Murray Alper

Biography

Murray Alper was an American actor whose career ranged across Broadway, film and television. Born in New York City in 1904, he acted in Broadway productions from 1927 to 1940. His first known screen credit came in The Royal Family of Broadway (1930), a role he had already performed onstage. From the 1930s into the late 1960s he worked on over 200 film and television productions, often without a screen credit and never with top billing. He became associated with talkative cab drivers, a part he played at least 20 times, most famously in The Maltese Falcon (1941), where he drove Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade. Alfred Hitchcock used him in Saboteur (1942) and other movies. Comedy work included the Three Stooges film The Outlaws Is Coming (1965), while his turn as a judo instructor in The Nutty Professor (1963) was unlike his usual roles.

80years old at death

Born January 11, 1904New York City
Died November 16, 1984Los Angeles
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19

Movie Career

Films: 34
Career span: 30 years1935 to 1965

Genres

Drama47%, 16 films
Comedy38%, 13 films
Crime35%, 12 films
Romance35%, 12 films
Thriller18%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Alper often played a chatty taxi driver, a part he took on at least 20 times. Most notably, in The Maltese Falcon (1941), he was a friendly cabbie driving Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade in a mid-film wild goose chase.
A first
Between the 1930s and the end of the 1960s, Alper showed up in over 200 films and TV series. His work was often uncredited, and no movie ever gave him top billing.

Murray Alper movies on Netflix

The Outlaws Is Coming1965IMDb rating 6.0as Chief Crazy Horse
The Nutty Professor1963IMDb rating 6.6as Gym Attendant
The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze1963IMDb rating 6.2as Gus
Walk on the Wild Side1962IMDb rating 6.7as Diner in Teresina’s Cafe
The Geisha Boy1958IMDb rating 6.4as GI in Korea
Slightly Scarlet1956IMDb rating 6.5
Highway Dragnet1954IMDb rating 6.3as Ice Cream Truck Driver
Trouble Along the Way1953IMDb rating 6.8as Bus Driver
Vice Squad1953IMDb rating 6.8as Cop
Lost Continent1951IMDb rating 3.5as Air Police Sergeant
Appointment with Danger1950IMDb rating 6.5as Driver
The Gunfighter1950IMDb rating 7.7as Townsman at Funeral
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff1949IMDb rating 6.7as Joe, Reporter
On the Town1949IMDb rating 7.3as Cab Company Owner
The Long Night1947IMDb rating 6.5as Mac - Bartender
The Horn Blows at Midnight1945IMDb rating 6.6as Hotel Bell Captain
The Power of the Whistler1945IMDb rating 6.3as Joe Blainey, Elite Bakery Truck Driver
They Were Expendable1945IMDb rating 7.2as 'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c
Army Wives1944IMDb rating 5.8as Mike
Air Force1943IMDb rating 7.0as Butch - Demolition Squad Corporal
Bombardier1943IMDb rating 6.0as Little Boy
No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7as Moran
The Hard Way1943IMDb rating 7.1as Joe Duglatz
Saboteur1942IMDb rating 7.1as Truck Driver
The Big Shot1942IMDb rating 6.7as Quinto, a Convict
Out of the Fog1941IMDb rating 6.7
The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9as Frank Richman
Black Friday1940IMDb rating 6.3as Bellhop
My Favorite Wife1940IMDb rating 7.2as Yosemite Bartender
Bachelor Mother1939IMDb rating 7.5as Dance Floor Gatekeeper
King of the Underworld1939IMDb rating 6.4as Eddie
The Great Man Votes1939IMDb rating 6.7as Tri-County Distribution Truck Driver
Escape by Night1937IMDb rating 6.0as Red
Hands Across the Table1935IMDb rating 6.9as Cabbie

Best known for

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

Top

The Maltese Falcon1941 Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery, Romanceas Frank Richman
IMDb rating 7.9175K votes
On the Town1949 Comedy, Musical, Romanceas Cab Company Owner
IMDb rating 7.320K votes
Saboteur1942as Truck Driver
IMDb rating 7.130K votes
Black Friday1940as Bellhop
IMDb rating 6.33.4K votes
Lost Continent1951as Air Police Sergeant
IMDb rating 3.52.0K votes
They Were Expendable1945as 'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c
IMDb rating 7.210K votes
King of the Underworld1939as Eddie
IMDb rating 6.41.8K votes
The Power of the Whistler1945as Joe Blainey, Elite Bakery Truck Driver
IMDb rating 6.3895 votes

Most often with

Garson Kanin directed three of these films, Anatole Litvak two and Mitchell Leisen two. Eight actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Ward Bond

Humphrey Bogart

Ellen Corby

Barton MacLane

James Flavin

John Ridgely

Garson KaninDirector, 3 films Anatole LitvakDirector, 2 films Mitchell LeisenDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ward Bond3 films together, 1937 to 1945
Ward Bond's page
- They Were Expendable1945IMDb rating 7.2Alper as 'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1cBond as 'Boats' Mulcahey C.B.M.
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Alper as Frank RichmanBond as Detective Tom Polhaus
- Escape by Night1937IMDb rating 6.0Alper as RedBond as Spudsy
Humphrey Bogart3 films together, 1939 to 1942
Humphrey Bogart's page
- The Big Shot1942IMDb rating 6.7Alper as Quinto, a ConvictBogart as Joseph 'Duke' Berne
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Alper as Frank RichmanBogart as Samuel Spade
- King of the Underworld1939IMDb rating 6.4Alper as EddieBogart as Joe Gurney
Ellen Corby3 films together, 1947 to 1956
Ellen Corby's page
- Slightly Scarlet1956IMDb rating 6.5Corby as Martha - June Lyons' Maid
- The Gunfighter1950IMDb rating 7.7Alper as Townsman at FuneralCorby as Mrs. Devlin
- The Long Night1947IMDb rating 6.5Alper as Mac - BartenderCorby as Observer in Crowd
Barton MacLane3 films together, 1941 to 1958
Barton MacLane's page
- The Geisha Boy1958IMDb rating 6.4Alper as GI in KoreaMacLane as Major Ridgley
- Bombardier1943IMDb rating 6.0Alper as Little BoyMacLane as Archie Dixon
- The Maltese Falcon1941IMDb rating 7.9Alper as Frank RichmanMacLane as Lt. of Detectives Dundy
James Flavin3 films together, 1943 to 1953
James Flavin's page
- Trouble Along the Way1953IMDb rating 6.8Alper as Bus DriverFlavin as Coach Buck Holman
- Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff1949IMDb rating 6.7Alper as Joe, ReporterFlavin as Insp. Wellman
- Air Force1943IMDb rating 7.0Alper as Butch - Demolition Squad CorporalFlavin as Maj. A.M. Bagley
John Ridgely3 films together, 1939 to 1943
John Ridgely's page
- Air Force1943IMDb rating 7.0Alper as Butch - Demolition Squad CorporalRidgely as Pilot
- The Big Shot1942IMDb rating 6.7Alper as Quinto, a ConvictRidgely as Tim
- King of the Underworld1939IMDb rating 6.4Alper as EddieRidgely as Jerry
Garson KaninDirector, 3 films, 1939 to 1940
All films by Garson Kanin
- My Favorite Wife1940IMDb rating 7.2Alper as Yosemite Bartender
- Bachelor Mother1939IMDb rating 7.5Alper as Dance Floor Gatekeeper
- The Great Man Votes1939IMDb rating 6.7Alper as Tri-County Distribution Truck Driver
Anatole LitvakDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1947
All films by Anatole Litvak
- The Long Night1947IMDb rating 6.5Alper as Mac - Bartender
- Out of the Fog1941IMDb rating 6.7
Mitchell LeisenDirector, 2 films, 1935 to 1943
All films by Mitchell Leisen
- No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7Alper as Moran
- Hands Across the Table1935IMDb rating 6.9Alper as Cabbie
Also three films together2 more actors
- Stanley RidgesAir Force (1943), The Big Shot (1942) and Black Friday (1940)
- John HamiltonArmy Wives (1944), The Big Shot (1942) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.