Edward Brophy

This article is about the actor. For the Pittsburgh Police Chief, see Edward J. Brophy.
Edward Brophy
Born February 27, 1895
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died May 27, 1960 (aged 65)
Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor, voice artist, comedian
Years active 1920-1960

Edward S. Brophy (February 27, 1895 May 27, 1960) was an American character actor, voice artist, and comedian. Small of build, balding, and raucous-voiced, he was known for portraying gangsters, both serious and comic.

Career

In 1928, with only a few minor film roles to his credit, Brophy was working as a junior production executive for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer when he was chosen to appear with Buster Keaton in one sequence of Keaton's film The Cameraman. As two clients in a bath-house, Brophy and Keaton attempt to undress and put on bathing suits while sharing a single tiny changing room. Each time Keaton attempts to hang his clothes on one hook, Brophy removes the clothes and hands them back to Keaton and gestures to the other hook. He manhandles the smaller, more slender Keaton, at one point picking him up by the feet and dumping him out of his trousers. Appearing only in this one brief scene, Brophy attracted enough attention to receive more and better roles. Most of his long and prolific career was spent at MGM.

He played the main character's loyal manager in The Champ (1931), a Rollo Brother in the movie Freaks (1932), Joe Morelli from The Thin Man (1934) and Nick Charles' friend Brogan from The Thin Man Goes Home (1944). Brophy was most famous as the voice behind Timothy the mouse in Dumbo, even though he was uncredited for this role. He also made several appearances in the films of director John Ford.

Death

Edward Brophy died on May 27, 1960 during the production of Ford's Two Rode Together. He was buried in Santa Monica's Woodlawn Cemetery.

Partial filmography

References

  1. Imdb

External links