Reginald Owen

Biography

Reginald Owen was a British actor whose career took in British and American films, Broadway, and television. Born in Hertfordshire, after studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he turned professional in 1905. He co-wrote Where the Rainbow Ends with Mrs. Clifford Mills under the name John Ramsey. After moving to the United States in 1920 and acting on Broadway, he settled in Hollywood and became a familiar face in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions. He was best known as Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1938 film A Christmas Carol, a role inherited from Lionel Barrymore. Owen was among the few actors to play both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, playing Watson in Sherlock Holmes (1932) and Holmes in A Study in Scarlet (1933), which he also co-wrote. Later films included Mary Poppins (1964), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), and Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962); he also guest-starred on television in Maverick, One Step Beyond, Kentucky Jones, and Bewitched.

85years old at death

Born August 5, 1887Hertfordshire
Died November 5, 1972Boise
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
John Reginald Owen (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 40
Career span: 42 years1929 to 1971

Genres

Drama68%, 27 films
Romance60%, 24 films
Comedy33%, 13 films
Adventure25%, 10 films
Family15%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Behind the camera
Before turning to acting, Owen met the author Mrs. Clifford Mills and persuaded her to turn her rainbow story into a play, Where the Rainbow Ends, which he co-wrote with her under the pseudonym John Ramsey.

Reginald Owen movies on Netflix

Bedknobs and Broomsticks1971IMDb rating 7.1as Gen. Teagler
Mary Poppins1964IMDb rating 7.8as Admiral Boom
The Thrill of It All1963IMDb rating 6.9as Tom Fraleigh
Five Weeks in a Balloon1962IMDb rating 5.7as Consul
Grounds for Marriage1951IMDb rating 5.8as Dely Delacorte
Kim1950IMDb rating 6.5as Father Victor
The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5as Ben Weatherstaff
The Pirate1948IMDb rating 6.8as The Advocate
The Three Musketeers1948IMDb rating 7.1as Treville
Green Dolphin Street1947IMDb rating 6.8as Captain O'Hara
Cluny Brown1946IMDb rating 7.4as Henry Carmel
The Diary of a Chambermaid1946IMDb rating 6.5as Captain Lanlaire
Captain Kidd1945IMDb rating 6.3as Cary Shadwell
The Valley of Decision1945IMDb rating 7.3as McCready
National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3as Farmer Ede
Above Suspicion1943IMDb rating 6.5as Dr. Mespelbrunn
Madame Curie1943IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. Becquerel
Mrs. Miniver1942IMDb rating 7.6as Foley
Random Harvest1942IMDb rating 7.9as 'Biffer'
Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3as Schultz, Gestapo agent
Woman of the Year1942IMDb rating 7.1as Clayton
A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2as Bernard Dalvik
Tarzan's Secret Treasure1941IMDb rating 6.4as Professor Elliott
They Met in Bombay1941IMDb rating 6.6as General Allen
The Real Glory1939IMDb rating 6.5as Capt. Hartley
A Christmas Carol1938IMDb rating 7.5as Ebenezer Scrooge
Conquest1937IMDb rating 6.5as Tallyrand
The Bride Wore Red1937IMDb rating 6.3as Admiral Monti
The Great Ziegfeld1936IMDb rating 6.6as Sampston
A Tale of Two Cities1935IMDb rating 7.8as Stryver
Anna Karenina1935IMDb rating 7.0as Stiva
Call of the Wild1935IMDb rating 6.8as Mr. Smith
The Good Fairy1935IMDb rating 7.4as The Waiter
Of Human Bondage1934IMDb rating 7.0as Thorpe Athelny
The Countess of Monte Cristo1934IMDb rating 7.7as The Baron
The House of Rothschild1934IMDb rating 6.4as Herries
A Study in Scarlet1933IMDb rating 5.6as Sherlock Holmes
Queen Christina1933IMDb rating 7.5as Charles
Platinum Blonde1931IMDb rating 6.7as Dexter Grayson
The Letter1929IMDb rating 6.6as Robert Crosbie

Best known for

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

Top

Mary Poppins1964 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Admiral Boom
IMDb rating 7.8200K votes
A Christmas Carol1938 Drama, Family, Fantasyas Ebenezer Scrooge
IMDb rating 7.510K votes
Mrs. Miniver1942as Foley
IMDb rating 7.622K votes
Woman of the Year1942as Clayton
IMDb rating 7.112K votes
A Tale of Two Cities1935as Stryver
IMDb rating 7.87.0K votes
Random Harvest1942as 'Biffer'
IMDb rating 7.99.5K votes
The Thrill of It All1963as Tom Fraleigh
IMDb rating 6.96.5K votes
The Pirate1948as The Advocate
IMDb rating 6.86.1K votes

Most often with

Clarence Brown directed four of these films, Robert Stevenson two and William Wyler two. Two actors appear in five of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Billy Bevan

Matthew Boulton

Joan Crawford

C. Aubrey Smith

George Zucco

Herbert Marshall

Clarence BrownDirector, 4 films Robert StevensonDirector, 2 films

William WylerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Billy Bevan5 films together, 1933 to 1949
Billy Bevan's page
- The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Owen as Ben WeatherstaffBevan as Barney
- Cluny Brown1946IMDb rating 7.4Owen as Henry CarmelBevan as Uncle Arn Porritt
- National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Owen as Farmer EdeBevan as Constable
- A Christmas Carol1938IMDb rating 7.5Owen as Ebenezer ScroogeBevan as Street Watch Leader
- A Study in Scarlet1933IMDb rating 5.6Owen as Sherlock HolmesBevan as Will Swallow
Matthew Boulton5 films together, 1938 to 1949
Matthew Boulton's page
- The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Owen as Ben WeatherstaffBoulton as Mr. Bromley
- National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Owen as Farmer EdeBoulton as Entry Official
- Above Suspicion1943IMDb rating 6.5Owen as Dr. MespelbrunnBoulton as Constable Jones
- They Met in Bombay1941IMDb rating 6.6Owen as General AllenBoulton as Inspector Cressney
- A Christmas Carol1938IMDb rating 7.5Owen as Ebenezer ScroogeBoulton as Charity Solicitor Twill
Joan Crawford4 films together, 1937 to 1943
Joan Crawford's page
- Above Suspicion1943IMDb rating 6.5Owen as Dr. MespelbrunnCrawford as Frances Myles
- Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3Owen as Schultz, Gestapo agentCrawford as Michele de la Becque
- A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2Owen as Bernard DalvikCrawford as Anna Holm
- The Bride Wore Red1937IMDb rating 6.3Owen as Admiral MontiCrawford as Anni Pavlovitch
C. Aubrey Smith4 films together, 1933 to 1946
C. Aubrey Smith's page
- Cluny Brown1946IMDb rating 7.4Owen as Henry CarmelSmith as Charles "Duff" Graham
- Madame Curie1943IMDb rating 7.2Owen as Dr. BecquerelSmith as Lord Kelvin
- The House of Rothschild1934IMDb rating 6.4Owen as HerriesSmith as Duke of Wellington
- Queen Christina1933IMDb rating 7.5Owen as CharlesSmith as Aage
George Zucco4 films together, 1937 to 1949
George Zucco's page
- The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Owen as Ben WeatherstaffZucco as Dr. Fortescue
- The Pirate1948IMDb rating 6.8Owen as The AdvocateZucco as The Viceroy
- A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2Owen as Bernard DalvikZucco as Defense Attorney
- The Bride Wore Red1937IMDb rating 6.3Owen as Admiral MontiZucco as Count Armalia
Herbert Marshall4 films together, 1929 to 1962
Herbert Marshall's page
- Five Weeks in a Balloon1962IMDb rating 5.7Owen as ConsulMarshall as The Prime Minister
- The Secret Garden1949IMDb rating 7.5Owen as Ben WeatherstaffMarshall as Archibald Craven
- The Good Fairy1935IMDb rating 7.4Owen as The WaiterMarshall as Doctor Sporum
- The Letter1929IMDb rating 6.6Owen as Robert CrosbieMarshall as Geoffrey Hammond
Clarence BrownDirector, 4 films, 1935 to 1944
All films by Clarence Brown
- National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Owen as Farmer Ede
- They Met in Bombay1941IMDb rating 6.6Owen as General Allen
- Conquest1937IMDb rating 6.5Owen as Tallyrand
- Anna Karenina1935IMDb rating 7.0Owen as Stiva
Robert StevensonDirector, 2 films, 1964 to 1971
All films by Robert Stevenson
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks1971IMDb rating 7.1Owen as Gen. Teagler
- Mary Poppins1964IMDb rating 7.8Owen as Admiral Boom
William WylerDirector, 2 films, 1935 to 1942
All films by William Wyler
- Mrs. Miniver1942IMDb rating 7.6Owen as Foley
- The Good Fairy1935IMDb rating 7.4Owen as The Waiter
Also four films together4 more actors
- Gladys CooperThe Secret Garden (1949), The Pirate (1948), Green Dolphin Street (1947) and The Valley of Decision (1945)
- Frank MorganThe Three Musketeers (1948), Green Dolphin Street (1947), The Great Ziegfeld (1936) and The Good Fairy (1935)
- Dame May WhittyGreen Dolphin Street (1947), Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Miniver (1942) and Conquest (1937)
- Greer GarsonThe Valley of Decision (1945), Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Miniver (1942) and Random Harvest (1942)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.