Tweet Edward Brophy

Hi all. I'm looking for information on the character actor Ed Brophy and was wondering if anyone out there could help me. I'm particularly interested in any information relating to how he became involved with the Talmadge studios, how he ended up in MGM in the 20s as a production manager/assistant director, and the reason behind his virtual disappearance from movies in the late 40s. I've already accumulated a bit of information, but would appreciate whatever else anyone can pass on.

You probably know all that i've found--that he married Norma's secretary, Anne Pallette (who had been married to Eugene). He's always referred to as one of her assistant directors, but i don't know when he joined her outfit, but he was obviously with her when she made Yes or Know, since he's in front of the camera in that one.

greta

Many thanks for that. I actually didn't know that his wife had been married to Eugene Pallette, so that's interesting.
I've been trying to find the date that they married.

I've just managed to have a look at Ed Brophy's draft card from 1917 and he states that he was an assistant director with the Fine Arts Film Company that year, putting his entry into movies a couple of years earlier than previously thought. Does anyone have information on Fine Arts - where its offices were in NY, who ran it, etc, etc? Anything would be really appreciated.

Fine Arts was D.W. Griffith.

Bib

Cheers. I know its main studio was in Hollywood in 1917, but notice that it also used facilities in Yonkers, NY, which is where I'm assuming Brophy worked out of as an assistant director at this point. I also note that Norma Talmadge appeared in quite a few Fine Arts productions. I'm thinking that she was still based on the east coast at the time these films were made, as she didn't officially move to the west until 1922. Can anyone confirm that her Fine Arts movies were definitely filmed in New York?

I believe that all of Norma's Fine Arts/Triangle films were done in California, and that she didn't do any more filming in New York until Panthea, which began shooting at the end of 1916.

When the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation was formed in late 1916, Allan Dwan from Fine Arts was initially a partner, and Erich Von Stroheim from Fine Arts also worked on Panthea. So there were some Fine Arts staff who were involved with the Talmadge firm but i think they had also been working in California.

greta

Many thanks. Apart from the Anita loos book on The Talmadge Sisters and your own excellent website, can you recommend any reading material on the Talmadges?

Everything substantial on her that i've been able to find is listed in the bibliography section of her website. Peg's book is fun but sounds like a fond mother and i wouldn't guarantee that any given fact in there is true--probably quite the opposite. The series of articles from Saturday Evening Post is the most fun to read, though rather hard to come by unless that is available online--i haven't found it yet.

greta

Oh, and by the way, there is very little available on Joe Schenck except for turning up in important places in nearly everyone elses' biographies--and he would be an important connection as far as Ed Brophy is concerned.

greta

Thanks again for all your help.

Did you check imdb.com? Brophy's credits continue through his death in 1960 and include mostly TV work from 1950 on. No mystery there.

Hi. Yes, I've seen the IMDb filmography for Brophy and have discovered that, especially in the early part of his career, and in a few instances towards the end of it, it is far from complete. You'll notice he goes from being very active up to 1947, when he made one movie, then there's very few credits after that up to 1953, before the credits start mounting up again, predominantly for television. I know the bio on IMDb states that Brophy cut back on his activity in the 1950s, but was just wondering why this was so. He was busy on radio as well as in the movies (but finding his radio credits is proving next to impossible!), but again was interested to find out if his radio appearances were the reason he kept away from the screen.

It's possible that Mr. Brophy began having health problems by the late 40s. This cause is one of the least publicized but often explains why actors seems to disappear long before they expire.

That's certainly a possibiity. I also read somewhere that he wanted to take a break from what had been at that stage a very hectic nearly 30 year career in the industry so I suppose that's fair enough.

At least he bowed out in style, on the big screen anyway, with The Last Hurrah, a criminally underrated movie.

Toledo Blade - Jan 7, 1942 Film Drama's "Tough Mugg" Once Lawyer

The Milwaukee Sentinel - Apr 12, 1958 Ed Brophy Still Star's 'Friend'



Click to Hear
Kraft Music Hall 11-12-1942
Songs Include "Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition","Moonlight Becomes You", & "Dearly Beloved"
Crosby's Guests include Ginny Simms, Victor Borge, Edgar Buchanan,
and Ed Brophy appears at 9:40-15:08 and a skit bit at 36:15-37:38

Click to Hear
Command Performance 01-11-1945
Linda Darnell's Guests include Lina Romay, William Gargan, Sterling Holloway, Robert Benchley, Jimmy Durante,
Janet Blair, Jimmy Durante, Jack Teagarden, Alan Hale, Hugh Herbert, Andy Devine, Allen Jenkins, Arthur Treacher,
and Ed Brophy first appears at 6:00-9:03 singing with Benchley, Gargan, & Holloway
and later at 22:00-25:10, conducted by Durante, singing with Benchley, Gargan, Holloway. Hale, Herbert, Devine, Jenkins, & Treacher

Cheers. I know its main studio was in Hollywood in 1917, but notice that it also used facilities in Yonkers, NY, which is where I'm assuming Brophy worked out of as an assistant director at this point. I also note that Norma Talmadge appeared in quite a few Fine Arts productions. I'm thinking that she was still based on the east coast at the time these films were made, as she didn't officially move to the west until 1922. Can anyone confirm that her Fine Arts movies were definitely filmed in New York?

Yes the New York branch of the Triangle-Fine Arts studio was located on the former Clara Morris estate in Yonkers, New York.