Robert Greig (December 27, 1879 – June 27, 1958) was an Australian-American actor who appeared in more than 100 films between 1930 and 1949, usually as the dutiful butler. Born Arthur Alfred Bede Greig, he was the nephew of Australian politician and solicitor

William Bede Dalley William Bede Dalley (5 July 1831 – 28 October 1888) was an Australian politician and barrister and the first Australian appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. He was a leading lay representative and champion of the Catholic co ...

. He was commonly known as "Bob".

Career

Greig was born near Melbourne, in 1878. He married fellow actor Beatrice Denver Holloway in 1912. After a successful career in Melbourne, he and his wife sailed for the United States, and he made his

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 ...

debut in 1928 in an

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its ...

, '' Countess Maritza''. His next production was the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...

' comedy ''

Animal Crackers An animal cracker is a particular type of cracker, baked in the shape of an animal, usually an animal either at a zoo or a circus, such as a lion, a tiger, a bear, or an elephant. The most common variety is light-colored and slightly sweet, bu ...

'', in which he portrayed "Hives" the butler. He reprised the role in the 1930 film version, which was his movie debut and set the pattern for much of his career, as he was often cast as a butler or other servant.Erickson, Ha
Biography (Allmovie)
/ref> He performed in several other productions on Broadway, the last in 1938. Greig worked steadily in films, again appearing with the Marx Brothers in '' Horse Feathers'' (1932), in which he played a biology professor, and was featured in the 1932 short ''Jitters the Butler''. Notable films in which he broke out of butler-mode were '' Cockeyed Cavaliers'' (1934), starring Bert Wheeler and

Robert Woolsey Robert Rollie Woolsey (August 14, 1888 – October 31, 1938) was an American stage and screen comedian and half of the 1930s comedy team Wheeler & Woolsey. Early life Robert Rollie (sometimes spelled Rolla or even Raleigh) was born on Aug ...

, in which Greig played the "Duke of Weskit", Uncle John to Irene Dunne's Theodora in '' Theodora Goes Wild'' (1936), and ''

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques d ...

'' (1938), in which he was "Giraux", the wealthy and gross protector of

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

's character. In the 1940s, Greig was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in six films written and directed by Sturges.Greig appeared in '' The Lady Eve'', '' Sullivan's Travels'', '' The Palm Beach Story'', '' The Great Moment'', '' The Sin of Harold Diddlebock'' and '' Unfaithfully Yours''. He also acted in ''

I Married a Witch ''I Married a Witch'' is a 1942 American fantasy romantic comedy film, directed by René Clair, and starring Veronica Lake as a witch whose plan for revenge goes comically awry, with Fredric March as her foil. The film also features Robert Benchl ...

'', which Sturges produced, and had appeared earlier in '' Easy Living, written by Sturges. His performances in '' Sullivan's Travels'', '' The Lady Eve'' and '' The Palm Beach Story'', in which he played a member of the "Ale & Quail Club", were among his best. Greig's last film was ''

Bride of Vengeance ''Bride of Vengeance'' is a 1949 adventure film set in the Italian Renaissance era, directed by Mitchell Leisen. Plot Lucrezia Borgia's brother Cesare Borgia has her second husband Prince Bisceglie killed in order to marry her to Alfonso I d' ...

'', a 1949

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career ...

vehicle, in which he played the uncredited part of a "Councillor."

Death

Greig died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

on June 27, 1958 at the age of 78: he is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in

Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...

Filmography

*''

Paramount on Parade ''Paramount on Parade'' is a 1930 all-star American pre-Code revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Lothar Mendes, O ...

'' (1930) - Minor Role (film debut) (uncredited) *''

'' (1930) - Hives, the butler *'' No Limit'' (1931) - Doorman (uncredited) *'' Born to Love'' (1931) - Hansom Cabby (uncredited) *'' Tonight or Never'' (1931) - Conrad *'' Stepping Sisters'' (1932) - Jepson *''

Lovers Courageous ''Lovers Courageous'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and written by Frederick Lonsdale. The film stars Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans, Roland Young, Frederick Kerr, Reginald Owen and Beryl Mercer. The ...

'' (1932) - Doorman (uncredited) *''

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood ''The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by John Francis Dillon and written by Howard J. Green. The film stars George Sidney, Charles Murray, June Clyde, Norman Foster, Esther Howard, and Emma Dun ...

'' (1932) - Chesterfield *''

Beauty and the Boss ''Beauty and the Boss'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Marian Marsh, David Manners and Warren William. It was based on a 1928 Hungarian play by Ladislas Fodor about a secretary who eventual ...

'' (1932) - Chappel *'' Man Wanted'' (1932) - Harper (scenes cut) *'' The Tenderfoot'' (1932) - Mack *''

Merrily We Go to Hell ''Merrily We Go to Hell'' is a 1932 pre-Code film directed by Dorothy Arzner, and starring Fredric March and Sylvia Sidney. Its title is an example of the sensationalistic titles that were common in the pre-Code era. Many newspapers refused to pu ...

'' (1932) - Baritone Bartender (uncredited) *'' Jewel Robbery'' (1932) - Man Reading 'Wiener Journal' (uncredited) *'' Horse Feathers'' (1932) - Biology Professor Giving Lecture (uncredited) *'' Love Me Tonight'' (1932) - Major Domo Flammand *'' Trouble in Paradise'' (1932) - Jacques, Mariette's butler *'' The Conquerors'' (1932) - Mr. Downey (uncredited) *'' They Just Had to Get Married'' (1932) - Radcliff *'' Robbers' Roost'' (1932) - Tulliver the Butler *''Jitters the Butler'' (1932 short) - Jitters *''

Men Must Fight ''Men Must Fight'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film starring Diana Wynyard, Lewis Stone and Phillips Holmes. It is based on the 1932 Broadway play of the same name by Reginald Lawrence and S. K. Lauren.Hall, Mordaunt"Diana Wynyard in a Pic ...

'' (1933) - Albert *'' Dangerously Yours'' (1933) - White *'' The Mind Reader'' (1933) - Swami (uncredited) *''

Pleasure Cruise ''Pleasure Cruise'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by Guy Bolton. The film stars Genevieve Tobin, Roland Young, Ralph Forbes, Una O'Connor, Herbert Mundin and Minna Gombell. The film was released ...

'' (1933) - Crum *'' Page o' My Heart'' (1933) - Jarvis, butler *''

Horse Play ''Horse Play'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and written by H. M. Walker and Dale Van Every. The film stars Slim Summerville, Andy Devine, Leila Hyams, May Beatty, Una O'Connor and David Torrence. The fi ...

'' (1933) - Hotel Doorman (uncredited) *''

Midnight Mary ''Midnight Mary'' is a 1933 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Loretta Young, Ricardo Cortez, and Franchot Tone. Plot The very scary story begins with an indifferent Mary Martin (Young) sitting in a c ...

'' (1933) - Potter - Tom's Butler (uncredited) *'' It's Great to Be Alive'' (1933) - Perkins *''

Broadway to Hollywood ''Broadway to Hollywood'' is an American television program broadcast on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network. While the daytime version was mainly a talk show with news, celebrity gossip, and home-viewer quizzes, the quiz portion became a ...

'' (1933) - "Diamond Jim" Brady (uncredited) *'' Meet the Baron'' (1933) - Explorer (uncredited) *''

Female Female ( symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Fema ...

'' (1933) - James, Alison's butler (uncredited) *'' Easy to Love'' (1934) - Andrews *'' Upper World'' (1934) - Marc Caldwell, butler *''

Stingaree The Stingaree was a neighborhood of San Diego between the boom of the 1880s and the demolition and vice eradication campaign of 1916. The reason for the neighborhood's fame was its role as the home to the city's "undesirables", including prostitut ...

'' (1934) - The Innkeeper *'' The Love Captive'' (1934) - First Butler *''

Madame Du Barry Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry (19 August 1743 – 8 December 1793) was the last '' maîtresse-en-titre'' of King Louis XV of France. She was executed, by guillotine, during the French Revolution due to accounts of treason—particularly bei ...

'' (1934) - The King's Chef (uncredited) *'' Cockeyed Cavaliers'' (1934) - The Duke of Weskit *''

One More River ''One More River'' is a 1934 American drama film mystery directed by James Whale. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures and starred Colin Clive, Diana Wynyard and stage actress Mrs Patrick Campbell in one of her very few films. Th ...

'' (1934) - Blore *'' Clive of India'' (1935) - Mr. Pemberton *'' Folies Bergère de Paris'' (1935) - Henri *''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' (1935) - Prison Governor at Jean's Release (uncredited) *''

Mark of the Vampire ''Mark of the Vampire'' (also known as ''Vampires of Prague'') is a 1935 American horror film, starring Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan (British actress), Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, and Jean Hersholt, and directed by Tod Br ...

'' (1935) - Fat Man (uncredited) *''

Woman Wanted ''Woman Wanted'' is a 1999 film directed by Kiefer Sutherland (later credited as Alan Smithee). It is based on a novel by Joanna Glass, who also wrote the screenplay. It stars Sutherland, Holly Hunter, Michael Moriarty, and Sutherland's mother, ...

'' (1935) - Peedles *''

The Gay Deception ''The Gay Deception'' is a 1935 romantic comedy film starring Francis Lederer and Frances Dee. Writers Stephen Morehouse Avery and Don Hartman were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story. Plot Secretary Mirabel Miller (Frances Dee) win ...

'' (1935) - Adolph *'' The Bishop Misbehaves'' (1935) - Rosalind *'' I Live for Love'' (1935) - Fat Man Dancing at Nightclub *'' Three Live Ghosts'' (1936) - John Ferguson, Brockton's butler *''

Rose Marie Rose Marie (born Rose Marie Mazzetta; August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer with a career ultimately spanning nine decades, which included film, radio, records, theater, night ...

'' (1936) - Hotel Manager *''

The Great Ziegfeld ''The Great Ziegfeld'' is a 1936 American musical drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced by Hunt Stromberg. It stars William Powell as the theatrical impresario Florenz "Flo" Ziegfeld Jr., Luise Rainer as Anna Held, and ...

'' (1936) - Ziegfeld's Butler (uncredited) *''

The Unguarded Hour ''The Unguarded Hour'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Loretta Young and Franchot Tone. In England, a prominent young prosecutor in a murder trial is unaware that his wife is involved. It is based on Bernard Meri ...

'' (1936) - Henderson *'' Small Town Girl'' (1936) - Childers, Dakin's butler *'' Trouble for Two'' (1936) - Fat Man *''

The Devil-Doll ''The Devil-Doll'' (1936) is a horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan. The film was adapted from the novel ''Burn Witch Burn!'' (1932) by Abraham Merritt. It has become a cult film.Paul Simpson, ...

'' (1936) - Emil Coulvet *'' Easy to Take'' (1936) - Judd - Butler *'' Theodora Goes Wild'' (1936) - Uncle John *''

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is an insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gove ...

'' (1936) - Lord Drayton *''

Stowaway A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus. Sometimes, the purpose is to get from one place to another without paying for transportation. In other ...

'' (1936) - Captain *'' Michael O'Halloran'' (1937) - Craig, the butler *''

The Road Back ''The Road Back'', also translated as ''The Way Back'', (german: Der Weg zurück) is a novel by German author Erich Maria Remarque, commonly regarded as a sequel to his 1929 novel ''All Quiet on the Western Front''. It was first serialized in th ...

'' (1937) - Member of Dinner Party (uncredited) *'' Easy Living'' (1937) - Butler *''

My Dear Miss Aldrich ''My Dear Miss Aldrich'' is a 1937 low-budget comedy film starring Maureen O'Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon, and Edna May Oliver about a young woman who inherits a New York City newspaper and decides to become a reporter rather than a publisher. Plot M ...

'' (1937) - The Major Domo *''

Lady Behave! ''Lady Behave!'' is a 1938 American film directed by Lloyd Corrigan. The sophisticated comedy was released by Republic Pictures. Plot Prior to leaving for Haiti, two sisters and their godfather/legal advisor are having a holiday in New Orle ...

'' (1937) - Alfred *''

'' (1938) - Andre Giraux *'' Midnight Intruder'' (1938) - Willetts, the Reitter Butler *'' The Adventures of Marco Polo'' (1938) - Chamberlain *'' You Can't Take It with You'' (1938) - Lord Melville (uncredited) *''

The Law West of Tombstone ''The Law West of Tombstone'' is a 1938 Western film. It was an early Western for Tim Holt. Plot A Judge Roy Bean figure dispenses justice in Arizona. He teams up with the Tonto Kid to fight the McQuinn gang. Cast * Harry Carey as Bill Barker ...

'' (1938) - Townsman at Table (uncredited) *'' It Could Happen to You'' (1939) - Pedley *'' Way Down South'' (1939) - Judge Ravenal *'' Little Accident'' (1939) - Butler (uncredited) *'' Drums Along the Mohawk'' (1939) - Mr. Borst *''

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...

'' (1939) - Friar Cautioning John Wyatt (uncredited) *'' The Honeymoon's Over'' (1939) - Horace Kellogg *''

Charlie McCarthy, Detective ''Charlie McCarthy, Detective'' is a 1939 American comedy film starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy and Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television act ...

'' (1939) (uncredited) *''

No Time for Comedy ''No Time for Comedy'' is a 1940 American comedy-drama film based on the play of the same name by S. N. Behrman, starring James Stewart, Rosalind Russell, Genevieve Tobin and Charlie Ruggles. Plot summary Gaylord Esterbrook (Stewart), a reporte ...

'' (1940) - Robert *'' The Thief of Bagdad'' (1940) - Man of Basra (uncredited) *'' Hudson's Bay'' (1941) - Sir Robert *'' The Lady Eve'' (1941) - Burrows *'' Moon Over Miami'' (1941) - Brearley *''

Hello, Sucker ''Hello, Sucker'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Maurice Leo and Paul Gerard Smith. The film stars Hugh Herbert, Tom Brown, Peggy Moran, Lewis Howard, June Storey, Walter Catlett and Robert Emmett ...

'' (1941) - Mr. Watson (uncredited) *''

My Life with Caroline ''My Life with Caroline'' is a 1941 RKO Pictures American comedy film directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Ronald Colman and Anna Lee, in her second Hollywood film and her first in a starring role. The screenplay was written by John Van D ...

'' (1941) - Albert (uncredited) *'' Sullivan's Travels'' (1941) - Sullivan's Butler *'' Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake'' (1942) - Judge *''

The Mad Martindales ''The Mad Martindales'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Alfred L. Werker and written by Francis Edward Faragoh. It is based on the 1939 play ''Not for Children'' by Wesley Towner. The film stars Jane Withers, Marjorie Weaver, Alan ...

'' (1942) - Wallace Butler *'' I Married an Angel'' (1942) - Oscar (uncredited) *''

Tales of Manhattan ''Tales of Manhattan'' is a 1942 American anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart, worked on the six stories in this film. Ba ...

'' (1942) - Lazar the Tailor (Boyer sequence) (uncredited) *'' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) - Third Member Ale and Quail Club *'' Girl Trouble'' (1942) - Fields *''

The Moon and Sixpence ''The Moon and Sixpence'' is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham, first published on 15 April 1919. It is told in episodic form by a first-person narrator providing a series of glimpses into the mind and soul of the central character, Charles Stric ...

'' (1942) - Maitland, Wolfe's valet (uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Town Crier *'' Laugh Your Blues Away'' (1942) - Wilfred *''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( ar, أَلْفُ لَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْلَةٌ, italic=yes, ) is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the ''Arabian ...

'' (1942) - Eunuch *'' Three Hearts for Julia'' (1943) - Cairns, Anton's Butler (uncredited) *'' Million Dollar Kid'' (1944) - Spevin, Cortlands' butler *'' Summer Storm'' (1944) - Gregory, Volsky's butler *'' The Great Moment'' (1944) - Roberts, Morton's butler (uncredited) *''

Mrs. Parkington ''Mrs. Parkington'' is a 1944 drama film. It tells the story of a woman's life, told via flashbacks, from boarding house maid to society matron. The movie was adapted by Polly James and Robert Thoeren from the novel by Louis Bromfield. It was d ...

'' (1944) - Mr. Orlando (uncredited) *''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical '' Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''The Picture of Dorian G ...

'' (1945) - Sir Thomas *'' Earl Carroll Vanities'' (1945) - Vonce, the butler *'' Hollywood and Vine'' (1945) - Jenkins *''

Nob Hill Nob Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California, United States that is known for its numerous luxury hotels and historic mansions. Nob Hill has historically served as a center of San Francisco's upper class. Nob Hill is among the hig ...

'' (1945) - Patton, Curruthers' butler (uncredited) *'' The Cheaters'' (1945) - MacFarland *'' Love, Honor and Goodbye'' (1945) - Charles, the butler *'' The Sin of Harold Diddlebock'' (1947) - Algernon McNiff *'' Forever Amber'' (1947) - Magistrate (uncredited) *'' Unfaithfully Yours'' (1948) - Jules, the valet (uncredited) *''

'' (1949) - Councillor

Notes

External links

* * * * *
Robert Greig's Australian theatre credits
at AusStage {{DEFAULTSORT:Greig, Robert 1879 births 1958 deaths Male actors from Melbourne American male film actors American male stage actors Australian male film actors Australian male stage actors 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Australian male actors Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Australian emigrants to the United States