George MacFarlane

George MacFarlane (November 17, 1878 – February 22, 1932) was a Canadian-born American actor of both the stage and screen. He began his stage career in Montreal, before moving to New York City. His short film career spanned both the silent and sound film eras. In addition to his acting, he was also a well-known recording artist, who was very popular during World War I, including at least one song which reached number one on the charts in 1915. His career was cut short when he died in a car crash in 1932.

Early life and career MacFarlane was born in Kingston, Ontario on November 17, 1878. He had six older siblings, and was the son of Alice Gentle (not to be confused with Alice Gentle, opera singer), who was also a musical theatrical performer. The turn of the century would see him appearing in musicals in Montreal, eventually leading to him being cast in 1902 in the role of Captain Corcoran in the Gilbert and Sullivan light opera HMS Pinafore. By 1903 he was in New York City, where he had a starring role in the musical comedy The Fisher Maiden at the Victoria Theater.

Stage, music, and film career Between 1903 and 1928 he would appear in over two dozen Broadway productions, including musical comedies, straight plays, and operettas, including several stints as Corcoran in HMS Pinafore. In 1907 he would appear in the play The Girl and the Bandit, where he met his second wife, Viola Gillette; the two would marry on April 10, 1920. The two would appear in several plays together, including MacFarlane's first big success, 1909's The Beauty Spot. 1913 would see the beginning of his recording relationship with Victor Records, which would last until 1917. In 1918, he would switch to Columbia Records, where he would record four records, all in that year. He would return to Victor in the early 1920s, where he would make several more records. He would earn the nickname of "America's Favorite Baritone". in which he would record the Jerome Kern song, "Look in Her Eyes", which would be his first recording hit. He would have two other hits that year, "Can't You Hear Me Calling, Caroline" and "Your Eyes", with the former being one of the biggest hits of the year.

The following year he would appear in the Klaw & Erlanger production of Miss Springtime, which ran from 1916 to 1917. Although he did not perform the song in the play, MacFarlane would record the Kern song "My Castles in the Air" for Victor Records, which would become another hit for him in 1917.

1929 would see MacFarlane's return to the big screen, appearing in five films that year in supporting roles. Over the next three years he would be in an additional twelve films, also in supporting roles. On February 22, 1932, MacFarlane was rushing to a preview of one of the five films to be released that year in which he appeared. After mailing a letter, he was struck and killed by the driver of an automobile as he crossed the street on the way to the theater. Two of the films he appeared in, The Famous Ferguson Case and The Heart of New York, would be released after his death.

Broadway credits (Per Broadway Internet Database ) Year Title Role Notes 1903 Robert Luckstone 1909 Jacques Baccarel 1911 H.M.S. Pinafore Captain Corcoran 1912 Patience Colonel Calverley 1912 Edward 1912 H.M.S. Pinafore Captain Corcoran 1912 The Mikado of Japan 1913 Symon Symonovicz 1913 The Mikado of Japan 1913 H.M.S. Pinafore Captain Corcoran 1913 Iolanthe Strephon 1913 Lieber Augustin Augustin Hoffer 1914 Gustave Criquet II 1915 Trilby Alexander McAllister 1915 H.M.S. Pinafore Captain Corcoran 1916–1917 Miss Springtime Jo Varady 1918 Out There 1922 Springtime of Youth Roger Hathaway 1925 John Bruce 1926 Rainbow Rose (non-performer) Produced by George MacFarlane Productions Inc. 1926 Honest Liars 1927 We All Do (non-performer) Produced by George MacFarlane Productions Inc. 1927 Revelry Dan Lurcock 1928 Salvation Brady

Filmography

(Per AFI database) Year Title Role Notes 1917 Webb Singing Pictures Singer Off-screen recorded singing 1929 Frozen Justice Singer Lost film 1929 Nix on Dames Ed Foster 1929 Oldfield Lost film 1929 South Sea Rose Tavern keeper and trader Lost film 1929 Wall Street Ed Foster 1930 Cameo Kirby George 1930 Double Cross Roads Warden 1930 Half Shot at Sunrise Colonel Marshall 1930 Happy Days Interlocutor 1930 Up the River Jessup 1931 Behind Office Doors 1931 Rich Man's Folly Marston 1932 Marshall 1932 Union Depot Train caller 1930 Taxi! Father Nulty 1930 1932 Fireman Save My Child St. Louis fire chief