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H.B. Warner

H.B. Warner

Biography

Henry Byron Warner (often credited as H.B. Warner; 25 October 1875 – 21 December 1958) was an English actor. He was the definitive cinematic Jesus Christ in Cecil B. DeMille's The King of Kings (1927). He was born into a prominent theatrical family on October 26, 1875 in London. His father was Charles Warner, and his grandfather was James Warner, both prominent English actors. He replaced J.B. Warner as Jesus in The King of Kings (1927) when J.B. died of tuberculosis at age 29. (J.B. was not Henry's brother. J.B. had taken the professional last name "Warner" because Henry's family took him in.) Henry Warner's family wanted him to become a doctor, and he graduated from London University but eventually gave up his medical studies. The theater was in his blood, and he studied acting in Paris and Italy before joining his father's stock company, making his debut in the English production of "Drink." It was from his father that he honed his craft. Warner made it to America in the early 1900s, after touring the British Empire. Billed as Harry Warner, he made his Broadway debut in the American colonial drama "Audrey" at Hoyt's Theatre on November 24, 1902, starring James O'Neill, the father of playwright Eugene O'Neill. He was billed as H.B. Warner in his next appearance on Broadway, in the 1906 comedy "Nurse Marjorie." He appeared in 13 more Broadway productions in his career, from the twin-bill of "Susan in Search of a Husband" & "A Tenement Tragedy" (also 1906) to "Silence" in 1925. He moved into motion pictures, making his debut in the Mutual short Harp of Tara (1914). Also in 1914, he appeared in a film written by Cecil B. DeMille for Famous Players Lasky, The Ghost Breaker (1914), in which he had played on Broadway the year before. Warner became a leading man and a star in silent pictures, reaching the zenith of his career playing Jesus in DeMille's The King of Kings (1927). His excellent performance was actually enhanced by the silent screen, allowing the audience to imagine how Jesus would sound. Warner could be extremely moving in silent pictures, notably in the melodrama Sorrell and Son (1927) as a war veteran father who sacrifices all for his son. When talkies arrived, he became a busy supporting player. A favorite of Frank Capra , appeared in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936). Cast again by Capra, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Lost Horizon (1937). He also appeared in You Can't Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Other major talkies included The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) and Topper Returns (1941). Other than Jesus, the role he is best remembered role for today is in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), in which he played Mr. Gower, the druggist who is saved from committing a lethal medication error by the young George Bailey (the James Stewart character as a child). H.B. Warner appeared in Sunset Blvd. (1950) as himself. His last credited role was as Amminadab in DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1956), a remake of the earlier silent The Ten Commandments (1923). He last role was an uncredited bit part in Darby's Rangers (1958).

Personal Info

Gender

Male

Birthday

1875-10-25

Place of Birth

London, England, UK

Cast


Crew

    Sunset Boulevard

    Sunset Boulevard

    19508.3 / 10

    It's a Wonderful Life

    It's a Wonderful Life

    19468.3 / 10

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    19397.9 / 10

    Lost Horizon

    Lost Horizon

    19377.0 / 10

    One Hour Before Dawn

    One Hour Before Dawn

    19200.0 / 10

    Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking

    Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking

    20197.4 / 10

    Strange Impersonation

    Strange Impersonation

    19466.0 / 10

    Prospecting for Petroleum

    Prospecting for Petroleum

    19460.0 / 10

    Rogues' Gallery

    Rogues' Gallery

    19444.9 / 10

    Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

    Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

    19367.5 / 10

    The Phantom of Crestwood

    The Phantom of Crestwood

    19326.1 / 10

    You Can't Take It with You

    You Can't Take It with You

    19387.5 / 10

    Romance of a Rogue

    Romance of a Rogue

    19280.0 / 10

    High Wall

    High Wall

    19476.2 / 10

    The Doctor's Secret

    The Doctor's Secret

    19290.0 / 10

    A Tale of Two Cities

    A Tale of Two Cities

    19356.8 / 10

    All That Money Can Buy

    All That Money Can Buy

    19417.0 / 10

    Danger Trail

    Danger Trail

    19170.0 / 10

    Five Star Final

    Five Star Final

    19316.7 / 10

    Crossroads

    Crossroads

    19425.9 / 10

    Arrest Bulldog Drummond

    Arrest Bulldog Drummond

    19386.6 / 10

    New Moon

    New Moon

    19406.8 / 10

    The Girl of the Golden West

    The Girl of the Golden West

    19384.6 / 10

    French Dressing

    French Dressing

    19271.0 / 10

    Tiger Rose

    Tiger Rose

    19290.0 / 10

    The Boss of Big Town

    The Boss of Big Town

    19425.0 / 10

    The King of Kings

    The King of Kings

    19276.5 / 10

    Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime

    Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime

    19415.8 / 10

    The Gracie Allen Murder Case

    The Gracie Allen Murder Case

    19395.5 / 10

    Expensive Women

    Expensive Women

    19314.8 / 10

    Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police

    Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police

    19396.1 / 10

    Is Love Everything?

    Is Love Everything?

    19240.0 / 10

    Whispering Smith

    Whispering Smith

    19260.0 / 10

    Felix O'Day

    Felix O'Day

    19200.0 / 10

    The Furies

    The Furies

    19300.0 / 10

    The Divine Lady

    The Divine Lady

    19285.3 / 10

    Driftwood

    Driftwood

    19476.1 / 10

    Bulldog Drummond's Bride

    Bulldog Drummond's Bride

    19396.3 / 10

    Supernatural

    Supernatural

    19336.0 / 10

    The Trial of Mary Dugan

    The Trial of Mary Dugan

    19296.0 / 10

    Bulldog Drummond in Africa

    Bulldog Drummond in Africa

    19385.5 / 10

    The Garden Murder Case

    The Garden Murder Case

    19365.5 / 10

    Liliom

    Liliom

    19306.8 / 10

    The Green Goddess

    The Green Goddess

    19304.5 / 10

    Cross-Examination

    Cross-Examination

    19324.6 / 10

    The Adventures of Marco Polo

    The Adventures of Marco Polo

    19386.0 / 10

    Enemy of Women

    Enemy of Women

    19444.8 / 10

    The Reckless Hour

    The Reckless Hour

    19317.0 / 10

    In Old Santa Fe

    In Old Santa Fe

    19345.0 / 10

    Behold My Wife!

    Behold My Wife!

    19347.0 / 10

    The Toy Wife

    The Toy Wife

    19384.8 / 10

    Zaza

    Zaza

    19236.1 / 10

    Sorrell and Son

    Sorrell and Son

    19275.7 / 10

    The Second Floor Mystery

    The Second Floor Mystery

    19300.0 / 10

    Born to Gamble

    Born to Gamble

    19354.8 / 10

    The Seventh Sin

    The Seventh Sin

    19170.0 / 10

    Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath

    Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath

    19170.0 / 10

    Along Came Love

    Along Came Love

    19365.0 / 10

    Jennie Gerhardt

    Jennie Gerhardt

    19334.0 / 10

    Army Girl

    Army Girl

    19386.0 / 10

    Let Freedom Ring

    Let Freedom Ring

    19396.0 / 10

    Moonlight Murder

    Moonlight Murder

    19365.0 / 10

    The Menace

    The Menace

    19324.5 / 10

    El Paso

    El Paso

    19495.7 / 10

    The Son-Daughter

    The Son-Daughter

    19327.0 / 10

    Unholy Love

    Unholy Love

    19323.0 / 10

    The Crusader

    The Crusader

    19326.3 / 10

    The Pagan God

    The Pagan God

    19190.0 / 10

    City of Missing Girls

    City of Missing Girls

    19414.0 / 10

    Nurse Edith Cavell

    Nurse Edith Cavell

    19396.4 / 10

    Topper Returns

    Topper Returns

    19416.4 / 10

    The Show of Shows

    The Show of Shows

    19295.5 / 10

    Charlie Chan's Chance

    Charlie Chan's Chance

    19326.5 / 10

    The First Legion

    The First Legion

    19516.8 / 10

    Hitler's Children

    Hitler's Children

    19435.9 / 10

    A Yank in Libya

    A Yank in Libya

    19423.5 / 10

    God's Man

    God's Man

    19170.0 / 10

    Shell 43

    Shell 43

    19160.0 / 10

    Captain Tugboat Annie

    Captain Tugboat Annie

    19450.0 / 10

    A Woman of Experience

    A Woman of Experience

    19315.2 / 10

    The Rains Came

    The Rains Came

    19395.9 / 10

    Night Alarm

    Night Alarm

    19343.7 / 10

    Wild Company

    Wild Company

    19305.0 / 10

    The Corsican Brothers

    The Corsican Brothers

    19416.7 / 10

    Journey Into Light

    Journey Into Light

    19516.0 / 10

    Stark Mad

    Stark Mad

    19293.0 / 10

    The Judge Steps Out

    The Judge Steps Out

    19477.0 / 10

    Kidnapped

    Kidnapped

    19384.7 / 10

    Faces in the Fog

    Faces in the Fog

    19443.0 / 10

    Rose of the Rancho

    Rose of the Rancho

    19360.0 / 10

    The Argyle Case

    The Argyle Case

    19290.0 / 10

    Victoria the Great

    Victoria the Great

    19375.3 / 10

    The Beggar of Cawnpore

    The Beggar of Cawnpore

    19160.0 / 10

    The Vagabond Prince

    The Vagabond Prince

    19160.0 / 10

    The Raiders

    The Raiders

    19160.0 / 10

    Women in Bondage

    Women in Bondage

    19435.7 / 10

    Savage Drums

    Savage Drums

    19516.0 / 10

    Tom Brown of Culver

    Tom Brown of Culver

    19325.2 / 10

    A Woman Commands

    A Woman Commands

    19328.0 / 10

    Hellfire

    Hellfire

    19495.8 / 10

    The Lost Paradise

    The Lost Paradise

    19140.0 / 10

    Here Comes the Groom

    Here Comes the Groom

    19515.2 / 10

    On Your Back

    On Your Back

    19300.0 / 10

    South of Tahiti

    South of Tahiti

    19416.0 / 10

    Our Fighting Navy

    Our Fighting Navy

    19373.0 / 10

    Silence

    Silence

    19267.0 / 10

    Grand Canary

    Grand Canary

    19344.1 / 10

    The Gamblers

    The Gamblers

    19290.0 / 10

    The Ten Commandments

    The Ten Commandments

    19567.8 / 10

    Sorrell and Son

    Sorrell and Son

    19345.0 / 10

    The Prince of Thieves

    The Prince of Thieves

    19485.8 / 10

    Conquest

    Conquest

    19280.0 / 10

    Action in Arabia

    Action in Arabia

    19445.9 / 10

    Viva Villa!

    Viva Villa!

    19346.3 / 10

    The Princess and the Plumber

    The Princess and the Plumber

    19300.0 / 10

    The Man from Broadway

    The Man from Broadway

    19240.0 / 10

    James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

    James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

    19876.0 / 10

    Blackmailer

    Blackmailer

    19365.0 / 10

    Gentleman Joe Palooka

    Gentleman Joe Palooka

    19460.0 / 10

    The Market of Vain Desire

    The Market of Vain Desire

    19160.0 / 10

    When We Were Twenty-One

    When We Were Twenty-One

    19210.0 / 10

    Christopher Bean

    Christopher Bean

    19330.0 / 10

    Man-Made Women

    Man-Made Women

    19280.0 / 10

    Wedding Rings

    Wedding Rings

    19290.0 / 10

    The Ghost Breaker

    The Ghost Breaker

    19140.0 / 10

    English Nell

    English Nell

    19000.0 / 10