Born Arthur Veary Treacher in Brighton, East Sussex, England, he was the son of a lawyer. He established a stage career after returning from World War I, and by 1928, he had come to America as part of a musical-comedy revue called Great Temptations. When his film career began in the early 1930s, Treacher was Hollywood's idea of the perfect butler, and he headlined as the famous butler Jeeves in Thank You, Jeeves! (1936) and Step Lively, Jeeves! (1937)--based on the P.G. Wodehouse character. He played a butler in numerous other films including: Personal Maid's Secret (1935), Mister Cinderella (1936), Bordertown (1935), and Curly Top (1935). By the mid 1960s, Treacher was a regular guest on The Merv Griffin Show (1962). The image of the proper Englishman served him well, and during his later years, he lent his name to a fast-food chain known as Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips.
Known For
Mary Poppins
(1964)
Constable
Heidi
(1937)
Andrews
My Lucky Star
(1938)
Whipple
National Velvet
(1945)
Race Patron
The Little Princess
(1939)
Bertie Minchin
David Copperfield
(1935)
Donkey Man (uncredited)
Slave Girl
(1947)
Thomas Griswold
Curly Top
(1935)
The Butler
Hollywood Party
(1934)
Durante's Butler (uncredited)
Irene
(1940)
Bretherton
Full Filmography
Acting
The Battle of Paris
(1929)
Harry
The Key
(1934)
Merriman
Forsaking All Others
(1934)
Johnson (Uncredited)
The Captain Hates the Sea
(1934)
Major Warringforth
Desirable
(1934)
Butler
Hollywood Party
(1934)
Durante's Butler (uncredited)
Gambling Lady
(1934)
Pryor (uncredited)
School for Romance
(1934)
Diana's suitor
Here Comes the Groom
(1934)
Butler
Fashions of 1934
(1934)
The Duchess' Butler (uncredited)
Curly Top
(1935)
The Butler
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Epilogue
Remember Last Night?
(1935)
Clarence Phelps
No More Ladies
(1935)
Lord Knowleton
Orchids to You
(1935)
Roger Morton
Hitch Hike Lady
(1935)
Mortimer Wingate
David Copperfield
(1935)
Donkey Man (uncredited)
Magnificent Obsession
(1935)
Horace
Splendor
(1935)
Major Ballinger
Cardinal Richelieu
(1935)
Agitator
Personal Maid's Secret
(1935)
Owen
The Nitwits
(1935)
Man with Tennis Equipment
The Winning Ticket
(1935)
Horse Race Announcer
The Daring Young Man
(1935)
Col. Baggott
I Live My Life
(1935)
Gallup, Mrs. Gage's Butler
Bright Lights
(1935)
Wilbur
Let's Live Tonight
(1935)
Go Into Your Dance
(1935)
Latimer
Going Highbrow
(1935)
Waiter
The Woman in Red
(1935)
Major Albert Casserly (uncredited)
Stowaway
(1936)
Atkins
Satan Met a Lady
(1936)
Anthony Travers
Thank You, Jeeves!
(1936)
Jeeves
Mister Cinderella
(1936)
Watkins, Randolph's Butler
Anything Goes
(1936)
Sir Evelyn Oakleigh
Hearts Divided
(1936)
Sir Harry
The Case Against Mrs. Ames
(1936)
Griggsby
Under Your Spell
(1936)
Botts
Thin Ice
(1937)
Nottingham
You Can't Have Everything
(1937)
Bevins
Heidi
(1937)
Andrews
Step Lively, Jeeves!
(1937)
Jeeves
She Had to Eat
(1937)
Carter
Mad About Music
(1938)
Tripps
Always in Trouble
(1938)
Rogers
My Lucky Star
(1938)
Whipple
Up the River
(1938)
Darby Randall
The Little Princess
(1939)
Bertie Minchin
Barricade
(1939)
Upton Ward
Bridal Suite
(1939)
Lord Helfer
Irene
(1940)
Bretherton
Brother Rat and a Baby
(1940)
Snelling
Star Spangled Rhythm
(1942)
Arthur Treacher
Forever and a Day
(1943)
Second Air Raid Watcher
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
(1943)
Henderson
In Society
(1944)
Pipps, Butler
Chip Off the Old Block
(1944)
Quentin
That's the Spirit
(1945)
Masters
Delightfully Dangerous
(1945)
Jeffers
Swing Out, Sister
(1945)
Chumley
National Velvet
(1945)
Race Patron
Fun on a Weekend
(1947)
Benjamin O. Moffatt
Slave Girl
(1947)
Thomas Griswold
The Countess of Monte Cristo
(1948)
Hotel Managing Director
That Midnight Kiss
(1949)
Hutchins
Love That Brute
(1950)
Quentin, Hanley's Butler
Kraft Television Theatre: Alice in Wonderland
(1954)
The Cheshire Cat
Self Defense... for Cowards
(1962)
Narrator
How to Win on the Thruway
(1962)
Narrator
How to Live with a Neurotic Dog
(1963)
Narrator
Mary Poppins
(1964)
Constable
How to Avoid Friendship
(1964)
Narrator
Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling
(1993)
Self (archive footage)