfield]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players]]
[[Category:People educated at Marlborough College]]
[[Category:United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees goodwill ambassadors]]
[[Category:York Records artists]]