Henry Byron Warner was the definitive cinematic Jesus Christ in Cecil B. DeMilles 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 Henrys brother. J.B. had taken the professional last name Warner because Henrys family took him in.)Henry Warners 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 fathers 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 Hoyts Theatre on November 24, 1902, starring James ONeill, the father of playwright Eugene ONeill. 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 DeMilles 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 Cant 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 Its 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 DeMilles The Ten Commandments (1956), a remake of the earlier silent The Ten Commandments (1923). He last role was an uncredited bit part in Darbys Rangers (1958).

Films indisponible à partir de H.B. Warner

Sunset Boulevard

H.B. Warner

Film 1950

Lost Horizon

Chang

Film 1937

One Hour Before Dawn

George Clayton

Film 1920

Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking

The Son of God

Film 2019

Strange Impersonation

Dr. Mansfield, plastic surgeon

Film 1946

Prospecting for Petroleum

The Voice of History (voice)

Film 1946

Rogues' Gallery

Professor Reynolds

Film 1944

The Phantom of Crestwood

Priam Andes

Film 1932

Romance of a Rogue

Bruce Lowry

Film 1928

High Wall

Mr. Slocum

Film 1947

The Doctor's Secret

Richard Garson

Film 1929

Danger Trail

John Howland

Film 1917

Five Star Final

Michael Townsend

Film 1931

Crossroads

Prosecuting Attorney

Film 1942

New Moon

Father Michel

Film 1940

French Dressing

Phillip Grey

Film 1927

Tiger Rose

Dr. Cusick

Film 1929

The Boss of Big Town

Jeffrey Moore

Film 1942

The King of Kings

Jesus, The Christ

Film 1927

Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime

Ray Jardin

Film 1941

The Gracie Allen Murder Case

Richard Lawrence

Film 1939

Expensive Women

Melville Raymond

Film 1931

Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police

Colonel Nielson

Film 1939

Is Love Everything?

Jordan Southwick

Film 1924

Whispering Smith

'Whispering Smith'

Film 1926

Felix O'Day

Felix O'Day

Film 1920

The Furies

Oliver Bedlow

Film 1930

The Divine Lady

Sir William Hamilton

Film 1928

Driftwood

Rev. Hollingsworth

Film 1947

Bulldog Drummond's Bride

Colonel Nielson

Film 1939

Supernatural

Dr. Carl Houston

Film 1933

The Trial of Mary Dugan

District Attorney Galway

Film 1929

Bulldog Drummond in Africa

Colonel J. A. Nielsen

Film 1938

Liliom

Chief Magistrate

Film 1930

The Green Goddess

Major Crespin

Film 1930

Cross-Examination

Gerald Waring

Film 1932

The Adventures of Marco Polo

Chen Tsu

Film 1938

Enemy of Women

Col. Eberhart Brandt

Film 1944

The Reckless Hour

Walter Nichols

Film 1931

In Old Santa Fe

Charlie Miller

Film 1934

Behold My Wife!

Hubert Carter

Film 1934

The Toy Wife

Victor Brigard

Film 1938

Zaza

Bernard Dufresne

Film 1923

Sorrell and Son

Stephen Sorrell

Film 1927

The Second Floor Mystery

Inspector Bray

Film 1930

Born to Gamble

Carter Mathews

Film 1935

Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath

Feodor

Film 1917

The Seventh Sin

Feodor

Film 1917

Along Came Love

Dr. Martin

Film 1936

Jennie Gerhardt

William Gerhardt

Film 1933

Army Girl

Col. Armstrong

Film 1938

Let Freedom Ring

Rutledge

Film 1939

Moonlight Murder

Godfrey Chiltern

Film 1936

The Menace

Inspector Tracy

Film 1932

El Paso

Judge Fletcher

Film 1949

The Son-Daughter

Sin Kai

Film 1932

Unholy Love

Dr. Daniel Gregory

Film 1932

The Crusader

Phillip Brandon

Film 1932

The Pagan God

Bruce Winthrop

Film 1919

City of Missing Girls

Capt. McVeigh

Film 1941

Nurse Edith Cavell

Hugh Gibson

Film 1939

Show of Shows

The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)

Film 1929

Charlie Chan's Chance

Inspector Fife

Film 1932

The First Legion

Father José Sierra

Film 1951

Hitler's Children

The Bishop

Film 1943

A Yank in Libya

Herbert Forbes

Film 1942

God's Man

Arnold L'Hommedieu

Film 1917

Shell 43

William Berner

Film 1916

Captain Tugboat Annie

Judge Abbott

Film 1945

A Woman of Experience

Hugh Schmidt

Film 1931

The Rains Came

Maharajah

Film 1939

Night Alarm

Henry B. Smith

Film 1934

Wild Company

Henry Grayson

Film 1930

The Corsican Brothers

Dr. Enrico Paoli

Film 1941

Journey Into Light

Wiz, the Wino

Film 1951

Stark Mad

Prof. Dangerfield

Film 1929

Faces in the Fog

Defense Attorney Rankins

Film 1944

Rose of the Rancho

Don Pasqual Castro

Film 1936

The Argyle Case

Hurley

Film 1929

Victoria the Great

Lord Melbourne

Film 1937

The Beggar of Cawnpore

Dr. Robert Lowndes

Film 1916

The Raiders

Scott Wells

Film 1916

The Vagabond Prince

Prince Tonio

Film 1916

Women in Bondage

Pastor Renz

Film 1943

Savage Drums

Maou

Film 1951

A Woman Commands

Col. Stradimirovitsch

Film 1932

Hellfire

Brother Joseph

Film 1949

The Lost Paradise

Reuben Warren

Film 1914

On Your Back

Raymond Pryor

Film 1930

South of Tahiti

High Chief Kawalima

Film 1941

Our Fighting Navy

British Consul Brent

Film 1937

Silence

Jim Warren

Film 1926

Grand Canary

Dr Ismay

Film 1934

The Gamblers

James Darwin

Film 1929

Sorrell and Son

Captain Stephen Sorrell

Film 1934

The Prince Of Thieves

Gilbert Head

Film 1948

Conquest

James Farnham

Film 1928

Viva Villa!

Man

Film 1934

The Princess and the Plumber

Prince Conrad of Daritzia

Film 1930

The Man from Broadway

James Sanford Richardson

Film 1924

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

Self (archive footage)

Film 1988

Gentleman Joe Palooka

Sen. McCarden

Film 1946

The Market of Vain Desire

John Armstrong

Film 1916

When We Were Twenty-One

Richard Carewe

Film 1921

Christopher Bean

Maxwell Davenport

Film 1933

Man-Made Women

Jules Moret

Film 1928

Wedding Rings

Lewis Dike

Film 1929

The Ghost Breaker

Warren Jarvis

Film 1914

English Nell

Duke of Monmouth

Film 1900