George Murphy - 4th of July Guy -Dances with Fred

George Murphy was born on July 4, 1902. George Murphy was a hoofer.  He was also a U.S. Senator from California. Ronald Reagan called Murphy. a Democrat turned Republican actor-politician - his John the Baptist.Murphy served as Republican U.S. Senator from in from 1965-1971 and was defeated in one of pioneering Democratic Public Relations/Smear campaigns.  The movie "The Candidate" with Robert Redford is said to mirror the election of John Tunney over Murphy.

Murphy was born on the 4th of July in New Haven, CT.  His old man was a teacher and coach which provided a great education to the son of Mike Murphy. He attended prestigious east coast prep schools and eventually Yale.  From Yale, Murphy worked like the son of an immigrant as a  machinist, miner, real estate agents and night club hoofer.

A devout Roman Catholic American, Murphy married and was widowed twice.


Here is a the 4th of July Guy, Senator George Murphy hoofing with Fred Astair.

Born: July 4, 1902, New Haven Died: May 3, 1992, Palm Beach Spouse: Betty Duhon Blandi (m. 1982–1992), Julie Johnson (m. 1926–1973) Children: Melissa Elaine Murphy, Dennis Michael Murphy Parents: Mike Murphy, Nora Long

George Murphy, Singer and Actor Who Became Senator, Dies at 89
 By JACQUES STEINBERGPublished: May 05, 1992George Murphy, a Hollywood actor, singer and dancer who was later elected a United States Senator from California, died Sunday night at his home in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 89 years old.
He died of leukemia, his wife, Bette, said.
From the 1930's to the 1950's, Mr. Murphy acted in more than 40 motion pictures, many of them M-G-M musicals. A tall and dignified performer, he danced opposite Shirley Temple in the 1938 film "Little Miss Broadway," acted opposite Judy Garland in the film version of George M. Cohan's "Little Nellie Kelly," and worked with Ronald Reagan, who later became a close friend and political ally, in the film "This Is the Army."
Years later, Shirley Temple Black recalled: "He was calm, no temper, and always knew his lines. He had a natural sense of rhythm."
Mr. Murphy, a Democrat who switched his allegiance to the Republican Party in 1939, became active in Hollywood politics in the 1940's, serving two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild. He retired from films in 1952 and became a public relations executive in the motion picture industry, working for M-G-M and Desilu Productions, among others
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