George Raft facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Raft
Trailer for Invisible Stripes (1939)
Born	George Ranft (1901-09-26)September 26, 1901 Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, U.S.
Died	November 24, 1980(1980-11-24) (aged 79) Los Angeles, U.S.
Occupation	Actor dancer film producer
Years active	1924–1980
Spouse(s)	Grace Mulrooney ​ ​ (m. 1923; died 1970)​

George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American actor and dancer. He was famous for playing tough guys and gangsters in movies from the 1930s and 1940s.

George Raft was a stylish leading man in many films. People remember him for his gangster roles in movies like Quick Millions (1931) with Spencer Tracy and Scarface (1932) with Paul Muni. He also starred in Each Dawn I Die (1939) with James Cagney and Invisible Stripes (1939) with Humphrey Bogart. Later, he appeared in the comedy Some Like It Hot (1959) with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon. He was also known for his dancing in Bolero (1934) with Carole Lombard.

George Raft once said he didn't really think of himself as an actor. He just wanted to be himself.

Early Life and Start in Show Business

George Raft was born in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. His family was of German background. His father worked in carnivals before they settled in New York.

Records show George Raft was born on September 26, 1901. He left school when he was 12 and left home at 13. He worked as an electrician's helper for a year. Then, he became a professional boxer for two years, starting at age 15. He fought 14 boxing matches, winning nine of them.

Raft also played a bit of minor-league baseball. He tried to find something he enjoyed that would help him earn a living. He later said, "I saw guys fighting, so I fought. I saw guys playing ball, so I played ball. Then I saw guys dancing... and getting paid for it!"

Becoming a Dancer

George Raft's mother taught him how to dance. He danced at outdoor parks and carnivals with his parents. After his baseball days, he started working as a taxi dancer in New York. He didn't have much money at first. But then he won a Charleston dance competition, which helped him start his professional career.

Raft began performing exhibition dances in New York City nightclubs. He became very popular as a dancer. He even toured around the world, helping to make the tango dance famous in cities like Paris and London. In 1926, he was a big hit in London. Even the Duke of Windsor was a fan! Fred Astaire, a very famous dancer, said that Raft was incredibly fast and did "the fastest Charleston I ever saw."

During this time, Raft became friends with some people involved in organized crime. He sometimes drove for one of them. He later said he was lucky to have avoided a life of crime.

Broadway Stage Shows

George Raft became part of the stage shows of Texas Guinan, a famous nightclub host. He also helped produce some of her shows.

His success led him to Broadway, where he continued to dance. He performed in several stage musicals. People called him "the fastest Charleston dancer." Later, he starred in the movie Broadway (1942), which was a story based on his own life as a young dancer.

Moving to Hollywood and Early Films

One of his friends from the nightclubs told George Raft he should try acting in movies. In 1927, Raft moved to Hollywood. He first danced in clubs there to earn money.

In 1928, he performed in a stage show called Night Club. Reviewers said he was a "tremendous hit" with his energetic dance routines.

First Movie Roles

George Raft's first movie role was in Queen of the Night Clubs, starring Texas Guinan. Even though his scenes were cut, he was noticed for his dancing. He then had small roles in movies like Gold Diggers of Broadway and Side Street.

His dancing skills caught the eye of director Rowland Brown. Brown cast him in a bigger role as a gangster in Quick Millions (1931). After this, Raft appeared in Goldie with Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow, and Hush Money. In Taxi! (1932), he had a fun, uncredited dancing role in a dance contest with James Cagney.

Becoming a Star in Scarface

George Raft's big break came when he was cast in Scarface, a famous gangster movie directed by Howard Hawks. He played Guino Rinaldo, the second-in-command to the main character. In the movie, Raft's character often flipped a coin, which became a very famous and copied action in gangster films.

Scarface was a huge hit and made George Raft a star. He said, "That was the big one. People remembered me." After Scarface, Raft signed a contract with Paramount.

Working at Paramount Pictures

At Paramount, George Raft got his first leading role in Night After Night (1932). He even helped his friend Mae West get a supporting role in the movie. He also appeared in If I Had a Million (1932), playing a forger who suddenly gets a million dollars.

Raft sometimes refused to take roles if he didn't like the character. He said he didn't mind playing a bad guy, but the character needed "some ray of warmth, some redeeming quality." He was suspended a few times by the studio for refusing roles.

In 1933, Raft starred in The Bowery, playing Steve Brodie, who supposedly jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge and lived.

Bolero and More Success

In 1934, George Raft starred in Bolero with Carole Lombard. He played a dancer, which was perfect for him. The movie was a big success. The New York Times said Raft brought "considerable color" to the role.

Raft continued to star in many films, including The Glass Key (1935), a fast-paced crime story. He also tried comedies like Every Night at Eight (1935).

In 1937, Raft starred with Gary Cooper in Souls at Sea. He initially turned down the role because his character was a coward, but he agreed after the part was rewritten to be more heroic. This movie was a big hit. In 1937, George Raft was one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood!

He continued to make adventure films like Spawn of the North (1938) with Henry Fonda and John Barrymore. However, he kept refusing roles he didn't like, which led to more suspensions from Paramount. His contract with Paramount ended in 1939.

Working at Warner Bros.

George Raft then signed a contract with Warner Bros. He appeared with James Cagney in the prison film Each Dawn I Die (1939), which was very successful.

However, Raft often disagreed with the studio about the roles he should play. He didn't want to always play the "heavy" (the villain). He turned down lead roles in several famous films that later went to Humphrey Bogart, including High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon. These roles helped make Bogart a huge star.

Raft did star in They Drive by Night (1940), a trucking movie with Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, and Humphrey Bogart. He also made Manpower (1941) with Edward G. Robinson and Marlene Dietrich. During the filming of Manpower, Raft and Robinson had a real fight, which made headlines!

In 1942, Raft finally got to make the movie Broadway, where he played a younger version of himself. He also appeared in the spy thriller Background to Danger (1943). In 1942, he bought himself out of his Warner Bros. contract to become a freelance actor.

Later Career and Supporting Roles

As a freelance actor, George Raft toured the U.S., England, and Africa to entertain troops during World War II. He was very popular with African-American movie audiences.

He turned down the lead role in the classic film Double Indemnity (1944). He later said, "I wasn't very intelligent then." His first film after leaving Warner Bros. was the musical Follow the Boys (1944).

Producing His Own Films

Raft started his own film production company called Star Films. He made several movies, including Johnny Angel (1945), which was a surprise hit. He also starred in Whistle Stop (1946) with Ava Gardner.

However, some of his later films, like Christmas Eve (1947) and Outpost in Morocco (1949), didn't do as well at the box office. His popularity as a leading man started to decline.

Moving to Supporting Roles

George Raft began taking supporting roles. He played a mob boss in the popular film Rogue Cop (1954) with Robert Taylor. He also appeared in Black Widow (1954) and was reunited with Edward G. Robinson in A Bullet for Joey (1955).

He had a small role in the big movie Around the World in 80 Days (1956). After this, he said, "the telephone just seemed to stop ringing."

Television Appearances

In 1953, George Raft starred as a police detective in a TV series called I’m the Law. He also made fun of his tough-guy image in comedy sketches on shows like The Jack Benny Program and The Red Skelton Show. In 1964, he even performed a tango dance on The Ed Sullivan Show. He appeared in an episode of the Batman (TV series) in 1967 and later on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.

Working in Casinos

In 1955, George Raft was offered a chance to work at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas as its entertainment director. He was initially denied a license because of his past friendships with people involved in organized crime. But he argued that he never did business with them, and the decision was changed.

He later worked at the Capri Casino in Havana, Cuba, where he was also a part owner. However, when Fidel Castro took over Cuba, all the casinos were closed.

Back to Movies and Final Roles

In 1958, George Raft got a role in Some Like It Hot (1959), playing a gangster. The movie was a big hit. He also appeared as a casino owner in the famous Rat Pack movie Ocean's 11 (1960). He had cameo roles (brief appearances) in other films like The Ladies Man (1961) and The Patsy (1964).

In 1966, Raft went to London to work as a host at a gambling club. While there, he appeared in a few more films, including a cameo in the James Bond spoof Casino Royale. However, after a trip home, he was not allowed to re-enter the UK.

His last film appearances were in Hammersmith Is Out (1972), Sextette (1978) with Mae West, and The Man with Bogart's Face (1980), which was a tribute to old detective movies.

Personal Life

George Raft married Grace Mulrooney in 1923, before he became famous. They separated soon after, but Grace, who was Catholic, refused to get a divorce. So, George Raft remained officially married to her and supported her until she died in 1970.

He was known for having romances in Hollywood with actresses like Betty Grable, Marlene Dietrich, and Carole Lombard. He wanted to marry Norma Shearer, with whom he had a long relationship, but his wife's refusal to divorce meant he couldn't, and their romance ended.

Death

George Raft passed away from emphysema at age 79 in Los Angeles on November 24, 1980. He was buried at the Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Short Films

• Hollywood on Parade No. A-9 (1933)
• Hollywood on Parade No. B-5 (1933)
• Hollywood on Parade No. B-8 (1934)
• The Fashion Side of Hollywood (1935)
• Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 4 (1938)
• Meet the Stars #6: Stars at Play (1941)
• Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2 (1941)
• Hollywood Park (1946)
• Screen Snapshots: Vacation at Del Mar (1949)

Radio Shows

• Kraft Cheese Program (1936)
• Lux Radio Theatre (various episodes, 1936-1948)
• Bob Hope (1939)
• Screen Guild Theatre (1939, 1942)
• Procter and Gamble's Knickerbocker Playhouse (1939)
• Campbell Soup Playhouse (1941)
• The Cases of Mr. Ace (1947)
• Rocky Jordan (1951)
• Martin and Lewis Show (1951)

Images for kids

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  William Holden and Raft in Invisible Stripes (1939)

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  Whistle Stop (1946) with Ava Gardner

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  Judy Canova and Raft in 1979

See also

In Spanish: George Raft para niños