1. George Lloyd Murphy was an American actor and politician.
24 Facts About George Murphy
1. 2.
George Murphy was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946, and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1951.
3.
George Murphy served from 1965 to 1971 as US Senator from California, the first notable American actor to be elected to statewide office in California, predating Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who each served two terms as governor.
4.
George Murphy is the only United States Senator represented by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
5.
George Murphy was born in New Haven, Connecticut, of Irish Catholic extraction, the son of Michael Charles "Mike" George Murphy, athletic trainer and coach, and the former Nora Long.
6.
George Murphy was educated at Trinity-Pawling School, Peddie School and Yale University in his native New Haven.
7.
In movies, George 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.
8.
George Murphy 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.
9.
George Murphy was never nominated for an Oscar in any competitive category.
10.
George Murphy was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946.
11.
George Murphy was a vice president of Desilu Productions and of the Technicolor Corporation.
12.
George Murphy was director of entertainment for presidential inaugurations in 1953,1957 and 1961.
13.
George Murphy entered politics in 1952 by joining the leadership of the California Republican Party, having directed the entertainment for the Eisenhower-Nixon inauguration that same year.
14.
George Murphy served from January 1,1965, to January 1,1971.
15.
George Murphy took his seat two days early, when Salinger resigned to allow Murphy to gain an edge in seniority; Murphy was then appointed by Democratic Governor Pat Brown to serve the remaining two days of Salinger's term.
16.
George Murphy was in demand for a time to assist other Republican candidates seeking office.
17.
In 1967 and 1968, George Murphy was the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
18.
George Murphy voted in favor of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as well as the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the US Supreme Court, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
19.
In 1970, Murphy ran for re-election; he was challenged by Democratic US Representative John V Tunney, the son of famed heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney.
20.
George Murphy was married to his ballroom dancing partner, Juliette "Julie" Henkel-Johnson, from December 18,1926, until her death, in 1973.
21.
George Murphy was married to Bette Blandi from 1982 until his death in 1992; she died in 1999.
22.
George Murphy subsequently moved to Palm Beach, Florida, where he died at the age of 89, from leukemia.
23.
George Murphy's move from the screen to California politics paved the way for the successful transitions of actors such as Ronald Reagan and later Arnold Schwarzenegger.
24.
George Murphy was the subject of a song by Tom Lehrer included on his album That Was the Year That Was with the same name, which criticized George Murphy's comments about Mexicans working in the US.