Charles Butterworth

Charles Butterworth was an American actor who is best known for his roles in Second Chorus, Love Me Tonight, and This Is the Army.

Personal and Family Life

Charles Butterworth was born on July 26, 1896, in South Bend, Indiana. He graduated from Notre Dame’s law school in 1924 but chose to pursue a career in journalism instead. Butterworth married Ethel Kenyon in 1932, but they divorced in 1939. At the time of his death, he was engaged to actress Natalie Schafer.

Career

Before moving to Hollywood in 1930, Charles Butterworth performed on Broadway. He became popular in the 1930s as the best friend of leading characters, known for his witty ad-libs during filming. Though he had notable successes, his fame declined in the late 1930s, and he worked with smaller studios in the 1940s. His last film was Dixie Jamboree in 1944.

Death and Legacy

Charles Butterworth died in a car accident on June 13, 1946, in Los Angeles. While officially ruled an accident, some believe he may have intentionally crashed due to his grief over losing his close friend, Robert Benchley, earlier that year. His legacy includes being remembered as a comedic talent who brought humor to many films of his era.

Filmography

Title Release Date Character
Second Chorus 1941-01-03 J. Lester Chisholm
Love Me Tonight 1932-08-18 Count de Savignac
Follow the Boys 1944-05-05 Louie Fairweather
Penthouse 1933-09-08 Layton
This Is the Army 1943-08-14 Eddie Dibble
Baby Face Harrington 1935-04-12 Willie Harrington
Magnificent Obsession 1935-12-30 Tommy Masterson
Hollywood Handicap 1938-05-28 Himself
The Cat and the Fiddle 1934-02-16 Charles
Swing High, Swing Low 1937-03-12 Harry
Illicit 1931-02-14 George ‘Georgie’ Evans
The Moon’s Our Home 1936-04-10 Horace Van Steedan
Forsaking All Others 1934-12-23 Shemp
Night in New Orleans 1942-07-01 Edward Wallace
The Nuisance 1933-06-03 Floppy Phil Montague
Every Day’s a Holiday 1937-12-18 Larmadou Graves
The Mad Genius 1931-09-30 Karimsky
Road Show 1941-02-18 Harry Whitman
Sis Hopkins 1941-04-12 Horace Hopkins
Orchids to You 1935-08-09 Teddy Stuyvesant
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back 1934-08-15 Algy Longworth / Mousey
Blonde Inspiration 1941-02-07 ‘Bittsy’ Conway
Let Freedom Ring 1939-02-24 The Mackerel
Manhattan Parade 1931-12-24 Herbert T. Herbert
The Life of the Party 1930-10-25 Colonel Joy
Hollywood Party 1934-05-24 Harvey Clemp
The Night Is Young 1935-01-11 Willy Fitch
Thanks for the Memory 1938-11-11 Biney
Side Show 1931-09-19 Sidney
Student Tour 1934-10-05 Ethelred Lippincott
My Weakness 1933-09-22 Gerald Gregory
We Went to College 1936-06-19 Glenn Harvey
Beauty and the Boss 1932-04-09 Ludwig Pfeffer Jr.
Half Angel 1936-05-22 Doc Felix
Dixie Jamboree 1944-08-15 Professor
Rainbow on the River 1936-12-18 Barrett
Bermuda Mystery 1944-05-01 Dr. Randolph Tilford
Ladies of Leisure 1930-04-05 Cocktail Shaking Party Guest (uncredited)
The Sultan’s Daughter 1943-12-16 Sultan of Araband
What’s Cookin’? 1942-02-20