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

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

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, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

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

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

’s son in ''

Roughly Speaking ''Roughly Speaking'' is the sixteenth studio album by the Canadian rock band April Wine, released in November 2006. The album was recorded without computerized modern digital recording techniques. Instead, the group employed the same type of a ...

'' in 1945. He soon was signed to a studio contract with Warners and appeared in films including ''

Too Young to Know ''Too Young to Know'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by Frederick de Cordova, and written by Jo Pagano, and starring Joan Leslie, Robert Hutton, Dolores Moran, Harry Davenport, Rosemary DeCamp and Barbara Brown. It was released by Warne ...

'', '' Night and Day'' and ''

Nora Prentiss ''Nora Prentiss'' is a 1947 American film noir drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Ann Sheridan, Kent Smith, Bruce Bennett, and Robert Alda. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The cinematography is by James Wong Howe a ...

''. 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 Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holly ...

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 ...

''. Arthur was known for playing youthful teenage or young adult roles. Arthur supported

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for president ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic United States President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater, the Republican nomi ...

. In his later years, Arthur became an activist for gay rights on behalf of senior citizens, and was involved with the

Log Cabin Republicans The Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) is an organization within the Republican Party which advocates for equal rights for LGBT+ Americans. History Log Cabin Republicans was founded in 1977 in California as a rallying point for Republicans opposed t ...

. 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 census. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis. Aberdeen is occasi ...

, on October 1, 2008, from

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

, aged 83.

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1945) - Frankie at 17 *'' Mildred Pierce'' (1945) - High School Boy (uncredited) *'' Danger Signal'' (1945) - Hotel Boy (uncredited) *''

'' (1945) - Jimmy *''

Her Kind of Man ''Her Kind of Man'' is a 1946 American crime film noir directed by Frederick De Cordova, and starring Dane Clark, Janis Paige and Zachary Scott. The film is not to be confused with ''His Kind of Woman'' (1951) starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Ru ...

'' (1946) - Copy Boy (uncredited) *'' Night and Day'' (1946) - Customer (uncredited) *'' Nobody Lives Forever'' (1946) - Bellhop (uncredited) *'' Sweetheart of Sigma Chi'' (1946) - Harry Townsend *''

'' (1947) - Gregory Talbot *''

The Devil on Wheels ''The Devil On Wheels'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by Crane Wilbur and starring Darryl Hickman. In addition to being the first film about street racing youth, it is also notable for being one of the first films to feature actresses ( ...

'' (1947) - Todd Powell *''

Mother Wore Tights ''Mother Wore Tights'' is a 1947 Technicolor musical film starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey as married vaudeville performers, directed by Walter Lang. This was Grable and Dailey's first film together, based on a book of the same name by Mir ...

'' (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 ''Mother Is a Freshman'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Loretta Young and Van Johnson. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design by Kay Nelson. Plot Abby Abbott lives in New York ...

'' (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 ''Young Bess'' is a 1953 Technicolor biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about the early life of Elizabeth I, from her turbulent childhood to the eve of her accession to the throne of England. It stars Jean Simmons as Elizabeth and St ...

'' (1953) - Barnaby *''

Take the High Ground! ''Take the High Ground!'' is a 1953 American war film directed by Richard Brooks and starring Richard Widmark and Karl Malden as drill sergeants who must transform a batch of everyday civilians into soldiers during the Korean War. Plot In May 195 ...

'' (1953) - Donald Quentin Dover IV *'' Return from the Sea'' (1954) - Porter *'' Top of the World'' (1955) - Lt. Skip McGuire *''

The Desperados Are in Town ''The Desperados Are in Town'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Robert Arthur and Kathleen Nolan. It was a B movie made for the bottom half of double bills. It was known as ''The Outlaws are in Town''. K ...

'' (1956) - Lonny Kesh *''

Three Violent People ''Three Violent People'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Rudolph Maté and starring Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter, Gilbert Roland, Tom Tryon, Forrest Tucker, Bruce Bennett, and Elaine Stritch. Plot Former Confederate cavalryman ...

'' (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) LGBT rights activists from the United States People from Aberdeen, Washington 20th-century American male actors