Victor Fred Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a writer and director, but is best remembered today as a comedian, playing timid, mild-mannered roles. Today's audiences know him as the star of a Christmas-themed movie that has become a perennial: '' It Happened on 5th Avenue'' (1947). Moore plays a vagrant who occupies a millionaire's mansion—without the millionaire's knowledge—while the owner is vacationing.

Career

Victor Moore appeared in 21

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

shows and more than 50 films. His first appearance on Broadway was in ''

Rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native plant, native to the Mediterranean Region, Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was kn ...

'' (1896). He also appeared in

George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudev ...

's ''

Forty-five Minutes from Broadway ''Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway'' is a three-act musical by George M. Cohan written about New Rochelle, New York. The title refers to the 45-minute train ride from New Rochelle to Broadway. The musical debuted on January 1, 1906 at the New ...

'', which opened January 1, 1906, and its sequel, ''The Talk of New York'' (1907). He went on to star in shows such as '' Oh, Kay!'' (1926) as Shorty McGee, ''

Hold Everything! ''Hold Everything!'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Lew Brown and B. G. de Sylva, music by Ray Henderson, and has an accompanying book by John McGowan and B. G. de Sylva. Produced by Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley, the Broadway producti ...

'' (1928) as Nosey Bartlett, Gershwin's ''

Of Thee I Sing ''Of Thee I Sing'' is a musical with a score by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. The musical lampoons American politics; the story concerns John P. Wintergreen, who runs for President o ...

'' (1931) as Vice-president Alexander Throttlebottom, '' Let 'Em Eat Cake'' (1933),

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

's ''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...

'' (1934) as Moonface Martin, and

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russi ...

's ''

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

'' (1940) as Senator Oliver P. Loganberry. Moore often appeared with actor

William Gaxton William Gaxton (né Arthur Anthony Gaxiola, December 2, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was an American star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. Gaxton was president of The Lambs Club from 1936 to 1939, 1952 to 1953, and 1957 to 1961. He and Victor ...

, with Gaxton's self-assured slicker playing opposite Moore's worried friend. Moore's talent was first recognized by screenwriter

Beatrice deMille Matilda Beatrice deMille (January 30, 1853 – October 8, 1923) (born Matilda Beatrice Samuel; also known as ''Beatrice C. deMille, Agnes Graham, Tillie Samuel, Mrs. Henry deMille)'' was an English-American play broker, screenwriter, playwright, ...

. He made his film debut in 1915. He starred in three films that year, two of which were directed by

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...

– ''

Chimmie Fadden ''Chimmie Fadden'' is a 1915 American silent comedy film directed, written and edited Cecil B. DeMille. The film starred Victor Moore in the title role and is based on the play and short story of the same name by Edward W. Townsend. It was f ...

'' and ''

Chimmie Fadden Out West ''Chimmie Fadden Out West'' is a 1915 American silent Western comedy film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It was made as a sequel to '' Chimmie Fadden''. Once lost, a print is now held in the George Eastman House Motion Picture Collection. Plot ...

''. He also appeared in ''

Swing Time In music, the term ''swing'' has two main uses. Colloquially, it is used to describe the propulsive quality or "feel" of a rhythm, especially when the music prompts a visceral response such as foot-tapping or head-nodding (see pulse). This sens ...

'' (1936) with

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

and

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

, ''

Make Way for Tomorrow ''Make Way for Tomorrow'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Leo McCarey. The plot concerns an elderly couple (played by Victor Moore and Beulah Bondi) who are forced to separate when they lose their house and none of their five children w ...

'' (1937), ''

The Heat's On ''The Heat's On'' (1943) is a musical movie starring Mae West, William Gaxton, and Victor Moore, and released by Columbia Pictures. Plot Broadway star Fay Lawrence (West) is a temperamental diva who is reluctantly persuaded by a Broadway produ ...

'' with

Mae West Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...

, ''

Duffy's Tavern ''Duffy's Tavern'' is an American radio situation comedy that ran for a decade on several networks ( CBS, 1941–42; NBC-Blue Network, 1942–44; and NBC, 1944–51), concluding with the December 28, 1951, broadcast. The program often featured ...

'' (1945), ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air ...

'' (1946), ''

On Our Merry Way ''On Our Merry Way'' is a 1948 American comedy film produced by Benedict Bogeaus and Burgess Meredith and released by United Artists. At the time of its release, King Vidor and Leslie Fenton were credited with its direction, although the DVD lis ...

'' (1948), '' A Kiss in the Dark'' (1949), and ''

We're Not Married ''We're Not Married!'' is a 1952 American anthology romantic comedy film directed by Edmund Goulding. It was released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson, while the story was adapted by Dwight Taylor from Gin ...

'' (1952), working with Ginger Rogers for a second time. His last screen appearance was a role as a plumber in ''

The Seven Year Itch ''The Seven Year Itch'' is a 1955 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder, from a screenplay he co-wrote with George Axelrod from the 1952 three-act play. The film stars Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, who reprised his stage role. ...

'' (1955). He worked in film twice with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...

, first in ''

'' (1941) and again in '' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942). In the film ''

'' (1946), Moore enacted the famous " Pay the Two Dollars" sketch (in which Moore is arrested on a minor charge, only to have his lawyer steamroll the case into higher courts). Edward Arnold played the William Gaxton lawyer role. Moore made a guest appearance as himself on ''The

Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin w ...

radio show'' on August 16, 1949, and was a regular (as himself) on ''The Jimmy Durante Show''. In 1945, Moore appeared in the

Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon fictional character, character created for Warner Bros. Cartoons, Leon Schlesinger Productions by animators Tex Avery and Bob Clampett. Styled as an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic American black duck, black ...

cartoon ''

Ain't That Ducky ''Ain't That Ducky'' is a 1945 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng. The cartoon was released on May 19, 1945, and stars Daffy Duck. In the short, Daffy has to outwit a hunter after him — and find out what is in the ...

''. He was so pleased with his caricature he offered to add his voice free of charge—on the condition that the animators draw him with a little more hair.

Personal life

He was married twice – first to actress Emma Littlefield from June 23, 1903, until her death on June 23, 1934, and then to Shirley Paige on January 16, 1942, when Moore was 65 and Paige was 20. The marriage was not publicly announced for a year and a half. They remained married until Victor Moore's death 20 years later. He had three children with his first wife: an adopted son Victor, Jr., Ora Victora, and Robert Emmett. Victor Moore was well liked by his colleagues. In 1915, among the actors' colony in

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th ...

, he established a social group called L.I.G.H.T.S. (Long Island Good Hearted Thespian's Society), based in Freeport. The membership included many show-business notables, including

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dist ...

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...

, and the Ringling Bros. Moore noted that people in show business often had to work during the Christmas season, so he instituted annual "Christmas in July" celebrations especially for actors. Moore died of a heart attack on July 23, 1962. He was 86 years old. He is interred at

Cypress Hills Cemetery Cypress Hills Cemetery is non-sectarian/non-denominational cemetery corporation organized in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, the first of its type in the city. The cemetery is run as a non-profit organization and is loca ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, United States.

Legacy

The Victor Moore Bus Terminal and business arcade at the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...

's Roosevelt Avenue / 74th Street station in Jackson Heights, Queens was named for him when it opened in 1941. In 2005, the arcade was replaced by an Intermodal Transportation Complex serving the same subway and bus lines.

Filmography

Victor Moore in Louisiana Purchase trailer

Silent films

*'' Snobs'' (1915) as Henry Disney *''

'' (1915, Short) as Chimmie Fadden *''

'' (1915) as Chimmie Fadden *'' The Race'' (1916) as Jimmy Grayson Jr. *'' The Clown'' (1916) as Piffle *''The Best Man'' (1916, Short) *''In Society and Out'' (1916, Short) *''He Meant Well'' (1917, Short) *''Did It Ever Happen to You?'' (1917, Short) as Vic *''The Sleepwalker'' (1917, Short) as Vic *''He Got There After All'' (1917, Short) as Vic *''Some Doctor'' (1917, Short) *''His Military Figure'' (1917, Short) *''Ballad and Bologna'' (1917, Short) *''Invited Out'' (1917, Short) *''Moving'' (1917, Short) *''Flivvering'' (1917, Short) *''Community'' (1917, Short) *''Bungalowing'' (1917 short) *''Oh, Pop!'' (1917, Short) *''Camping'' (1917, Short) *''In Bed-In Bad'' (1917, Short) *''The Cow Jumped Over the Moon (1917 film), The Cow Jumped Over the Moon'' (1917, Short) *''

Home Defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...

'' (1917, Short) *''Faint Heart and Fair Lady'' (1917, Short) *''Nutty Knitters'' (1917, Short) *''Toothaches and Heartaches'' (1917, Short) *''The Installment Plan'' (1917, Short) *''The Wrong Mr. Fox'' (1917, Short) as Jimmy Fox *''Oh! U-Boat'' (1917, Short) *''Meatless Days and Sleepless Nights'' (1918, Short) *''He Got His'' (1918, Short) *''Adam and His Eves'' (1918, Short) *''

The Man Who Found Himself ''The Man Who Found Himself'', also known as ''Wings of Mercy'', is a 1937 American aviation film based on the unpublished story "Wings of Mercy" by Alice F. Curtis. The film marked the first starring role for 19-year-old Joan Fontaine, who was b ...

'' (1925) as Humpty Dumpty Smith

Sound films

*''

Dangerous Nan McGrew ''Dangerous Nan McGrew'' is a 1930 Pre-Code American comedy film starring Helen Kane, Victor Moore and James Hall.Heads Up'' (1930) as Skippy Dugan *''Love in the Suburbs'' (1931 short) *''Ladies not Allowed'' (1932 short) *''

Romance in the Rain ''Romance in the Rain'' is a 2001 Chinese television period drama jointly produced by Yi Ren Communications Company (怡人傳播有限公司) in Taiwan and China International Television Corporation (中国国际电视总公司) in mainland China ...

'' (1934) as J. Franklyn Blank *'' Gift of Gab'' (1934) as Colonel Horatios Trivers *''

'' (1936) as Pop Cardetti *''

Gold Diggers of 1937 ''Gold Diggers of 1937'' is a Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley. The film stars Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were married at the time, with Glenda Farrell and Vi ...

'' (1936) as J.J. Hobart *''

We're on the Jury ''We're on the Jury'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Ben Holmes and starring Victor Moore and Helen Broderick Helen Broderick (August 11, 1891 – September 25, 1959) was an American actress known for her comic roles, especia ...

'' (1937) as Mr. J. Clarence 'Pudgy' Beaver *''

'' (1937) as Barkley Cooper *'' Meet the Missus'' (1937) as Otis Foster *'' The Life of the Party'' (1937) as Oliver *'' She's Got Everything'' (1937) as Waldo Eddington *''

Radio City Revels ''Radio City Revels'' is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Bob Burns, Jack Oakie and Ann Miller. The film's sets were designed by the art director Van Nest Polglase. Although set in New York City, sp ...

'' (1938) as Paul Plummer *''

This Marriage Business ''This Marriage Business'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by Gladys Atwater and J. Robert Bren, based on a story by Mel Riddle and Alex Rubin. The film stars Allan Lane, Jack Carson, Victor Moore, ...

'' (1938) as Jud Parker *''

'' (1941) as Sen. Oliver P. Loganberry *'' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942) as William "Bronco Billy" Webster *''

This Is the Army ''This Is the Army'' is a 1943 American wartime musical comedy film produced by Hal B. Wallis and Jack L. Warner, and directed by Michael Curtiz, adapted from a wartime stage musical with the same name, designed to boost morale in the U.S. duri ...

'' (1943) as Soldier's Father (uncredited) *'' Riding High'' (1943) as Mortimer J. Slocum *''

'' (1943) as Hubert Bainbridge *'' True to Life'' (1943) as Pop Porter *''

Carolina Blues ''Carolina Blues'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Leigh Jason and written by Joseph Hoffman, Al Martin (screenwriter), Al Martin and Jack Henley. The film stars Kay Kyser, Ann Miller, Victor Moore, Jeff Donnell, Howard Freeman, Georgi ...

'' (1944) as Phineas / Elliott / Hiriam / Horatio / Aunt Martha / Aunt Minerva Carver *''

It's in the Bag! ''It's in the Bag!'' is a 1945 comedy film featuring Fred Allen in his only starring film role. The film was released by United Artists at a time when Allen was at the peak of his fame as one of the most popular radio comedians. The film has bee ...

'' (1945) as Himself *''

'' (1945 short) as Hunter (uncredited voice) *''

'' (1945) as Lawyer's Client ('Pay the Two Dollars') *''

'' (1945) as Michael O'Malley *'' It Happened on 5th Avenue'' (1947) as Aloysius T. McKeever *''

'' (1948) as Ashton Carrington *'' A Kiss in the Dark'' (1949) as Horace Willoughby *''

We're Not Married! ''We're Not Married!'' is a 1952 American anthology romantic comedy film directed by Edmund Goulding. It was released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson Nunnally Hunter Johnson (December 5, 1897 – March 25 ...

'' (1952) as Justice of the Peace Melvin Bush *''

'' (1955) as Plumber (final film role)

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * *
Victor Moore papers, 1864–1958 [bulk 1890s–1958]
Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. {{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Victor 1876 births 1962 deaths 19th-century American male actors 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American male actors American directors American male comedians American male film actors American male radio actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors Burials at Cypress Hills Cemetery People from Hammonton, New Jersey Vaudeville performers 19th-century American comedians