William Gaxton (né Arthur Anthony Gaxiola; December 2, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was an American actor of vaudeville, film, and theatre.[ For many years Gaxton was president of The Lambs, a theatrical organization in New York City. He and Victor Moore became a popular theatre duo in the 1930s and 1940s; they also appeared in a film together.]
Biography
Gaxton was born as Arthur Anthony Gaxiola,[
]
/ref> on December 2, 1893, in San Francisco, California. He was Californio of Spanish ancestry, and a cousin of actor Leo Carrillo. He attended the Boone's Military Academy (or Boone's University School for Boys),
Gaxton attended Santa Clara College, with classmate Edmund Lowe;
Career
Gaxton appeared on film and onstage. He debuted on Broadway in the Music Box Revue on October 23, 1922.[
]
Gaxton was president of The Lambs, a theatrical organization in New York City, from 1936 to 1939, 1952 to 1953, and 1957 to 1961.
On radio Gaxton starred in Broadway Showtime, a 30-minute musical drama that ran on CBS from December 27, 1943, to June 26, 1944.
In 1961 and 1962, he and Arthur Treacher starred in Guy Lombardo's production of the musical Paradise Island at Jones Beach Marine Theater.
He died from cancer on February 2, 1963, in Manhattan.
Filmography
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
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).
External links
