Edward Brophy

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This article is about the actor. For the Pittsburgh Police Chief, see Edward J. Brophy.
Edward Brophy
Edward Brophy in The Thin Man Goes Home (1945).png
Brophy in the trailer for The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
Born
Edward Santree Brophy

(1895-02-27)February 27, 1895
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 27, 1960(1960-05-27) (aged 65)
Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Resting placeWoodlawn Memorial Cemetery
OccupationActor
Years active1920–1960
Spouse(s)
Ann S. Brophy
​
​
(m. 1925)​

Edward Santree Brophy (February 27, 1895 – May 27, 1960) was an American character actor 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).

Early life[]

Edward Santree Brophy was born on February 27, 1895 in New York City and attended the University of Virginia.[1]

Career[]

His screen debut was in Yes or No? (1920). 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 studios of MGM.

Edward Brophy (center) with Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery in The Champ (1931)

He played the main character's loyal manager in The Champ (1931), a Rollo Brother circus proprietor, with Matt McHugh in the movie Freaks (1932 film) (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 Q. Mouse in Dumbo, even though he was uncredited for this role. He also made several appearances in the films of director John Ford.

Brophy was the model for the comic book character Doiby Dickles.[2]

Death[]

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."[3]) He was 65. He was buried in Santa Monica's Woodlawn Cemetery next to his wife Ann S. Brophy. (Another source listed "widow, Ann" as a survivor.[4])

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. ^ Dulaney, Sean (September 2017). "Green Lantern 60th Anniversary Panel". Alter Ego. 3 (148): 47. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Edward Brophy Dies". The Kansas City Times. May 31, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved October 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  4. ^ "Edward Brophy, Movie Actor, Dies Watching Fight". The Times Record. May 31, 1960. p. 7. Retrieved October 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access

External links[]

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