Reginald Owen
Posted by: 
cachegame
N 43° 36.405 W 116° 13.909
11T E 561993 N 4828483
Mr. Owen was the one and only Scrooge In the 1938 "A Christmas Carol," and one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history.
Waymark Code: WMWRB
Location: Idaho, United States
Date Posted: 10/29/2006
Views: 60
Born August 5th, 1887 in England, Reginald Owen was probably Hollywood's busiest character actor - making more than 80 films. He was educated in England at Sir Herbert Tree's Academy of Dramatic Arts. Owen excelled and made his professional debut also in England at the age of 18. He came to New York in the early 1920s and started working on Broadway by 1924. He left New York in 1928 and moved to Hollywood, hoping to make it in films. In 1929, he landed his first role in The Letter. In 1932 he played Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes. Although, he didn't get many leading roles, he did get to work with some of Hollywood's most beautiful leading ladies like, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Jeanette MacDonald (Owen's personal favorite), Barbara Stanwyck and Elizabeth Taylor. Owen continued to work into his 70s and 80s making family classics, such as Mary Poppins (1964) and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). He died at his home in Boise, Idaho in 1972 at 85 of natural causes.
Trivia
Owen was not originally scheduled to play Ebenezer Scrooge in the MGM classic 1938 version of "A Christmas Carol." Reginald was a last-minute replacement for the ailing Lionel Barrymore.
Owen graduated from Tree's Academy of Dramatic Art.
Owen returned to Broadway in 1972, the year he died, in the Phil Silvers-led production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."
He was in the process of writing his autobiography at the time of his death.
Mr. Owen was known for his vast portrayals of fictional and non-fictional fellows. Played Dr. Watson in 1930's "Sherlock Holmes," and then played the supersleuth himself in 1931's "A Study in Scarlet." Also played King Louis XV in three different films.
Description:
Born August 5th, 1887 in England, Reginald Owen was probably Hollywood's busiest character actor - making more than 80 films. He was educated in England at Sir Herbert Tree's Academy of Dramatic Arts. Owen excelled and made his professional debut also in England at the age of 18. He came to New York in the early 1920s and started working on Broadway by 1924. He left New York in 1928 and moved to Hollywood, hoping to make it in films. In 1929, he landed his first role in The Letter. In 1932 he played Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes. Although, he didn't get many leading roles, he did get to work with some of Hollywood's most beautiful leading ladies like, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Jeanette MacDonald (Owen's personal favorite), Barbara Stanwyck and Elizabeth Taylor. Owen continued to work into his 70s and 80s making family classics, such as Mary Poppins (1964) and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). He died in 1972 at the ripe age of 85 of natural causes.
Date of birth: 08/05/1887
Date of death: 11/05/1972
Area of notoriety: Entertainment
Marker Type: Plaque
Setting: Outdoor
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Not listed
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