Georges Metaxa

Georges Metaxa, born George Radu Metaxa on 11 September 1894 in Bucharest, Romania, was the son of Nicholas Metaxa and Emilie Theophilatos. He initially served as principal private secretary to the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture before emigrating to London in 1926 to pursue a career in musical comedy, where his deep, crooning baritone quickly attracted attention. His first recording, the Romanian folk song "Mandrulita" (1927), marked the start of a prolific recording career that would include the Ray Noble classic "Goodnight Sweetheart" in 1931. Metaxa’s stage breakthrough came in John Hastings Turner’s revue Wake Up and Dream (1929) and his subsequent casting in Noël Coward’s operetta Bitter Sweet, which led him to New York with the touring company. In Hollywood, Metaxa debuted in the film Secrets of a Secretary (1931) and later appeared in musical films such as The Cat and the Fiddle and Revenge with Music, showcasing his versatility as both a singer and actor. His most memorable screen role was as the suave bandleader Ricky Romero, the rival to Fred Astaire’s character in the 1936 classic Swing Time, opposite Ginger Rogers. Metaxa’s personal life was tumultuous; he married Helene Valoary, divorced in 1933, and had one daughter, then wed the 18‑year‑old actress Margaret M. Stafford later that year, a union tragically ended by a fatal automobile accident in 1934 that claimed Stafford’s life and left Metaxa severely injured. In 1946 he married Byrnece Macfadden Muckerman, daughter of publisher Bernarr Macfadden, and the couple remained together until his death. Health problems forced Metaxa to decline major roles, notably the lead in South Pacific during a London staging, and he succumbed to a heart attack on 8 December 1950 while staying at a hotel in Monroe, Louisiana, en route to his Beverly Hills home after a European tour.