George Zucco (11 January 1886 – 27 May 1960) was a British

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

who appeared in plays and 96 films, mostly American-made, during a career spanning over two decades, from the 1920s to 1951. In his films, he often played a suave villain, a member of nobility, or a mad doctor.

Early life and family

George Desylla Zucco was born in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

, on 11 January 1886. His mother Marian (née Rintoul) ran a dressmaking business. His father, George De Sylla Zucco, was a Greek merchant from

Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...

who became a naturalised British subject in 1865. Zucco debuted on the Canadian stage in 1908 in a stock theater company. He returned to the UK and served as a lieutenant in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

West Yorkshire Regiment The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (14th Foot) was an infantry regiment of the British Army. In 1958 it amalgamated with the East Yorkshire Regiment (15th Foot) to form the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire which was ...

during the First World War. He lost the use of two fingers when he was shot in the right arm in France. When the war ended, he studied at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London ...

and later taught there. He became a leading stage actor of the 1920s, and made his film debut as Eugène Godefroy Cavaignac in '' The Dreyfus Case'' (1931), a British film dramatising the Dreyfus Affair.

Career

Zucco returned to the United States in 1935 to play

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a ...

in '' Victoria Regina'', and appeared with

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

and

George Raft George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...

in '' Souls at Sea'' (1937). He played

Professor Moriarty Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and criminal mastermind created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to be a formidable enemy for the author's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He was created primarily as a device by which Doyle could ...

in ''

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' is a collection of short stories by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, first published on 14 October 1892. It contains the earliest short stories featuring the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, which h ...

'' (1939), opposite

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was an Anglo-South African actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume drama ...

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

and

Nigel Bruce William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was an English character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series '' The New Adventures of Sherlo ...

Dr. Watson Dr. John H. Watson is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). "The Adventure of Shosc ...

. Zucco earned a reputation as a bespectacled, nefarious character in films such as ''

After the Thin Man ''After the Thin Man'' is a 1936 American murder mystery comedy film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring William Powell, Myrna Loy and James Stewart. A sequel to the 1934 feature ''The Thin Man (film), The Thin Man'', the film presents Powel ...

'', ''

Fast Company ''Fast Company'' is an American business magazine published monthly in print and online, focusing on technology, business, and design. It releases six print issues annually. History ''Fast Company'' was founded in November 1995 by Alan Webb ...

'', '' Arrest Bulldog Drummond'', '' Charlie Chan in Honolulu'', '' The Cat and the Canary'', and ''

My Favorite Blonde ''My Favorite Blonde'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Bob Hope and Madeleine Carroll. Based on a story by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, the film is about a vaudeville performer who gets mixed up with Br ...

''. During the 1940s, he took every role he was offered, landing himself in B-films and Universal horror films, including '' The Mummy's Hand'' (1940), '' The Mummy's Tomb'' (1942), ''

The Mad Monster ''The Mad Monster'' is a 1942 American black and white horror film, produced and distributed by "Poverty Row" studio Producers Releasing Corporation. The film stars George Zucco, Glenn Strange, Johnny Downs, and Anne Nagel. The film's storyline ...

'' (1942), '' The Mad Ghoul'' (1943), '' Dead Men Walk'' (1943), ''

The Mummy's Ghost ''The Mummy's Ghost'' is a 1944 American horror film directed by Reginald Le Borg for Universal. It is the second of three sequels to '' The Mummy's Hand'' (1940), following '' The Mummy's Tomb'' (1942) and preceding '' The Mummy's Curse'' (194 ...

'' (1944), '' House of Frankenstein'' (1944), and ''

Tarzan and the Mermaids ''Tarzan and the Mermaids'' is a 1948 American adventure film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by Robert Florey, it was the last of twelve ''Tarzan'' films to star Johnny Weissmuller in the title role, wit ...

'' (1948). He was reunited with Basil Rathbone in another Sherlock Holmes adventure, '' Sherlock Holmes in Washington'', this time playing not Moriarty, but a

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

spy.

Last years and death

After playing a bit part in '' David and Bathsheba'' (1951), Zucco undertook a role in '' The Desert Fox'', but suffered a stroke one day on the set, and never significantly recovered (he was replaced by

Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned over 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and hi ...

). He suffered from stroke-induced dementia for the rest of his life, and he died on 27 May 1960 from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

in a nursing facility in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

, aged 74.

Personal life

He and his wife, Stella Francis, had a daughter, Frances (1931–1962), who died of throat cancer at age 30, and a grandson, George Zucco (né Canto). Stella Zucco died from natural causes on May 11, 1999, aged 99, in

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

Filmography

* '' Dreyfus'' (1931) as Cavaignac (film debut) * '' There Goes the Bride'' (1932) as Prosecutor (uncredited) * '' The Midshipmaid'' (1932) as Lord Dore * ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a Concert Party (entertainment), concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established hi ...

'' (1933) as Fauntley * '' The Roof'' (1933) as James Renton * '' The Man from Toronto'' (1933) as Squire * '' Autumn Crocus'' (1934) as Reverend Mayne * '' Something Always Happens'' (1934) as Proprietor of the Maison de Paris (uncredited) * '' The Lady Is Willing'' (1934) as Man from Reclamation Agent (uncredited) * '' What Happened Then?'' (1934) as Inspector Hull * '' What's in a Name?'' (1934) as Foot * '' Road House'' (1934) as Hotel Manager (uncredited) * ''

Abdul the Damned ''Abdul the Damned'' (also known as ''Abdul Hamid'') is a 1935 British drama film directed by Karl Grune and starring Fritz Kortner, Nils Asther and John Stuart. It was made at the British International Pictures studios by Alliance-Capitol Pr ...

'' (1935) as Officer of the Firing Squad * '' It's a Bet'' (1935) as Convict (uncredited) * ''The Common Round'' (1936, Short) as Dr. Pyke * '' The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' (1936) as The Colonel's Butler * '' Sinner Take All'' (1936) as Bascomb * ''

'' (1936) as Dr. Kammer * '' Parnell'' (1937) as Sir Charles Russell * '' Saratoga'' (1937) as Dr. Harmsworth Bierd * '' London by Night'' (1937) as Inspector Jefferson * '' Souls at Sea'' (1937) as Barton Woodley * '' The Firefly'' (1937) as Secret Service Chief * ''

Madame X ''Madame X'' (original title ''La Femme X'') is a 1908 Play (theatre), play by French playwright Alexandre Bisson (1848–1912). It was novelized in English and adapted for the American stage; it was also adapted for the screen sixteen times ...

'' (1937) as Dr. LaFarge * '' The Bride Wore Red'' (1937) as Count Armalia * ''

Conquest Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or Coercion (international relations), coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or ...

'' (1937) as Sen. Malachowski (uncredited) * '' Rosalie'' (1937) as General Maroff * '' Arsène Lupin Returns'' (1938) as Prefect of Police * '' Three Comrades'' (1938) as Dr. Plauten (uncredited) * '' Lord Jeff'' (1938) as James 'Jim' Hampstead * ''

'' (1938) as Otto Brockler * ''

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

'' (1938) as Governor of Conciergerie (uncredited) * '' Vacation from Love'' (1938) as Dr. Waxton * ''

Suez Suez (, , , ) is a Port#Seaport, seaport city with a population of about 800,000 in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez on the Red Sea, near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal. It is the capital and largest c ...

'' (1938) as Prime Minister * '' Arrest Bulldog Drummond'' (1938) as Rolf Alferson * '' Charlie Chan in Honolulu'' (1938) as Dr. Cardigan * '' Captain Fury'' (1939) as Arnold Trist * '' The Magnificent Fraud'' (1939) as Dr. Luis Virgo * ''

'' (1939) as

* '' Here I Am a Stranger'' (1939) as James K. Spaulding * '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1939) as Lawyer Crosby * '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1939) as Procurator * ''

New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

'' (1940) as Vicomte Ribaud * '' The Mummy's Hand'' (1940) as Andoheb * '' Arise, My Love'' (1940) as Prison Governor * '' Dark Streets of Cairo'' (1940) as Abbadi * ''

The Monster and the Girl ''The Monster and the Girl'' is a 1941 American black-and-white horror film directed by Stuart Heisler and released by Paramount Pictures. Plot The film revolves around a small-town church organist named Scott Webster ( Philip Terry) attemptin ...

'' (1941) as Dr. Parry * '' Topper Returns'' (1941) as Dr. Jeris * '' A Woman's Face'' (1941) as Defense Attorney * '' International Lady'' (1941) as Webster * '' Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring'' (1941) as Dr. Edwin L. Jannery * ''

'' (1942) as Dr. Hugo Streger * ''

'' (1942) as Dr. Cameron * '' Halfway to Shanghai'' (1942) as Peter van Hoost * '' Dr. Renault's Secret'' (1942) as Dr. Robert Renault * '' The Mummy's Tomb'' (1942) as Andoheb * '' The Black Swan'' (1942) as Lord Denby * '' Dead Men Walk'' (1943) as Dr. Lloyd Clayton/Dr. Elwyn Clayton * '' Sherlock Holmes in Washington'' (1943) as Stanley * '' The Black Raven'' (1943) as Amos Bradford aka The Raven * '' Holy Matrimony'' (1943) as Mr. Crepitude * '' The Mad Ghoul'' (1943) as Dr. Alfred Morris * '' Never a Dull Moment'' (1943) as Tony Rocco * '' Voodoo Man'' (1944) as Nicholas * ''

'' (1944) as High Priest * '' Return of the Ape Man'' (1944) as Ape Man (in some stills; it is not certain that he appears in any footage, however) * '' The Seventh Cross'' (1944) as Fahrenburg * '' Shadows in the Night'' (1944) as Frank Swift * '' House of Frankenstein'' (1944) as Professor Bruno Lampini * '' Fog Island'' (1945) as Leo Grainger * ''

Having Wonderful Crime ''Having Wonderful Crime'' is a 1945 American screwball comedy and mystery film directed by Eddie Sutherland from a screenplay by Howard J. Green, Stewart Sterling, and Parke Levy, based on the novel of the same name by Craig Rice. In her ...

'' (1945) as King aka The Great Movel * ''

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

'' (1945) as Horadef * '' Midnight Manhunt'' (1945) as Jelke * '' Week-End at the Waldorf'' (1945) as Bey of Aribajan * '' Confidential Agent'' (1945) as Detective Geddes * '' Hold That Blonde'' (1945) as Dr. Pavel Storasky * '' The Flying Serpent'' (1946) as Prof. Andrew Forbes * '' Scared to Death'' (1947) as Dr. Joseph Van Ee * '' The Imperfect Lady'' (1947) as Mr. Mallam * ''

Moss Rose Moss Rose, known as The Leasing.com Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, which is the home ground of Macclesfield F.C., and the former home of Macclesfield Town F.C., a club wound up in Se ...

'' (1947) as Craxton - the butler * ''

Lured ''Lured'' is a 1947 American film noir directed by Douglas Sirk and starring George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn, Cedric Hardwicke, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Boris Karloff. The film is a remake of 1939 French film ''Pièges'' directed ...

'' (1947) as Officer H. R. Barrett * '' Desire Me'' (1947) as Father Donnard * '' Where There's Life'' (1947) as Paul Stertorius * ''

Captain from Castile ''Captain from Castile'' is a 1947 American historical adventure film. It was released by 20th Century-Fox. Directed by Henry King, the Technicolor film stars Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, and Cesar Romero. Shot on location in Michoacán, Mexic ...

'' (1947) as Marquis De Carvajal * ''

'' (1948) as Palanth - The High Priest * '' Who Killed Doc Robbin'' (1948) as Doc Hugo Robbin * '' The Pirate'' (1948) as The Viceroy * '' Secret Service Investigator'' (1948) as Otto Dagoff * ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

'' (1948) as Constable of

Clervaux Clervaux (; or locally ; ) is a commune and town in northern Luxembourg, situated in the canton of the same name. The town's arms, granted in 1896, show three blackbirds on a gold ground in the chief of a red shield, as a variation of the a ...

* ''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in ''The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is seen as a classic of English c ...

'' (1949) as Dr. Fortescue * ''

The Barkleys of Broadway ''The Barkleys of Broadway'' is a 1949 American Technicolor musical comedy film from the Arthur Freed unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that reunited Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers after ten years apart. Directed by Charles Walters, the screenplay is ...

'' (1949) as The Judge * ''

Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' (; ), commonly known as simply ''Madame Bovary'', is the début novel by France, French writer Gustave Flaubert, originally published in 1856 and 1857. The eponymous character, Emma Bovary, lives beyond he ...

'' (1949) as DuBocage * ''Harbor of Lost Men'' (1950) as H.G. Danziger * '' Let's Dance'' (1950) as Judge Mackenzie * '' Flame of Stamboul'' (1951) as The Voice * '' The First Legion'' (1951) as Father Robert Stuart * '' David and Bathsheba'' (1951) as Egyptian Ambassador (final film) (uncredited)

References

External links

* *
George Zucco bio
on (re)Search my Trash * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zucco, George 1886 births 1960 deaths Male actors from Manchester Deaths from pneumonia in California English male film actors English male stage actors English people of Greek descent English emigrants to the United States British vaudeville performers Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) 20th-century English male actors British Army personnel of World War I West Yorkshire Regiment officers British amputees Military personnel from Manchester