Robert Paul Arthur (June 18, 1925 – October 1, 2008) was an American

motion picture A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

who appeared in dozens of films in the 1940s and 1950s.

Biography

After working in radio and serving in the Navy during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Arthur moved to Hollywood, where his first role was as

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, model, comedian, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in ...

'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 Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...

film '' Ace in the Hole'', and in the 1950s television program ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a ...

''.

Personal life

Arthur supported

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and major general in the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve who served as a United States senator from 1953 to 1965 and 1969 to 1987, and was the Re ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 3, 1964, less than a year following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, who won the previous presidential election. The Democratic Party (U ...

. In his later years, Arthur became an activist for gay rights on behalf of senior citizens, and was involved with the Log Cabin Republicans. Robert Arthur died in

Aberdeen, Washington Aberdeen ( ) is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 17,013 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is the most populous in Grays Harbor County and the region's economic center, bordering t ...

, on October 1, 2008, from

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to Cardiac cycle, fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF ...

, aged 83.

Partial filmography

*'' 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 ''Green Grass of Wyoming'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Louis King and starring Peggy Cummins, Charles Coburn and Robert Arthur. The screenplay, written by Martin Berkeley, is based on the third book in the popular, "My Friend ...

'' (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 ''September Affair'' is a 1950 American romantic drama film directed by William Dieterle and starring Joan Fontaine, Joseph Cotten, and Jessica Tandy. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis. Plot Marianne "Manina" Stuart (Joan Fontaine), a prominent c ...

'' (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

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur, Robert 1925 births 2008 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Radio and television announcers Male actors from Washington (state) American LGBTQ rights activists People from Aberdeen, Washington Washington (state) Republicans 20th-century American male actors