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
The Little Princess
(1939)
Bertie Minchin
David Copperfield
(1935)
Donkey Man (uncredited)
Curly Top
(1935)
The Butler
National Velvet
(1945)
Race Patron
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Epilogue
Full Filmography
Acting
The Battle of Paris
(1929)
Harry
Hollywood Party
(1934)
Durante's Butler (uncredited)
School for Romance
(1934)
Diana's suitor
Here Comes the Groom
(1934)
Butler
Gambling Lady
(1934)
Pryor (uncredited)
Fashions of 1934
(1934)
The Duchess' Butler (uncredited)
Forsaking All Others
(1934)
Johnson (Uncredited)
Desirable
(1934)
Butler
The Captain Hates the Sea
(1934)
Major Warringforth
The Key
(1934)
Merriman
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Epilogue
The Winning Ticket
(1935)
Horse Race Announcer
Magnificent Obsession
(1935)
Horace
David Copperfield
(1935)
Donkey Man (uncredited)
Remember Last Night?
(1935)
Clarence Phelps
Going Highbrow
(1935)
Waiter
Bright Lights
(1935)
Wilbur
I Live My Life
(1935)
Gallup, Mrs. Gage's Butler
No More Ladies
(1935)
Lord Knowleton
Let's Live Tonight
(1935)
The Woman in Red
(1935)
Major Albert Casserly (uncredited)
Orchids to You
(1935)
Roger Morton
Hitch Hike Lady
(1935)
Mortimer Wingate
Cardinal Richelieu
(1935)
Agitator
Curly Top
(1935)
The Butler
The Nitwits
(1935)
Man with Tennis Equipment
The Daring Young Man
(1935)
Col. Baggott
Go Into Your Dance
(1935)
Latimer
Splendor
(1935)
Major Ballinger
Personal Maid's Secret
(1935)
Owen
Mister Cinderella
(1936)
Watkins, Randolph's Butler
Thank You, Jeeves!
(1936)
Jeeves
Anything Goes
(1936)
Sir Evelyn Oakleigh
Under Your Spell
(1936)
Botts
Satan Met a Lady
(1936)
Anthony Travers
Stowaway
(1936)
Atkins
The Case Against Mrs. Ames
(1936)
Griggsby
Hearts Divided
(1936)
Sir Harry
You Can't Have Everything
(1937)
Bevins
Heidi
(1937)
Andrews
She Had to Eat
(1937)
Carter
Step Lively, Jeeves!
(1937)
Jeeves
Thin Ice
(1937)
Nottingham
My Lucky Star
(1938)
Whipple
Always in Trouble
(1938)
Rogers
Up the River
(1938)
Darby Randall
Mad About Music
(1938)
Tripps
Bridal Suite
(1939)
Lord Helfer
Barricade
(1939)
Upton Ward
The Little Princess
(1939)
Bertie Minchin
Irene
(1940)
Bretherton
Brother Rat and a Baby
(1940)
Snelling
Star Spangled Rhythm
(1942)
Arthur Treacher
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
(1943)
Henderson
Forever and a Day
(1943)
Second Air Raid Watcher
In Society
(1944)
Pipps, Butler
Chip Off the Old Block
(1944)
Quentin
Swing Out, Sister
(1945)
Chumley
National Velvet
(1945)
Race Patron
Delightfully Dangerous
(1945)
Jeffers
That's the Spirit
(1945)
Masters
Slave Girl
(1947)
Thomas Griswold
Fun on a Weekend
(1947)
Benjamin O. Moffatt
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
How to Win on the Thruway
(1962)
Narrator
Self Defense... for Cowards
(1962)
Narrator
How to Live with a Neurotic Dog
(1963)
Narrator
How to Avoid Friendship
(1964)
Narrator
Mary Poppins
(1964)
Constable
Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling
(1993)
Self (archive footage)