Alexander D’Arcy; Film Actor

Alexander D’Arcy, tall, dark and handsome international actor for half a century who was often cast as a glamorous gigolo, has died at age 87.

D’Arcy died Saturday at his West Hollywood home, family friend Rick Carl said Monday.

Born Alexander Sarruf Efflatoun on Aug. 10, 1908, in Cairo, Egypt, D’Arcy made his international film debut in 1928 in director Rex Ingram’s “Garden of Allah” and his American debut in “Stolen Holiday” in 1937.

That same year he made “The Awful Truth” with Cary Grant and “Prisoner of Zenda” with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and David Niven. D’Arcy’s other films included “Topper Takes a Trip,” “Man on a Tightrope,” “How to Marry a Millionaire,” “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” and in 1972 his last, “Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street.”

Among his New York stage plays were “Keep Off the Grass” and “Ten Little Indians.”

Although historian Richard Lamparski wrote in his series of “Whatever Became of . . .” books that D’Arcy failed to achieve stardom despite a long career, D’Arcy told The Times in 1986: “[In the late 1930s] we were a group in Hollywood--Cary [Grant], Clark Gable, Errol Flynn and myself. We were the leading men of Hollywood.”

D’Arcy was married to actress Arleen Whelan from 1940 to 1943. He lived in Europe for many years and for a time was a restaurateur in Berlin.

He is survived by a daughter from his second marriage, producer Susannah D’Arcy of Los Angeles.

The family has suggested that any memorial contributions be made to the Variety Club.