The George Raft File

Part of the Encore Film Book Classics series, this is a reprint of the original text to The George Raft File by James Robert Parish with Steven Whitney.Hollywood’s toughest rough guy was born in New York City’s “Hell’s Kitchen” in 1895. As a young adult George Raft became a professional boxer, then a dancehall gigolo, and later appeared in Broadway musical revues. Meanwhile, he retained his associations with the infamous underworld pals of his youth. A small role in Queen of the Nightclubs (1929) launched his Hollywood career. His strong performance in Scarface (1932) led to his Paramount contract. Later, at Warner Bros. he appeared in such genre classics as They Drive By Night (1940). Thereafter, as a freelancer his movies included Whistle Stop (1946) and the memorable Some Like It Hot (1959). For a rugged he-man, George Raft was self-conscious about his short stature, his acting limitations, and his lack of formal education. However, he was proud of his career, his patriotic efforts during World War II, and the publicity that resulted from his lavish lifestyle. This colorful individual once said, “If I had a chance to be reborn tomorrow there is not much I would want to change.” An annotated filmography supplements this revealing study of iconic movie star George Raft.