George Murphy

Born: 1902-07-04

George Murphy was an American dancer and stage, screen, and television actor, as well as a United States Senator. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946, and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1951. Murphy served from 1965 to 1971 as U.S. Senator from California, the first notable U.S. actor to be elected to statewide office in California, predating Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is the only United States Senator represented by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In movies, Murphy was known as a song-and-dance man and appeared in many big-budget musicals such as Broadway Melody of 1938, Broadway Melody of 1940 and For Me and My Gal. He made his movie debut shortly after talking pictures had replaced silent movies in 1930, and his career continued until he retired as an actor in 1952, at the age of 50. During World War II, he organized entertainment for American troops. In 1951, he was awarded an honorary Academy Award. He was never nominated for an Oscar in any competitive category. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946. He was also a vice president of Desilu Productions and of the Technicolor Corporation. He was director of entertainment for presidential inaugurations in 1953, 1957 and 1961.


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Battleground

as 'Pop' Stazak
Released: 1949-11-09

Members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division are fighting for their country amidst the...

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They Died with Their Boots On

as Cavalryman (uncredited)
Released: 1941-11-20

The story follows General George Armstrong Custer's adventures from his West Point days to his...

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That's Entertainment!

as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 1974-06-21

Various MGM stars from yesterday present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50...

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That's Dancing!

as From 'Broadway Rhythm' (archive footage)
Released: 1985-01-18

A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from it's orgins after the invention of the...

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Broadway Melody of 1940

as King Shaw
Released: 1940-02-09

Johnny Brett and King Shaw are an unsuccessful dance team in New York. A producer discovers...

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Bataan

as Lt. Steve Bentley
Released: 1943-06-03

During Japan's invasion of the Philippines in 1942, Capt. Henry Lassiter, Sgt. Bill Dane and a...

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That's Entertainment! III

as (archive footage)
Released: 1994-07-01

Some of MGM'S musical stars review the studios history of musicals. From The Hollywood Revue of...

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This Is the Army

as Jerry Jones
Released: 1943-08-14

In WW I dancer Jerry Jones stages an all-soldier show on Broadway, called Yip Yip Yaphank....

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Broadway Melody of 1938

as Sonny Ledford
Released: 1937-08-20

Steve Raleight wants to produce a show on Broadway. He finds a backer, Herman Whipple and a...

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Tom, Dick and Harry

as Tom
Released: 1941-06-13

Janie is a telephone operator who is caught up in the lines of love of three men: car salesman...

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It's a Big Country

as Mr. Patrick Callaghan
Released: 1951-11-20

Comprised of eight unrelated episodes of inconsistent quality, this anthology piece of American...

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A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

as Self
Released: 1940-10-24

This short documentary, presented and directed by MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer, goes...

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Tenth Avenue Angel

as Steve Abbutt
Released: 1948-02-20

Flavia's been told that her Aunt Susan's fiancé, Steve, has been on a trip around the world, but...

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Border Incident

as Jack Bearnes
Released: 1949-10-28

The story concerns two agents, one Mexican (PJF) and one American, who are tasked to stop the...

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Show-Business at War

as Self
Released: 1943-05-21

A multi-studio effort to show the newsreel audience the progress of the Hollywood war effort.

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For Me and My Gal

as Jimmy K. Metcalf
Released: 1942-10-21

Two vaudeville performers fall in love, but find their relationship tested by the arrival of WWI.

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Hollywood Hobbies

as Himself (uncredited)
Released: 1939-05-03

In this short film, two starstruck movie fans hire a tour guide and see a plethora of Hollywood...

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Frank Capra's American Dream

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1997-01-01

A documentary looking at the life and career of film director Frank Capra. Hosted by Ron Howard.

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Ringside Maisie

as Francis X. 'Skeets' / 'Skeeter' Maguire
Released: 1941-08-01

Young undefeated boxer Terry Dolan, who's been lying to his invalid mother about his career,...

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Walk East on Beacon!

as Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
Released: 1952-06-01

An FBI agent works with a refugee scientist and the Coast Guard to crack a Soviet spy ring in...

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Two Girls on Broadway

as Eddie Kerns
Released: 1940-04-19

Eddie Kerns sells his song to a Broadway producer and also lands a job dancing in the musical....

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Little Nellie Kelly

as Jerry Kelly
Released: 1940-11-22

Nellie Kelly, the daughter of Irish immigrants, patches up differences between her father and...

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Kid Millions

as Jerry Lane
Released: 1934-11-10

A musical comedy about a Brooklyn boy who inherits a fortune from his archaeologist father, but...

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Public Deb No. 1

as Alan Blake
Released: 1940-09-13

When a waiter gives a society girl a public spanking for attending a Communist rally, her...

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Letter of Introduction

as Barry Paige
Released: 1938-08-05

An aging actor, trying to make a comeback on Broadway, is surprised when his estranged daughter...

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Twenty Years After

as (archive footage)
Released: 1944-01-01

This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits,...

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No Questions Asked

as Police Insp. Matt Duggan
Released: 1951-06-15

A young lawyer's primrose path to success gets him framed for murder.

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Show Business

as George Doane
Released: 1944-05-10

Musical about vaudeville performers, from 1944.

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London by Night

as Michael Denis
Released: 1937-07-30

A newspaperman, his canine companion, and an adventurous socialite investigate an...

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Step Lively

as Gordon Miller
Released: 1944-07-26

Fly-by-night producers dodge bill collectors while trying for one big hit.

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Little Miss Broadway

as Roger Wendling
Released: 1938-07-29

An orphan is provisionally adopted by the manager of a hotel populated by show business people....

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Up Goes Maisie

as Joseph Morton
Released: 1946-02-01

A showgirl working for an inventor battles crooks, who want to steal his ideas.

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Top of the Town

as Ted Lane
Released: 1937-04-17

In this musical set in swingin' Manhattan, an heiress plans a ballet in the famous Moonbeam...

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Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga

as Himself (uncredited)
Released: 1939-09-02

Two starstruck visitors to Hollywood sneak into the famous nightclub and end up in a Conga...

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Cynthia

as Larry Bishop
Released: 1947-08-29

Sheltered by her conservative parents, a small-town teenager finally goes out on a date.

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A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob

as Claudius "Coffee Cup" Cup
Released: 1941-03-14

Steve is a shy quiet man who is an executive for a shipping firm. He meets Dot at the Opera...

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Having Wonderful Crime

as Jake Justus
Released: 1945-04-12

Newlyweds (George Murphy, Carole Landis) drag their lawyer friend (Pat O'Brien) to a mountain...

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You're a Sweetheart

as Hal Adams
Released: 1937-12-26

A Broadway producer is in a quandary when he discovers that the opening of his newest big...

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After the Dance

as Jerry Davis
Released: 1935-06-25

Though he was protecting her when he accidentally killed a man, Mabel Kane (Thelma Todd) refuses...

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Broadway Rhythm

as Johnny Demming
Released: 1944-01-19

Broadway producer Johnny Demming is only interested in big-name talent and scoffs that his...

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Rise and Shine

as Jimmy McGonagle
Released: 1941-11-21

The college president, the head cheerleader and a gambling gangster try to keep a flunking...

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Woman Trap

as Keat Shevlin
Released: 1936-03-06

A gangland murder is the motivating factor of this fast-moving crime drama. George Murphy stars...

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Big City

as Patrick O'Donnell
Released: 1948-03-25

A young orphan in New York's Lower East Side is collectively adopted by three neighborhood...

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The Arnelo Affair

as Theodore 'Ted' Parkson
Released: 1947-02-13

A neglected wife gets mixed up with an hypnotic charmer and murder.

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The Public Menace

as Edward Joseph "Red" Foster
Released: 1935-09-30

1935 comedy in which an immigrant (Jean Arthur), a reporter (George Murphy) and a gangster...

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The Powers Girl

as Jerry Hendricks
Released: 1943-01-15

Two small-town sisters who've come to New York City for very different reasons find themselves...

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Talk About a Stranger

as Robert Fontaine Sr.
Released: 1952-04-18

Small-town gossips rage over the arrival of a mysterious stranger.

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The Navy Comes Through

as Lt. Thomas L. 'Tom' Sands
Released: 1942-10-30

A U.S. Navy crew aboard a merchant marine ship battle Nazis.

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Jealousy

as Larry O'Roarke
Released: 1934-11-23

Larry O'Roark is a boxer who's insanely posssesive and jealous of his fiancee, Jo. the sight of...

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The Women Men Marry

as Bill Raeburn
Released: 1937-09-10

A newsman with a no-good wife exposes a religious racket with a newswoman who loves him.

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Risky Business

as Dan Clifford
Released: 1939-03-03

Radio commentator Dan Clifford takes desperate chances to save the life of a young girl who has...

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The Mayor of 44th Street

as Joe Jonathan
Released: 1942-10-15

In this drama, an ex-vaudevillian dancer opens up a dance band agency and help street kids at...

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I'll Love You Always

as Carl Brent
Released: 1935-03-19

Nora Clegg, an actress, marries Carl Brent, an unemployed young engineer, whose estimation of...

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Hold That Co-ed

as Rusty Stevens
Released: 1938-09-16

An egotistical politician believes he can win votes by turning a small college's hapless...

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Violets in Spring

as Charlie Hall
Released: 1936-09-05

Mary Jones and Charlie Hall have worked for four years in the same office at the Acme Carpet...

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Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

as uncredited
First aired: 1958-10-06

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu...

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The Thin Man

as uncredited
First aired: 1957-09-20

Nick Charles was a private detective who married the wealthy Nora and decided to settle down and...

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MGM Parade

as Host
First aired: 1955-09-14

The original concept of the show was to allow the viewer to see the inner workings of a movie...

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