Take a closer look at some of Hollywood's top-tier talent at the beginning of their careers.

Child Stars, Then and Now

Take a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s top-tier talent at the beginning of their careers.

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Violet Heming and H.B. Warner in Danger Trail (1917)

H.B. Warner in The Vagabond Prince (1916)

George Beranger and H.B. Warner in Stark Mad (1929)

Claude Gillingwater, Jacqueline Logan, and H.B. Warner in Stark Mad (1929)

Jacqueline Logan and H.B. Warner in Stark Mad (1929)

H.B. Warner in The Market of Vain Desire (1916)

H.B. Warner in The Beggar of Cawnpore (1916)

Ralph Forbes, Alice Joyce, and H.B. Warner in The Green Goddess (1930)

Madge Evans, Preston Foster, and H.B. Warner in Army Girl (1938)

Bette Davis and H.B. Warner in The Menace (1932)

William Arnold, Edward Arnold, Lester Dorr, Lew Davis, Bill Dill, Jack Gardner, William Lally, Gene Morgan, H.B. Warner, and Melvin J. Gibby in You Can't Take It with You (1938)

H.B. Warner and Lois Wilson in Conquest (1928)

Violet N. Cane and H.B. Warner in Silence (1926)

Jason Robards Sr., H.B. Warner, and Lois Wilson in The Gamblers (1929)

Thomas Meighan and H.B. Warner in The Argyle Case (1929)

Ruth Chatterton and H.B. Warner in The Doctor's Secret (1929)

Robert Edeson and H.B. Warner in The Doctor's Secret (1929)

Frank Albertson and H.B. Warner in Wild Company (1930)

Lilyan Tashman, H.B. Warner, and Lois Wilson in French Dressing (1927)

Charles Farrell and H.B. Warner in Liliom (1930)

Dorothy Mackaill and H.B. Warner in The Reckless Hour (1931)

Ilka Chase, Irene Rich, Marion Shilling, and H.B. Warner in On Your Back (1930)

George Arliss, Nigel De Brulier, Ralph Forbes, Alice Joyce, and H.B. Warner in The Green Goddess (1930)

H.B. Warner in The Girl of the Golden West (1938)

Rudolph Schildkraut, Victor Varconi, and H.B. Warner in The King of Kings (1927)

Warwick Deeping and H.B. Warner in Sorrell and Son (1927)

Trevor Bardette, Eddy Chandler, Carole Landis, Donald MacBride, Dennis O'Keefe, H.B. Warner, and Roland Young in Topper Returns (1941)

Walter Woolf King, Duncan Renaldo, and H.B. Warner in A Yank in Libya (1942)

Lita Baron, Sabu, and H.B. Warner in Savage Drums (1951)

Douglas Fairbanks Jr., J. Carrol Naish, and H.B. Warner in The Corsican Brothers (1941)

Margot Grahame and H.B. Warner in Sorrell and Son (1933)

Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Emery, Frank Hagney, Akim Tamiroff, and H.B. Warner in The Corsican Brothers (1941)

Judith Allen, Bruce Cabot, and H.B. Warner in Night Alarm (1934)

Maria Ouspenskaya and H.B. Warner in The Rains Came (1939)

John Archer, Sarah Padden, and H.B. Warner in City of Missing Girls (1941)

Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald, and H.B. Warner in New Moon (1940)

Henry Byron Warner 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 the United States in the early 1900s, after touring the British Empire. Billed as Harry Warner, he made his Broadway debut in the US 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 Boulevard (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).

Henry Warner died on December 21, 1958 in Woodland Hills, California. He was 82 years old.

Photos

H.B. Warner

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