Although labelled "box office poison" in 1938, Arnold never stopped working. He had remained as a supporting character actor in over 150 films from "The White Sister" (1933) to "Annie Get Your Gun." (1950) mostly playing authority figures and bumbling tycoons. His first acting credit had been on stage at 12 years old playing Lorenzo in "The Merchant of Venice" but would still seek out work at Essanay Studios. After a year of employment with the film studio, the trade journal "Moving Picture World" hailed Arnold as "one of the most popular leading men on the screen." Arnold ended up leaving Essanay and film acting altogether for 13 years until making his talkie debut in "Okay America!" (1932) From there, it was successive film after successive film. Arnold would end up being best known for playing corrupt political boss Jim Taylor in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939).
Comfortable in his career, Arnold did so much more off the screen. From 1940 to 1942, he was the president of the Screen Actors Guild and co-founded the I Am An American Foundation. During the "Communist Witch-Hunts," Arnold worked to protect his fellow actors. But it was a gutsy move in becoming one of the first actors to attempt running for public office. Arnold ran as the Republican candidate for Los Angeles Alderman in the mid-1940s but lost in a very close race. Throughout the '40s, he would also portray different presidents for ABC Radio's serial "Mr. President" and hosted the television show "Your Star Showcase."
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