Ben Alexander
ActingAbout Ben Alexander
Nicholas Benton "Ben" Alexander III (June 27, 1911 – July 5, 1969) was an American motion picture actor, who started out as a child actor in 1916. He is best remembered for his role as Officer Frank Smith in the Dragnet franchise.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Ben Alexander reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Ben Alexander's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 12% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Ben Alexander remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Mr. Doodle Kicks Off, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Ben Alexander Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Ben Alexander's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Ben Alexander.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Los Angeles Plays Itself | Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | Man in the Shadow | Ab Begley | Hit | Similar → |
| 1954 | Dragnet | Officer Frank Smith | Average | Similar → |
| 1941 | Criminals Within | Sgt. Paul | Average | Similar → |
| 1940 | American Portrait | David | Flop | Similar → |
| 1939 | Buried Alive | Riley | Flop | Similar → |
| 1939 | Convict's Code | Jeff Palmer | Flop | Similar → |
| 1938 | Mr. Doodle Kicks Off | Larry Weldon | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | The Spy Ring | Capt. Don Mayhew | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | The Life of the Party | Orchestra Leader | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | Western Gold | Bart | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | The Outer Gate | Bob Terry | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | The Legion of Missing Men | Don Carter | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | Shall We Dance | Evans (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1936 | Red Lights Ahead | George Wallace | Flop | Similar → |
| 1935 | The Fire-Trap | Bob Fender | Flop | Similar → |
| 1935 | Born to Gamble | Paul Mathews | Flop | Similar → |
| 1935 | Grand Old Girl | Tom Miller | Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | Flirtation | Dudley | Flop | Similar → |
| 1934 | Most Precious Thing in Life | Gideon 'Gubby' Gerhart | Flop | Similar → |
| 1934 | The Life of Vergie Winters | Barry Preston | Flop | Similar → |
| 1934 | Once to Every Woman | Joe | Average | Similar → |
| 1933 | Stage Mother | Francis Nolan | Flop | Similar → |
| 1933 | This Day and Age | Morry Dover | Flop | Similar → |
| 1933 | Roadhouse Queen | Junior Knox | Flop | Similar → |
| 1933 | What Price Innocence? | Tommy Harrow | Flop | Similar → |
| 1933 | The Vanishing Frontier | Lucien Winfield | Flop | Similar → |
| 1932 | Tom Brown of Culver | Cpl. John Clarke | Flop | Similar → |
| 1932 | The Wet Parade | Evelyn's Friend (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1932 | High Pressure | Geoffrey Weston | Flop | Similar → |
| 1931 | Suicide Fleet | Kid | Flop | Similar → |
| 1931 | Are These Our Children? | Nicholas 'Nick' Crosby | Average | Similar → |
| 1931 | It's a Wise Child | Bill Stanton | Flop | Similar → |
| 1930 | All Quiet on the Western Front | Franz Kemmerich | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1928 | The Divine Lady | Young lieutenant | Flop | Similar → |
| 1927 | Two to One | George Minafer as a Child | Flop | Similar → |
| 1923 | The Yankee Spirit | - | Flop | Similar → |
| 1923 | Penrod and Sam | Penrod Schofield | Average | Similar → |
| 1920 | Blue Streak McCoy | Job the child | Flop | Similar → |
| 1920 | The Family Honor | Little Ben Tucker | Flop | Similar → |
| 1919 | The Better Wife | Little Dick | Flop | Similar → |
| 1919 | The White Heather | Donald Cameron | Flop | Similar → |
| 1919 | The Hushed Hour | Gondy | Flop | Similar → |
| 1919 | Josselyn's Wife | Tommy Josselyn | Flop | Similar → |
| 1918 | Little Orphant Annie | Orphan | Flop | Similar → |
| 1918 | The Heart of Rachael | Jim | Flop | Similar → |
| 1918 | The Lady of the Dugout | The Lady's son | Average | Similar → |
| 1918 | Hearts of the World | The Boy's Littlest Brother | Average | Similar → |
| 1917 | A Wife on Trial | Child (uncredited) | Flop | Similar → |
| 1917 | The Little American | Bobby Moore | Average | Similar → |
Ben Alexander - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Ben Alexander?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Ben Alexander is "Mr. Doodle Kicks Off" with a rating of 9.0/10.
How many movies has Ben Alexander acted in?
Ben Alexander has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Ben Alexander?
Other notable films include "All Quiet on the Western Front", "Los Angeles Plays Itself", and "Shall We Dance".