John George

Biography

John George was a Syrian-American actor whose career stretched across at least 130 films from 1916 to 1960, with many brief or uncredited appearances. Born in Aleppo, Syria, he arrived in the United States around 1911 and later found his way into the early silent film industry in Los Angeles. He may have begun with Bobbie of the Ballet (1916), and he went on to appear in Rex Ingram's Black Orchids (1917) as Ali Bara. George became a regular in silent films with Lon Chaney, including Outside the Law (1921) and The Unknown (1927). He also played a cruel castle keeper and informer in Don Juan (1926) opposite John Barrymore and Barnaby's minion in Babes in Toyland (1934). He kept taking small roles into the 1950s, and one of his last was an uncredited barfly in a 1956 Gunsmoke episode. He died in 1968.

70years old at death

Born January 20, 1898Aleppo
Died August 25, 1968Los Angeles
Star sign: AquariusFirst day of the sign, on the Capricorn cusp

Movie Career

Films: 33
Career span: 40 years1920 to 1960

Genres

Drama52%, 17 films
Romance36%, 12 films
Adventure27%, 9 films
Crime24%, 8 films
Comedy21%, 7 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
George may have begun his movie career as an uncredited tenement dweller in the Joseph De Grasse film Bobbie of the Ballet (1916).

John George movies on Netflix

Heller in Pink Tights1960IMDb rating 5.9as Cheyenne Audience Member
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt1956IMDb rating 6.9as Newspaper Vendor
We're No Angels1955IMDb rating 7.3as Vendor
Apache1954IMDb rating 6.3as Shoeshine Man
Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3as Audience Member
The Big Sky1952IMDb rating 6.9as Passerby
A Streetcar Named Desire1951IMDb rating 7.9as Passerby
Crisis1950IMDb rating 6.7as Man In Street Crowd
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court1949IMDb rating 6.5as Peasant
Manhandled1949IMDb rating 6.6as Newspaper Vendor
Kiss the Blood Off My Hands1948IMDb rating 6.8as Midget
The Picture of Dorian Gray1945IMDb rating 7.5as Hunchback
The Spanish Main1945IMDb rating 6.3as Pirate
Submarine Alert1943IMDb rating 5.4as Man in FBI Raid
Road to Zanzibar1941IMDb rating 6.7as Man in Carnival Crowd
The Garden of Allah1936IMDb rating 5.8as Waiter
Charlie Chan in Egypt1935IMDb rating 6.6as Harip, The Grave Opener
Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3as Gypsy
The Black Room1935IMDb rating 6.9as Inn Waiter
The Devil Is a Woman1935IMDb rating 6.9as Street Beggar
The Black Cat1934IMDb rating 6.9as Cultist
The Cat's-Paw1934IMDb rating 6.7as Gangster
Chandu the Magician1932IMDb rating 6.2as Bidder at Slave Market
Island of Lost Souls1932IMDb rating 7.3as Beast
Dracula1931IMDb rating 7.3as Small Scientist
Drácula1931IMDb rating 7.0as Scientist
Smart Money1931IMDb rating 6.8as Extra on Train
The King of Kings1927IMDb rating 7.3
The Unknown1927IMDb rating 7.7as Cojo
Two Arabian Knights1927IMDb rating 6.6as Arab on Ship
Outside the Law1921IMDb rating 6.6as Humpy
The Conquering Power1921IMDb rating 6.8as Villager
The Mark of Zorro1920IMDb rating 7.0as Prisoner in Jail

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Unknown1927 Drama, Horror, Romanceas Cojo
IMDb rating 7.710K votes
Drácula1931 Drama, Fantasy, Horroras Scientist
IMDb rating 7.05.7K votes
Singin' in the Rain1952as Audience Member
IMDb rating 8.3286K votes
Dracula1931as Small Scientist
IMDb rating 7.365K votes
A Streetcar Named Desire1951as Passerby
IMDb rating 7.9120K votes
The Mark of Zorro1920as Prisoner in Jail
IMDb rating 7.03.1K votes
The Black Cat1934as Cultist
IMDb rating 6.915K votes
Heller in Pink Tights1960as Cheyenne Audience Member
IMDb rating 5.91.6K votes

Most often with

Tod Browning directed four of these films. Bela Lugosi appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Bela Lugosi

Boris Karloff

Nigel De Brulier

Egon Brecher

Dwight Frye

Louise Emmons

Tod BrowningDirector, 4 films

Films together

Bela Lugosi6 films together, 1931 to 1935
Bela Lugosi's page
- Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3George as GypsyLugosi as Count Mora
- The Black Cat1934IMDb rating 6.9George as CultistLugosi as Dr. Vitus Werdegast
- Chandu the Magician1932IMDb rating 6.2George as Bidder at Slave MarketLugosi as Roxor
- Island of Lost Souls1932IMDb rating 7.3George as BeastLugosi as Sayer of the Law
- Dracula1931IMDb rating 7.3George as Small ScientistLugosi as Count Dracula
- Drácula1931IMDb rating 7.0George as ScientistLugosi as Conde Drácula
Boris Karloff4 films together, 1927 to 1935
Boris Karloff's page
- The Black Room1935IMDb rating 6.9George as Inn WaiterKarloff as Baron Gregor de Berghman…
- The Black Cat1934IMDb rating 6.9George as CultistKarloff as Hjalmar Poelzig
- Smart Money1931IMDb rating 6.8George as Extra on TrainKarloff as Sport Williams
- Two Arabian Knights1927IMDb rating 6.6George as Arab on ShipKarloff as The Purser
Nigel De Brulier3 films together, 1932 to 1936
Nigel De Brulier's page
- The Garden of Allah1936IMDb rating 5.8George as WaiterBrulier as Lector at Monastery
- Charlie Chan in Egypt1935IMDb rating 6.6George as Harip, The Grave OpenerBrulier as Edfu Ahmad
- Chandu the Magician1932IMDb rating 6.2George as Bidder at Slave MarketBrulier as Yogi Teacher
Egon Brecher3 films together, 1934 to 1935
Egon Brecher's page
- Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3George as GypsyBrecher as Coroner
- The Black Room1935IMDb rating 6.9George as Inn WaiterBrecher as Karl - Lead Villager
- The Black Cat1934IMDb rating 6.9George as CultistBrecher as The Majordomo
Dwight Frye3 films together, 1931 to 1943
Dwight Frye's page
- Submarine Alert1943IMDb rating 5.4George as Man in FBI RaidFrye as Haldine - Fifth Columnist
- Dracula1931IMDb rating 7.3George as Small ScientistFrye as Renfield
- Drácula1931IMDb rating 7.0George as ScientistFrye as Renfield
Louise Emmons3 films together, 1921 to 1935
Louise Emmons's page
- Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3George as GypsyEmmons as Old Gypsy Woman
- The Unknown1927IMDb rating 7.7George as CojoEmmons as Gypsy Woman
- The Conquering Power1921IMDb rating 6.8George as VillagerEmmons as Washerwoman
Tod BrowningDirector, 4 films, 1921 to 1935
All films by Tod Browning
- Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3George as Gypsy
- Dracula1931IMDb rating 7.3George as Small Scientist
- The Unknown1927IMDb rating 7.7George as Cojo
- Outside the Law1921IMDb rating 6.6George as Humpy