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George Murphy
Actor

George Murphy

4 Jul 1902Born
3 May 1992Died
89Age at death
56Credits

Biography

George Murphy was an American dancer and stage, screen, and television actor, as well as a United States Senator. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946, and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1951. Murphy served from 1965 to 1971 as U.S. Senator from California, the first notable U.S. actor to be elected to statewide office in California, predating Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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He is the only United States Senator represented by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In movies, Murphy was known as a song-and-dance man and appeared in many big-budget musicals such as Broadway Melody of 1938, Broadway Melody of 1940 and For Me and My Gal. He made his movie debut shortly after talking pictures had replaced silent movies in 1930, and his career continued until he retired as an actor in 1952, at the age of 50. During World War II, he organized entertainment for American troops.

In 1951, he was awarded an honorary Academy Award. He was never nominated for an Oscar in any competitive category.

He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946. He was also a vice president of Desilu Productions and of the Technicolor Corporation. He was director of entertainment for presidential inaugurations in 1953, 1957 and 1961.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2003Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the BeguineFilm
  2. 1994That's Entertainment! IIIFilm: (archive footage) (uncredited)
  3. 1985That's Dancing!Film: From 'Broadway Rhythm' (archive footage)
  4. 1974That's Entertainment!Film: (archive footage) (uncredited)
  5. 1958Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseSeries (1 episode)
  6. 1957The Thin ManSeries (1 episode)
  7. 1955MGM ParadeSeries: Host (34 episodes)
  8. 19551955 Motion Picture Theatre CelebrationFilm
  9. 1952The HoaxtersFilm: Narrator (voice)
  10. 1952Walk East on BeaconFilm: Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
  11. 1952Talk About a StrangerFilm: Robert Fontaine Sr.
  12. 1951It's a Big CountryFilm: Mr. Patrick Callaghan
  13. 1951No Questions AskedFilm: Police Insp. Matt Duggan
  14. 1949BattlegroundFilm: 'Pop' Stazak
  15. 1949Border IncidentFilm: Jack Bearnes
  16. 1948Big CityFilm: Patrick O'Donnell
  17. 1948Tenth Avenue AngelFilm: Steve Abbutt
  18. 1947CynthiaFilm: Larry Bishop
  19. 1947The Arnelo AffairFilm: Theodore 'Ted' Parkson
  20. 1946Up Goes MaisieFilm: Joseph Morton
  21. 1945Having Wonderful CrimeFilm: Jake Justus
  22. 1944Step LivelyFilm: Gordon Miller
  23. 1944Show BusinessFilm: George Doane
  24. 1944Broadway RhythmFilm: Johnny Demming
  25. 1944Twenty Years AfterFilm: (archive footage)
  26. 1943This Is the ArmyFilm: Jerry Jones
  27. 1943BataanFilm: Lt. Steve Bentley
  28. 1943The Powers GirlFilm: Jerry Hendricks
  29. 1942The Navy Comes ThroughFilm: Lt. Thomas L. 'Tom' Sands
  30. 1942For Me and My GalFilm: Jimmy K. Metcalf
  31. 1942The Mayor of 44th StreetFilm: Joe Jonathan
  32. 1941Rise and ShineFilm: Jimmy McGonagle
  33. 1941They Died with Their Boots OnFilm: Cavalryman (uncredited)
  34. 1941Ringside MaisieFilm: Francis X. 'Skeets' / 'Skeeter' Maguire
  35. 1941Tom, Dick and HarryFilm: Tom
  36. 1941A Girl, a Guy, and a GobFilm: Claudius "Coffee Cup" Cup
  37. 1940Little Nellie KellyFilm: Jerry Kelly
  38. 1940Public Deb No. 1Film: Alan Blake
  39. 1940Two Girls on BroadwayFilm: Eddie Kerns
  40. 1940Broadway Melody of 1940Film: King Shaw
  41. 1939Risky BusinessFilm: Dan Clifford
  42. 1938Hold That Co-edFilm: Rusty Stevens
  43. 1938Letter of IntroductionFilm: Barry Paige
  44. 1938Little Miss BroadwayFilm: Roger Wendling
  45. 1937You're a SweetheartFilm: Hal Adams
  46. 1937The Women Men MarryFilm: Bill Raeburn
  47. 1937Broadway Melody of 1938Film: Sonny Ledford
  48. 1937London by NightFilm: Michael Denis
  49. 1937Top of the TownFilm: Ted Lane
  50. 1936Violets in SpringFilm: Charlie Hall
  51. 1936Woman TrapFilm: Keat Shevlin
  52. 1935The Public MenaceFilm: Edward Joseph "Red" Foster
  53. 1935After the DanceFilm: Jerry Davis
  54. 1935I'll Love You AlwaysFilm: Carl Brent
  55. 1934JealousyFilm: Larry O'Roarke
  56. 1934Kid MillionsFilm: Jerry Lane

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.