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

Personal life

He was married twice – first to actress Emma Littlefield from 1902 until her death on June 25, 1934, and then to Shirley Paige in 1942. The marriage was not announced for a year and a half. At the time of the announcement, Moore was 66 years old and Paige was 22. They remained married until Victor Moore's death 20 years later.

He had three children with his first wife: Victor, Junior (born 1910), Ora (born 1919), and Robert (born 1921).

Career

Victor Moore made his film debut in 1915. He starred in three films that year, two of which were directed by Cecil B. DeMille – Chimmie Fadden andChimmie Fadden Out West.

He 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) with William Gaxton, 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.

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

He made a guest appearance as himself on The Martin and Lewis radio show on 8/16/49, and was a regular (as himself) on The Jimmy Durante Show.

He also appeared in such Hollywood films as 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).

His most unusual role came in the 1945 Daffy Duck cartoon Ain't That Ducky. Moore was so pleased with the caricature of him that he offered to add his voice free of charge on one condition: that the animators drew him with a little more hair.

The Victor Moore bus terminal

The Victor Moore bus terminal at the New York City Subway's Roosevelt Avenue / 74th Street station in Jackson Heights, Queens, served by the 7 E F M R trains and Q33, Q47 and Q49 buses, is named for him.

Death

Victor 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.

Source: Wikipedia