Henry Jones


Actor
Henry Jones

About

Also Known As
Henry Burk Jones
Birth Place
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Born
August 01, 1912
Died
May 17, 1999
Cause of Death
Injuries Sustained In A Fall

Biography

After graduating from Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in his native Philadelphia, Henry Jones ventured into Broadway, making his acting debut in a 1938 production of "Hamlet." His theatrical career was halted during World War II, when he fought for the U.S. Army. Upon his return, he found a highly successful stage role as slain worker Leroy Jessup in the play "The Bad Seed" (He later r...

Photos & Videos

Family & Companions

Yvonne Bergere
Wife
Actor. Married from January 14, 1942 until her death in October 1942.
Judy Briggs
Wife
Married in June 1946; divorced in March 1961.

Biography

After graduating from Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in his native Philadelphia, Henry Jones ventured into Broadway, making his acting debut in a 1938 production of "Hamlet." His theatrical career was halted during World War II, when he fought for the U.S. Army. Upon his return, he found a highly successful stage role as slain worker Leroy Jessup in the play "The Bad Seed" (He later reprised the role for the 1956 film version). In the 1950s, Jones ventured into television, finding recurring and one-off roles on a variety of live drama programs, including "The Web"--from 1951 to 1953--and "The Revlon Mirror Theatre" in 1953. The Glenn Ford-starring 1957 action-drama, "3:10 to Yuma" brought Jones a memorable role as town drunk Alex Potter, and he popped up for a brief-but-memorable spot as a coroner in Hitchock's 1958 mystery classic, "Vertigo." As long as there were parts to be claimed, Jones was there to fill the void, often bringing a slightly disturbing magnetism to the screen with him. He kept working throughout the following decades--and well into the '90s--and his remaining well-remembered parts include a spot as a bike salesman in George Roy Hill's 1969 western classic, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and a night clerk in Warren Beatty's 1990 crime re-vamp, "Dick Tracy."

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Breathing Lessons (1994)
Mastergate (1992)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Enid Is Sleeping (1990)
Old Man
Guess Who's Coming For Christmas? (1990)
The Grifters (1990)
Arachnophobia (1990)
Nowhere to Run (1989)
The Leftovers (1986)
Thorndike
Deathtrap (1982)
Balboa (1982)
California Gold Rush (1981)
Nine to Five (1980)
Tail Gunner Joe (1977)
Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975)
The Outfit (1974)
Roll, Freddy, Roll! (1974)
Theodore Menlo
Letters From Three Lovers (1973)
Postman
Tom Sawyer (1973)
The Letters (1973)
Pete 'n' Tillie (1972)
Mr. Tucker
Napoleon and Samantha (1972)
Mr. [Amos] Gutteridge
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972)
Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971)
Ez
Skin Game (1971)
Sam
Love, Hate, Love (1971)
Dirty Dingus Magee (1970)
Reverend Green
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970)
Hanson
Rabbit, Run (1970)
Mr. Angstrom
Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)
Henry Jackson
Angel in My Pocket (1969)
Will Sinclair
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Bike salesman
Rascal (1969)
Garth Shadwick
The Champagne Murders (1968)
Mr. Clarke
Stay Away, Joe (1968)
Hy Slager
Project X (1968)
Dr. Crowther
Never Too Late (1965)
Dr. James Kimbrough
Angel Baby (1961)
Ben Hays
Cash McCall (1960)
Gilmore Clark
The Bramble Bush (1960)
Parker Welk
Vertigo (1958)
Official
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)
Henry Rufus
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
Alex Potter
The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
Mousie
The Bad Seed (1956)
Leroy
The Girl He Left Behind (1956)
Hanson
Taxi (1953)
Thorndike
The Lady Says No (1952)
Potsy

Cast (Special)

Chameleon (1986)
Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang (1982)
Quick and Quiet (1981)
Walter Hilliard
Singles (1972)
Sidney; Michele And Ruth'S Boss
Mr. Bevis (1960)
J Hardy Hempstead

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Grass Roots (1992)
Senator Carr

Life Events

1935

Began acting career under Jasper Deeter at the famed Hedgerow Theatre in Moylan, Pennsylvania

1938

Broadway acting debut as Reynaldo and the second gravedigger in "Hamlet", starring Maurice Evans

1939

Had featured role in "The Time of Your Life" on Broadway

1942

Appeared in the stage show "This Is the Army"

1942

Served as a private in the US Army

1943

Film debut, "This Is the Army"

1946

Early TV credit as guest performer on "Light's Out", an NBC live series of mysteries and tales of the supernatural

1946

Portrayed the Dauphin opposite Ingrid Berman's "Joan of Lorraine" on Broadway

1951

Returned to features in "Lady Says No"

1954

Portrayed the suspicious handyman Leroy in "The Bad Seed" on Broadway

1956

Reprised role in film version of "The Bad Seed"

1958

Returned to Broadway to portray aide Louis Howe in the biographical play "Sunrise at Campobello"; received Tony Award

1958

Offered memorable turn as the coroner in Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo"

1960

Final Broadway appearance in "Advise and Consent"

1969

Portrayed the bicycle salesman in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"

1977

Returned to the stage in an L.A. production of "Comedians"

1984

Appeared opposite Virginia Mayo in a Los Angeles production of "Dear Jennie"

1990

Made last film appearances in small roles in "The Grifters", "Dick Tracy", "Enid Is Sleeping" and "Aracnophobia"

1995

Last screen appearance in the Joe Dante-directed segment "Lightning" of the Showtime anthology "Picture Windows"

Photo Collections

The Bad Seed - Lobby Card Set
Here is a set of Lobby Cards from The Bad Seed (1956), directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.
Dirty Dingus Mcgee - Lobby Card Set
Here is a set of Lobby Cards from Dirty Dingus Mcgee (1970), starring Frank Sinatra. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Videos

Movie Clip

Champagne Murders, The (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Why Should People Have To Answer Bells? Vineyard owner Christine (Yvonne Furneaux) gives a tour to her buyers (Henry Jones lawyering for George Skaff), who are concerned that she doesn’t own the name, Stephane Audran her assistant, Maurice Ronet the playboy friend who does own it, Anthony Perkins her quirky husband, in Claude Chabrol’s The Champagne Murders, 1967.
Cash McCall (1960) -- (Movie Clip) I'm A Thoroughly Vulgar Character First appearance by James Garner in the title role, a corporate raider occupying a well-guarded Philadelphia penthouse, visited by Henry Jones as Clark, who thinks he’s feeling out a potential buyer for a small manufacturing firm he advises, early in Cash McCall, 1966.
Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) -- (Movie Clip) Our Last Sheriff McCullough (James Garner), who's just been eagerly hired as the new sheriff, quickly wins even greater support from Perkins (Harry Morgan), Jackson (Henry Jones) and other town leaders in Support Your Local Sheriff!, 1969.
Girl He Left Behind, The (1956) -- (Movie Clip) While You're In Dog Company Still less than committed but now in the U.S. Army, Andy (Tab Hunter) and comrades (including Henry Jones, Alan King) get an early talking-to from Sgt. Hanna (Jim Backus) and Capt. Genaro (David Janssen), in The Girl He Left Behind, from an original screenplay by Marion Hargrove.
Skin Game (1971) -- (Movie Clip) That's John Brown Himself! Two rival Kansans (Henry Jones, J. Pat O’Malley) bid up the price on slave Jason (Louis Gossett), to the delight of Quincy (James Garner) who poses as his owner but who is really his con-artist partner, when Royal Dano appears as the radical abolitionist John Brown, in Skin Game, 1971.
3:10 To Yuma (1958) -- (Movie Clip) You Won't Touch Ground Disinterested rancher Evans (Van Heflin), having been inconvenienced earlier by the visitor the townspeople now realize is notorious killer thief Ben Wade (Glenn Ford), helps the marshal (Ford Rainey) effect an arrest in the town saloon, in Delmer Daves' 3:10 To Yuma, 1958.
3:10 To Yuma (1958) -- (Movie Clip) Because He's Bad? Rancher Evans (Van Heflin), aiming to earn badly needed reward money, is briefly hosting charismatic arrested thief Wade (Glenn Ford) at his home, his wife (Leora Dana), sons (Barry Curtis, Jerry Hartleben) and backup man (Henry Jones) all rattled, in 3:10 To Yuna, from a story by Elmore Leonard.

Trailer

Family

John Francis Xavier Jones
Father
Helen Jones
Mother
David Jones
Son
Survived him.
Jocelyn Jones Watkins
Daughter
Survived him.

Companions

Yvonne Bergere
Wife
Actor. Married from January 14, 1942 until her death in October 1942.
Judy Briggs
Wife
Married in June 1946; divorced in March 1961.

Bibliography