The Hollywood star who insisted on creative control and discovered Bette Davis
In short: George Arliss was a titan of stage and screen who became the first British actor to win an Academy Award. Beyond his accolades, he wielded extraordinary influence in Hollywood, hand-picking his own scripts and launching the careers of legends like Bette Davis, all while maintaining a strictly vegetarian, disciplined lifestyle.
Born Augustus George Andrews in 1868, Arliss began his career in the British provinces in 1887 before finding stardom in the United States. He transitioned seamlessly from legitimate theatre to silent films and eventually sound cinema, winning the Best Actor Oscar for his 1929 performance as Benjamin Disraeli. His success was not merely a result of his acting prowess but his deep involvement in the production process.
At Warner Bros., Arliss negotiated contracts that granted him unusual creative control, allowing him to rewrite scripts and cast his own co-stars. He famously insisted on Bette Davis for her first leading role in The Man Who Played God (1932), a decision she credited for her career. Arliss also built a production unit that included female executives like Maude T. Howell and discovered talent such as James Cagney and Dick Powell, though he modestly claimed credit only for his acting.
Despite his professional stature, Arliss remained a man of distinct personal habits. A strict vegetarian who famously declared he would eat nothing he could pat, he walked four miles daily and maintained a deep interest in aerobics. His later years were marked by the onset of the Second World War, which kept him in London, and a minor scandal involving undeclared bank accounts. He died in 1946 at age 77, leaving behind a legacy that prioritized his honorary degree from Columbia University over his cinematic triumphs.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: George Arliss
- Also: www.britannica.com — George Arliss | Silent Film, Stage Actor, Theater | Britannica
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