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).
134 movies
The Resurrection of Christ
2026·0.0
Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking
2019·7.4
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987·6.5
The Ten Commandments
1956·7.8
Journey Into Light
1951·6.5
Here Comes the Groom
1951·5.4
Savage Drums
1951·7.0
The First Legion
1951·7.4
Sunset Boulevard
1950·8.3
Hellfire
1949·6.4
El Paso
1949·6.0
The Prince of Thieves
1948·6.4
High Wall
1947·6.4
The Judge Steps Out
1947·6.8
Driftwood
1947·6.8
It's a Wonderful Life
1946·8.3
Gentleman Joe Palooka
1946·0.0
Strange Impersonation
1946·6.1
Prospecting for Petroleum
1946·0.0
Captain Tugboat Annie
1945·8.0
Rogues' Gallery
1944·5.9
Faces in the Fog
1944·4.3
Enemy of Women
1944·5.1
Action in Arabia
1944·6.0
Women in Bondage
1943·6.8
Hitler's Children
1943·6.0
The Boss of Big Town
1942·6.2
A Yank in Libya
1942·4.7
Crossroads
1942·5.9
The Corsican Brothers
1941·7.0
All That Money Can Buy
1941·7.0
South of Tahiti
1941·6.5
Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
1941·5.8
City of Missing Girls
1941·4.7
Topper Returns
1941·6.5
New Moon
1940·6.9
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939·7.8
The Rains Came
1939·6.1
Nurse Edith Cavell
1939·6.6
Bulldog Drummond's Bride
1939·6.3
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
1939·6.3
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police
1939·6.2
Let Freedom Ring
1939·6.8
Arrest Bulldog Drummond
1938·6.8
You Can't Take It with You
1938·7.5
Army Girl
1938·6.8
Bulldog Drummond in Africa
1938·5.8
The Toy Wife
1938·5.0
Kidnapped
1938·6.0
The Adventures of Marco Polo
1938·6.2
The Girl of the Golden West
1938·5.3
Our Fighting Navy
1937·3.5
Victoria the Great
1937·5.6
Lost Horizon
1937·6.9
Along Came Love
1936·6.3
Blackmailer
1936·6.5
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
1936·7.5
Moonlight Murder
1936·4.8
The Garden Murder Case
1936·5.7
Rose of the Rancho
1936·7.0
A Tale of Two Cities
1935·6.9
Born to Gamble
1935·5.2
Night Alarm
1934·5.4
Behold My Wife!
1934·8.0
In Old Santa Fe
1934·5.8
Grand Canary
1934·4.8
Viva Villa!
1934·6.2
Sorrell and Son
1934·5.0
Christopher Bean
1933·8.0
Jennie Gerhardt
1933·5.7
Supernatural
1933·6.2
Justice Takes a Holiday
1933·8.0
The Son-Daughter
1932·6.5
The Phantom of Crestwood
1932·5.9
The Crusader
1932·7.3
Tom Brown of Culver
1932·6.8
Unholy Love
1932·4.0
Cross-Examination
1932·5.1
A Woman Commands
1932·9.0
The Menace
1932·5.6
Charlie Chan's Chance
1932·7.3
Expensive Women
1931·5.7
Five Star Final
1931·6.6
The Reckless Hour
1931·6.8
A Woman of Experience
1931·6.2
The Princess and the Plumber
1930·10.0
Liliom
1930·6.8
On Your Back
1930·8.0
Wild Company
1930·7.0
The Second Floor Mystery
1930·8.0
The Furies
1930·7.0
The Green Goddess
1930·4.9
Wedding Rings
1929·8.0
Tiger Rose
1929·7.0
The Show of Shows
1929·6.6
The Argyle Case
1929·10.0
The Gamblers
1929·9.0
The Trial of Mary Dugan
1929·6.4
Stark Mad
1929·5.5
The Doctor's Secret
1929·7.0
The Divine Lady
1928·5.3
Conquest
1928·8.0
Romance of a Rogue
1928·10.0
Man-Made Women
1928·9.0
French Dressing
1927·3.7
Sorrell and Son
1927·6.0
The King of Kings
1927·6.4
Silence
1926·8.0
Whispering Smith
1926·9.0
Is Love Everything?
1924·9.0
The Man from Broadway
1924·0.0
Zaza
1923·6.3
When We Were Twenty-One
1921·7.0
Dice of Destiny
1920·7.0
Felix O'Day
1920·10.0
One Hour Before Dawn
1920·10.0
Haunting Shadows
1919·0.0
A Fugitive from Matrimony
1919·9.0
The Gray Wolf's Ghost
1919·10.0
For a Woman's Honor
1919·10.0
The Pagan God
1919·9.0
The Man Who Turned White
1919·7.0
Danger Trail
1917·0.0
God's Man
1917·0.0
The Seventh Sin
1917·7.0
Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath
1917·0.0
The Vagabond Prince
1916·0.0
Shell 43
1916·0.0
The Market of Vain Desire
1916·0.0
The Beggar of Cawnpore
1916·0.0
The Raiders
1916·0.0
The Ghost Breaker
1914·0.0
The Lost Paradise
1914·0.0
English Nell
1900·0.0