Edward McNamara

For the mayor of Livonia, Michigan, see Edward H. McNamara.

Edward James McNamara (August 13, 1884 - November 10, 1944) was an American Broadway and Hollywood actor. He appeared in several films between 1929 and 1944.

Edward McNamara
McNamara in 1913
Born	Edward James McNamara (1884-08-13)August 13, 1884 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	November 10, 1944(1944-11-10) (aged 60) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Resting place	West Tisbury Village Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1914–1944

Early life

He was born on August 13, 1884, in Paterson, New Jersey.^[1] Rotund in build and with a booming baritone voice, he sang while a police officer in Paterson.^[2]

Career

One day in 1914 he was overheard singing "il Pagliacci Prologue" at the Paterson May Festival by German singer Madame Schumann Heink, who lived nearby. She convinced him to seek a professional career in voice. She, along with friend William Hughes (U.S. senator), a United States senator for New Jersey, introduced him to Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. After hearing McNamara sing, Caruso called him "The most natural organ he had ever heard" and urged him to seek a professional teacher to help harness his raw vocal power and talent, to which McNamara responded, "Fine. What teacher?" Caruso replied, "Don't take a chance, I will teach you." Henceforth, McNamara became the only pupil of the world's most legendary voice. He toured the United States with Madame Schumann Heink for six years.

McNamara's Broadway career began in 1926, and his Hollywood career started in 1929. He appeared in 18 films in total, mostly appearing in very brief roles, often ironically as a cop or a "singing policeman", which was his somewhat publicly known nickname in the newspapers. He was a longtime dear friend and traveling companion of actor James Cagney, and Cagney was sure to give him bit parts in four of his films. McNamara was also an honorary member of the "Irish Mafia" boys club, a group of actors during the 1930s of Irish descent including Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Frank McHugh, Spencer Tracy, James Gleason and Allen Jenkins. McNamara never considered show business a career, but merely a way to earn some money and spend time with friends. Cagney later said, "McNamara could have been one of the Metropolitan Opera's greatest stars, had he started younger and given himself over to the task. He was the perfect example of someone who could have had it all, but didn't want to pay the price."

McNamara was a member since 1928 of the Dutch Treat Club and the Players, a high society social club for artists in Manhattan. In 1936, McNamara and friend, Players member and cartoonist Denys Wortman, were the driving forces that convinced Cagney to hide (and eventually move) to Martha's Vineyard, while avoiding Jack Warner during his many contract disputes.

Death

Towards the end of his life, McNamara briefly returned to police work, while still dabbling in acting. He died in 1944 in Boston at the age of 60, after suffering a massive heart attack.^[3] He died aboard a train, while he was delivering five racehorses to Cagney in California. Cagney said on McNamara in his autobiography, Cagney on Cagney, "Although the best friend that was ever known, he never kept of good health of himself which always disappointed me deeply." Services were held on Martha's Vineyard at the Congregational Church at West Tisbury and was buried at West Tisbury Village Cemetery.^[4]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1929	Lucky in Love	Tim O'More
1932	I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang	Second Warden	Uncredited
	Silver Dollar	Pete - Senate Bartender	Uncredited
	20,000 Years in Sing Sing	Head Guard Richards	Uncredited
1936	Great Guy	Capt. Hanlon
1937	Girl Overboard	Captain Murphy
	The League of Frightened Men	Inspector Cramer
1940	Kitty Foyle	Tim - Hotel Doorman	Uncredited
1941	The Strawberry Blonde	Big Joe
	The Devil and Miss Jones	Police Sergeant
	New York Town	Brody
1942	Captains of the Clouds	Man Buying Dog Team	Uncredited
	My Gal Sal	Policeman	Uncredited
	The Gay Sisters	Policeman	Uncredited
	The Palm Beach Story	Officer in Penn Station	Uncredited
1943	Margin for Error	Police Capt. Mulrooney	Uncredited
	Johnny Come Lately	W.M. Dougherty
1944	Arsenic and Old Lace	Police Sgt. Brophy	(final film role)

References

1. "Edward James McNamara in the World War I draft registration". Selective Service. September 9, 1918. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
2. "Edward James McNamara in the World War II draft registration". Selective Service. 1942. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
3. To, Telephone (November 10, 1944). "Edward McNamara, Actor, Dies. Ex-Policeman Sang Way to Stage". The New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
4. Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 9894). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

External links

• Edward McNamara at IMDb
• Edward McNamara at the Internet Broadway Database