King began his movie career in silent films and exhibited his versatility in a variety of roles until 1970. With regard to jazz standards he will be remembered for his introduction of “Don’t Blame Me” in the 1932 musical Clowns in Clover at Chicago’s Apollo Theater. King also starred in the musical, Golden Dawn (1930), played an opera singer trying to steal Groucho’s girl in the Marx Brothers’ A Night at the Opera (1935) and a villain in their Go West (1940). He was one of three stars in One More Spring (1935), an effective Depression-era film, and the romantic lead in Laurel and Hardy’s Swiss Miss (1938). He starred as a war correspondent in A Yank in Libya (1942), played Secretary of State in Call Me Madam (1953) and Ziegfeld in The Helen Morgan Story (1957).

After more than 40 films, he became an actor’s agent and concentrated on television appearances. He filmed almost 50 guest shots from 1950 to 1972, including The Rookies, The Virginian, The Munsters, and The Beverly Hillbillies.

- Sandra Burlingame