Victor Moore

Victor Frederick Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a comedian, writer, and director.

For other people named Victor Moore, see Victor Moore (disambiguation).
Victor Moore
Moore, c. 1918
Born
Victor Frederick Moore

(1876-02-24)February 24, 1876
Hammonton, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedJuly 23, 1962(1962-07-23) (aged 86)
East Islip, New York, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1896–1957
Spouse(s)
Emma Littlefield
​
​
(m. 1903; died 1934)​

Shirley Paige
​
​
(m. 1942)​

Career

Victor Moore appeared in over 50 films and 21 Broadway shows. His first appearance was on Broadway in Rosemary (1896). He also appeared in George M. Cohan's Forty-five Minutes from Broadway, which opened January 1, 1906, and its sequel, The Talk of New York (1907). He went on to star in shows such as Oh, Kay! (1926) as Shorty McGee, Hold Everything! (1928) as Nosey Bartlett, Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing (1931) as Vice-President Alexander Throttlebottom, Let 'Em Eat Cake (1933), Cole Porter's Anything Goes (1934) as Moonface Martin, and Irving Berlin's Louisiana Purchase (1940) as Oliver P. Loganberry.

Moore's talent was first recognised by screenwriter Beatrice deMille.[1] He made his film debut in 1915. He starred in three films that year, two of which were directed by Cecil B. DeMille – Chimmie Fadden and Chimmie Fadden Out West. He also appeared in Swing Time (1936) with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Make Way for Tomorrow (1937), The Heat's On with Mae West, Duffy's Tavern (1945), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947), On Our Merry Way (1948), A Kiss in the Dark (1949), and We're Not Married (1952), working with Ginger Rogers for a second time. His last screen appearance was a role as a plumber in The Seven Year Itch (1955).

He worked in film twice with Bob Hope, first in Louisiana Purchase (1941) and again in Star Spangled Rhythm (1942).

Moore made a guest appearance as himself on The Martin and Lewis radio show on August 16, 1949, and was a regular (as himself) on The Jimmy Durante Show.

In 1945 Moore appeared in the Daffy Duck cartoon Ain't That Ducky. He was so pleased with his caricature he offered to add his voice free of charge on the condition that the animators draw him with a little more hair.

Personal life

He was married twice – first to actress Emma Littlefield from June 23, 1903, until her death on June 23, 1934,[2][3] and then to Shirley Paige on January 16, 1942, when Moore was 66 and Paige was 22. The marriage was not publicly announced for a year and a half.[4] They remained married until Victor Moore's death 20 years later.

He had three children with his first wife: Victor, Jr. (1910), Ora Victora (November 19, 1917 – October 26, 1993),[5][6] and Robert Emmett (1920-2004).[7][8]

Moore died of a heart attack on July 23, 1962. He was 86 years old. He is interred at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, United States.

Legacy

The Victor Moore Bus Terminal and business arcade at the New York City Subway's Roosevelt Avenue / 74th Street station in Jackson Heights, Queens was named for him when it opened in 1941.[9][10] In 2005, the arcade was replaced by an Intermodal Transportation Complex serving the same subway and bus lines.[11]

Filmography
The Clown (1916)
Nutty Knitters (1917)
Moore in trailer for Louisiana Purchase (1941)

Radio appearances
YearProgramEpisode/source
1944 Amos 'n' Andy Between Life and Death
1947Lux Radio TheatreIt's a Wonderful Life[12]
1948Hallmark PlayhouseOld Man Minnick[13]

References
  1. "Beatrice deMille – Women Film Pioneers Project". wfpp.cdrs.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  2. "Moores to Celebrate." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 18 June 1928, p. 32.
  3. "Mrs. Victor Moore Dies in Hospital; 53." The New York Times, 24 June 1934, p. 24.
  4. “MOORE REVEALS WEDDING.” The New York Times, 5 July 1943, p. 11.
  5. “Mr. and Mrs. Victor Moore (Emma Littlefield) Wish to Thank Their Many Friends for the Beautiful Gifts, Letters and Telegrams of Congratulations upon the Birth of Their Daughter ORA VICTORA MOORE Nov. 19th, 1917. They Also Wish to Announce That Ora Is Some Baby.” Variety, 30 Nov. 1917, p. 23.
  6. "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP8Q-L7D : 26 November 2014), Ora Mora, 26 Oct 1993; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
  7. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X78T-VWF: accessed 3 November 2020), Victor F Moore, Hempstead, Nassau, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 125, sheet 1B, line 99, family 28, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1460; FHL microfilm 2,341,195.
  8. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JGZJ-J43 : 4 December 2020), Robert E Moore, 23 Jul 2004; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
  9. "Bus Terminal Opened at Jackson Heights: Victor Moore Enterprise in Queens Lauded by Officials" (PDF). The New York Times. December 12, 1941. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  10. "Real Politics Scares L.I.'s 'Senator' Moore". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 13, 1941. p. 9. Retrieved 1 November 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Officials Applaud Opening Of Renovated Bus Terminal | www.qgazette.com | Queens Gazette". www.qgazette.com. July 20, 2005. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  12. "It's a Wonderful Life (1946)". Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  13. "Radio's Golden Age". Nostalgia Digest. 41 (2): 40–41. Spring 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.