William Gaxton
William Gaxton | |
|---|---|
 from the trailer for Best Foot Forward (1943) | |
| Born | Arturo Antonio Gaxiola December 2, 1893 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 2, 1963 (aged 69) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1926–1963 |
William Gaxton (né Arturo Antonio Gaxiola, December 2, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was a star of vaudeville, film, and theatre.[1] Gaxton was president of The Lambs Club from 1936 to 1939, 1952 to 1953, and 1957 to 1961.[1] He and Victor Moore became a popular theatre team in the 1930s and 1940s; they also appeared in a film together.[2]
Biography[edit]
Gaxton was born as Arturo Antonio Gaxiola in San Francisco to Cecilia and John Gaxiola. Gaxton served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He was of Spanish ancestry and a cousin of actor Leo Carrillo.[3]
Gaxton appeared on film and onstage. He debuted on Broadway in the Music Box Revue on October 23, 1922.[1]
On radio Gaxton starred in Broadway Showtime, a 30-minute musical drama that ran on CBS from December 27, 1943 to June 26, 1944.[4]
In 1961 and 1962, he and Arthur Treacher starred in Guy Lombardo's production of the musical Paradise Island at Jones Beach Marine Theater.[5][6]
He died from cancer on February 2, 1963 in Manhattan.[1] He was survived by his wife, Madeline, who was part of the Cameron Sisters dance team.[7]
Filmography[edit]
Gaxton starred in the film version of Fifty Million Frenchmen (1931), as well as The Silent Partner (1931), Their Big Moment (1934), Best Foot Forward (1943), The Heat's On (1943), and Diamond Horseshoe (1945).
Broadway[edit]
He debuted on Broadway in the Music Box Revue on October 23, 1922 and later starred in Rodgers and Hart's A Connecticut Yankee (1927), singing "Thou Swell"; Cole Porter's Fifty Million Frenchmen (1929), singing "You Do Something to Me"; Of Thee I Sing (1931) with Victor Moore; Cole Porter's Anything Goes (1934), with Ethel Merman and Victor Moore; White Horse Inn (1936); Leave It to Me! (1938) with Victor Moore; Louisiana Purchase (1940); and Hollywood Pinafore (1945).
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Gaxton Dies At 69; Star On Broadway". New York Times. February 4, 1963. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
William Gaxton, star of many Broadway musical comedies, died of cancer on Saturday in St. Vincent's Hospital. He was 69 years old and lived in Stamford, Conn. His best-remembered role was as President John P. Wintergreen in the musical, "Of Thee I Sing."
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2004). Through the Screen Door: What Happened to the Broadway Musical When it Went to Hollywood. Scarecrow Press. p. 64. ISBN 9780810850187.
- ^ Soane, Wood (August 24, 1947). "Interview With Gaxton Stirs Critic's Memory of Bay Area's Good Ol' Days". Oakland Tribune. pp. 4C. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 121-122. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
Broadway Showtime, musical drama.
- ^ "Theater: Straw Hat Shows – Marine Theater, Jones Beach, LI". Life. June 16, 1961. p. 23.
- ^ Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps. "Forum pages". JBLC.net.
- ^ "William Gaxton, Broadway Star, Rites Tomorrow". Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 5, 1963. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
External links[edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Gaxton. |
- William Gaxton at the Internet Broadway Database
- William Gaxton at IMDb
- William Gaxton at the TCM Movie Database
- William Gaxton papers, circa 1937-1961, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
| General | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | |
| Other | |
- 1893 births
- 1963 deaths
- Male actors from California
- American male film actors
- American male musical theatre actors
- Male actors from San Francisco
- American people of Spanish descent
- Vaudeville performers
- 20th-century American male actors
- The Lambs presidents
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century American male singers