Henry Wilcoxon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henry Wilcoxon
as the vicar in The Miniver Story (1950)
Born	Harry Frederick Wilcoxon (1905-09-08)8 September 1905 Roseau, Dominica, British West Indies
Died	6 March 1984(1984-03-06) (aged 78) Los Angeles, California, United States
Other names	Harry Wilcoxon
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1926–83
Spouse(s)	Sheila Garrett ​ ​ (m. 1936; div. 1937)​ Joan Woodbury ​ ​ (m. 1938; div. 1969)​
Children	3

Henry Wilcoxon (born Harry Frederick Wilcoxon on September 8, 1905 – died March 6, 1984) was an actor from Roseau, Dominica. He became famous for starring in many movies made by the director Cecil B. DeMille. Later, he also helped DeMille produce films.

Growing Up: Henry Wilcoxon's Early Life

Henry Wilcoxon was born on September 8, 1905, in Roseau, Dominica. His father, Robert Stanley Wilcoxon, was English and managed a bank. His mother, Lurline Mignonette Nunes, was a Jamaican amateur actress.

Henry, who was known as Harry back then, had a tough childhood. His mother passed away when he was very young. His father took Harry and his older brother, Owen, to England. They first lived in a difficult foster home where they became sick. Luckily, they were moved to a more caring foster home in London.

Later, Harry's father and his new wife took the boys to Bridgetown, Barbados. Harry went to school at Wolmer's Boys School in Jamaica and Harrison College in Barbados. He was a good swimmer and even thought about becoming a salvage diver. Harry and Owen were known as 'Biff' and 'Bang' because they were good at amateur boxing.

Henry Wilcoxon's Acting Career

After finishing school, Henry worked for a while before trying his hand at acting.

Starting on Stage

Henry Wilcoxon's first acting job was in a play in November 1927. The next year, he joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He toured for several years, playing many different roles. He was praised for his role as Captain Cook in a play called The Barretts of Wimpole Street in London.

Early Movies and Hollywood

Wilcoxon and Claudette Colbert in Cleopatra (1934)

In 1931, Henry made his first movie, The Perfect Lady. He made eight films in Britain before 1934. In 1933, a talent scout saw him acting on stage. This led to a screen test that caught the eye of the famous director Cecil B. DeMille in Hollywood.

DeMille gave him the role of Marc Antony in the movie Cleopatra. It was then that Harry was renamed Henry Wilcoxon.

Henry then played Richard the Lionheart in DeMille's big movie The Crusades (1935). However, this film didn't do well financially. After that, Henry's career slowed down, and he appeared in many smaller films. He even said his worst acting job was in Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938).

War Service and Famous Roles

When America joined World War II in December 1941, Henry Wilcoxon joined the United States Coast Guard. He served until 1946 and became a lieutenant commander.

During the war, three of his films were released in 1942. One of them was Mrs. Miniver, which became very popular and won six Oscars. Henry played the vicar in the film. He helped write an important speech for his character, which was so powerful that President Roosevelt used parts of it to boost morale during the war.

After the war, Henry continued working with Cecil B. DeMille. He starred as Sir Lancelot in a musical version of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949). He also had a major role in DeMille's Samson and Delilah (1949). To promote the film, Henry toured the country giving lectures. He had to stop the tour early due to illness.

He then went back to England to film The Miniver Story (1950), which was a sequel to Mrs. Miniver. He played the vicar again in this movie.

Producing and TV Acting

In the late 1940s, Henry and his wife, Joan Woodbury, started a play-reading group called the 'Wilcoxon Players'. They even turned their living room into a stage! This group became known for its annual Nativity Play.

Henry played a small but important part in DeMille's 1952 movie The Greatest Show on Earth. He also worked as an associate producer on this film, which won an Oscar for Best Picture. He was also an associate producer and actor (playing Pentaur) in DeMille's remake of The Ten Commandments (1956). Henry was the sole producer for the 1958 film The Buccaneer.

After DeMille passed away, Henry worked on a film about Lord Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scout movement, but it was never finished.

Later in his career, Henry appeared in many TV shows like Daniel Boone, Perry Mason, and Gunsmoke. He also acted in a few more films. One memorable role was as Bishop Pickering in the 1980 comedy Caddyshack. In one scene, he played golf in the rain with actor Bill Murray. Murray later called Henry a "great pro" who was excellent at his job.

Henry Wilcoxon has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6256 Hollywood Blvd.

Henry Wilcoxon's Personal Life

Henry helped his brother Owen start a car company in London. For a short time, he was interested in their sports car, the Vale Special.

He became lifelong friends with actress Heather Angel, whom he had acted with in an early film. She taught him how to ride horses.

Henry married actress Sheila Garrett in 1936, but they divorced a year later. In 1938, he married his second wife, actress Joan Woodbury. They had three daughters: Wendy, Heather Ann, and Cecilia Dawn. His second daughter was named after his friend Heather Angel. His youngest daughter, Cecilia, was named after Cecil B. DeMille's daughter. Henry and Joan divorced in 1969.

Henry was also an amateur painter and photographer. His work was shown in London. He loved collecting antiques and was a skilled pilot.

In 1975, Henry met his niece Valerie, the daughter of his brother Owen. He had not known his brother, who died in 1940 during the Dunkirk evacuation, had any children.

Filmography Highlights

Images for kids

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  Henry Wilcoxon as the vicar in The Miniver Story (1950)

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  Wilcoxon and Claudette Colbert in Cleopatra (1934)

See also

In Spanish: Henry Wilcoxon para niños