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Henry Stephenson

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
88

Gender
Male

Birthday
April 15, 1871 (155 years old)

Place of Birth
Granada, British West Indies

Henry Stephenson

Biography

From Wikipedia

Henry Stephenson Garraway (16 April 1871 – 24 April 1956), sometimes credited as Harry Stephenson, was a British stage and film actor. He portrayed friendly and wise Gentleman in many films of the 1930s and 1940s. Among his roles was Sir Joseph Banks in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Mr. Brownlow in Oliver Twist.

Stephenson was educated in Rugby in Warwickshire and started acting in his twenties. He appeared on British and American stages and made his Broadway debut in 1901, playing the messenger in A Message from Mars. In the following decades, he appeared in over 30 Broadway plays. Henry Stephenson made his film debut in 1917 and appeared in a few silent films, but made his mark mostly as an elder man in sound films. Between 1931 and 1932, he appeared in the successful Broadway play Cyanara with over 200 performances. He came to Hollywood for the film version of Cyanara, starring Ronald Colman and with Henry Stephenson in a supporting role.

In the same year year, he played the tycoon C.B. Gaerste in Red-Headed Woman and Doctor Alliott in A Bill of Divorcement. The following year, the English-born actor appeared as the intimidating yet warm-hearted Mr. Laurence in Little Women. The tall, white-haired actor specialized in portraying wise, dignified and friendly British gentlemans in supporting roles. He could be "both imposing and benevolent in his patrician portrayals, usually expounding words of wisdom or offering gentlemanly aid." He appeared overall in 90 films from 1917 to 1951, often as a doctor or professor, general, judge or aristocrat. He often played historical figures like Sir Joseph Banks in the oscar-winnig adventure film Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Florimond Claude, Comte de Mercy-Argenteau in Marie Antoinette (1938).

Stephenson worked with film star Errol Flynn in the films Captain Blood, The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Prince and the Pauper, and The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex; often as Flynn's paternal friend and superior.

He portrayed Sir Thomas Lancing in Tarzan Finds a Son! in 1939 and playing an entirely different role as Sir Guy Henderson in Tarzan and the Amazons in 1945. He seldom played dark figures, among the exceptions was the snobbish Mr. Bryant in Mr. Lucky in 1943. Stephenson also appeared in literature adaptions, for example as the friendly lawyer Havisham in Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) and as Mr. Brownlow in David Lean's literature adaption Oliver Twist (1948). He made his last film in 1949, but appeared in two TV-series in 1951 before the end of his career. In 1950, after finishing his role of Cardinal Gaspar de Quiroga in the drama play, That Lady, Stephenson retired from the stage.

He married actress Ann Shoemaker. They had one daughter.

Henry Stephenson died in 1956 at the age of 85 years. He was survived by Ann and his daughter.

Known For

Acting

1949Challenge to Lassieas Sir Charles Loring
1948Enchantmentas General Fitzgerald
1948Julia Misbehavesas Lord Pennystone
1948Oliver Twistas Mr. Brownlow
1947Song of Loveas King Albert
1947Ivyas Judge
1947Dark Delusionas Evans Biddle
1947The Homestretchas Don Humberto Balcares
1947Time Out of Mindas Wellington Drake
1946The Locketas Lord Wyndham
1946The Return of Monte Cristoas Professor Duval
1946Her Sister's Secretas Mr. DuBois
1946Of Human Bondageas Dr. Tyrell
1946The Green Yearsas Blakely
1946Night and Dayas Omar Cole
1946Heartbeatas Minister
1945Tarzan and the Amazonsas Sir Guy Henderson, the Archeologist
1944Reckless Ageas J. H. Wadsworth
1944Secrets of Scotland Yardas Sir Reginald Meade
1944Two Girls and a Sailoras John Dyckman Brown I
1944The Hour Before the Dawnas Gen. Hetherton
1943Mr. Luckyas Mr. Bryant
1943The Mantrapas Sir Humphrey Quilp
1942Half Way to Shanghaias Col. Algernon Blimpton
1942This Above Allas General Cathaway
1942Rings on Her Fingersas Colonel Prentiss
1941Lady from Louisianaas General Anatole Mirbeau
1941The Man Who Lost Himselfas Frederick Collins
1940Down Argentine Wayas Don Diego Quintana
1940Spring Paradeas Emperor Franz Joseph
1940It's a Dateas Capt. Andrew
1940Little Old New Yorkas Robert R. Livingston
1939The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essexas Lord Burghley
1939The Adventures of Sherlock Holmesas Sir Ronald Ramsgate
1939Tarzan Finds a Son!as Sir Thomas Lancing
1938Dramatic Schoolas Pasquel Sr.
1938Suezas Count Mathieu de Lesseps
1938Marie Antoinetteas Count de Mercey
1938The Young in Heartas Felix Anstruther
1938The Baroness and the Butleras Count Albert Sandor
1937Wise Girlas Mr. Fletcher
1937Conquestas Count Anastas Walewski
1937The Emperor's Candlesticksas Prince Johann
1937The Prince and the Pauperas Duke of Norfolk
1937When You're in Loveas Walter Mitchell
1936Beloved Enemyas Lord Athleigh
1936The Charge of the Light Brigadeas Sir Charles Macefield
1936Give Me Your Heartas Edward, Lord Farrington
1936Walking on Airas Mr. Horace Bennett
1936Hearts Dividedas Charles Patterson
1936Half Angelas Professor Jerome Hargraves
1936Little Lord Fauntleroyas Havisham
1935Captain Bloodas Lord Willoughby
1935Mutiny on the Bountyas Joseph Banks
1935The Perfect Gentlemanas Bishop
1935Rendezvousas Russian Ambassador Gregory
1935O'Shaughnessy's Boyas Maj. Winslow
1935The Flame Withinas Dr. Jock Frazier
1935Recklessas Colonel Harrison Sr.
1935Vanessa: Her Love Storyas Barney Newmark
1935The Night Is Youngas Emperor Franz Josef
1934What Every Woman Knowsas Charles Venables
1934Outcast Ladyas Sir Maurice
1934The Richest Girl in the Worldas John Connors
1934She Loves Me Notas Dean Mercer
1934One More Riveras Sir Laurence Mont
1934Stingareeas Mr. Hugh Clarkson
1934Thirty Day Princessas King Anatol XII
1934All Men Are Enemiesas
1934The Mystery of Mr. Xas Sir Herbert Frensham
1934Man of Two Worldsas Sir Basil Pemberton
1933If I Were Freeas Hector Stribling
1933Little Womenas Mr. Laurence
1933My Lips Betrayas De Conti
1933Blind Adventureas Major Thorne
1933Double Harnessas Colonel Sam Colby
1933Tomorrow at Sevenas Thornton Drake
1932The Animal Kingdomas Rufus
1932Cynaraas John Tring
1932A Bill of Divorcementas Doctor Alliot
1932Guilty as Hellas Dr. Ernest S. Tindal
1932Red-Headed Womanas Charles B. 'Charlie' / 'C.B.' Gaerste
1925Wild, Wild Susanas Peter Van Dusen
1925Men and Womenas Arnold Kirke
1921The Black Panther's Cubas Clive, Earl of Maudsley
1919The Tower of Jewelsas David Parrish
1919A Society Exileas Sir Howard Furnival
1917The Spreading Dawnas Mr. LeRoy

Production