H.B. Warner
Acting
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).
Movies(133)
The Resurrection of Christ
2026
Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking
The Son of God
2019
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self (archive footage)
1987
The Ten Commandments
Amminadab
1956
Journey Into Light
Wiz, the Wino
1951
Here Comes the Groom
Uncle Elihu
1951
Savage Drums
Maou
1951
The First Legion
Father José Sierra
1951
Sunset Boulevard
H.B. Warner
1950
Hellfire
Brother Joseph
1949
El Paso
Judge Fletcher
1949
The Prince of Thieves
Gilbert Head
1948
High Wall
Mr. Slocum
1947
The Judge Steps Out
Chief Justice Hayes
1947
Driftwood
Rev. Hollingsworth
1947
It's a Wonderful Life
Mr. Gower
1946
Gentleman Joe Palooka
Sen. McCarden
1946
Strange Impersonation
Dr. Mansfield, plastic surgeon
1946
Prospecting for Petroleum
The Voice of History (voice)
1946
Captain Tugboat Annie
Judge Abbott
1945
Rogues' Gallery
Professor Reynolds
1944
Faces in the Fog
Defense Attorney Rankins
1944
Enemy of Women
Col. Eberhart Brandt
1944
Action in Arabia
Abdul al-Rashid
1944
Women in Bondage
Pastor Renz
1943
Hitler's Children
The Bishop
1943
The Boss of Big Town
Jeffrey Moore
1942
A Yank in Libya
Herbert Forbes
1942
Crossroads
Prosecuting Attorney
1942
The Corsican Brothers
Dr. Enrico Paoli
1941
All That Money Can Buy
Justice Hawthorne
1941
South of Tahiti
High Chief Kawalima
1941
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
Ray Jardin
1941
City of Missing Girls
Capt. McVeigh
1941
Topper Returns
Mr. Carrington
1941
New Moon
Father Michel
1940
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Senate Majority Leader
1939
The Rains Came
Maharajah
1939
Nurse Edith Cavell
Hugh Gibson
1939
Bulldog Drummond's Bride
Colonel Nielson
1939
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
Richard Lawrence
1939
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police
Colonel Nielson
1939
Let Freedom Ring
Rutledge
1939
Arrest Bulldog Drummond
Colonel Nielsen
1938
You Can't Take It with You
Mr. Ramsey
1938
Army Girl
Col. Armstrong
1938
Bulldog Drummond in Africa
Colonel J. A. Nielsen
1938
The Toy Wife
Victor Brigard
1938
Kidnapped
Angus Rankeiller
1938
The Adventures of Marco Polo
Chen Tsu
1938
The Girl of the Golden West
Father Sienna
1938
Our Fighting Navy
British Consul Brent
1937
Victoria the Great
Lord Melbourne
1937
Lost Horizon
Chang
1937
Along Came Love
Dr. Martin
1936
Blackmailer
Michael Rankin
1936
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Judge May
1936
Moonlight Murder
Godfrey Chiltern
1936
The Garden Murder Case
Major Fenwicke-Ralston
1936
Rose of the Rancho
Don Pasqual Castro
1936
A Tale of Two Cities
Theophile Gabelle
1935
Born to Gamble
Carter Mathews
1935
Night Alarm
Henry B. Smith
1934
Behold My Wife!
Hubert Carter
1934
In Old Santa Fe
Charlie Miller
1934
Grand Canary
Dr Ismay
1934
Viva Villa!
Man
1934
Sorrell and Son
Captain Stephen Sorrell
1934
Christopher Bean
Maxwell Davenport
1933
Jennie Gerhardt
William Gerhardt
1933
Supernatural
Dr. Carl Houston
1933
Justice Takes a Holiday
John Logan
1933
The Son-Daughter
Sin Kai
1932
The Phantom of Crestwood
Priam Andes
1932
The Crusader
Phillip Brandon
1932
Tom Brown of Culver
Dr. Brown
1932
Unholy Love
Dr. Daniel Gregory
1932
Cross-Examination
Gerald Waring
1932
A Woman Commands
Col. Stradimirovitsch
1932
The Menace
Inspector Tracy
1932
Charlie Chan's Chance
Inspector Fife
1932
Expensive Women
Melville Raymond
1931
Five Star Final
Michael Townsend
1931
The Reckless Hour
Walter Nichols
1931
A Woman of Experience
Hugh Schmidt
1931
The Princess and the Plumber
Prince Conrad of Daritzia
1930
Liliom
Chief Magistrate
1930
On Your Back
Raymond Pryor
1930
Wild Company
Henry Grayson
1930
The Second Floor Mystery
Inspector Bray
1930
The Furies
Oliver Bedlow
1930
The Green Goddess
Major Crespin
1930
Wedding Rings
Lewis Dike
1929
Tiger Rose
Dr. Cusick
1929
The Show of Shows
The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)
1929
The Argyle Case
Hurley
1929
The Gamblers
James Darwin
1929
The Trial of Mary Dugan
District Attorney Galway
1929
Stark Mad
Prof. Dangerfield
1929
The Doctor's Secret
Richard Garson
1929
The Divine Lady
Sir William Hamilton
1928
Conquest
James Farnham
1928
Romance of a Rogue
Bruce Lowry
1928
Man-Made Women
Jules Moret
1928
French Dressing
Phillip Grey
1927
Sorrell and Son
Stephen Sorrell
1927
The King of Kings
Jesus, The Christ
1927
Silence
Jim Warren
1926
Whispering Smith
'Whispering Smith'
1926
Is Love Everything?
Jordan Southwick
1924
The Man from Broadway
James Sanford Richardson
1924
Zaza
Bernard Dufresne
1923
When We Were Twenty-One
Richard Carewe
1921
Dice of Destiny
Jimmy Doyle
1920
Felix O'Day
Felix O'Day
1920
One Hour Before Dawn
George Clayton
1920
A Fugitive from Matrimony
Stephen Van Courtlandt
1919
The Gray Wolf's Ghost
Doctor West / Harry West
1919
For a Woman's Honor
Captain Clyde Mannering
1919
The Pagan God
Bruce Winthrop
1919
The Man Who Turned White
Captain Rand / Ali Zaman
1919
Danger Trail
John Howland
1917
God's Man
Arnold L'Hommedieu
1917
The Seventh Sin
Feodor
1917
Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath
Feodor
1917
The Vagabond Prince
Prince Tonio
1916
Shell 43
William Berner
1916
The Market of Vain Desire
John Armstrong
1916
The Beggar of Cawnpore
Dr. Robert Lowndes
1916
The Raiders
Scott Wells
1916
The Ghost Breaker
Warren Jarvis
1914
The Lost Paradise
Reuben Warren
1914
English Nell
Duke of Monmouth
1900