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Tobyhoward (talk | contribs) m Changing short description from "English actor" to "English actor (1899–1985)" |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=
{{Infobox person
| name = George K. Arthur
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1899|1|27|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|1985|5|30|1899|1|27|df=y}}
| death_place =
| yearsactive = 1919-1958
| occupation = Actor
}}
'''Arthur George Brest''' (27 January 1899 – 30 May 1985), known professionally as '''George K. Arthur''', was an English actor and [[film producer|producer]], born in Aberdeen, Scotland,.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Modern Screen Directory (Players) |journal=The Modern Screen Magazine |date=November 1930 |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=6 |url=https://archive.org/details/modernscreenmaga01unse/page/6/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=January 11, 2022}}</ref> He appeared in more than 50 films between 1919 and 1935, and is best known as the diminutive half of the comedy team of [[Karl Dane|Dane & Arthur]].
'''George K. Arthur''' (27 January 1899 – 30 May 1985) was an English actor and [[film producer|producer]]. He appeared in 59 films between 1919 and 1935. He won an [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film|Best Short Film]] in 1956 for the film ''[[The Bespoke Overcoat]]''.<ref name="Oscars1957">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1957 |title=The 29th Academy Awards (1957) Nominees and Winners |accessdate=21 August 2011|work=oscars.org| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110706094056/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/29th-winners.html| archivedate= 6 July 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>▼
==Screen career==
Arthur projected a friendly, amiable personality on screen, which earned him light-comedy character roles in silent films. In 1927 he was working at the prestigious [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] studio, where producer [[Harry Rapf]] decided that the 5' 6" Arthur would make a good foil for 6' 3" character actor [[Karl Dane]]. Dane & Arthur's first feature was ''[[Rookies]]'' (1927), and the team went on to make a series of economical and well-received features until the end of the silent-film era.
George K. Arthur's British-accented speaking voice did not pose a problem for the new talking pictures, but Karl Dane's Danish accent was considered too thick to be easily understood.<ref>{{cite book|last=Petersen Balogh|first=Laura|title=Karl Dane: A Biography and Filmography|year=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-786-45436-5|page=149}}</ref> MGM discontinued the Dane & Arthur series after the silent feature ''China Bound'' (1929); their only talking film for MGM was ''[[The Hollywood Revue of 1929]]'', in which they had only a brief guest appearance with very little dialogue.
Although Dane & Arthur had made their reputations as silent comedians, they did star in 10 sound comedies, albeit less prestigious short subjects. Producer [[Larry Darmour]] made six for [[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO]] release in 1930–31,<ref>''Motion Picture News'', "Darmour Signs Dane, Arthur for 2-Reelers," May 3, 1930, p. 15.</ref> and [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] made four more in 1931–32.<ref>''Movie Age'', "Dane-Arthur Begin: Team to Make Two-Reel Comedies for Para.", July 7, 1931, p. 7.</ref> Dane & Arthur also toured on Paramount's [[vaudeville]] circuit in 1931. After their Paramount commitments were fulfilled, Dane & Arthur went their separate ways.
George K. Arthur returned to character roles, often for MGM, through 1935.
==Career changes==
After retiring as an actor Arthur remained with MGM, accepting a job in the sales department of the studio's New York film exchange.<ref>''Boxoffice'', July 6, 1940, p. 59.</ref> While in New York he hosted a weekly 15-minute radio program for WQXR, in which he offered commentary and interviews as a Broadway "first nighter".<ref>''Radio Life'', April 1, 1937, p. 8.</ref> He had become an American citizen and enlisted in the U. S. Air Force. During [[World War II]] he organized shows for the troops.
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==Selected filmography==
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* ''[[Flames of Desire (1924 film)|Flames of Desire]]'' (1924)
* ''[[The Salvation Hunters]]'' (1925)
* ''[[Lady of the Night (1925 film)|Lady of the Night]]'' (1925)
* ''[[Pretty Ladies]]'' (1925)
* ''[[Her Sister from Paris]]'' (1925)
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* ''[[Wickedness Preferred]]'' (1929)
* ''[[Circus Rookies]]'' (1928)
* ''[[Detectives (1928 film)|Detectives]]'' (1928)
* ''[[Brotherly Love (1928 film)|Brotherly Love]]'' (1928)
* ''[[Show People]]'' (1928) (uncredited)
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* ''[[Pleasure Cruise]]'' (1933)
* ''[[Looking Forward (1933 film)|Looking Forward]]'' (1933)
* ''[[Riptide (1934 film)|Riptide]]'' (1934)
* ''[[Vanessa: Her Love Story]]'' (1935)
* ''
* ''[[The Bespoke Overcoat]]'' (1956) – producer
{{Div col end}}
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[[Category:English male silent film actors]]
[[Category:English film producers]]
[[Category:
[[Category:20th-century English businesspeople]]
[[Category:Male actors from Aberdeen]]
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