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 Scottdale is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Early in the 20th century, Scottdale was the center of the Frick coke interests. It had steel and iron pipe mills, brass and silver works, a casket facto ...

, 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 co ...

'' (1929), '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1930), ''

Penrod and Sam Penrod and Sam may refer to: * ''Penrod and Sam'' (novel), a 1916 novel by Booth Tarkington, and films based on it: ** ''Penrod and Sam'' (1923 film) ** ''Penrod and Sam'' (1931 film) ** ''Penrod and Sam'' (1937 film) {{disambiguation ...

'' (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'', as well as big budget pictures like ''Crime and Punishment'' and ''

Road to Singapore ''Road to Singapore'' is a 1940 American semi-musical comedy film directed by Victor Schertzinger and starring Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope. Based on a story by Harry Hervey, the film is about two playboys trying to forget previous ...

''. 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 Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 10621 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood and Burbank, California. The cemetery has an entrance called the Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation that is the final resting place for aviatio ...

, 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'' (1924) *'' The Monster'' (1925) - The Under Clerk *'' The Tourist'' (1925, Short) *'' Cleaning Up'' (1925, Short) - The Husband *'' My Stars'' (1926, Short) - Johnny *'' Home Cured'' (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'' (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 of Sh ...

'' (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, mos ...

'' (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 ''Going Wild'' is a 1930 Warner Brothers pre-Code comedy film based on the 1910 play ''The Aviator'' by James Montgomery and directed by William A. Seiter. The film stars many musical stars along with Joe E. Brown, Frank McHugh and Johnny Arth ...

'' (1930) - Simpkins *'' It's a Wise Child'' (1931) - Otho Peabody *''

'' (1931) - Mr. Bassett *''Should Crooners Marry'' (1933, Short) * '' Easy Millions'' (1933) *'' Convention City'' (1933) - Leonard Travis *'' Registered Nurse'' (1934) - Ambulance Attendant (uncredited) *'' Twenty Million Sweethearts'' (1934) - Norma Hanson's Secretary *'' Many Happy Returns'' (1934) - Davis *'' Dames'' (1934) - Billings - Ounce's Secretary *'' The Ghost Walks'' (1934) - Homer Erskine *'' Hell in the Heavens'' (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 to ...

'' (1935) - Ralph Twiller *'' Here Comes the Band'' (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'' (1935) - Willie Dent *''

The Bride Comes Home ''The Bride Comes Home'' is a 1935 comedy film made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Wesley Ruggles, and starring Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray and Robert Young. It was written by Claude Binyon and Elisabeth Sanxay Holding. Plot After t ...

'' (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 ''The King Steps Out'' is a 1936 American light comedy film directed by Josef von Sternberg based on the early years of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as "Sisi" or "Sissi", and her courtship and marriage to Franz Joseph I of Austria, after ...

'' (1936) - Chief of the Secret Police *'' The Ex-Mrs. Bradford'' (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 m ...

'' (1936) - Kip Andrews *'' Under Cover of Night'' (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'' (1937) - Plotter (uncredited) *'' Something to Sing About'' (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 ...

'' (1937) - Pedestrian (uncredited) *'' Every Day's a Holiday'' (1937) - Bit Part (uncredited) *'' Exiled to Shanghai'' (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, and ...

'' (1938, Short) - Johnny Hood, Darla's Father *'' One Wild Night'' (1938) - Murgatroyd (uncredited) *'' Danger on the Air'' (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'' (1938) - Tootsies - Car Rental Man (uncredited) *'' Jeepers Creepers'' (1939) - Peabody *''

'' (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'' (1942) - Riley - Reporter (uncredited) *''

Moonlight Masquerade ''Moonlight Masquerade'' is a 1942 American film starring Dennis O'Keefe and Jane Frazee. It is also known as ''Moonstruck'' and ''Tahiti Honey''. Plot Two business partners, John Bennett, Sr. and Robert Forrester, are starting to get nervous w ...

'' (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 film wa ...

'' (1943) - Hotchkiss (uncredited) *'' That Nazty Nuisance'' (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'' (1944) - Desk Clerk (uncredited) *'' It's in the Bag!'' (1945) - Finley (uncredited) *''

Follow That Woman ''Follow That Woman'' is a 1945 crime film starring William Gargan, Nancy Kelly, and Regis Toomey. The movie was directed by Lew Landers. Plot summary Nancy spends the evening with her boyfriend at the Downtown Club, a notorious hangout for mem ...

'' (1945) - Jeweler (uncredited) *'' It Happened on 5th Avenue'' (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