Acting heavyweight Edward Arnold appeared in more than 150 movies, establishing himself as one of Hollywood's most incisive and authoritative character actors. He began as a leading man, but found that as his figure grew larger his roles also became meatier.

Arnold hit his stride in the late 1930s and early '40s with powerful roles in such prestigious films as Come and Get It (1936), based on Edna Ferber's novel; You Can't Take It with You (1938), a film version of the Moss Hart/George F. Kaufman play; Frank Capra's political comedy-drama Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939); and the Stephen Vincent Benet fantasy The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941), with Arnold as Webster.

Born Gunther Edward Arnold Schneider in New York City in 1890, Arnold made his professional stage debut in 1907 and had his first significant role in films in 1916. He soon returned to the stage and did not act in films again until 1932 in Okay, America!. The title role in Diamond Jim (1935) brought him stardom, and he repeated the part of Jim Brady in Lillian Russell (1940).

In Meet Nero Wolfe (1936), Arnold was the first actor to play the Rex Stout detective. He also played blind detective Duncan Maclain in two films, beginning with Eyes in the Night (1942).

Active in Republican politics, Arnold served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1940 to 1942. He published an autobiography, Lorenzo Goes to Hollywood, in 1940. He was married three times and had three children including Edward Arnold, Jr., who enjoyed a brief film career as an actor.

Arnold, who divided his time between movies and television in the 1950s, died in 1956. He had several credits that year including The Houston Story and Miami Expose.

by Roger Fristoe