Robert Paul Arthur (June 18, 1925 – October 1, 2008) was an American motion picture actor who appeared in dozens of films in the 1940s and 1950s.
Robert Arthur | |
|---|---|
 Publicity Photo of Robert Arthur | |
| Born | June 18, 1925 Aberdeen, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | October 1, 2008 (aged 83) Aberdeen, Washington, U.S. |
| Years active | 1945-1995 |
Biography
editAfter working in radio and serving in the Navy during World War II,[1] Arthur moved to Hollywood, where his first role was as Rosalind Russell's son in Roughly Speaking in 1945. He soon was signed to a studio contract with Warners and appeared in films including Too Young to Know, Night and Day and Nora Prentiss. He also appeared in the 1949 war film Twelve O'Clock High as the comic relief–providing Sgt. McIllhenny, in the 1951 Billy Wilder film Ace in the Hole, and in the 1950s television program The Lone Ranger. Arthur was known for playing youthful teenage or young adult roles.
Arthur supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election.[2]
In his later years, Arthur became an activist for gay rights on behalf of senior citizens, and was involved with the Log Cabin Republicans.[3]
Robert Arthur died in Aberdeen, Washington, on October 1, 2008, from heart failure, aged 83.
Partial filmography
edit- Roughly Speaking (1945) - Frankie at 17
- Mildred Pierce (1945) - High School Boy (uncredited)
- Danger Signal (1945) - Hotel Boy (uncredited)
- Too Young to Know (1945) - Jimmy
- Her Kind of Man (1946) - Copy Boy (uncredited)
- Night and Day (1946) - Customer (uncredited)
- Nobody Lives Forever (1946) - Bellhop (uncredited)
- Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (1946) - Harry Townsend
- Nora Prentiss (1947) - Gregory Talbot
- The Devil on Wheels (1947) - Todd Powell
- Mother Wore Tights (1947) - Bob Clarkman
- Green Grass of Wyoming (1948) - Ken McLaughlin
- Yellow Sky (1948) - Bull Run
- Mother Is a Freshman (1949) - Beaumont Jackson
- You're My Everything (1949) - Harold - College Boy in "Heart of a Co-Ed"
- Twelve O'Clock High (1949) - Sgt. McIllhenny
- September Affair (1950) - David Lawrence Jr
- Air Cadet (1951) - Walt Carver
- Ace in the Hole (1951) - Herbie Cook
- On the Loose (1951) - Larry Lindsay
- Belles on Their Toes (1952) - Frank Gilbreth, Jr.
- The Ring (1952) - Billy Smith
- Just For You (1952) - Jerry Blake
- The System (1953) - Rex Merrick
- Young Bess (1953) - Barnaby
- Take the High Ground! (1953) - Donald Quentin Dover IV
- Return from the Sea (1954) - Porter
- Top of the World (1955) - Lt. Skip McGuire
- The Desperados Are in Town (1956) - Lonny Kesh
- Three Violent People (1956) - One-Legged Confederate Soldier (uncredited)
- Hellcats of the Navy (1957) - Freddy Warren
- Young and Wild (1958) - Jerry Coltrin
- Wild Youth (1960) - Frankie
References
edit- ^ "Actor Robert Arthur Dies at 83", Variety, October 15, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics. ISBN 9781107650282.
- ^ "Passings". Los Angeles Times. 6 October 2008. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
External links
edit
- Robert Arthur at IMDb
- Robert Arthur at Find a Grave
- Dennis, Jeffery P. (2006), Queering Teen Culture: All-American Boys and Same-Sex Desire in Film and Television, Haworth Press, ISBN 1-56023-349-4