Gene Lockhart

Biography

Gene Lockhart was a Canadian-American actor, playwright, singer, and lyricist whose film career included more than 300 pictures. Born in London, Ontario, Canada, in 1891, he made his professional debut at age six with the Kilties Band of Canada and later appeared in sketches with Beatrice Lillie. He reached Broadway in 1916 with The Riviera Girl, co-wrote the lyrics for The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise, and taught stage technique at Juilliard. His film debut came in Smilin' Through (1922), and his full-talkie debut was By Your Leave (1934). Lockhart earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as Regis in Algiers (1938). He often played villains, but also played good-guy supporting roles, among them Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol (1938) and, in Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Judge Harper. Other films included His Girl Friday (1940), The Sea Wolf (1941), and Carousel (1956); his last screen role was in Jeanne Eagels (1957).

65years old at death

Born July 18, 1891London
Died March 31, 1957Santa Monica
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Also credited as Edwin Eugene Lockhart

Movie Career

Films: 37
Career span: 21 years1935 to 1956

Genres

Drama70%, 26 films
Romance32%, 12 films
Comedy30%, 11 films
Adventure14%, 5 films
Crime11%, 4 films

First and latest

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Behind the camera
Lockhart belonged to The Pierrot Players, a traveling play. He wrote its book and lyrics, and the play introduced The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise, whose lyrics he wrote with Canadian composer Ernest Seitz.
A role that slipped away
Lockhart took over the part of Willy Loman from Lee J. Cobb in 1949, while Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman was still in its original run.
Early training
Lockhart had a long stage career and also wrote professionally. At the Juilliard School of Music in New York City he taught acting and stage technique, and he wrote song lyrics, radio shows, theatrical sketches, special stage material and magazine articles.
A first
On Broadway, Lockhart was the first actor to play Uncle Sid in Ah, Wilderness!, Eugene O'Neill's only comedy, in 1933.
Behind the camera
Lockhart wrote a short poem satirizing Orson Welles called Little Orson Annie, a parody of James Whitcomb Riley's 1885 poem Little Orphant Annie, after Welles arrived in Hollywood in 1940.
Beyond film
Lockhart performed in Die Fledermaus with the San Francisco Opera Association, where he sang as part of the company's productions.

Gene Lockhart movies on Netflix

Carousel1956IMDb rating 6.5as Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit1956IMDb rating 7.1as Bill Hawthorne
World for Ransom1954IMDb rating 5.8as Alexis Pederas
Confidentially Connie1953IMDb rating 5.8as Dean Edward E. Magruder
Androcles and the Lion1952IMDb rating 6.0as Menagerie Keeper
Riding High1950IMDb rating 6.3as J.P. Chase
Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4as Andrew L. Bush
Madame Bovary1949IMDb rating 7.0as J. Homais
Red Light1949IMDb rating 6.4as Warni Hazard
The Inspector General1949IMDb rating 6.7as The Mayor
Joan of Arc1948IMDb rating 6.4as Georges de La Trémouille - King's Chief Counsellor
Miracle on 34th Street1947IMDb rating 7.9as Judge Harper
A Scandal in Paris1946IMDb rating 6.5as Prefect of Police Richet
The Strange Woman1946IMDb rating 6.5as Isaiah Poster
Leave Her to Heaven1945IMDb rating 7.6as Dr. Saunders
The House on 92nd Street1945IMDb rating 6.6as Charles Ogden Roper
Going My Way1944IMDb rating 7.0as Ted Haines Sr.
Hangmen Also Die!1943IMDb rating 7.4as Emil Czaka
Mission to Moscow1943IMDb rating 5.4as Viatcheslav Molotov
Northern Pursuit1943IMDb rating 6.6as Ernst Willis
All That Money Can Buy1941IMDb rating 7.5as Squire Slossum
Billy the Kid1941IMDb rating 5.7as Dan Hickey
Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6as Mayor Lovett
One Foot in Heaven1941IMDb rating 6.6as Preston Thurston
The Sea Wolf1941IMDb rating 7.5as Dr. Prescott
They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2as Samuel Bacon, Esq.
Abe Lincoln in Illinois1940IMDb rating 7.3as Stephen Douglas
Edison, the Man1940IMDb rating 7.0as Mr. Taggart
His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8as Sheriff Hartwell
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell1939IMDb rating 6.9as Thomas Sanders
A Christmas Carol1938IMDb rating 7.5as Bob Cratchit
Of Human Hearts1938IMDb rating 6.8as Quid
Sinners in Paradise1938IMDb rating 5.7as Sen. Corey
Something to Sing About1937IMDb rating 6.2as Bennett O. Regan
Earthworm Tractors1936IMDb rating 6.3as George Healey
Crime and Punishment1935IMDb rating 6.9as Lushin
Star of Midnight1935IMDb rating 6.7as Horatio Swayne

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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His Girl Friday1940 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Sheriff Hartwell
IMDb rating 7.869K votes
Miracle on 34th Street1947 Comedy, Drama, Familyas Judge Harper
IMDb rating 7.960K votes
A Christmas Carol1938as Bob Cratchit
IMDb rating 7.510K votes
Going My Way1944as Ted Haines Sr.
IMDb rating 7.015K votes
Hangmen Also Die!1943as Emil Czaka
IMDb rating 7.47.5K votes
Leave Her to Heaven1945as Dr. Saunders
IMDb rating 7.617K votes
Meet John Doe1941as Mayor Lovett
IMDb rating 7.617K votes
They Died with Their Boots On1941as Samuel Bacon, Esq.
IMDb rating 7.27.6K votes

Most often with

Frank Capra directed two of these films, Raoul Walsh two and Michael Curtiz two. Irving Bacon appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Irving Bacon

Byron Foulger

Harry Davenport

Minor Watson

William Frawley

Kathleen Lockhart

Frank CapraDirector, 2 films

Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films

Films together

Irving Bacon5 films together, 1936 to 1950
Irving Bacon's page
- Riding High1950IMDb rating 6.3Lockhart as J.P. ChaseBacon as Hamburger Man
- Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6Lockhart as Mayor LovettBacon as Beany
- They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2Lockhart as Samuel Bacon, Esq.Bacon as Uniform Salesman
- His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8Lockhart as Sheriff HartwellBacon as Gus
- Earthworm Tractors1936IMDb rating 6.3Lockhart as George HealeyBacon as Taxicab Driver
Byron Foulger4 films together, 1940 to 1953
Byron Foulger's page
- Confidentially Connie1953IMDb rating 5.8Lockhart as Dean Edward E. MagruderFoulger as Prof. Rosenberg
- The Inspector General1949IMDb rating 6.7Lockhart as The MayorFoulger as Burbis
- Hangmen Also Die!1943IMDb rating 7.4Lockhart as Emil CzakaFoulger as Bartos
- Edison, the Man1940IMDb rating 7.0Lockhart as Mr. TaggartFoulger as Edwin Hall
Harry Davenport4 films together, 1939 to 1950
Harry Davenport's page
- Riding High1950IMDb rating 6.3Lockhart as J.P. ChaseDavenport as Johnson
- Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4Lockhart as Andrew L. BushDavenport as Benjamin Harris
- One Foot in Heaven1941IMDb rating 6.6Lockhart as Preston ThurstonDavenport as Elias Samson
- The Story of Alexander Graham Bell1939IMDb rating 6.9Lockhart as Thomas SandersDavenport as Judge Rider
Minor Watson4 films together, 1938 to 1943
Minor Watson's page
- Mission to Moscow1943IMDb rating 5.4Lockhart as Viatcheslav MolotovWatson as Loy Henderson
- They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2Lockhart as Samuel Bacon, Esq.Watson as Sen. Smith
- Abe Lincoln in Illinois1940IMDb rating 7.3Lockhart as Stephen DouglasWatson as Joshua Speed
- Of Human Hearts1938IMDb rating 6.8Lockhart as QuidWatson as Captain Griggs
William Frawley4 films together, 1937 to 1949
William Frawley's page
- Red Light1949IMDb rating 6.4Lockhart as Warni HazardFrawley as Hotel Night Clerk
- Miracle on 34th Street1947IMDb rating 7.9Lockhart as Judge HarperFrawley as Charlie Halloran
- Going My Way1944IMDb rating 7.0Lockhart as Ted Haines Sr.Frawley as Max Dolan, Publisher
- Something to Sing About1937IMDb rating 6.2Lockhart as Bennett O. ReganFrawley as Hank Mayers
Kathleen Lockhart4 films together, 1937 to 1953
Kathleen Lockhart's page
- Confidentially Connie1953IMDb rating 5.8Lockhart as Dean Edward E. MagruderLockhart as Mrs. Martha Magruder
- The Strange Woman1946IMDb rating 6.5Lockhart as Isaiah PosterLockhart as Mrs. Partridge
- A Christmas Carol1938IMDb rating 7.5Lockhart as Bob CratchitLockhart as Mrs. Cratchit
- Something to Sing About1937IMDb rating 6.2Lockhart as Bennett O. ReganLockhart as Miss Robbins
Frank CapraDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1950
All films by Frank Capra
- Riding High1950IMDb rating 6.3Lockhart as J.P. Chase
- Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6Lockhart as Mayor Lovett
Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1943
All films by Raoul Walsh
- Northern Pursuit1943IMDb rating 6.6Lockhart as Ernst Willis
- They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2Lockhart as Samuel Bacon, Esq.
Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1943
All films by Michael Curtiz
- Mission to Moscow1943IMDb rating 5.4Lockhart as Viatcheslav Molotov
- The Sea Wolf1941IMDb rating 7.5Lockhart as Dr. Prescott

Box office

What Gene Lockhart's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$44.0 million

12 of the 37 films have a worldwide figure.

12Worldwide figure
3US gross only
1Never in cinemas
21Figure not found

Top grosser

Going My Way1944Ted Haines Sr.$16.3 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 86% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Going My Way1944as Ted Haines Sr.
$16M37.0% of the total
2
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit1956as Bill Hawthorne
$4.3M9.9% of the total
3
Carousel1956as Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
$3.8M8.5% of the total
4
Northern Pursuit1943as Ernst Willis
$3.3M7.4% of the total
5
The Strange Woman1946as Isaiah Poster
$2.8M6.4% of the total
6
Miracle on 34th Street1947as Judge Harper
$2.7M6.1% of the total
7
The House on 92nd Street1945as Charles Ogden Roper
$2.5M5.7% of the total
8
Madame Bovary1949as J. Homais
$2.0M4.6% of the total