Rex Harrison

Biography

Rex Harrison was an English actor who first acted on stage in 1924 at the Liverpool Playhouse and made his West End breakthrough in Terence Rattigan's French Without Tears in 1936. He won a Tony for playing Henry VIII in Anne of the Thousand Days and another for Henry Higgins in the Broadway musical My Fair Lady in 1956. His first starring film role came opposite Vivien Leigh in Storm in a Teacup (1937). He received critical acclaim for Major Barbara (1941), and his many films included Blithe Spirit (1945), Anna and the King of Siam (1946), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Cleopatra (1963), and My Fair Lady (1964), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor. He starred in Doctor Dolittle (1967) and later appeared in Ashanti (1979) and The Fifth Musketeer (1979). He was knighted in 1989 and died in 1990.

82years old at death

Born March 5, 1908Huyton
Died June 2, 1990New York City
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Also credited as Reginald Carey Harrison, Reginald Harrison, Sir Rex Harrison, Sir Reginald Carey Harrison and Sir Reginald Harrison

Movie Career

Films: 22
Career span: 63 years1937 to 2000

Genres

Comedy55%, 12 films
Drama45%, 10 films
Romance41%, 9 films
Adventure18%, 4 films
Biography9%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
In 1924, at age 16, Harrison made his first stage appearance at the Liverpool Playhouse in a production of Thirty Minutes in a Street.
Big break
Harrison made his West End debut in 1936 in Terence Rattigan's French Without Tears, and the part became his breakthrough as a leading light comedian.
About the name
From the age of 10, Harrison went by the name Rex, a name he chose for himself rather than one given to him.
A change of course
Harrison served in the Royal Air Force from 1942 to 1944, reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant, which interrupted his acting career.

Rex Harrison movies on Netflix

Sir John Mills' Moving Memories2000IMDb rating 7.7as Himself
Ashanti1979IMDb rating 5.4as Brian Walker
The Fifth Musketeer1979IMDb rating 5.3as Colbert
Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3as The Duke of Norfolk
Doctor Dolittle1967IMDb rating 6.2as Dr. John Dolittle
The Honey Pot1967IMDb rating 6.7as Cecil Sheridan Fox
The Agony and the Ecstasy1965IMDb rating 7.2as Pope Julius II
My Fair Lady1964IMDb rating 7.7as Professor Henry Higgins
The Yellow Rolls-Royce1964IMDb rating 6.4as The Marquess of Frinton
Cleopatra1963IMDb rating 7.0as Julius Caesar
Midnight Lace1960IMDb rating 6.8as Anthony Preston
The Reluctant Debutante1958IMDb rating 6.7as Jimmy Broadbent
Main Street to Broadway1953IMDb rating 6.0as Rex Harrison
Unfaithfully Yours1948IMDb rating 7.4as Sir Alfred de Carter
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir1947IMDb rating 7.8as Capt. Daniel Gregg
Anna and the King of Siam1946IMDb rating 7.0as King Mongkut
Blithe Spirit1945IMDb rating 7.0as Charles Condomine
Major Barbara1941IMDb rating 6.8as Adolphus Cusins
Night Train to Munich1940IMDb rating 7.2as Gus Bennett
St. Martin's Lane1938IMDb rating 6.9as Harley Prentiss
The Citadel1938IMDb rating 7.0as Dr. Frederick Lawford
Storm in a Teacup1937IMDb rating 6.5as Frank Burdon

Best known for

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

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My Fair Lady1964 Comedy, Music, Romanceas Professor Henry Higgins
IMDb rating 7.7109K votes
Cleopatra1963 Drama, History, Romanceas Julius Caesar
IMDb rating 7.042K votes
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir1947as Capt. Daniel Gregg
IMDb rating 7.822K votes
Doctor Dolittle1967as Dr. John Dolittle
IMDb rating 6.211K votes
Blithe Spirit1945as Charles Condomine
IMDb rating 7.09.5K votes
The Agony and the Ecstasy1965as Pope Julius II
IMDb rating 7.28.9K votes
Unfaithfully Yours1948as Sir Alfred de Carter
IMDb rating 7.46.3K votes
Midnight Lace1960as Anthony Preston
IMDb rating 6.86.7K votes

Most often with

Joseph L. Mankiewicz directed three of these films, Richard Fleischer three and Carol Reed two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Harry Andrews

Vivien Leigh

Ernest Borgnine

Roddy McDowall

Charlton Heston

Angela Lansbury

Joseph L. MankiewiczDirector, 3 films

Richard FleischerDirector, 3 films

Carol ReedDirector, 2 films

Films together

Harry Andrews3 films together, 1965 to 2000
Harry Andrews's page
- Sir John Mills' Moving Memories2000IMDb rating 7.7Harrison as HimselfAndrews as Himself
- Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3Harrison as The Duke of NorfolkAndrews as Hertford
- The Agony and the Ecstasy1965IMDb rating 7.2Harrison as Pope Julius IIAndrews as Bramante
Vivien Leigh3 films together, 1937 to 2000
Vivien Leigh's page
- Sir John Mills' Moving Memories2000IMDb rating 7.7Harrison as HimselfLeigh as Himself
- St. Martin's Lane1938IMDb rating 6.9Harrison as Harley PrentissLeigh as Liberty
- Storm in a Teacup1937IMDb rating 6.5Harrison as Frank BurdonLeigh as Victoria Gow
Ernest Borgnine2 films together, 1977 to 2000
Ernest Borgnine's page
- Sir John Mills' Moving Memories2000IMDb rating 7.7Harrison as HimselfBorgnine as Himself
- Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3Harrison as The Duke of NorfolkBorgnine as John Canty
Roddy McDowall2 films together, 1960 to 1963
Roddy McDowall's page
- Cleopatra1963IMDb rating 7.0Harrison as Julius CaesarMcDowall as Octavian - Caesar Augustus
- Midnight Lace1960IMDb rating 6.8Harrison as Anthony PrestonMcDowall as Malcolm
Charlton Heston2 films together, 1965 to 1977
Charlton Heston's page
- Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3Harrison as The Duke of NorfolkHeston as Henry VIII
- The Agony and the Ecstasy1965IMDb rating 7.2Harrison as Pope Julius IIHeston as Michelangelo
Angela Lansbury2 films together, 1958 to 2000
Angela Lansbury's page
- Sir John Mills' Moving Memories2000IMDb rating 7.7Harrison as HimselfLansbury as Himself
- The Reluctant Debutante1958IMDb rating 6.7Harrison as Jimmy BroadbentLansbury as Mabel Claremont
Joseph L. MankiewiczDirector, 3 films, 1947 to 1967
All films by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- The Honey Pot1967IMDb rating 6.7Harrison as Cecil Sheridan Fox
- Cleopatra1963IMDb rating 7.0Harrison as Julius Caesar
- The Ghost and Mrs. Muir1947IMDb rating 7.8Harrison as Capt. Daniel Gregg
Richard FleischerDirector, 3 films, 1967 to 1979
All films by Richard Fleischer
- Ashanti1979IMDb rating 5.4Harrison as Brian Walker
- Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3Harrison as The Duke of Norfolk
- Doctor Dolittle1967IMDb rating 6.2Harrison as Dr. John Dolittle
Carol ReedDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1965
All films by Carol Reed
- The Agony and the Ecstasy1965IMDb rating 7.2Harrison as Pope Julius II
- Night Train to Munich1940IMDb rating 7.2Harrison as Gus Bennett
Also two films together20 more actors
- Frank BakerDoctor Dolittle (1967) and My Fair Lady (1964)
- George C. ScottCrossed Swords (1977) and The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964)
- Omar SharifAshanti (1979) and The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964)
- Deborah KerrSir John Mills' Moving Memories (2000) and Major Barbara (1941)
- Richard AttenboroughSir John Mills' Moving Memories (2000) and Doctor Dolittle (1967)
- Felix AylmerNight Train to Munich (1940) and The Citadel (1938)
- Adolfo CeliThe Honey Pot (1967) and The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
- Cecil ParkerThe Citadel (1938) and Storm in a Teacup (1937)
- Roland CulverThe Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) and Night Train to Munich (1940)
- Isobel ElsomMy Fair Lady (1964) and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
- Grégoire AslanThe Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) and Cleopatra (1963)
- Linda DarnellUnfaithfully Yours (1948) and Anna and the King of Siam (1946)
- Cyril SmithSt. Martin's Lane (1938) and Storm in a Teacup (1937)
- Eliot MakehamNight Train to Munich (1940) and Storm in a Teacup (1937)
- Emlyn WilliamsMajor Barbara (1941) and The Citadel (1938)
- Laurette LuezUnfaithfully Yours (1948) and Anna and the King of Siam (1946)
- Gus McNaughtonSt. Martin's Lane (1938) and Storm in a Teacup (1937)
- Marie AultBlithe Spirit (1945) and Major Barbara (1941)
- Basil GillSt. Martin's Lane (1938) and The Citadel (1938)
- Penelope Dudley-WardMajor Barbara (1941) and The Citadel (1938)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Rex Harrison's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$153 million

6 of the 22 films have a worldwide figure.

6Worldwide figure
1Never in cinemas
15Figure not found

Top grosser

My Fair Lady1964Professor Henry Higgins$72.7 million

Highest grossing

The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
My Fair Lady1964as Professor Henry Higgins
$73M47.4% of the total
2
Cleopatra1963as Julius Caesar
$58M37.7% of the total
3
Doctor Dolittle1967as Dr. John Dolittle
$9.0M5.9% of the total
4
Midnight Lace1960as Anthony Preston
$7.4M4.8% of the total
5
The Agony and the Ecstasy1965as Pope Julius II
$4.0M2.6% of the total
6
The Citadel1938as Dr. Frederick Lawford
$2.6M1.7% of the total

Awards

Six awards and honors from 1949 to 1965, three of them major.

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Rex Harrison's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1965	Best Actor	My Fair Lady	Won
Tony Awards
1957	Best Actor in a Musical		Won
1949	Best Actor in a Play		Won
Other honors
	David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor		Won
	Knight Bachelor		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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