H.B. Warner

Birthday: 1876-10-26
Deathday: 1958-10-07
Birthplace: London, England, UK
Gender: Male
Drafted: 0
Drafted By: Unowned
Owned By: Unowned
Owned Wins: 0
Owned Noms: 0
Win Bonus: 0
Nom Bonus: 0
Total Points: 0

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 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).

Career Statisics

Season Age Movie Role Result Points
1938 62 Lost Horizon (1937) Supporting Actor Nom 0
Career 0

Transaction History

Date Location Team Receives Team Receives Team Receives

Credits

Year Title Character
2019-05-18 Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking The Son of God
1956-10-05 The Ten Commandments Amminadab
1951-09-28 Journey Into Light Wiz, the Wino
1951-09-20 Here Comes the Groom Uncle Elihu
1951-06-22 Savage Drums Maou
1951-05-04 The First Legion Father José Sierra
1950-08-10 Sunset Boulevard H.B. Warner
1949-05-29 Hellfire Brother Joseph
1949-03-22 El Paso Judge Fletcher
1948-01-16 The Prince Of Thieves Gilbert Head
1947-12-17 High Wall Mr. Slocum
1947-12-15 The Judge Steps Out Chief Justice Hayes
1947-09-15 Driftwood Rev. Hollingsworth
1946-12-20 It's a Wonderful Life Mr. Gower
1946-10-05 Gentleman Joe Palooka Sen. McCarden
1946-03-16 Strange Impersonation Dr. Mansfield, plastic surgeon
1946-01-01 Prospecting for Petroleum The Voice of History (voice)
1945-11-17 Captain Tugboat Annie Judge Abbott
1944-12-06 Rogues' Gallery Professor Reynolds
1944-11-30 Faces in the Fog Defense Attorney Rankins
1944-11-10 Enemy of Women Col. Eberhart Brandt
1944-02-18 Action in Arabia Abdul al-Rashid
1943-12-16 Women in Bondage Pastor Renz
1943-01-06 Hitler's Children The Bishop
1942-12-07 The Boss of Big Town Jeffrey Moore
1942-07-24 A Yank in Libya Herbert Forbes
1942-07-23 Crossroads Prosecuting Attorney
1941-11-28 The Corsican Brothers Dr. Enrico Paoli
1941-10-17 All That Money Can Buy Justice Hawthorne
1941-10-17 South of Tahiti High Chief Kawalima
1941-08-14 Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime Ray Jardin
1941-03-27 City of Missing Girls Capt. McVeigh
1941-03-21 Topper Returns Mr. Carrington
1940-06-28 New Moon Father Michel
1939-10-19 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Senate Majority Leader
1939-09-15 The Rains Came Maharajah
1939-08-31 Nurse Edith Cavell Hugh Gibson
1939-07-12 Bulldog Drummond's Bride Colonel Nielson
1939-06-02 The Gracie Allen Murder Case Richard Lawrence
1939-03-29 Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police Colonel Nielson
1939-02-24 Let Freedom Ring Rutledge
1938-11-25 Arrest Bulldog Drummond Colonel Nielsen
1938-09-01 You Can't Take It with You Mr. Ramsey
1938-08-11 Army Girl Col. Armstrong
1938-08-05 Bulldog Drummond in Africa Colonel J. A. Nielsen
1938-06-10 The Toy Wife Victor Brigard
1938-05-27 Kidnapped Angus Rankeiller
1938-04-07 The Adventures of Marco Polo Chen Tsu
1938-03-18 The Girl of the Golden West Father Sienna
1937-09-25 Our Fighting Navy British Consul Brent
1937-09-01 Victoria the Great Lord Melbourne
1937-03-03 Lost Horizon Chang
1936-11-05 Along Came Love Dr. Martin
1936-07-23 Blackmailer Michael Rankin
1936-04-09 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Judge May
1936-03-27 Moonlight Murder Godfrey Chiltern
1936-02-21 The Garden Murder Case Major Fenwicke-Ralston
1936-01-09 Rose of the Rancho Don Pasqual Castro
1935-12-25 A Tale of Two Cities Theophile Gabelle
1935-07-09 Born to Gamble Carter Mathews
1934-12-10 Night Alarm Henry B. Smith
1934-12-06 Behold My Wife! Hubert Carter
1934-11-15 In Old Santa Fe Charlie Miller
1934-07-20 Grand Canary Dr Ismay
1934-04-27 Viva Villa! Man
1934-03-05 Sorrell and Son Captain Stephen Sorrell
1933-11-17 Christopher Bean Maxwell Davenport
1933-06-08 Jennie Gerhardt William Gerhardt
1933-04-21 Supernatural Dr. Carl Houston
1932-12-23 The Son-Daughter Sin Kai
1932-10-14 The Phantom of Crestwood Priam Andes
1932-10-04 The Crusader Phillip Brandon
1932-06-30 Tom Brown of Culver Dr. Brown
1932-06-08 Unholy Love Dr. Daniel Gregory
1932-02-13 Cross-Examination Gerald Waring
1932-02-12 A Woman Commands Col. Stradimirovitsch
1932-01-29 The Menace Inspector Tracy
1932-01-24 Charlie Chan's Chance Inspector Fife
1931-10-24 Expensive Women Melville Raymond
1931-09-26 Five Star Final Michael Townsend
1931-08-15 The Reckless Hour Walter Nichols
1931-07-08 A Woman of Experience Hugh Schmidt
1930-12-21 The Princess and the Plumber Prince Conrad of Daritzia
1930-09-27 Liliom Chief Magistrate
1930-09-14 On Your Back Raymond Pryor
1930-07-05 Wild Company Henry Grayson
1930-04-26 The Second Floor Mystery Inspector Bray
1930-03-16 The Furies Oliver Bedlow
1930-02-13 The Green Goddess Major Crespin
1929-12-29 Wedding Rings Lewis Dike
1929-12-21 Tiger Rose Dr. Cusick
1929-11-21 Show of Shows The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)
1929-08-17 The Argyle Case Hurley
1929-06-29 The Gamblers James Darwin
1929-06-08 The Trial of Mary Dugan District Attorney Galway
1929-02-02 Stark Mad Prof. Dangerfield
1929-01-26 The Doctor's Secret Richard Garson
1928-12-26 The Divine Lady Sir William Hamilton
1928-12-22 Conquest James Farnham
1928-10-01 Romance of a Rogue Bruce Lowry
1928-09-09 Man-Made Women Jules Moret
1927-12-10 French Dressing Phillip Grey
1927-12-02 Sorrell and Son Stephen Sorrell
1927-04-19 The King of Kings Jesus, The Christ
1926-04-25 Silence Jim Warren
1926-03-28 Whispering Smith 'Whispering Smith'
1924-11-30 Is Love Everything? Jordan Southwick
1924-10-01 The Man from Broadway James Sanford Richardson
1923-10-21 Zaza Bernard Dufresne
1921-01-01 When We Were Twenty-One Richard Carewe
1920-09-12 Felix O'Day Felix O'Day
1920-07-11 One Hour Before Dawn George Clayton
1919-08-04 The Pagan God Bruce Winthrop
1917-04-30 Danger Trail John Howland
1917-04-01 God's Man Arnold L'Hommedieu
1917-03-17 The Seventh Sin Feodor
1917-03-05 Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath
1916-10-22 The Vagabond Prince Prince Tonio
1916-08-13 Shell 43 William Berner
1916-05-28 The Market of Vain Desire John Armstrong
1916-04-29 The Beggar of Cawnpore Dr. Robert Lowndes
1916-02-27 The Raiders Scott Wells
1914-12-07 The Ghost Breaker Warren Jarvis
1914-09-01 The Lost Paradise Reuben Warren