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H.B. Warner
H.B. Warner
82 years (Oct 25, 1876 – Dec 21, 1958)
London, England, UK
120 Movies

H.B. Warner

Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
Mr. Gower
Sunset Boulevard
H.B. Warner
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Senate Majority Leader
You Can't Take It with You
Ramsey
H.B. Warner counts as a veteran of both film and television who has treated acting as a trade rather than a spotlight. The list also holds 'Sunset Boulevard'. 24 was the age at the first credit. If the filmography has a home genre, it is drama. 120 appearances between the two screens is the plain arithmetic of it. The most visible line on the filmography is 'It's a Wonderful Life' (Mr. Gower).
H.B. Warner counts as a veteran of both film and television who has treated acting as a trade rather than a spotlight. The list also holds 'Sunset Boulevard'. 24 was the age at the first credit. If the filmography has a home genre, it is drama. 120 appearances between the two screens is the plain arithmetic of it. The most visible line on the filmography is 'It's a Wonderful Life' (Mr. Gower).
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
Mr. Gower
Sunset Boulevard
H.B. Warner
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Senate Majority Leader
You Can't Take It with You
Ramsey
Movies
Latest Trailers
The Ten Commandments
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The Ten Commandments
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Full Filmography
The Ten Commandments
Amminadab
★ 7.8
1956
Film
Journey Into Light
Wiz, the Wino
★ 6.5
1951
Film
Here Comes the Groom
Uncle Elihu
★ 5.4
1951
Film
Savage Drums
Maou
★ 7.0
1951
Film
The First Legion
Father José Sierra
★ 7.4
1951
Film
Sunset Boulevard
H.B. Warner
★ 8.3
1950
Film
Hellfire
Brother Joseph
★ 6.4
1949
Film
The Prince of Thieves
Gilbert Head
★ 6.4
1948
Film
High Wall
Mr. Slocum
★ 6.4
1947
Film
Photos
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is H.B. Warner still alive?
H.B. Warner passed away on December 21, 1958 at age 82.
What are the most famous roles of H.B. Warner?
H.B. Warner is best known for roles in It's a Wonderful Life, Sunset Boulevard, The Ten Commandments.
How many movies has H.B. Warner been in?
H.B. Warner has appeared in 120 movies and 0 TV shows.
What was H.B. Warner's first movie?
The career of H.B. Warner began with English Nell (1900).
What is H.B. Warner's most recent movie or series?
H.B. Warner's most recent release is The Ten Commandments, which premiered on October 5, 1956.
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H.B. Warner
H.B. Warner
1876-10-25 · London, England, UK

Henry Byron Warner (often credited as H.B. Warner) 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).

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