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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

George Raft n.

[rhy. sl.; ult. US film star George Raft (1895–1980)]

1. a draught.

1978		Maledicta II:1+2 (Summer/Winter) 120: The Telegraph author [...] doesn’t seem to recognize the American origin of George Raft (‘draught’), Mickey Mouse (‘house’), Raquel Welch (‘belch’), and so on.
1979		R. Barker Fletcher’s Book of Rhy. Sl. 26: My present ones are full of holes, and I am in a continual George Raft.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 77/2: George Raft n. a draught: ‘Shut the door, there’s a George Raft commg through.

2. hard work, i.e. graft n.²

1992		R. Puxley Cockney Rabbit.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 141: There’s a dude whae never does a day’s George Raft but seems tae ey have poakits fill ay pretty green.
2013		K. Sampson Killing Pool 64: ‘So. That jaborge...’ Here we go with the back slang [...] Jaborge. George. George Raft equals graft, job; illegal enterprise.