GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN - ARTHUR HOUSMAN: KING OF THE COMEDIC DRUNKS

Since the advent of cinema, many well-known actors have faded from the public eye due to the changes reflected in popular culture and the passing of time. Today, we are going to take a look at the life and career of one of these actors, Arthur Housman, by chronicling his journey through the entertainment industry. Please enjoy.





Full name: Arthur Housman / Occupation: Actor / Born: October 10, 1889, in New York City, New York, USA / Died: April 8, 1942, in Los Angeles, California, USA (aged 52) / Years active: 1912 to 1941

What do we know about his life before he started his career? Not a lot is known about Arthur prior to his acting career. But what we do know is that his father, Abrams, was a house painter, and that Arthur considered himself a proud New Yorker who was raised and educated there.

How did he start his career? Just like many other actors from his era, Arthur began his career by acting on stage. Not only did he perform in vaudeville with the pantomimist, Signor G. Malasso, but he also appeared on the New York stage in such musical productions as 'Queen of the Moulin Rouge'. He acted on stage for approximately four years, before he was hired by the Edison Company in 1912 to star in a series of their silent films.

What happened next? Arthur's first film was the seven-minute silent short, 'Everything Comes to Him Who Waits' (1912), where he played the part of a waiter. Then after that, he went on to star in nearly two hundred silent productions, some of which he would appear as a leading man, others in a more minor role, and roughly thirty to fifty as part of a double act with another actor named William Wadsworth. Arthur appeared in over three hundred films throughout his career, both silent and with sound.

What was he best known for? Despite starting his career as a straight, sober actor, after a while, Arthur became known for playing lovable, comedic drunks. In fact, Arthur was so good at playing this type of inebriated role, that he was hired to play fun, drunken characters in films starring many notable actors. This included 'Caught Plastered' (1931) with Wheeler and Woolsey, 'Movie Crazy' (1932) with Harold Lloyd, 'Scram!' (1932) with Laurel and Hardy, 'She Done Him Wrong' (1933) with Mae West, and 'Go West' (1940) with the Marx Brothers, to name but a few.

Was he married? Yes, he was married, but depending on the source, he was either married to a lady called Florence Banta Morse from 1908 until his death in 1942, or he was married to a lady called Ellen Grubley from 1919 until his death in 1942. In any event, we do know that Arthur was married at least once in his life, and regardless of whether he separated from Florence or not, it's known that she did have a daughter from a previous marriage, also known as Florence.

How did he pass away? Even though some people have said that he died from pneumonia, brought about by his excessive drinking, according to his death certificate, Arthur died of pulmonary tuberculosis, which he must have suffered from for many years.

Additional information:

• Arthur was one of the first actors who appeared in films that the public knew by name.
• As a member of Edison's stock company, Arthur participated in Edison's experimental production of talking pictures, which involved synchronized dialogue and music to moving images with the use of phonograph records. But if truth be told, this wasn't totally successful in theaters because at the time Edison and his team couldn't develop a sound system to adequately amplify the volume of a film for a large audience.
• In World War One, Arthur served briefly in the Naval Reserve Force as a fireman (3rd class).
• During prohibition, or to be more specific about it, 1929, he was arrested by the police for consuming illegal booze, and ten years later, he was arrested once again for his drunken state and sentenced to one hundred and nineteen days in jail.
• For a short period in the 1920s, Arthur created his own company, Housman Comedies, which made five-reel comedies and comedy-dramas. The first film his company produced was fairly well-received, 'The Snitching Hour' (1922), but due to legal difficulties, Arthur had to quickly disband his business not so long thereafter.

So, there you have it, folks, a quick look at the life and career of the actor, Arthur Housman. Out of curiosity, have you seen any of the films Arthur starred in? And if you have, which one is your favorite and why? Either way, please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.