Johnny Arthur (born John Lennox Arthur Long; May 20, 1883 – December 31, 1951) was an American stage and motion picture actor.
Early years
Born in
Scottdale, Pennsylvania
Scottdale is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh.
Early in the 20th century, Scottdale was the center of the Henry Clay Frick, Frick coke (fuel), coke interests. It had s ...
to John William Long and Matilda (née Hertzog) Long, Arthur was a veteran of 25 years on stage before he made his screen debut in 1923's ''
The Unknown Purple''. Arthur's screen personality was nebulous enough to allow him to play the romantic lead in the
Lon Chaney vehicle ''
The Monster'' (1925).
Sound era
With the coming of sound, Arthur developed his first comedic image, an effeminate character in films such as ''
The Desert Song'' (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 th ...
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 musical film, 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 avoid ...
''.
Arthur is perhaps most remembered for his appearances as
Darla Hood's father in
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. 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 and screenwriter, ...
's
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, who also pr ...
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'' (1923) - Freddie Goodlittle
*''
Mademoiselle Midnight'' (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
*''
The Desert Song'' (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'' (1929) - Hero - Performer in 'The Pirate'
*''
The Aviator'' (1929) - Hobart
*''
Personality
Personality is any person's collection of interrelated behavioral, cognitive, and emotional patterns that comprise a person’s unique adjustment to life. These interrelated patterns are relatively stable, but can change over long time per ...
'' (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 Ar ...
'' (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 healthcare professional 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 ...
'' (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
''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, ...
'' (1934) - Clarence Perkins
*''
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'' is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published in the literary journal '' The Russian Messenger'' in twelve monthly installments during 1866. '' (1935) - Clerk
*''
Too Tough to Kill'' (1935) - Willie Dent
*''
The Bride Comes Home'' (1935) - Otto
*''
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan'' (1936) - Mr. Wentworth
*''
Freshman Love'' (1936) - Mr. Fields
*''All-American Toothache'' (1936, Short) - Dental Professor
*''
The King Steps Out'' (1936) - Chief of the Secret Police
*''
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford'' (1936) - Mr. Frankenstein, Process Server (uncredited)
*''
Stage Struck'' (1936) - Oscar Freud
*''
Our Relations'' (1936) - Denker's Beer Garden / Nightclub Customer (uncredited)
*''
Ellis Island
Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York (state), New York. Owned by the U.S. government, Ellis Island was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United State ...
'' (1936) - Kip Andrews
*''
Under Cover of Night'' (1937) - Dr. Busby - Coroner
*''
The Hit Parade'' (1937) - Success-Story Teller (uncredited)
*''
It Happened Out West
''It Happened Out West'' is a 1937 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Earle Snell and John Roberts. The film stars Paul Kelly (actor), Paul Kelly, Judith Allen, Johnny Arthur, LeRoy Mason, Lew Ke ...
'' (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 comedy film starring Joe E. Brown and directed by Edward Sedgwick.
Plot
Newspaper reporter "Scoop (term), Scoops" is sent out on assignment, to investigate the failed assassination attempts on Archduke Jul ...
'' (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
Betsy Cummings takes a job as a secretary ...
'' (1937) - Pedestrian (uncredited)
*''
Every Day's a Holiday'' (1937) - Bit Part (uncredited)
*''
Exiled to Shanghai'' (1937) - Poppolas
*''
Feed 'em and Weep'' (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
*''
Road to Singapore
''Road to Singapore'' is a 1940 American musical film, 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 avoid ...
'' (1940) - Timothy Willow (uncredited)
*''
Scatterbrain'' (1940) - (uncredited)
*''
Li'l Abner
''Li'l Abner'' was a satirical American comic strip that appeared in multiple newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies living in the impoverished fictional mountain village of Dogpatch, ...
'' (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'' (1942) - Minor Role (uncredited)
*''
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour'' (1943) - Hotchkiss (uncredited)
*''
That Nazty Nuisance'' (1943) - Suki Yaki
*''
The Masked Marvel'' (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'' (1945) - Jeweler (uncredited)
*''
It Happened on 5th Avenue'' (1947) - Apartment Manager (uncredited)
*''
I Want You'' (1951) - (uncredited)
References
External links
*
*
Johnny Arthurat Virtual History
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur, Johnny
1883 births
1951 deaths
Male actors from Pennsylvania
American male silent film actors
Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery
People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
20th-century American male actors