H.B. Warner(1876-1958)
- Actor
Henry Byron Warner 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 the United States in the early 1900s, after touring the British
Empire. Billed as Harry Warner, he made his Broadway debut in the
US 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
All That Money Can Buy (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).
Henry Warner died on December 21, 1958 in Woodland Hills, California.
He was 82 years old.
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 the United States in the early 1900s, after touring the British
Empire. Billed as Harry Warner, he made his Broadway debut in the
US 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
All That Money Can Buy (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).
Henry Warner died on December 21, 1958 in Woodland Hills, California.
He was 82 years old.