Arthur Hohl

Actor: Arthur Hohl

Born: May 21, 1889 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died: Mar 10, 1964 in California
Occupation: Actor
Active: '30s-'40s
Major Genres: Drama, Crime
Career Highlights: The Whole Town's Talking, The Scarlet Claw, A Man's Castle
First Major Screen Credit: It Is the Law (1924)

Biography

Gaunt stage actor Arthur Hohl began appearing in films in 1924. With his haunting eyes and demeanor of false servility, Hohl oiled his way through many a villainous or mildly larcenous role. When he showed up as Brutus in DeMille's Cleopatra (1934), there was no question that audience sympathy would automatically be directed to Julius Caesar ($arren William). Hohl found himself a semi-regular in Hollywood's "Sherlock Holmes" films, beginning with his portrayal of Moriarty's flunkey Alfie Bassick in 20th Century-Fox's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) and concluding with his performance as primary murder suspect Emile Journet in Universal's The Scarlet Claw (1944). Arthur Hohl was never creepier than as the psychotic phony butler who plans to bump off the entire Bumstead family--even Baby Dumpling and Daisy the Dog!--in Blondie Has Servant Trouble (1940). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide