Henry Wilcoxon

Actor

About

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Also Known As

Harry Wilcoxon, Henry Wilcoxan, Henry Wilcoxen

Born

September 08, 1905

Died

March 06, 1984

Cause of Death

Congestive Heart Failure

Biography

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The life of Henry Wilcoxon was as epic as his adventures onscreen. His mother died when he was 11 months old; his father shipped him to England, where the young Wilcoxon became the ward of neglectful foster parents. He languished away in the attic, afflicted by rickets and lice. Fortunately, he was athletic and resilient; he took up boxing and then became an actor. He played Captain Cook...

Filmography

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The Buccaneer (1959)

Prologue Director

Sweet Sixteen (1981)

The Man with Bogart's Face (1980)

Enola Gay (1980)

Caddyshack (1980)

The Two Worlds Of Jenny Logan (1979)

Photos & Videos

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That Hamilton Woman (1941) -- (Movie Clip) By The Queen's Own Hand

Cleopatra (1934) -- (Movie Clip) Opening, In The Year 48 B.C.

Family & Companions

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Joan Woodbury

Wife

Actor.

Biography

The life of Henry Wilcoxon was as epic as his adventures onscreen. His mother died when he was 11 months old; his father shipped him to England, where the young Wilcoxon became the ward of neglectful foster parents. He languished away in the attic, afflicted by rickets and lice. Fortunately, he was athletic and resilient; he took up boxing and then became an actor. He played Captain Cook on the London stage and finally found his way to Hollywood. Cecil B. DeMille heard the actor's sonorous accent in a screen test and promptly made him Marc Anthony to Claudette Colbert's Cleopatra. His second film with DeMille was a flop, relegating the actor to the backwater Republic Pictures, but Wilcoxon helped pen a patriotic speech for his role as the chaste vicar in "Mrs. Miniver"; it was so moving that President Roosevelt used it as propaganda. After a stint in the Coast Guard during World War II, Wilcoxon appeared with Bing Crosby in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" and made more pictures with DeMille: "Unconquered" and "Samson and Delilah." He also produced the Academy Award-winning "The Greatest Show on Earth" as well as "The Ten Commandments." After the director's death, in 1959, Wilcoxon appeared mostly on TV, though he had roles in the swashbuckler "The War Lord" and the legendary Rodney Dangerfield comedy "Caddyshack," where he spoofed his old vicar.

Filmography

Director (Feature Film)

The Buccaneer (1959)

Prologue Director

Cast (Feature Film)

Sweet Sixteen (1981)

The Man with Bogart's Face (1980)

Enola Gay (1980)

Caddyshack (1980)

The Two Worlds Of Jenny Logan (1979)

When Every Day Was the Fourth of July (1978)

Judge Henry J Wheeler

F.I.S.T. (1978)

Pony Express Rider (1976)

Against A Crooked Sky (1975)

Log of the Black Pearl (1975)

The Tribe (1974)

Man in the Wilderness (1971)

The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (1968)

Rear Adm. Arthur L. Stokes

The War Lord (1965)

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Scaramouche (1952)

Chevalier de Chabrillaine

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

The Miniver Story (1950)

Samson and Delilah (1950)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)

Unconquered (1947)

Inspector Geoffrey James

Mrs. Miniver (1942)

Johnny Doughboy (1942)

Oliver Lawrence

The Man Who Wouldn't Die (1942)

The Corsican Brothers (1941)

That Hamilton Woman (1941)

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941)

Scotland Yard (1941)

Dakin Barrolles

South of Tahiti (1941)

Earthbound (1940)

Jeffrey Reynolds

Mystery Sea Raider (1940)

Capt. Jimmy Madden

The Crooked Road (1940)

Free, Blonde and 21 (1940)

Dr. [Hugh] Mayberry

Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)

The Arizona Wildcat (1939)

Richard Baldwin

Woman Doctor (1939)

Chasing Danger (1939)

Five of a Kind (1938)

Dr. Scott Williams

If I Were King (1938)

Captain of the watch

Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938)

Keep Smiling (1938)

Prison Nurse (1938)

Souls at Sea (1937)

Lieut. [Stanley] Tarryton

The President's Mystery (1936)

James Blake, later known as Carter

The Last of the Mohicans (1936)

Major [Duncan] Hayward

Princess Charming (1935)

The Crusades (1935)

Richard, King of England

Cleopatra (1934)

Producer (Feature Film)

The Buccaneer (1959)

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Associate Producer

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Associate Producer

Music (Feature Film)

I'll Sell My Life (1941)

Cast (Short)

The Hollywood You Never See (1934)

Life Events

Photo Collections

The Miniver Story - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are several photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of MGM's The Miniver Story (1950), starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.

Videos

That Hamilton Woman (1941) -- (Movie Clip) By The Queen's Own Hand At odds with history but smartly dressed by designer Rene Hubert, Lady Hamilton (Vivien Leigh) visits her old friend now Admiral Nelson (Laurence Olivier) aboard the Vanguard, shocked at his condition but bearing good news of her influence with the queen of Naples, in Alexander Korda's That Hamilton Woman, 1941.

Cleopatra (1934) -- (Movie Clip) Opening, In The Year 48 B.C. Opening and preservation credits for Cecil B. De Mille's Cleopatra, 1934, starring Claudette Colbert, Warren William and Henry Wilcoxon.

Last Of The Mohicans, The (1936) -- (Movie Clip) Want Paleface Squaws Shifty Magua (Bruce Cabot) is leading Brit Hayward (Henry Wilcoxon) and his commanding officer’s daughters (Binnie Barnes, Heather Angel) toward abduction, fortunately Hawkeye (Randolph Scott) and the Mohicans (Robert Barrat, Philip Reed) have followed, in The Last Of The Mohicans, 1936.

Last Of The Mohicans, The (1936) -- (Movie Clip) Haircut By Huron Barbers Impressive location shooting as Hawkeye (Randolph Scott) convinces Hayward (Henry Wilcoxon) they’d better save British Alice and Cora (Binnie Barnes, Heather Angel) from the Hurons quick, then some back-story for James Fenimore Cooper’s hero, in The Last Of The Mohicans, 1936.

Mrs. Miniver (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Our Country Is At War News of England’s entry into WWII during Sunday services, the Minivers (Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Richard Ney, Christopher Severn, Clare Sanders), pleased to see Carol (Teresa Wright) with Lady Beldon (Dame May Whitty), as the vicar (Henry Wilcoxon) speaks, in Mrs. Miniver, 1942.

Souls At Sea (1937) -- (Movie Clip) Sir Walter Raleigh Only Offered His Cape Now an agent for the Brits against slave traders, Gary Cooper (as sailor Taylor), disembarking Liverpool, meets fetching Margaret (Frances Dee), who aims to detain her brother Lt. Tarryton (Henry Wilcoxon), not knowing of his scheme with Pecora (Tully Marshall), in Souls At Sea, 1937.

Souls At Sea (1937) -- (Movie Clip) Stench Of The Slave Deck Gary Cooper as Taylor and George Raft as Powdah enjoy a sea shanty in the brig when Tarryton (Henry Wilcoxon), who’s up to his neck in nefarious slave trade, offers an apology for his unfounded accusations leading to their arrest, really just protecting his interest, in Souls At Sea, 1937.

Last Of The Mohicans, The (1936) -- (Movie Clip) This Is Merely A Skirmish British Colonel Munro (Hugh Buckler) in Albany, 1757, hopes to recruit Colonial troops, but the proper fight begins when Randolph Scott appears, as James Fenimore Cooper’s Hawkeye, not swayed by the pitch from Major Hayward (Henry Wilcoxon), in The Last Of The Mohicans, 1936.

Caddyshack -- (Movie Clip) It's In The Hole The definitive scene with Carl the groundskeeper (Bill Murray) followed by the underrated golf vignette with the Bishop (veteran actor Henry Wilcoxon), from Caddyshack, 1980.

Samson And Delilah (1950) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Such A Man Grandiose credits and opening narration to C.B. DeMille's steamy technicolor biblical epic Samson And Delilah, 1950, starring Victor Mature, Hedy Lamarr and George Sanders.

Samson And Delilah (1950) -- (Movie Clip) Gird Me For Battle Samson (Victor Mature) is held by local warlord Ahtur (Henry Wilcoxon) when his prayer summons weather, strength and a famous biblical jawbone, in C.B. DeMille's Samson And Delilah, 1950.

Companions

Joan Woodbury

Wife

Actor.

Bibliography

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