George Murphy
Acting
George Murphy was an American dancer and stage, screen, and television actor, as well as a United States Senator. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946, and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1951. Murphy served from 1965 to 1971 as U.S. Senator from California, the first notable U.S. actor to be elected to statewide office in California, predating Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is the only United States Senator represented by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In movies, Murphy was known as a song-and-dance man and appeared in many big-budget musicals such as Broadway Melody of 1938, Broadway Melody of 1940 and For Me and My Gal. He made his movie debut shortly after talking pictures had replaced silent movies in 1930, and his career continued until he retired as an actor in 1952, at the age of 50. During World War II, he organized entertainment for American troops. In 1951, he was awarded an honorary Academy Award. He was never nominated for an Oscar in any competitive category. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946. He was also a vice president of Desilu Productions and of the Technicolor Corporation. He was director of entertainment for presidential inaugurations in 1953, 1957 and 1961.
Known for
Acting63
movieFrank Capra's American Dream
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment! III
1994
(archive footage)
movieThat's Dancing!
1985
From 'Broadway Rhythm' (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment!
1974
(archive footage) (uncredited)
tvMGM Parade
1955
Host
The Hoaxters
1952
Narrator (voice)
movieWalk East on Beacon
1952
Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
movieTalk About a Stranger
1952
Robert Fontaine Sr.
movieIt's a Big Country
1951
Mr. Patrick Callaghan
movieNo Questions Asked
1951
Police Insp. Matt Duggan
movieBattleground
1949
'Pop' Stazak
movieBorder Incident
1949
Jack Bearnes
movieBig City
1948
Patrick O'Donnell
movieTenth Avenue Angel
1948
Steve Abbutt
movieCynthia
1947
Larry Bishop
movieThe Arnelo Affair
1947
Theodore 'Ted' Parkson
movieUp Goes Maisie
1946
Joseph Morton
movieHaving Wonderful Crime
1945
Jake Justus
movieStep Lively
1944
Gordon Miller
movieShow Business
1944
George Doane
movieBroadway Rhythm
1944
Johnny Demming
movieTwenty Years After
1944
(archive footage)
movieThis Is the Army
1943
Jerry Jones
movieBataan
1943
Lt. Steve Bentley
movieThe Powers Girl
1943
Jerry Hendricks
movieThe Navy Comes Through
1942
Lt. Thomas L. 'Tom' Sands
movieFor Me and My Gal
1942
Jimmy K. Metcalf
movieThe Mayor of 44th Street
1942
Joe Jonathan
movieRise and Shine
1941
Jimmy McGonagle
movieThey Died with Their Boots On
1941
Cavalryman (uncredited)
movieRingside Maisie
1941
Francis X. 'Skeets' / 'Skeeter' Maguire
movieA Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
1941
Claudius "Coffee Cup" Cup
movieLittle Nellie Kelly
1940
Jerry Kelly
moviePublic Deb No. 1
1940
Alan Blake
movieTwo Girls on Broadway
1940
Eddie Kerns
movieBroadway Melody of 1940
1940
King Shaw
movieRhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga
1939
Himself (uncredited)
movieHollywood Hobbies
1939
Self (uncredited)
movieRisky Business
1939
Dan Clifford
movieHold That Co-ed
1938
Rusty Stevens
movieLetter of Introduction
1938
Barry Paige
movieLittle Miss Broadway
1938
Roger Wendling
movieYou're a Sweetheart
1937
Hal Adams
movieThe Women Men Marry
1937
Bill Raeburn
movieBroadway Melody of 1938
1937
Sonny Ledford
movieLondon by Night
1937
Michael Denis
movieTop of the Town
1937
Ted Lane
Violets in Spring
1936
Charlie Hall
movieWoman Trap
1936
Keat Shevlin
movieThe Public Menace
1935
Edward Joseph "Red" Foster
movieAfter the Dance
1935
Jerry Davis
movieI'll Love You Always
1935
Carl Brent
movieJealousy
1934
Larry O'Roarke
movieKid Millions
1934
Jerry Lane