Johnny Arthur (born John Lennox Arthur Williams; May 20, 1883 – December 31, 1951) was an American stage and motion picture actor.

Early years

Born in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, Arthur was a veteran of twenty-five years on stage before he made his screen debut in 1923's ''

The Unknown Purple ''The Unknown Purple'' is a lost 1923 American silent mystery film that was written and directed by Roland West.Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

vehicle '' The Monster'' (1925).

Talkie era

With the coming of sound, Arthur developed his first comedic image, an effeminate character in films such as ''

The Desert Song ''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colo ...

'' (1929), '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1930), '' Penrod and Sam'' (1931) and '' The Ghost Walks'' (1934). When the

Production Code The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...

took effect on July 1, 1934, the overtly homosexual characters played by Arthur were toned down in Hollywood movies. He spent the rest of the 1930s playing fussy characters. This served him well in low-budget films like ''The Natzy Nuisance'', ''Ellis Island'' and ''

Danger on the Air ''Danger on the Air'' is a 1938 American mystery film directed by Otis Garrett. The film was based on the novel ''Death Catches Up with Mr. Kluck'' by author Xanthippe. Plot summary Nan Grey, as Christina "Steenie" MacCorkle, a radio advertising ...

'', as well as big budget pictures like ''Crime and Punishment'' and '' Road to Singapore''. Arthur is perhaps most remembered for his appearances as

Darla Hood Darla Jean Hood (November 8, 1931 – June 13, 1979) was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the ''Our Gang'' series from 1935 to 1941. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of music teacher Elizabeth Da ...

's father in

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the ...

shorts. Most of his later roles were unbilled bits, with the notable exception of the 1942 serial, ''The Masked Marvel''.

Death

Arthur died on December 31, 1951, at the Motion Picture Country Home. He was buried at the charitable expense of the Motion Picture Fund in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, but left in an unmarked grave for 60 years until the Friends of ''Dearly Departed Tours'' and ''Findadeath.com'' raised the funds for a gravestone and placed one in November 2012.

Selected filmography

*''

The Unknown Purple ''The Unknown Purple'' is a lost 1923 American silent mystery film that was written and directed by Roland West.Mademoiselle Midnight ''Mademoiselle Midnight'' is a 1924 American silent drama film starring Mae Murray and directed by Murray's then husband, Robert Z. Leonard. The film was written by Carl Harbaugh and John Russell. The film was the final release of Metro under ...

'' (1924) - Carlos de Quiros *''

Daring Love ''Daring Love'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Rowland G. Edwards and starring Elaine Hammerstein, Huntley Gordon and Walter Long.Munden p.170 Cast * Elaine Hammerstein as Bob * Huntley Gordon as Jaohn Stedman * Walter Long ...

'' (1924) *'' The Monster'' (1925) - The Under Clerk *'' The Tourist'' (1925, Short) *'' Cleaning Up'' (1925, Short) - The Husband *''

My Stars ''My Stars'' is a 1926 American comedy film directed by Roscoe Arbuckle. Cast * Johnny Arthur as The Boy * Florence Lee as His Mother * Virginia Vance as The Girl * George Davis as The Butler * Glen Cavender as The Gardener See also * Fatt ...

'' (1926, Short) - Johnny *''

Home Cured ''Home Cured'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Roscoe Arbuckle. Although Arbuckle was acquitted in the third trial for the death of Virginia Rappe, he could not obtain work in Hollywood under his own name, so he adopted th ...

'' (1926, Short) - The Hypochondriac *''Honest Injun'' (1926, Short) - Johnny Peppercorn *''Open House'' (1926, Short) - Mr. Brown *''The Humdinger'' (1926, Short) - Johnny - the Small Town Boob *''Close Shaves'' (1926, Short) - The Barber *''Wedding Yells'' (1927, Short) - The Groom *''The Draw-Back'' (1927, Short) - Horace Hayseed *''Her Husky Hero'' (1927, Short) - The Henpecked Husband *''Live News'' (1927, Short) - The Young Reporter *''Scared Silly'' (1927, Short) *''Wildcat Valley'' (1928, Short) *''Visitors Welcome'' (1928, Short) - The Husband *''Blondes Beware'' (1928, Short) *''Wedded Blisters'' (1928, Short) *'' On Trial'' (1928) - Stanley Glover *''The Eligible Mr. Bangs'' (1929, Short) - Tom *''

'' (1929) - Benny Kidd *''Hot Lemonade'' (1929, Short) - The Lothario *'' The Gamblers'' (1929) - George Cowper *''Lovers' Delight'' (1929, Short) *''

Divorce Made Easy ''Divorce Made Easy'' is a 1929 American Pre-Code sound comedy film directed by Neal Burns and Walter Graham and written by Alfred A. Cohn, Wilson Collison, and Garrett Graham. The film stars Douglas MacLean, Marie Prevost, Johnny Arthur, Fr ...

'' (1929) - Percy Deering *''A Hint to Brides'' (1929, Short) - The Newlywed Husband *''Adam's Eve'' (1929, Short) *''

The Show of Shows ''The Show of Shows'' is a 1929 American pre-Code musical revue film directed by John G. Adolfi and distributed by Warner Bros. The all-talking Vitaphone production cost $850,000 and was shot almost entirely in Technicolor. ''The Show o ...

'' (1929) - Hero - Performer in 'The Pirate' *'' The Aviator'' (1929) - Hobart *''

Personality Personality is the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that are formed from biological and environmental factors, and which change over time. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, ...

'' (1930) - Sandy Jenkins *'' She Couldn't Say No'' (1930) - Tommy Blake *''Scrappily Married'' (1930, Short) *''Down with Husbands'' (1930, Short) - Henry Sweet *''Paper Hanging with Johnny Arthur'' (1930, Short) - Johnny *'' Cheer Up and Smile'' (1930) - Andy *'' Going Wild'' (1930) - Simpkins *'' It's a Wise Child'' (1931) - Otho Peabody *'' Penrod and Sam'' (1931) - Mr. Bassett *''Should Crooners Marry'' (1933, Short) * '' Easy Millions'' (1933) *'' Convention City'' (1933) - Leonard Travis *''

Registered Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...

'' (1934) - Ambulance Attendant (uncredited) *''

Twenty Million Sweethearts ''Twenty Million Sweethearts'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Ray Enright and starring Pat O'Brien, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, and The Mills Brothers. The film was remade in 1949 as '' My Dream Is Yours''. Plot Ag ...

'' (1934) - Norma Hanson's Secretary *'' Many Happy Returns'' (1934) - Davis *''

Dames ''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the British honours system and those of several other Commonwealth realms, such as Australia and New Zeala ...

'' (1934) - Billings - Ounce's Secretary *'' The Ghost Walks'' (1934) - Homer Erskine *''

Hell in the Heavens ''Hell in the Heavens'' is a 1934 American aviation drama film directed by John G. Blystone and written by Byron Morgan, Ted Parsons and Jack Yellen based on the stage play ''Der Flieger'' by Hermann Rossmann. The film stars Warner Baxter, Conchi ...

'' (1934) - Clarence Perkins *''Hell in Heavens'' (1934) *'' Anniversary Trouble'' (1935, Short) - John Spanky's Father *'' Traveling Saleslady'' (1935) - Melton *''

Doubting Thomas A doubting Thomas is a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience — a reference to the Gospel of John's depiction of the Apostle Thomas, who, in John's account, refused to believe the resurrected Jesus had appeared t ...

'' (1935) - Ralph Twiller *''

Here Comes the Band ''Here Comes the Band'' is an album by Trinidadian Soca artist Machel Montano and his band Xtatik released in 2000. The album's 22 tracks feature different singers on each, with the album covering a diverse range of styles.Birchmeier, Jason " '' ...

'' (1935) - Audience Member (uncredited) *'' It's in the Air'' (1935) - Jones, Photographer *'' Rendezvous'' (1935) - Code Room Clerk (uncredited) *''

Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...

'' (1935) - Clerk *''

Too Tough to Kill ''Too Tough to Kill'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Victor Jory. Cast * Victor Jory as John O'Hara * Sally O'Neil as Ann Miller * Johnny Arthur as Willie Dent * Robert Gleckler as Bill Anderson * Mo ...

'' (1935) - Willie Dent *'' The Bride Comes Home'' (1935) - Otto *'' The Murder of Dr. Harrigan'' (1936) - Mr. Wentworth *''

Freshman Love ''Freshman Love'' is a 1936 sound film based on George Ade's oft filmed 1904 play '' The College Widow'', adaptations of which were filmed twice previously, in 1915 and 1927, and parodied by the Marx Brothers in their 1932 film '' Horse Feathers ...

'' (1936) - Mr. Fields *''All-American Toothache'' (1936, Short) - Dental Professor *'' The King Steps Out'' (1936) - Chief of the Secret Police *''

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford ''The Ex-Mrs. Bradford'' is a 1936 American comedy-mystery film. William Powell and Jean Arthur star as a divorced couple who investigate a murder at a racetrack. This was the last film directed by Stephen Roberts before his untimely death from ...

'' (1936) - Mr. Frankenstein, Process Server (uncredited) *'' Stage Struck'' (1936) - Oscar Freud *''

Our Relations ''Our Relations'' is a 1936 feature film starring Laurel and Hardy, produced by Stan Laurel for Hal Roach Studios. This is the third of three films in which they play a dual role: the first was '' Brats'' and the second was ''Twice Two''. The sto ...

'' (1936) - Denker's Beer Garden / Nightclub Customer (uncredited) *''

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...

'' (1936) - Kip Andrews *''

Under Cover of Night ''Under Cover of Night'' is a 1937 American action film directed by George B. Seitz, written by Bertram Millhauser, and starring Edmund Lowe, Florence Rice, Nat Pendleton, Henry Daniell, Sara Haden and Dean Jagger. It was released on January 8, ...

'' (1937) - Dr. Busby - Coroner *'' The Hit Parade'' (1937) - Success-Story Teller (uncredited) *'' It Happened Out West'' (1937) - Thad Crookshank *'' Pick a Star'' (1937) - Newlywed *'' Night 'n' Gales'' (1937, Short) - Arthur Hood, Darla's father *'' Make a Wish'' (1937) - Antoine *''

Fit for a King ''Fit for a King'' is a 1937 American film starring Joe E. Brown and directed by Edward Sedgwick. Plot summary Newspaper reporter "Scoop (term), Scoops" (Brown) is sent out on assignment, to investigate the failed assassination attempts on Arc ...

'' (1937) - Plotter (uncredited) *''

Something to Sing About "Something to Sing About" (actual title: "This Land of Ours") is one of Canada's national songs, a patriotic song written by folk singer Oscar Brand that sings the praises of the many different regions of Canada. It has some similarities to "Sc ...

'' (1937) - Mr. Daviani *'' Blossoms on Broadway'' (1937) - P.J. Quinterfield Jr. *''

Amateur Crook ''Amateur Crook'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy film directed by Sam Katzman. The film is also known as ''Crooked But Dumb'' (in the United Kingdom) and ''Jewel Thief'' (American TV title). Plot Joan Barclay as Betsy Cummings takes a jo ...

'' (1937) - Pedestrian (uncredited) *'' Every Day's a Holiday'' (1937) - Bit Part (uncredited) *''

Exiled to Shanghai ''Exiled to Shanghai'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Nick Grinde and Armand Schaefer and starring Wallace Ford, June Travis, and Dean Jagger.Dooley p.242 Production Despite its exotic-sounding title, none of the film is actually set ...

'' (1937) - Poppolas *''

Feed 'em and Weep ''Feed 'em and Weep'' is a 1938 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 166th ''Our Gang'' short (167th episode, 78th talking short, and 79th talking episode) that was released. Plot It is Mr. Hood's birthday, a ...

'' (1938, Short) - Johnny Hood, Darla's Father *'' One Wild Night'' (1938) - Murgatroyd (uncredited) *''

'' (1938) - Aiken *''Half-way to Hollywood'' (1938, Short) - Johnny *'' You Can't Take It with You'' (1938) - Kirby's Office Aide (uncredited) *''

Fugitives for a Night ''Fugitives for a Night'' is a 1938 American Mystery film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Dalton Trumbo. The film stars Frank Albertson, Eleanor Lynn, Allan Lane, Bradley Page and Adrienne Ames. The film was released on September 23, 1 ...

'' (1938) - Tootsies - Car Rental Man (uncredited) *'' Jeepers Creepers'' (1939) - Peabody *'' Road to Singapore'' (1940) - Timothy Willow (uncredited) *'' Scatterbrain'' (1940) - (uncredited) *''

Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn b ...

'' (1940) - Montague *'' Road Show'' (1941) - Mr. N - Asylum Inmate (uncredited) *'' Tight Shoes'' (1941) - Chapel Manager (uncredited) *'' Mountain Moonlight'' (1941) - Holbrook *'' Always Tomorrow: The Portrait of an American Business'' (1941) - Larry Larabee *'' Shepherd of the Ozarks'' (1942) - Doolittle *''

A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen ''A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and written by Eric Taylor. It is based on the 1940 play ''A Good Samaritan'' by Ellery Queen. The film stars William Gargan, Margaret Lindsay, C ...

'' (1942) - Riley - Reporter (uncredited) *'' Moonlight Masquerade'' (1942) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''

Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour ''Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Edwin Blum and Aleen Leslie. The film stars Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Diana Lynn and Frances Gifford. The fi ...

'' (1943) - Hotchkiss (uncredited) *''

That Nazty Nuisance ''That Nazty Nuisance'' is a 1943 American featurette that was one of Hal Roach's Streamliners and directed by Glenn Tryon. The film is also known as ''Double Crossed Fool'' (international TV title) and ''The Last Three''. It is a sequel to ''The ...

'' (1943) - Suki Yaki *''

The Masked Marvel ''The Masked Marvel'' (1943) is a 12-chapter film serial created by Republic Pictures, who produced many other well known serials. It was Republic's thirty-first serial, of the sixty-six they produced. Plot In ''The Masked Marvel'', a hero dress ...

'' (1943) - Mura Sakima *'' This Is the Life'' (1944) - Mr. Ferguson (uncredited) *''

Take It Big ''Take It Big'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Howard J. Green and Joe Bigelow. The film stars Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Lane, Arline Judge and Fritz Feld. Also featured i ...

'' (1944) - Desk Clerk (uncredited) *''

It's in the Bag! ''It's in the Bag!'' is a 1945 comedy film featuring Fred Allen in his only starring film role. The film was released by United Artists at a time when Allen was at the peak of his fame as one of the most popular radio comedians. The film has bee ...

'' (1945) - Finley (uncredited) *'' Follow That Woman'' (1945) - Jeweler (uncredited) *''

It Happened on 5th Avenue ''It Happened on 5th Avenue'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Victor Moore, Ann Harding, Don DeFore, Charles Ruggles and Gale Storm. Herbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani were nominated for the Academy ...

'' (1947) - Apartment Manager (uncredited) *'' I Want You'' (1951) - (uncredited)

References

External links

* * *
Johnny Arthur
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur, Johnny 1883 births 1951 deaths Male actors from Pennsylvania American male silent film actors American male film actors Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 20th-century American male actors Our Gang