Arthur Space
{{Short description|American actor (1908–1983)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Arthur Space
| image = Arthur Space 1960.JPG
| caption = Space as dairy farmer Herbert Brown in NBC's National Velvet (1960)
| birth_name = Charles Arthur Space
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1908|10|12|mf=y}}
| birth_place = New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1983|1|13|1908|10|12|mf=y}}
| death_place = Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1941–1981
| spouse =
| children =
}}
Charles Arthur Space (October 12, 1908{{Cite book |last=Aaker |first=Everett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nqRkAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Arthur+Space%22+%22October+12,+1908%22 |title=Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters: All Regular Cast Members in American Crime and Mystery Series, 1948-1959 |date=2006 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-2476-4 |pages=506 |language=en}} – January 13, 1983) was an American film, television and stage actor. Today's audiences know him as the eccentric inventor opposite Laurel and Hardy in The Big Noise (1944), and as veterinarian Doc Weaver in 39 episodes of the CBS television series Lassie.
Early years
Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Space first delved into acting at Douglass College.{{cite news|title=Arthur Space, an actor who appeared as a regular...|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/01/16/Arthur-Space-an-actor-who-appeared-as-a-regular/8948411541200/|accessdate=June 1, 2017|work=UPI Archives|agency=United Press International|date=January 16, 1983|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601024926/http://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/01/16/Arthur-Space-an-actor-who-appeared-as-a-regular/8948411541200/|archivedate=June 1, 2017}}
Career
Space began his career in summer stock theater and eventually began appearing on Broadway.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/17/obituaries/arthur-space-tv-actor-dies-was-veterinarian-on-lassie.html|title=Arthur Space, TV Actor, Dies; Was Veterinarian on 'Lassie'|date=January 17, 1983|newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=May 10, 2009}} His Broadway credits include Three Men on a Horse and Awake and Sing.
Producer Edward Finney cast Space as an urbane hoodlum in the 1941 crime drama Riot Squad, starring Richard Cromwell and released by PRC. He jumped from the PRC company to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio. Under contract to MGM, Space appeared alongside Abbott and Costello in Rio Rita, and had roles in Tortilla Flat, Grand Central Murder, Andy Hardy's Double Life, and others. Space remained with MGM but took assignments at other studios, including Twentieth Century-Fox, Columbia, and Universal. At Fox, he appeared in the Laurel and Hardy comedy The Big Noise, in which Space played the second lead to the starring team.
Space appeared in three Republic chapter plays: Government Agents vs. Phantom Legion, Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders, and Panther Girl of the Kongo.
In 1953, Space played Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis, the commander during the siege at the Alamo, in The Man from the Alamo (1953). Space was unbilled.
In 1954, Space played the bandit Black Bart, or Charles Bolles, in an episode of the syndicated Western television series Stories of the Century.
Throughout the mid-1950s, Space continued appearing in films such as The Spirit of St. Louis with James Stewart while guest starring on various television series. He appeared four times as Col. Tomkin in the ABC Western series, Colt .45, starring Wayde Preston. During this time, Space had a recurring role as veterinarian Dr. Frank Weaver on Lassie (Jeff’s Collie in syndication).
Space was cast as Ben Hudson in the 1959 episode "Hang 'Em High", on the syndicated anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. The dramatization focuses on the completion in 1861 of the first transcontinental telegraph line. Hudson determines that Confederates have attempted to sabotage construction because the telegraph would most benefit the Union government. Paul Birch and William Schallert were cast in the episode as Mike Walsh and Ellis Higby, respectively.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0556632/?ref_=ttep_ep29|title=Hang 'Em High on Death Valley Days|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=September 18, 2018}}
In 1960, Space landed the role of the practical farmer Herbert Brown in the 58-episode NBC television series National Velvet, with Lori Martin as his equestrian daughter, Velvet Brown, and Ann Doran as his wife, Martha.{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|pages=745–746|edition=2nd}} After the series ended in 1962, Space continued acting in both television and films. Among his roles were four Perry Mason appearances between 1958 and 1964. In his first appearance he played murder suspect Willard Scott in "The Case of the Rolling Bones," and his final role was as murder suspect Edgarton Cartwell in "The Case of the Paper Bullets." In 1969 Space appeared as Sam Foster on the TV series The Virginian in the episode titled "A Woman of Stone."
In 1978, he appeared in an episode of The Waltons titled "The Beau", playing Grandma Walton's former boyfriend Marcus Dane. His last role was in a 1981 episode of the television series, Walking Tall.
Death
Space died of cancer at his home in Hollywood on January 13, 1983, at the age of 74.
Filmography
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1941
| Butch | |
| rowspan=11|1942
| Hank | |
| Rio Rita
| Trask | |
| Tortilla Flat
| Mr. Brown | |
| Grand Central Murder
| Detective with Doolin | Uncredited |
| Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
| Lido Club Desk Clerk | Uncredited |
| Tish
| Court Clerk | Uncredited |
| Random Harvest
| Traumatized Patient #2 | Uncredited |
| Quiet Please, Murder
| Vance | Uncredited |
| Reunion in France
| Henker – German Officer | Uncredited |
| Tennessee Johnson
| Doctor | Uncredited |
| Andy Hardy's Double Life
| Mrs. Stedman's Attorney | Uncredited |
| rowspan=9|1943
| They Came to Blow Up America | FBI Agent Arresting Rowboat Spy | Uncredited |
| Appointment in Berlin
| Staff Officer | Uncredited |
| This Is the Army
| Soldier | Uncredited |
| Salute to the Marines
| Cpl. Swenson | Uncredited |
| The Man from Down Under
| Bailey | Uncredited |
| Swing Shift Maisie
| Instructor | Uncredited |
| The Dancing Masters
| Director | Uncredited |
| A Guy Named Joe
| San Francisco Airport Captain | Uncredited |
| Whistling in Brooklyn
| Detective MacKenzie | |
| rowspan=14|1944
| Tower Man | Uncredited |
| The Ghost That Walks Alone
| Cedric Jessup | |
| The Heavenly Body
| Pierson | |
| Rationing
| Leafy | |
| Wing and a Prayer
| Executive Officer Reporting Aft Damage | Uncredited |
| Wilson
| Francis Sayre | Uncredited |
| Marriage Is a Private Affair
| Drunken Man | Uncredited |
| The Big Noise
| Alva P. Hartley | |
| Strange Affair
| Mac – Police Chemist | Uncredited |
| The Mark of the Whistler
| Sellers, Bell Captain | Uncredited |
| The Woman in the Window
| Captain Kennedy | Uncredited |
| Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
| Deck Officer | Uncredited |
| Music for Millions
| Colonel | Uncredited |
| Gentle Annie
| Sam Barker | Uncredited |
| rowspan=9|1945
| Station Commander | Uncredited |
| Leave It to Blondie
| Mr. Fuddle | Uncredited |
| The Clock
| Blood Tester | Uncredited |
| Son of Lassie
| Warrant Officer | Uncredited |
| Twice Blessed
| Contest Judge | Uncredited |
| The Hidden Eye
| Chemical Company Official | Uncredited |
| Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
| Pete Hanson | |
| Abbott and Costello in Hollywood
| Director Lippen | |
| The Crimson Canary
| Detective Carlyle | |
| rowspan=15|1946
| Davis – Summers' Henchman | |
| Lost City of the Jungle
| "System" Reeves | |
| Bad Bascomb
| Timber City Sheriff | Uncredited |
| The Man Who Dared
| Marty Martin | Uncredited |
| Boys' Ranch
| Mr. O'Neill | |
| Courage of Lassie
| Officer | Uncredited |
| Black Beauty
| Terry | |
| The Mysterious Mr. Valentine
| County Coroner | |
| Gentleman Joe Palooka
| Reporter Quimby | Uncredited |
| Child of Divorce
| Joan's Attorney | Uncredited |
| Home in Oklahoma
| Coroner Jud Judnick | |
| The Cockeyed Miracle
| Amos Spellman | |
| The Secret of the Whistler
| Dr. Gunther | Uncredited |
| Magnificent Doll
| Alexander Hamilton | Uncredited |
| That Brennan Girl
| Mr. Krasman | Uncredited |
| rowspan=11|1947
| Party Guest | Uncredited |
| The Guilt of Janet Ames
| Nelson | |
| The Red House
| The Sheriff | Alternative title: No Trespassing |
| Millie's Daughter
| Tappie | |
| Heartaches
| Dan Savronic, postal inspector | |
| Rustlers of Devil's Canyon
| Doc Cole | |
| The Crimson Key
| Det. Capt. Fitzroy | |
| Key Witness
| Dr. Jergins | Uncredited |
| The Invisible Wall
| Roy Hanford | |
| Her Husband's Affairs
| District Attorney | Uncredited |
| Big Town After Dark
| Fletcher—City Editor | Uncredited |
| rowspan=11|1948
| Sgt. Muller | Uncredited |
| Homecoming
| Col. Norton | Uncredited |
| The Fuller Brush Man
| Police Lt. Quint | |
| Silver River
| Maj. Ross | |
| Tap Roots
| Caller | Uncredited |
| A Southern Yankee
| Mark Haskins | Alternative title: My Hero |
| Walk a Crooked Mile
| Mr. North | Uncredited |
| The Return of October
| Radio Salesman | Uncredited |
| Joan of Arc
| Luxembourg Guard | Uncredited |
| Fighter Squadron
| Maj. Sanford | |
| The Paleface
| Zach | Uncredited |
| rowspan=11|1949
| Police Inspector | Uncredited |
| The Lone Wolf and His Lady
| Fisher | Uncredited |
| El Paso
| John Elkins | |
| Mr. Belvedere Goes to College
| Proctor for Entrance Exam | Uncredited |
| Sorrowful Jones
| Plainclothes Policeman | Uncredited |
| Lust for Gold
| Old Man | Uncredited |
| House of Strangers
| Bank Examiner | Uncredited |
| Any Number Can Play
| Reporter | Uncredited |
| Miss Grant Takes Richmond
| Architect Willacombe | Uncredited |
| Mary Ryan, Detective
| Mike Faber | Uncredited |
| Chicago Deadline
| Detective Pete Peterson | Uncredited |
| rowspan=6|1950
| Lucius Staley | Uncredited |
| The Good Humor Man
| Steven | |
| The Vanishing Westerner
| Sheriff John Fast / Sir Cedric Fast | |
| The Happy Years
| Al | Uncredited |
| The Fuller Brush Girl
| Insp. Rodgers | |
| The Killer That Stalked New York
| Dr. Penner | Uncredited |
| rowspan=10|1951
| Tomahawk | Captain Fetterman | |
| Night Riders of Montana
| Roger Brandon | |
| Three Guys Named Mike
| Airline Clerk | Uncredited |
| Up Front
| Col. Hayes | Uncredited |
| Her First Romance
| Joseph 'Joe' Foster | |
| Government Agents vs. Phantom Legion
| Crandall | Serial |
| Criminal Lawyer
| Ed Kelly – City Editor | Uncredited |
| Chain of Circumstance
| Dr. Andrews | Uncredited |
| Utah Wagon Train
| Robert Hatfield | |
| The Barefoot Mailman
| Piggot | |
| rowspan=11|1952
| Jet Job | Davison | |
| African Treasure
| Greg | |
| Red Ball Express
| Colonel at Briefing | Uncredited |
| Sound Off
| Barney Fisher | Uncredited |
| Jumping Jacks
| Doctor in Hospital | Uncredited |
| Here Come the Marines
| Capt. Miller | |
| Sudden Fear
| George Ralston | Uncredited |
| Fargo
| Austin | |
| Feudin' Fools
| Mr. Thompson | |
| Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder
| Joe Brady | |
| Because of You
| Judge | Uncredited |
| rowspan=9|1953
| Colonel | Uncredited |
| Confidentially Connie
| Prof. Archie Archibald | |
| Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders
| Marlof (Smokey Joe) | Serial |
| So This Is Love
| Director | Uncredited |
| The Man from the Alamo
| Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis | Uncredited |
| Clipped Wings
| FBI Agent | Uncredited |
| Last of the Pony Riders
| Jess Hogan | |
| Back to God's Country
| Carstairs | |
| The Eddie Cantor Story
| Phil | Uncredited |
| rowspan=6|1954
| U.S. Consul Richard O'Brien | |
| Ring of Fear
| Psychiatrist | Uncredited |
| A Star Is Born
| Court clerk | Uncredited |
| Target Earth
| Lt. General Wood | |
| Drum Beat
| Army Doctor | Uncredited |
| The Silver Chalice
| Stall Keeper | Uncredited |
| rowspan=7|1955
| Dr. Morgan | |
| Rage at Dawn
| Murphy – Bartender | Uncredited |
| Wyoming Renegades
| Eldridge | Uncredited |
| The Eternal Sea
| Rescue Ship Doctor | Uncredited |
| Foxfire
| Foley | |
| A Man Alone
| Doctor Mason | |
| The Spoilers
| Bank Manager | |
| rowspan=2|1956
| Bill, Police Chief | Uncredited |
| Away All Boats
| Doctor Flynn | |
| rowspan=2|1957
| |
| 20 Million Miles to Earth
| Dr. Sharman | |
| rowspan=2|1958
| Fred Duckett | Uncredited |
| Twilight for the Gods
| Officer | |
| rowspan=2|1959
| Clay | Uncredited |
| A Summer Place
| Ken's attorney | Uncredited |
| 1960
| Rigley | Uncredited |
| 1964
| Taggart | Colonel | Uncredited |
| 1968
| The Shakiest Gun in the West | Sheriff Tolliver | |
| rowspan=2|1971
| Old Home Guardsman | Uncredited |
| Shoot Out
| Storekeeper | Uncredited |
| 1972
| Henry Smith | |
| 1973
| Frasier, the Sensuous Lion | Dredge | |
| rowspan=2|1974
| Tramp | |
| Herbie Rides Again
| Beach Caretaker | |
| 1975
| The Strongest Man in the World | Regent Shaw | |
| 1976
| Wino | |
| 1978
| Engineer | |
| 1979
| Patient in Examining Room | |
| 1980
| Soapy Post | |
| colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| 1952–1959
| Ben Cannon / Ben Hudson / two other characters | 4 episodes, "The Little Dressmaker of Bodie" (1952), "The Rainbow Chaser" (1954), "The Talking Wire" (1959), and "Hang 'Em High (1959) |
| rowspan=4|1954
| Lawyer Fletcher | 1 episode |
| Stories of the Century
| Black Bart | "Black Bart" |
| Topper
| Hamilton | 1 episode |
| Annie Oakley
| Carl Bishop / The Warden | 2 episodes, "Valley of the Shadows" and "Annie's Desert Adventure" |
| rowspan=2|1955
| Medic | Dr. William Stewart Halstead | 1 episode |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents
| Mr. Chambers – Parole Officer | Season 1 Episode 12: "Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid" |
| rowspan=2|1956
| Crusader | Walter Cronan | 2 episodes, "The Syndicate" and "The Healer" |
| Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
| Lee Rabin | "Muletown Gold Strike" |
| 1956–1957
| | 2 episodes, "Boarders Away" (1956) and "Sam Houston's Decision (1957) |
| rowspan=4|1957
| The New Adventures of Charlie Chan | Barker | 1 episode |
| The Californians
| Prosecutor | "The Regulators" |
| Trackdown
| Doc | "Sweetwater, Texas" |
| Sheriff of Cochise
| Mr. Farnsworth | "Deep Fraud" |
| 1957–1958
| Marshal Neilson / Marshal Gary | 2 episodes, "The Trial" (1957) and "Warrant for Arrest" (1958) |
| 1958
| Kenneth Paul | Episode: "Hired Killer" |
| 1957–1959
| Sheriff / Mr. Scoville | 3 episodes, "Sky Net", "Mister Q", and "Sitting Duck" |
| 1957–1960
| Willow Creek Sheriff / Hank Stiles / Arnold | 3 episodes, "The Thin Rope" (1957), "Scapegoat" (1958), and "Dealer's Choice (1960) |
| rowspan=2|1958
| Sam Ditley | "Friend in Need" |
| Cimarron City
| | "I, the People" |
| rowspan=8|1959
| Mr. Judson | "Wally's Present" |
| 26 Men
| Ben Thompson | 2 episodes, "Ranger Without a Badge" and "Trail of Revenge" |
| Zorro
| Gonzalez | 3 episodes |
| U.S. Marshal
| Lou Carter | "Trigger Happy" |
| Bat Masterson
| Doc Ferguson | "Promised Land" |
| Dennis the Menace
| Dr. Sinclair | "Mr. Wilson's Award" |
| Tightrope
| Kemp | "The Neon Wheel" |
| Wichita Town
| Sid Durant | "The Devil's Choice" |
| rowspan=6|1960
| Conductor | "The Grasshopper" |
| Have Gun – Will Travel
| Sayer | Episode "The Night the Town Died" |
| Overland Trail
| Judge | "High Bridge" |
| Man with a Camera
| Colonel Boyar | "Kangaroo Court" |
| Johnny Ringo
| Seth | "The Vindicator" |
| M Squad
| Dr. Green | "Dead Parrots Don't Talk" |
| 1959–1960
| Bronco | Sheriff / Morgan Owing / Lansford | "Bodyguard" and "The Last Resort" (1959) and "Winter Kill" (1960) |
| 1966
| Sawyer | "Gun-Barrel Highway" |
| rowspan=2|1967
| Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Dr. Land | 1 episode |
| The Iron Horse
| Andy | "Gallows for Bill Pardew" |
| rowspan=2|1968
| Dr. Booth | "A Crying Need" |
| The Wild Wild West
| Senator A. T. Redmond | "The Night of the Sedgewick Curse" |
| 1969
| Michaels | 1 episode |
| rowspan=3|1970
| Judge Marley | 1 episode |
| The Bold Ones: The Senator
| Louis Masterson | 1 episode |
| The Bold Ones: The Lawyers
| Dr. Johnson | 1 episode |
| rowspan=2|1974
| Dr. Olson | 1 episode |
| Rhoda
| Doctor | 1 episode |
| rowspan=2|1975
| Jamison Watters | 1 episode |
| The Six Million Dollar Man
| Carruthers | 1 episode |
| rowspan=2|1976
| Alice | Stuff Johnson | 1 episode |
| Little House on the Prairie
| Phineas Jenks | 1 episode, "Fred" |
| 1977
| Kojak | Ezra Rawlings | "Letters of Death" |
| 1978
| Marcus Dane | 1 episode, "The Beau" |
| 1980
| Mr. Mayhew | "Home $weet Homes" |
{{Portal|Biography|New Jersey|New York City|Los Angeles|California|Theatre|Film|Television}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0816475}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Space, Arthur}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Deaths from cancer in California