George Raft

Biography

George Raft was an American actor and dancer best known for his gangster parts in 1930s and 1940s crime pictures. He was born in New York City and learned to dance from his mother, later performing in nightclubs and on Broadway. After moving to Hollywood, he took small roles, appeared unbilled as a dancer in Taxi! (1932) opposite James Cagney, and broke through as Guino Rinaldo in Scarface (1932). He appeared in Night After Night (1932), If I Had a Million (1932), The Bowery (1933), Each Dawn I Die (1939), Invisible Stripes (1939) and They Drive by Night (1940). Later credits included Background to Danger (1943), Johnny Angel (1945), Whistle Stop (1946), Nocturne (1946), Race Street (1948), Red Light (1949) and Loan Shark (1952). He also appeared in Some Like It Hot (1959), The Ladies Man (1961), Casino Royale (1967), Five Golden Dragons (1967), Skidoo (1968), Sextette (1978) and The Man with Bogart's Face (1980).

79years old at death

Born September 26, 1901New York City
Died November 24, 1980Los Angeles
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
George Ranft (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 25
Career span: 48 years1932 to 1980

Genres

Drama60%, 15 films
Crime52%, 13 films
Comedy40%, 10 films
Thriller20%, 5 films
Film-Noir12%, 3 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Raft made his screen debut in Queen of the Night Clubs, in which Guinan insisted he take a small role. His scenes were cut, but a Variety review still called him the hot stepper and master of ceremonies.
A change of course
Raft boxed professionally for two years starting when he was 15, using the name Dutch Rauft. One account credits him with 14 bouts, nine wins, three losses and two draws, while another says he had 25 bouts and seven knockouts.
A role that slipped away
Raft did not want to play a sadist, so he turned down The Story of Temple Drake (1933) with Miriam Hopkins. Jack La Rue took his place, and in February Raft was suspended.
Behind the camera
Raft started a production company called Star Films, with Sam Bischoff serving as its president. The plan was to make three films over two years at a cost of $3.5 million.

George Raft movies on Netflix

The Man with Bogart's Face1980IMDb rating 6.2as Petey Cane
Sextette1978IMDb rating 3.9as George Raft
Skidoo1968IMDb rating 4.7as Captain Garbaldo
Casino Royale1967IMDb rating 5.0as George Raft
Five Golden Dragons1967IMDb rating 4.9as Dragon #2
The Ladies Man1961IMDb rating 6.3as Himself
Some Like It Hot1959IMDb rating 8.2as Spats Colombo
A Bullet for Joey1955IMDb rating 6.0as Joe Victor
Black Widow1954IMDb rating 6.7as Detective Lt. C.A. Bruce
Loan Shark1952IMDb rating 6.4as Joe Gargen
Red Light1949IMDb rating 6.4as Johnny Torno
Race Street1948IMDb rating 6.5as Dan Gannin
Nocturne1946IMDb rating 6.5as Joe Warne
Whistle Stop1946IMDb rating 5.5as Kenny Veech
Johnny Angel1945IMDb rating 6.2as Johnny Angel
Background to Danger1943IMDb rating 6.4as Joe Barton
They Drive by Night1940IMDb rating 7.2as Joe Fabrini
Each Dawn I Die1939IMDb rating 7.2as 'Hood' Stacey
Invisible Stripes1939IMDb rating 6.7as Cliff Taylor
You and Me1938IMDb rating 6.8as Joe Dennis
The Bowery1933IMDb rating 6.8as Steve Brodie
If I Had a Million1932IMDb rating 6.9as Eddie Jackson
Night After Night1932IMDb rating 6.7as Joe Anton
Scarface1932IMDb rating 7.7as Guino Rinaldo
Taxi!1932IMDb rating 6.6as William Kenny

Best known for

The films on Netflix with the most votes on IMDb, with the part played in each.

Top

Some Like It Hot1959 Comedy, Romanceas Spats Colombo
IMDb rating 8.2307K votes
Casino Royale1967 Comedyas George Raft
IMDb rating 5.035K votes
Scarface1932as Guino Rinaldo
IMDb rating 7.734K votes
They Drive by Night1940as Joe Fabrini
IMDb rating 7.210K votes
The Ladies Man1961as Himself
IMDb rating 6.35.2K votes
Each Dawn I Die1939as 'Hood' Stacey
IMDb rating 7.24.3K votes
Black Widow1954as Detective Lt. C.A. Bruce
IMDb rating 6.73.8K votes
If I Had a Million1932as Eddie Jackson
IMDb rating 6.92.6K votes

Most often with

Raoul Walsh directed three of these films, Edwin L. Marin three and Ken Hughes two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Roscoe Karns

Mack Gray

George E. Stone

Willard Robertson

Irving Bacon

Humphrey Bogart

Raoul WalshDirector, 3 films Edwin L. MarinDirector, 3 films Ken HughesDirector, 2 films

Films together

Roscoe Karns4 films together, 1932 to 1940
Roscoe Karns's page
- They Drive by Night1940IMDb rating 7.2Raft as Joe FabriniKarns as Irish McGurn
- You and Me1938IMDb rating 6.8Raft as Joe DennisKarns as Cuffy
- If I Had a Million1932IMDb rating 6.9Raft as Eddie JacksonKarns as Private O'Brien
- Night After Night1932IMDb rating 6.7Raft as Joe AntonKarns as Leo
Mack Gray4 films together, 1945 to 1948
Mack Gray's page
- Race Street1948IMDb rating 6.5Raft as Dan GanninGray as Stringy
- Nocturne1946IMDb rating 6.5Raft as Joe WarneGray as Gratz
- Whistle Stop1946IMDb rating 5.5Raft as Kenny VeechGray as Bartender
- Johnny Angel1945IMDb rating 6.2Raft as Johnny AngelGray as Mack, the Bartender
George E. Stone3 films together, 1932 to 1959
George E. Stone's page
- Some Like It Hot1959IMDb rating 8.2Raft as Spats ColomboStone as Toothpick Charlie
- You and Me1938IMDb rating 6.8Raft as Joe DennisStone as Pasty
- Taxi!1932IMDb rating 6.6Raft as William KennyStone as Skeets
Willard Robertson3 films together, 1938 to 1943
Willard Robertson's page
- Background to Danger1943IMDb rating 6.4Raft as Joe BartonRobertson as McNamara
- Each Dawn I Die1939IMDb rating 7.2Raft as 'Hood' StaceyRobertson as Lang
- You and Me1938IMDb rating 6.8Raft as Joe DennisRobertson as Dayton
Irving Bacon2 films together, 1932 to 1933
Irving Bacon's page
- The Bowery1933IMDb rating 6.8Raft as Steve BrodieBacon as Hick
- If I Had a Million1932IMDb rating 6.9Raft as Eddie JacksonBacon as China Shop Salesman
Humphrey Bogart2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Humphrey Bogart's page
- They Drive by Night1940IMDb rating 7.2Raft as Joe FabriniBogart as Paul Fabrini
- Invisible Stripes1939IMDb rating 6.7Raft as Cliff TaylorBogart as Chuck Martin
Raoul WalshDirector, 3 films, 1933 to 1943
All films by Raoul Walsh
- Background to Danger1943IMDb rating 6.4Raft as Joe Barton
- They Drive by Night1940IMDb rating 7.2Raft as Joe Fabrini
- The Bowery1933IMDb rating 6.8Raft as Steve Brodie
Edwin L. MarinDirector, 3 films, 1945 to 1948
All films by Edwin L. Marin
- Race Street1948IMDb rating 6.5Raft as Dan Gannin
- Nocturne1946IMDb rating 6.5Raft as Joe Warne
- Johnny Angel1945IMDb rating 6.2Raft as Johnny Angel
Ken HughesDirector, 2 films, 1967 to 1978
All films by Ken Hughes
- Sextette1978IMDb rating 3.9Raft as George Raft
- Casino Royale1967IMDb rating 5.0Raft as George Raft
Also two films together19 more actors
- Tony CurtisSextette (1978) and Some Like It Hot (1959)
- Henry O'NeillThey Drive by Night (1940) and Invisible Stripes (1939)
- James CagneyEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Taxi! (1932)
- Harry MorganRed Light (1949) and Race Street (1948)
- William HoldenCasino Royale (1967) and Invisible Stripes (1939)
- Barton MacLaneRed Light (1949) and You and Me (1938)
- Mike MazurkiThe Man with Bogart's Face (1980) and Some Like It Hot (1959)
- Frank FaylenRace Street (1948) and They Drive by Night (1940)
- Berton ChurchillIf I Had a Million (1932) and Taxi! (1932)
- Cecil CunninghamYou and Me (1938) and If I Had a Million (1932)
- Robert CummingsFive Golden Dragons (1967) and You and Me (1938)
- William BendixRace Street (1948) and They Drive by Night (1940)
- John BleiferBackground to Danger (1943) and The Bowery (1933)
- Joyce ComptonThey Drive by Night (1940) and If I Had a Million (1932)
- Joe DowningEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Invisible Stripes (1939)
- Alison SkipworthIf I Had a Million (1932) and Night After Night (1932)
- Jane BryanEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Invisible Stripes (1939)
- Mae WestSextette (1978) and Night After Night (1932)
- Robert AndersenNocturne (1946) and Johnny Angel (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.