Who is George Raft? See Net-worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

George Ranft Wiki Biography

George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, today George Raft is mostly known for his gangster roles in the original Scarface (1932), Each Dawn I Die (1939), and Billy Wilder’s 1959 comedy Some Like it Hot, as a dancer in Bolero (1934), and a truck driver in They Drive by Night (1940). Raft’s real-life association with New York gangsters gave his screen image in mob films an added realism. He also gained retrospective notoriety for the leading roles that he turned down–only to have those roles become breakout hits for other actors (notably, Humphrey Bogart).

Full Name	George Raft
Net Worth	$1 Million
Date Of Birth	September 26, 1901
Died	1980-11-24
Place Of Birth	New York City, New York, U.S.
Height	5′ 7″ (1.7 m)
Profession	Actor, Soundtrack
Education	Stuyvesant High School
Nationality	American
Spouse	Grace Mulrooney
Parents	Conrad Ranft, Eva Glockner
Siblings	Eva Ranft
IMDB	http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0706368
Movies	Some Like It Hot, Scarface, They Drive by Night, Each Dawn I Die, Background to Danger, Night After Night, Manpower, Johnny Angel, Invisible Stripes, Nocturne, Outpost in Morocco, Souls at Sea, Whistle Stop, Race Street, Nob Hill, The Man with Bogart’s Face, A Dangerous Profession, Rogue Cop, Spawn …
TV Shows	I’m the Law

Title	Salary
Manpower (1941)	$60,000

Quote
1	[on turning down the leading part in one of Hollywood’s greatest dramas] Whoever heard of Casablanca? I don’t want to star opposite an unknown Swedish broad.
2	[April, 1944] Here I am, back in a musical comedy picture. And that’s not all. A fan called me from Chicago the other day and told me I was her pin-up boy. How d’ya like that? I’m a boy, now.
3	[In a 1936 interview, discussing former jobs before getting into the acting profession] My one ambition then was to drive a horse. So I got a job driving a delivery wagon for a large grocery company. I drove up and down Ninth avenue like I was daffy. I raced all the other delivery wagons. I gave all the boys rides. Deliveries were always late, customers complained, and I was fired.
4	[on acting] You see, I found it tough work. What I would do would be to think over the scene in my mind and try to become whoever I was playing. I would try to feel like the person in that particular scene. Sometimes my words would be different from the script.
5	I must have gone through $10 million during my career. Part of the loot went for gambling, part for horses and part for women. The rest I spent foolishly.
6	[on his acting] I’m afraid to look, because I’m probably awful.

Fact
1	During the late-1950s, Raft was employed as a celebrity greeter at the Mafia-owned Hotel Capri casino in Havana, a job that played off his image as a movie mobster and tough guy. He was present on January 1, 1959 when rebels stormed Havana, overthrowing dictator Fulgencio Batista. According to Raft, as the rebels began looting the Capri, they recognized him and he was able to convince them not to hurt anyone.
2	Raft never looked at himself on film. After not watching a clip of his movies on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked why. Raft said he said he would find so much wrong with his performance that he would spend his next film worried about his acting and never get it right. He only wanted to worry if people stopped going to his movies.
3	He played himself in ten films: Broadway (1942), Stage Door Canteen (1943), Nous irons à Paris (1950), The Ladies Man (1961), The Patsy (1964), Casino Royale (1967), Silent Treatment (1968), The Great Sex War (1969), Deadhead Miles (1973) and Sextette (1978).
4	As previously reported, he turned down the roles of Roy “Mad Dog” Earle in “High Sierra (1941)”, Sam Spade in “The Maltese Falcon (1941)”, and Rick Blaine in “Casablanca (1942).” All three of these parts were picked up by Humphrey Bogart, and each one was essential in making Bogart a superstar.
5	According to The Lewiston Daily Sun newspaper June 1936, George was 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighed 155 pounds, had an olive complexion, black hair and brown eyes.
6	There has been much debate over when George was born. Although most sources and articles claim his birth year as 1895, including his gravestone, New York census reports suggest Mr. Raft was born in 1901.
7	Mother, Eva, died of asthma at her 610 West 174th Street home in 1937, after a long illness, at the age of 62. Mr. Raft was at her bedside.
8	His father was reported to having two thriving businesses: During the winter, the elder Raft was superintendent of the John Wanamaker department store. In the summer he owned and managed a merry-go-round at a small amusement park at Hasting-on-the-Hudson, New York. That merry-go-round was a family affair, began by George’s grandfather. This was at Coney Island, Brooklyn.
9	The “Hell’s Kitchen” set built for George in ‘Invisible Stripes’ was an exact replica of Raft’s own New York birthplace.
10	Theft of $3150 worth of jewelry and clothing from Beverly Hills home at 1218 Coldwater Canyon Road reported May 10, 1939.
11	George’s father, Conrad Ranft, was born in Massachusetts, to German parents, Catherine Weil and Christopher Ranft. George’s mother, Eva (Glockner), was born in Germany.
12	According to both the 1900 and 1910 Censuses for New York City, Raft only had one sibling named Eva “Katie” Ranft, born on April 18, 1896 in Manhattan.
13	His parents Conrad and Eva Ranft had ten children, nine of them boys, with George the eldest.
14	A lifelong baseball fan, by 1955 he had attended the World Series for the past 25 years.
15	Featured in “Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir” by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry (McFarland, 2003).
16	As a teenager, he was a bat-boy for the New York Highlanders (Yankees), tried out for semi-pro baseball, boxed at the Polo Athletic Club and hustled pool.
17	July 1939: Signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. Studios.
18	Is portrayed by by Ray Danton in The George Raft Story (1961), Nicholas Mayer in Mae West (1982) and by Joe Mantegna in Bugsy (1991).
19	According to James Cagney’s autobiography Cagney By Cagney, (Published by Doubleday and Company Inc 1976), a Mafia plan to murder Cagney by dropping a several hundred pound klieg light on top of him was stopped at the insistence of George Raft. Cagney at that time was President of the Screen Actors Guild and was determined not to let the mob infiltrate the industry. Raft used his ‘many’ mob connections to cancel the hit.
20	Appeared with Mae West in both her first (Night After Night (1932)) and last (Sextette (1978)) films. He died two days after West’s death.
21	Banned from entering Britain in 1966 because of his alleged Mafia connections.
22	Second actor to portray the title role for CBS Radio’s “The Adventures of Rocky Jordan” (1951-1953).
23	Was a close friend of notorious gangster Benjamin Bugsy Siegel since their childhood in New York. Siegel actually lived at Raft’s home in Hollywood for a time while trying to make inroads for organized crime within the movie colony.
24	Not much is known about his marriage to Mulrooney except that she was some years his senior. Although separated early, they were never divorced, and he continued to support her faithfully until her death in 1970.
25	He turned down High Sierra (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942) and Double Indemnity (1944).
26	Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California, USA, in the Court of Remembrance.

Actor

Title	Year	Status	Character
The Man with Bogart’s Face	1980	Petey Cane
Sextette	1978	George Raft
Deadhead Miles	1973	George Raft
Hammersmith Is Out	1972	Guido Scartucci
The Chicago Teddy Bears	1971	TV Series
Skidoo	1968	The Skipper
Five Golden Dragons	1967	Dragon #2
Casino Royale	1967	George Raft
Batman	1967	TV Series	Citizen in Bank
The Upper Hand	1966	Charles Binnaggio
The Patsy	1964	George Raft
For Those Who Think Young	1964	Detective (uncredited)
Two Guys Abroad	1962	Nightclub co-owner
Ocean’s 11	1960	Jack Strager
The Red Skelton Hour	1955-1960	TV Series	Mike McCluskey / Ace Williams – Gangster / Big Jack – Speakeasy Operator / …
Jet Over the Atlantic	1959	Stafford
Some Like It Hot	1959	Spats Colombo
Around the World in Eighty Days	1956	Barbary Coast Saloon Bouncer
A Bullet for Joey	1955	Joe Victor aka Steiner
Black Widow	1954	Detective Lt. C.A. Bruce
Rogue Cop	1954	Dan Beaumonte
The Man from Cairo	1953	Mike Canelli
I’m the Law	1953	TV Series	Police Lt. George Kirby
I’ll Get You	1952	Steve Rossi
Loan Shark	1952	Joe Gargen
Lucky Nick Cain	1951	Nick Cain
Nous irons à Paris	1950	George Raft
A Dangerous Profession	1949	Vince Kane
Red Light	1949	Johnny Torno
Johnny Allegro	1949	Johnny Allegro
Outpost in Morocco	1949	Capt. Paul Gerard
Race Street	1948	Daniel J. ‘Dan’ Gannin
Intrigue	1947	Brad Dunham
Christmas Eve	1947	Mario Torio
Nocturne	1946	Joe Warne
Mr. Ace	1946	Eddie Ace
Whistle Stop	1946	Kenny Veech
Johnny Angel	1945	Johnny Angel
Nob Hill	1945	Tony Angelo
Follow the Boys	1944	Tony West
Background to Danger	1943	Joe Barton
Stage Door Canteen	1943	George Raft
Broadway	1942	George Raft
Manpower	1941	Johnny Marshall
They Drive by Night	1940	Joe Fabrini
The House Across the Bay	1940	Steve
Invisible Stripes	1939	Cliff Taylor
I Stole a Million	1939	Joe Lourik, alias Joe Harris
Each Dawn I Die	1939	‘Hood’ Stacey
The Lady’s from Kentucky	1939	Marty Black
Spawn of the North	1938	Tyler Dawson
You and Me	1938	Joe Dennis
Souls at Sea	1937	Powdah
Yours for the Asking	1936	Johnny Lamb
It Had to Happen	1936	Enrico Scaffa
She Couldn’t Take It	1935	Spot Ricardi / Joseph Ricard
Every Night at Eight	1935	‘Tops’ Cardona
The Glass Key	1935	Ed Beaumont
Stolen Harmony	1935	Ray Angelo, alias Ray Ferraro
Rumba	1935	Joe Martin
Limehouse Blues	1934	Harry Young
The Trumpet Blows	1934	Manuel Montes
Bolero	1934	Raoul De Baere
All of Me	1934	Honey Rogers
The Bowery	1933	Steve Brodie
Midnight Club	1933	Nick Mason
Pick-up	1933	Harry Glynn
Under-Cover Man	1932	Nick Darrow
If I Had a Million	1932	Eddie Jackson
Night After Night	1932	Joe Anton
Madame Racketeer	1932	Jack Houston
Love Is a Racket	1932	Sneaky (scenes deleted)
Night World	1932	Ed Powell
Scarface	1932	Rinaldo
Dancers in the Dark	1932	Louie Brooks
Taxi!	1932	William Kenny – Dance Contestant (uncredited)
Palmy Days	1931	Joe – Yolando’s Henchman
Hush Money	1931	Maxie
Goldie	1931	Pickpocket (uncredited)
Quick Millions	1931	Jimmy Kirk
Side Street	1929	Georgie Ames – the Dancer (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of Broadway	1929	Dancer (uncredited)
Queen of the Night Clubs	1929	Gigola

Soundtrack

Title	Year	Status
The Jimmy Durante Show	1956	TV Series performer – 1 episode
Follow the Boys	1944	performer: “Tonight” 1944, “Sweet Georgia Brown” 1925 uncredited, “I Feel a Song Coming On” 1935 uncredited
Spawn of the North	1938	performer: “I Wish I Was the Willow” – uncredited
Stolen Harmony	1935	performer: “BRADLEY’S DANCE”
Taxi!	1932	performer: “The Darktown Strutters’ Ball” 1917 – uncredited
Side Street	1929	performer: “Take a Look at Her Now” – uncredited

Thanks

Title	Year	Status	Character
Frankenpimp’s Revenge: The Romeo and Juliet Massacre	special thanks filming

Self

Title	Year	Status	Character
The Mike Douglas Show	1974-1980	TV Series	Himself – Co-Host / Himself – Actor
Hollywood Greats	1979	TV Series documentary	Himself
Today	1966-1974	TV Series	Himself
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to James Cagney	1974	TV Special documentary	Himself (table bow) (uncredited)
Tribute to Bogart	1972	TV Movie documentary	Himself – Interviewee
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson	1969-1971	TV Series	Himself / Himself – Guest
The Movie Game	1970	TV Series	Himself
The Great Sex War	1969	Himself
The David Frost Show	1969	TV Series	Himself
Della	1969	TV Series	Himself
Silent Treatment	1968	Documentary	Himself
The Joey Bishop Show	1967-1968	TV Series	Himself
Bogart	1967	TV Movie documentary	Himself
Hippodrome	1966	TV Series	Hoofer
The Eamonn Andrews Show	1966	TV Series	Himself
The New London Palladium Show	1965	TV Series	Himself – Hoofer
The Ed Sullivan Show	1957-1964	TV Series	Tango Dancer / Himself
The Lee Phillip Show	1963	TV Series	Himself / guest
Here’s Hollywood	1961	TV Series	Himself
The Ladies Man	1961	Himself
Main Event	1961	TV Movie	Himself – Guest
Red Skelton Timex Special	1960	TV Movie	Himself – Guest
About Faces	1960	TV Series	Himself
The Jack Paar Tonight Show	1959	TV Series	Himself
The Arthur Murray Party	1959	TV Series	Himself
The Gisele MacKenzie Show	1957	TV Series	Himself
The Jimmy Durante Show	1955-1956	TV Series	Himself / Himself – Actor
Inside Beverly Hills	1956	TV Movie	Himself
The Colgate Comedy Hour	1951-1955	TV Series	Himself – Actor / Himself
The Name’s the Same	1953-1955	TV Series	Celebrity Guest / Himself
Texaco Star Theatre	1953-1954	TV Series	Himself – Actor
I’ve Got a Secret	1953	TV Series	Mystery Guest
What’s My Line?	1953	TV Series	Himself
Screen Snapshots: Vacation at Del Mar	1949	Short	Himself
Hollywood Park	1946	Short	Himself
Breakdowns of 1942	1942	Short	Himself (uncredited)
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 2	1941	Documentary short	Himself – at Mocambo (uncredited)
Meet the Stars #6: Stars at Play	1941	Documentary short	Himself
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards	1940	Documentary short	Himself
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 4	1938	Documentary short	Himself
The Fashion Side of Hollywood	1935	Documentary short	Himself
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1	1934	Short	Himself (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade No. A-9	1933	Short	Himself (uncredited)

Archive Footage

Won Awards

Year	Award	Ceremony	Nomination	Movie
1960	Star on the Walk of Fame	Walk of Fame	Motion Picture	On 8 February 1960. At 6159 Hollywood Blvd.
1960	Star on the Walk of Fame	Walk of Fame	Television	On 8 February 1960. At 1500 Vine Street.

Source:

Who is George Raft? See Net-worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

Up next

Mo Gawdat Net Worth, Age, Birthday, Wikipedia, Who, Nationality, Biography

Author

SafeHomeDIY

Tags