George Raft was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A prominent figure in Hollywood's Golden Age, he was known for his slick, aloof, and tough-guy persona. Raft's career was also notable for the major roles he famously turned down, including High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon. Despite his on-screen image, he had well-documented friendships with real-life mobsters, which added to his public mystique.