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H.B. Warner

H.B. Warner

Actor · Died December 21, 1958, aged 82 · London, England, UK

Henry Byron Warner (often credited as H.B. Warner) was an English actor. He 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 America in the early 1900s, after touring the British Empire. Billed as Harry Warner, he made his Broadway debut in the American 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 Blvd. (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).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 25, 1876
Died
December 21, 1958 (aged 82)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
41 on MovieCove · 134 credits in all

What are H.B. Warner's films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 19 · Serious 10 · Dark 6

A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 2

Gentle 8 · Charged 21 · Intense 6

Steady 19 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 18 · Funny 6

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 1

Casual 24 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 5 of 12 analyzed roles.

Mentor
5 of 12
Threshold guardian
5 of 12
Ally
1 of 12
Shadow
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Joyful
13
Hopeful
11
Thrilling
10
Warm
8
Other
33

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy23
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch H.B. Warner's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 41 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Subscription and free streaming for H.B. Warner's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

134 credits, 41 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Resurrection of Christ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as The Son of God

  • The Ten Commandments(1956)

    as Amminadab

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Journey Into Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Wiz, the Wino

  • Here Comes the Groom(1951)

    as Uncle Elihu

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Savage Drums (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Maou

  • The First Legion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Father José Sierra

  • Sunset Boulevard(1950)

    as H.B. Warner

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • Hellfire(1949)

    as Brother Joseph

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • El Paso(1949)

    as Judge Fletcher

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Prince of Thieves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Gilbert Head

  • High Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Mr. Slocum

  • The Judge Steps Out(1948)

    as Chief Justice Hayes

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Driftwood(1947)

    as Rev. Hollingsworth

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • It's a Wonderful Life(1946)

    as Mr. Gower

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • Gentleman Joe Palooka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Sen. McCarden

  • Strange Impersonation(1946)

    as Dr. Mansfield, plastic surgeon

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Prospecting for Petroleum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as The Voice of History (voice)

  • Captain Tugboat Annie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Judge Abbott

  • Rogues' Gallery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Professor Reynolds

  • Faces in the Fog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Defense Attorney Rankins

  • Enemy of Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Col. Eberhart Brandt

  • Action in Arabia(1944)

    as Abdul al-Rashid

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Women in Bondage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Pastor Renz

  • Hitler's Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as The Bishop

  • The Boss of Big Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Jeffrey Moore

  • A Yank in Libya(1942)

    as Herbert Forbes

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • Crossroads(1942)

    as Prosecuting Attorney

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • The Corsican Brothers(1941)

    as Dr. Enrico Paoli

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • South of Tahiti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as High Chief Kawalima

  • The Devil and Daniel Webster(1941)

    as Justice Hawthorne

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Ray Jardin

  • City of Missing Girls(1941)

    as Capt. McVeigh

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
  • Topper Returns(1941)

    as Mr. Carrington

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • New Moon(1940)

    as Father Michel

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939)

    as Senate Majority Leader

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • The Rains Came(1939)

    as Maharajah

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Nurse Edith Cavell(1939)

    as Hugh Gibson

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Bulldog Drummond's Bride(1939)

    as Colonel Nielson

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Gracie Allen Murder Case(1939)

    as Richard Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police(1939)

    as Colonel Nielson

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
  • Let Freedom Ring(1939)

    as Rutledge

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Arrest Bulldog Drummond(1938)

    as Colonel Nielsen

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Army Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Col. Armstrong

  • Bulldog Drummond in Africa(1938)

    as Colonel J. A. Nielsen

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • The Toy Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Victor Brigard

  • Kidnapped (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Angus Rankeiller

  • Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • The Girl of the Golden West(1938)

    as Father Sienna

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Our Fighting Navy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as British Consul Brent

  • Victoria the Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Lord Melbourne

  • Lost Horizon(1937)

    as Chang

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Along Came Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Dr. Martin

  • Blackmailer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Michael Rankin

  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town(1936)

    as Judge May

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Moonlight Murder(1936)

    as Godfrey Chiltern

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • The Garden Murder Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Major Fenwicke-Ralston

  • Rose of the Rancho(1936)

    as Don Pasqual Castro

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • A Tale of Two Cities(1935)

    as Theophile Gabelle

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • Born to Gamble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Carter Mathews

  • Night Alarm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Henry B. Smith

  • Behold My Wife! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Hubert Carter

  • In Old Santa Fe(1934)

    as Charlie Miller

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Grand Canary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Dr Ismay

  • Viva Villa! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Man

  • Sorrell and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Captain Stephen Sorrell

  • Christopher Bean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Maxwell Davenport

  • Jennie Gerhardt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as William Gerhardt

  • Supernatural (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Dr. Carl Houston

  • Justice Takes a Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as John Logan

  • The Son-Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Sin Kai

  • The Phantom of Crestwood(1932)

    as Priam Andes

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Crusader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Phillip Brandon

  • Tom Brown of Culver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Brown

  • Unholy Love(1932)

    as Dr. Daniel Gregory

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • Cross-Examination (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Gerald Waring

  • A Woman Commands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Col. Stradimirovitsch

  • The Menace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Inspector Tracy

  • Charlie Chan's Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Inspector Fife

  • Expensive Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Melville Raymond

  • Five Star Final(1931)

    as Michael Townsend

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • The Reckless Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Walter Nichols

  • A Woman of Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Hugh Schmidt

  • The Princess and the Plumber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Prince Conrad of Daritzia

  • Liliom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Chief Magistrate

  • On Your Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Raymond Pryor

  • Wild Company(1930)

    as Henry Grayson

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • The Second Floor Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Inspector Bray

  • The Furies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Oliver Bedlow

  • The Green Goddess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Major Crespin

  • Wedding Rings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Lewis Dike

  • Tiger Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Dr. Cusick

  • Show of Shows(1929)

    as The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • The Argyle Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Hurley

  • The Gamblers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as James Darwin

  • The Trial of Mary Dugan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as District Attorney Galway

  • Stark Mad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Prof. Dangerfield

  • The Doctor's Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Richard Garson

  • The Divine Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Sir William Hamilton

  • Conquest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as James Farnham

  • The Naughty Duchess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Actor

  • Romance of a Rogue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Bruce Lowry

  • Man-Made Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Jules Moret

  • French Dressing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Phillip Grey

  • Sorrell and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Stephen Sorrell

  • The King of Kings(1927)

    as Jesus, The Christ

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Silence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Jim Warren

  • Whispering Smith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as 'Whispering Smith'

  • Is Love Everything? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Jordan Southwick

  • The Man from Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as James Sanford Richardson

  • Zaza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Bernard Dufresne

  • When We Were Twenty-One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Richard Carewe

  • Dice of Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Jimmy Doyle

  • Felix O'Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Felix O'Day

  • One Hour Before Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as George Clayton

  • Haunting Shadows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as John Glenarm

  • A Fugitive from Matrimony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Stephen Van Courtlandt

  • The Gray Wolf's Ghost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Doctor West / Harry West

  • For a Woman's Honor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Captain Clyde Mannering

  • The Pagan God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Bruce Winthrop

  • The Man Who Turned White (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Captain Rand / Ali Zaman

  • Danger Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    as John Howland

  • God's Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    as Arnold L'Hommedieu

  • The Seventh Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    as Feodor

  • Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    as Feodor

  • The Vagabond Prince (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    as Prince Tonio

  • Shell 43 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    as William Berner

  • The Market of Vain Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    as John Armstrong

  • The Beggar of Cawnpore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    as Dr. Robert Lowndes

  • The Raiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)

    as Scott Wells

  • The Ghost Breaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    as Warren Jarvis

  • The Lost Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    as Reuben Warren

  • English Nell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1900)

    as Duke of Monmouth

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 134 titles from 1900 to 2026.

Film career

MilestoneBreakout

Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting134 of 134: 134 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

By decade

1900s1 · acting1910s17 · acting1920s25 · acting1930s56 · acting1940s27 · acting1950s6 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 5% of 19 roles
2338

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do H.B. Warner's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 41; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 41 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 41 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed6

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is H.B. Warner's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 29 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles1–23 · median 7 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 4 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 17 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does H.B. Warner work with?

People who share at least 2 of H.B. Warner's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Frank Capra shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers