H.B. Warner
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Oct 25, 1876
- Died
- Dec 21, 1958 (aged 82)
- Place of birth
- London, England, UK
- Credits
- 135
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).
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
1946Movie
Mr. Gower
Sunset Boulevard
1950Movie
H.B. Warner
The Ten Commandments
1956Movie
Amminadab
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939Movie
Senate Majority Leader
You Can't Take It with You
1938Movie
Ramsey
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
1936Movie
Judge May
Filmography
The Resurrection of Christ
2026Movie
Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking
2019Movie
The Son of God
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Ten Commandments
1956Movie
Amminadab
Journey Into Light
1951Movie
Wiz, the Wino
Here Comes the Groom
1951Movie
Uncle Elihu
Savage Drums
1951Movie
Maou
The First Legion
1951Movie
Father José Sierra
Sunset Boulevard
1950Movie
H.B. Warner
Hellfire
1949Movie
Brother Joseph
El Paso
1949Movie
Judge Fletcher
The Prince of Thieves
1948Movie
Gilbert Head
High Wall
1947Movie
Mr. Slocum
The Judge Steps Out
1947Movie
Chief Justice Hayes
Driftwood
1947Movie
Rev. Hollingsworth
It's a Wonderful Life
1946Movie
Mr. Gower
Gentleman Joe Palooka
1946Movie
Sen. McCarden
Strange Impersonation
1946Movie
Dr. Mansfield, plastic surgeon
Prospecting for Petroleum
1946Movie
The Voice of History (voice)
Captain Tugboat Annie
1945Movie
Judge Abbott
Rogues' Gallery
1944Movie
Professor Reynolds
Faces in the Fog
1944Movie
Defense Attorney Rankins
Enemy of Women
1944Movie
Col. Eberhart Brandt
Action in Arabia
1944Movie
Abdul al-Rashid
Women in Bondage
1943Movie
Pastor Renz
Hitler's Children
1943Movie
The Bishop
The Boss of Big Town
1942Movie
Jeffrey Moore
A Yank in Libya
1942Movie
Herbert Forbes
Crossroads
1942Movie
Prosecuting Attorney
The Corsican Brothers
1942Movie
Dr. Enrico Paoli
All That Money Can Buy
1941Movie
Justice Hawthorne
South of Tahiti
1941Movie
High Chief Kawalima
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
1941Movie
Ray Jardin
City of Missing Girls
1941Movie
Capt. McVeigh
Topper Returns
1941Movie
Mr. Carrington
New Moon
1940Movie
Father Michel
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939Movie
Senate Majority Leader
The Rains Came
1939Movie
Maharajah
Nurse Edith Cavell
1939Movie
Hugh Gibson
Bulldog Drummond's Bride
1939Movie
Colonel Nielson
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
1939Movie
Richard Lawrence
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police
1939Movie
Colonel Nielson
Let Freedom Ring
1939Movie
Rutledge
Arrest Bulldog Drummond
1938Movie
Colonel Nielsen
You Can't Take It with You
1938Movie
Ramsey
Army Girl
1938Movie
Col. Armstrong
Bulldog Drummond in Africa
1938Movie
Colonel J. A. Nielsen
The Toy Wife
1938Movie
Victor Brigard
Kidnapped
1938Movie
Angus Rankeiller
The Adventures of Marco Polo
1938Movie
Chen Tsu
The Girl of the Golden West
1938Movie
Father Sienna
Our Fighting Navy
1937Movie
British Consul Brent
Victoria the Great
1937Movie
Lord Melbourne
Lost Horizon
1937Movie
Chang
Along Came Love
1936Movie
Dr. Martin
Blackmailer
1936Movie
Michael Rankin
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
1936Movie
Judge May
Moonlight Murder
1936Movie
Godfrey Chiltern
The Garden Murder Case
1936Movie
Major Fenwicke-Ralston
Rose of the Rancho
1936Movie
Don Pasqual Castro
A Tale of Two Cities
1935Movie
Theophile Gabelle
Born to Gamble
1935Movie
Carter Mathews
Night Alarm
1934Movie
Henry B. Smith
Behold My Wife!
1934Movie
Hubert Carter
In Old Santa Fe
1934Movie
Charlie Miller
Grand Canary
1934Movie
Dr Ismay
Viva Villa!
1934Movie
Man
Sorrell and Son
1934Movie
Captain Stephen Sorrell
Christopher Bean
1933Movie
Maxwell Davenport
Jennie Gerhardt
1933Movie
William Gerhardt
Supernatural
1933Movie
Dr. Carl Houston
Justice Takes a Holiday
1933Movie
John Logan
The Son-Daughter
1932Movie
Sin Kai
The Phantom of Crestwood
1932Movie
Priam Andes
The Crusader
1932Movie
Phillip Brandon
Tom Brown of Culver
1932Movie
Dr. Brown
Unholy Love
1932Movie
Dr. Daniel Gregory
Cross-Examination
1932Movie
Gerald Waring
A Woman Commands
1932Movie
Col. Stradimirovitsch
The Menace
1932Movie
Inspector Tracy
Charlie Chan's Chance
1932Movie
Inspector Fife
Expensive Women
1931Movie
Melville Raymond
Five Star Final
1931Movie
Michael Townsend
The Reckless Hour
1931Movie
Walter Nichols
A Woman of Experience
1931Movie
Hugh Schmidt
The Princess and the Plumber
1930Movie
Prince Conrad of Daritzia
Liliom
1930Movie
Chief Magistrate
On Your Back
1930Movie
Raymond Pryor
Wild Company
1930Movie
Henry Grayson
The Second Floor Mystery
1930Movie
Inspector Bray
The Furies
1930Movie
Oliver Bedlow
The Green Goddess
1930Movie
Major Crespin
Wedding Rings
1929Movie
Lewis Dike
Tiger Rose
1929Movie
Dr. Cusick
The Show of Shows
1929Movie
The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)
The Argyle Case
1929Movie
Hurley
The Gamblers
1929Movie
James Darwin
The Trial of Mary Dugan
1929Movie
District Attorney Galway
Stark Mad
1929Movie
Prof. Dangerfield
The Doctor's Secret
1929Movie
Richard Garson
The Divine Lady
1928Movie
Sir William Hamilton
Conquest
1928Movie
James Farnham
The Naughty Duchess
1928Movie
Romance of a Rogue
1928Movie
Bruce Lowry
Man-Made Women
1928Movie
Jules Moret
French Dressing
1927Movie
Phillip Grey
Sorrell and Son
1927Movie
Stephen Sorrell
The King of Kings
1927Movie
Jesus, The Christ
Silence
1926Movie
Jim Warren
Whispering Smith
1926Movie
'Whispering Smith'
Is Love Everything?
1924Movie
Jordan Southwick
The Man from Broadway
1924Movie
James Sanford Richardson
Zaza
1923Movie
Bernard Dufresne
When We Were Twenty-One
1921Movie
Richard Carewe
Dice of Destiny
1920Movie
Jimmy Doyle
Felix O'Day
1920Movie
Felix O'Day
One Hour Before Dawn
1920Movie
George Clayton
Haunting Shadows
1919Movie
John Glenarm
A Fugitive from Matrimony
1919Movie
Stephen Van Courtlandt
The Gray Wolf's Ghost
1919Movie
Doctor West / Harry West
For a Woman's Honor
1919Movie
Captain Clyde Mannering
The Pagan God
1919Movie
Bruce Winthrop
The Man Who Turned White
1919Movie
Captain Rand / Ali Zaman
Danger Trail
1917Movie
John Howland
God's Man
1917Movie
Arnold L'Hommedieu
The Seventh Sin
1917Movie
Feodor
Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath
1917Movie
Feodor
The Vagabond Prince
1916Movie
Prince Tonio
Shell 43
1916Movie
William Berner
The Market of Vain Desire
1916Movie
John Armstrong
The Beggar of Cawnpore
1916Movie
Dr. Robert Lowndes
The Raiders
1916Movie
Scott Wells
The Ghost Breaker
1914Movie
Warren Jarvis
The Lost Paradise
1914Movie
Reuben Warren
English Nell
1900Movie
Duke of Monmouth