Edward Brophy

This article is about the actor. For the Pittsburgh Police Chief, see Edward J. Brophy.
Edward Brophy
Born Edward Santree Brophy
(1895-02-27)February 27, 1895
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died May 27, 1960(1960-05-27) (aged 65)
Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor
voice artist
comedian
Years active 1920–1960
Spouse(s) Ann S. Brophy

Edward Santree Brophy (February 27, 1895 May 27, 1960) was an American character actor, voice artist, and comedian. Small of build, balding, and raucous-voiced, he frequently portrayed dumb cops and gangsters, both serious and comic.

He is best remembered for his roles in the Falcon film series, based on the suave detective of the same name, and for voicing Timothy Q. Mouse in Dumbo (1941).

Career

Edward Santree Brophy was born in New York City. His screen debut was in Yes or No (1920).[1]

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. Though he did appear in a few theatre roles, most of his long and prolific career was in film and was spent at the studio's of MGM.

He played the main character's loyal manager in The Champ (1931), a Rollo Brother circus proprietor 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 made a lasting impression on Disney fans as the voice of 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. (One source says Brophy "died while watching a prizefight on television."[2]) He was buried in Santa Monica's Woodlawn Cemetery next to his wife Ann S. Brophy. (Another source listed "widow, Ann" as a survivor.[3])

Partial filmography

References

  1. Katz, Ephraim (1979). The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume. Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-50601-2. P.171.
  2. "Edward Brophy Dies". The Kansas City Times. May 31, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved October 26, 2015 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Edward Brophy, Movie Actor, Dies Watching Fight". The Times Record. May 31, 1960. p. 7. Retrieved October 26, 2015 via Newspapers.com.
  4. Imdb

External links

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