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Robert Arthur

Robert Arthur

Actor · Died October 1, 2008, aged 83 · Aberdeen, Washington, USA

Robert Arthur (born Robert Paul Arthaud; June 18, 1925 – October 1, 2008) was an American motion picture actor who appeared in dozens of films in the 1940s and 1950s. He appeared in the 1949 war film Twelve O'Clock High as the comic relief–providing Sgt. McIllhenny, in the 1951 Billy Wilder film Ace in the Hole, and in the 1950s television program The Lone Ranger. Arthur was known for playing youthful teenage or young adult roles. In his later years, Arthur became an activist for gay rights on behalf of senior citizens. He died in Aberdeen, Washington in 2008, aged 83.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 18, 1925
Died
October 1, 2008 (aged 83)
From
Aberdeen, Washington, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

What are Robert Arthur's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
38%
Morality
27%
Power
12%
Self
11%
Survival
11%
Society
2%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 8 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Romantic
5
Melancholic
5
Warm
3
Hopeful
3
Other
7

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Robert Arthur's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Robert Arthur's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Diamond Stud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Mr. Boyle / Mr. Santacroce

  • Kiss-Off (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as the Police Lieutenant

  • Rassle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as the Reporter

  • Full House(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as The Minister

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Rushes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Uncle Arthur

  • Jobsite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as (non-sexual)

  • Jock Empire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Mr. Hays

  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Guide

  • Wild Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Frankie

  • Young and Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Jerry Coltrin

  • Hellcats of the Navy(1957)

    as Freddy Warren

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Desperados Are in Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Lonny Kesh

  • Francis in the Haunted House(1956)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Telephone Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Alex Samenian

  • Matinee Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Kip Ross

  • Navy Log (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Lambie

  • Top of the World(1955)

    as Skippy McGuire

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Return from the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Porter

  • Take the High Ground!(1953)

    as Donald Quentin Dover IV

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Young Bess(1953)

    as Barnaby

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The System (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Rex Merrick

  • Just for You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Jerry Blake

  • The Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Billy Smith

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as David · as Philip Weir

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Belles on Their Toes(1952)

    as Frank Gilbreth

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • On the Loose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Larry Lindsay

  • Ace in the Hole(1951)

    as Herbie Cook

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Air Cadet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Walt Carver

  • September Affair(1950)

    as David Lawrence Jr.

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Twelve O'Clock High(1949)

    as Sergeant McIllhenny

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • You're My Everything(1949)

    as Harold - College Boy in 'Heart of a Co-Ed'

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Mother Is a Freshman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Beaumont Jackson

  • Yellow Sky(1948)

    as Bull Run

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Green Grass of Wyoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Ken McLaughlin

  • Mother Wore Tights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Bob Clarkman

  • Hollywood Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Tour Guide (uncredited)

  • Nora Prentiss(1947)

    as Gregory Talbot

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Devil On Wheels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Todd Powell

  • Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Harry Townsend

  • Nobody Lives Forever(1946)

    as Bellhop (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Night and Day(1946)

    as Customer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Her Kind of Man(1946)

    as Copy Boy

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Too Young to Know (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Jimmy

  • Danger Signal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Hotel Boy

  • Mildred Pierce(1945)

    as High School Boy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Roughly Speaking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Frankie at 17

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 47 titles from 1945 to 1995.

Biggest box office

Ace in the Hole (1951)

$2.3M worldwide

Highest rated

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Yellow Sky (1948)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting46 of 47: 46 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score66thProducing1 of 47: 1 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s16 · acting1950s22 · 21 acting · 1 crew1960s2 · acting1980s4 · acting1990s3 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Robert Arthur's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th8

Shape of the crowd

None of their 18 titles divides audiences: 7 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most loved · actor

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Robert Arthur work with?

People who share at least 2 of Robert Arthur's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alfred Newman shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers