Arnold Daly (October 22, 1875 – January 13, 1927) was an American actor, playwright, and producer. He was the father of actress and Algonquin Round Table personality Blyth Daly.

Biography

He was born Peter Christopher Arnold Daly in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, the son of Irish parents Joseph J. Daly and Mary Arnold. His father was an importer of wood for use in cabinet construction. After being expelled from four public schools, he finally left parochial school following the death of his father in 1886. He made his first appearance as an actor in ''The Jolly Squire'', 1892. During his career he claimed credit for a hundred plays, although many were either adapted from foreign plays or written by his brother Joseph. He was noted for introducing the early Shaw plays to American audiences, including '' Candida'', ''

Mrs. Warren's Profession ''Mrs. Warren's Profession'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. The play is about a former prostitute, now a madam (brothel proprietor), who attempts to come to terms with her disapproving ...

'' and '' You Can Never Tell''. The play ''Mrs. Warren's Profession'' was closed after a single showing by the authorities due to its depiction of a prostitute. Shaw was noted for his extremely detailed stage directions, which some actors found overly prescriptive. Daly said "I have acted out every one of Mr. Shaw's stage directions to the letter, as far as I am able, with one exception, and that is where Marchbanks goes 'trotting' across the stage to the fireplace. I'm too heavy to trot as Shaw meant. Three years ago I could have done it, and now perhaps I might do it three nights in six. But I don't dare risk it." With the advent of silent film, Daly became a matinee idol. Between 1914 and 1915, he portrayed the detective

Craig Kennedy Professor Craig Kennedy is a character created by Arthur B. Reeve. Description Kennedy is a scientist detective at Columbia University similar to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Thorndyke. He uses his knowledge of chemistry and psychoanalysis to s ...

in three

Pearl White Pearl Fay White (March 4, 1889 – August 4, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. She began her career on the stage at the age of six, and later moved on to silent films appearing in a number of popular serials. Dubbed the "Queen of ...

serials. He produced and co-directed three Ashton-Kirk films, while also portraying the lead role. Daly was also in the cast of ''The Port of Missing Men'' (1914), ''Idols'' (1916), ''My Own United States'' (1918), ''For Another Woman'' (1924) and ''In Borrowed Plumes'' (1926). In 1916, he produced ''The King's Game''.

Death

On the morning of January 13, 1927, Arnold Daly died after his apartment building in New York City caught fire. His body was later found just feet away from an open window that overlooked a rooftop within easy reach. At the time, Daly was recovering from a serious head injury suffered two months earlier, leading to speculation that this may have a played factor in his inability to escape. He was 51 years old. Daly was survived by his daughter Blyth and former wife, actress, Mary Blyth ( Mrs. Frank Craven). Arnold Daly 002

Partial filmography

*''

The Exploits of Elaine ''The Exploits of Elaine'' is a 1914 American film serial in the damsel in distress genre of '' The Perils of Pauline'' (1914). ''The Exploits of Elaine'' tells the story of a young woman named Elaine who, with the help of a detective, tries to ...

'' (1914) *''

The Romance of Elaine ''The Romance of Elaine'' is a 1915 American silent adventure film serial directed by George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton and Theodore Wharton, based on the novel by Arthur B. Reeve. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Pearl White as Elai ...

'' (1915) *''

An Affair of Three Nations ''An Affair of Three Nations'' is a 1915 American silent film directed by Arnold Daly and Ashley Miller, and produced by Pathé Frères Films. It is based on a story by John T. McIntyre. The film was the first in the "Ashton-Kirk, Investigator" s ...

'' (1915) *'' The Menace of the Mute'' (1915) *'' The House of Fear'' (1915) *''

My Own United States ''My Own United States'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by John W. Noble and starring Arnold Daly, Charles E. Graham, and Duncan McRae. It is based on the short story ''The Man Without a Country'' by Edward Everett Hale. It was d ...

'' (1918) * '' For Another Woman'' (1924) * '' In Borrowed Plumes'' (1926)

References

External links

* *
Arnold Daly portraits
at the University of Washington, Sayre collection {{DEFAULTSORT:Daly, Arnold 1875 births 1927 deaths American dramatists and playwrights American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors