George Murphy
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.
Filmography
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
Frank Capra's American Dream
as Self (archive footage)
Frank Capra's American Dream
as Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
as From 'Broadway Rhythm' (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
as From 'Broadway Rhythm' (archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration
1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration
The Hoaxters
as Narrator (voice)
The Hoaxters
as Narrator (voice)
Walk East on Beacon
as Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
Walk East on Beacon
as Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
Talk About a Stranger
as Robert Fontaine Sr.
Talk About a Stranger
as Robert Fontaine Sr.
It's a Big Country
as Mr. Patrick Callaghan
It's a Big Country
as Mr. Patrick Callaghan
No Questions Asked
as Police Insp. Matt Duggan
No Questions Asked
as Police Insp. Matt Duggan
Battleground
as 'Pop' Stazak
Battleground
as 'Pop' Stazak
Border Incident
as Jack Bearnes
Border Incident
as Jack Bearnes
Big City
as Patrick O'Donnell
Big City
as Patrick O'Donnell
Tenth Avenue Angel
as Steve Abbutt
Tenth Avenue Angel
as Steve Abbutt
Cynthia
as Larry Bishop
Cynthia
as Larry Bishop
The Arnelo Affair
as Theodore 'Ted' Parkson
The Arnelo Affair
as Theodore 'Ted' Parkson
Up Goes Maisie
as Joseph Morton
Up Goes Maisie
as Joseph Morton
Having Wonderful Crime
as Jake Justus
Having Wonderful Crime
as Jake Justus
Step Lively
as Gordon Miller
Step Lively
as Gordon Miller
Show Business
as George Doane
Show Business
as George Doane
Broadway Rhythm
as Johnny Demming
Broadway Rhythm
as Johnny Demming
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
This Is the Army
as Jerry Jones
This Is the Army
as Jerry Jones
Bataan
as Lt. Steve Bentley
Bataan
as Lt. Steve Bentley
Show-Business at War
as Self
Show-Business at War
as Self
The Powers Girl
as Jerry Hendricks
The Powers Girl
as Jerry Hendricks
The Navy Comes Through
as Lt. Thomas L. 'Tom' Sands
The Navy Comes Through
as Lt. Thomas L. 'Tom' Sands
For Me and My Gal
as Jimmy K. Metcalf
For Me and My Gal
as Jimmy K. Metcalf
The Mayor of 44th Street
as Joe Jonathan
The Mayor of 44th Street
as Joe Jonathan
Rise and Shine
as Jimmy McGonagle
Rise and Shine
as Jimmy McGonagle
They Died with Their Boots On
as Cavalryman (uncredited)
They Died with Their Boots On
as Cavalryman (uncredited)
Ringside Maisie
as Francis X. 'Skeets' / 'Skeeter' Maguire
Ringside Maisie
as Francis X. 'Skeets' / 'Skeeter' Maguire
Tom, Dick and Harry
as Tom
Tom, Dick and Harry
as Tom
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
as Claudius "Coffee Cup" Cup
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
as Claudius "Coffee Cup" Cup
Little Nellie Kelly
as Jerry Kelly
Little Nellie Kelly
as Jerry Kelly
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
as Self
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
as Self
Public Deb No. 1
as Alan Blake
Public Deb No. 1
as Alan Blake
Two Girls on Broadway
as Eddie Kerns
Two Girls on Broadway
as Eddie Kerns
Broadway Melody of 1940
as King Shaw
Broadway Melody of 1940
as King Shaw
Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga
as Himself (uncredited)
Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga
as Himself (uncredited)
Hollywood Hobbies
as Self (uncredited)
Hollywood Hobbies
as Self (uncredited)
Risky Business
as Dan Clifford
Risky Business
as Dan Clifford
Hold That Co-ed
as Rusty Stevens
Hold That Co-ed
as Rusty Stevens
Letter of Introduction
as Barry Paige
Letter of Introduction
as Barry Paige
Little Miss Broadway
as Roger Wendling
Little Miss Broadway
as Roger Wendling
You're a Sweetheart
as Hal Adams
You're a Sweetheart
as Hal Adams
The Women Men Marry
as Bill Raeburn
The Women Men Marry
as Bill Raeburn
Broadway Melody of 1938
as Sonny Ledford
Broadway Melody of 1938
as Sonny Ledford
London by Night
as Michael Denis
London by Night
as Michael Denis
Top of the Town
as Ted Lane
Top of the Town
as Ted Lane
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
as Self
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
as Self
Violets in Spring
as Charlie Hall
Violets in Spring
as Charlie Hall
Woman Trap
as Keat Shevlin
Woman Trap
as Keat Shevlin
The Public Menace
as Edward Joseph "Red" Foster
The Public Menace
as Edward Joseph "Red" Foster
After the Dance
as Jerry Davis
After the Dance
as Jerry Davis
I'll Love You Always
as Carl Brent
I'll Love You Always
as Carl Brent
Jealousy
as Larry O'Roarke
Jealousy
as Larry O'Roarke
Kid Millions
as Jerry Lane
Kid Millions
as Jerry Lane