Rex Harrison Overview:

Legendary actor, Rex Harrison, was born Reginald Carey Harrison on Mar 5, 1908 in Huyton, Lancashire. Harrison died at the age of 82 on Jun 2, 1990 in New York City, NY and was cremated and his ashes scattered on grave of second wife Lilli Palmer in Forest L.

MINI BIO:

Elegant, fair-haired British actor, rising to stardom as central characters with more than a touch of the rogue about them, especially where ladies were concerned. About this time his much-married private life earned him the nickname "Sexy Rexy." Career damaged in 1948 by scandal involving Carole Landis' suicide. In 1964 he won an Oscar for repeating his successful stage role, Professor Higgins, in My Fair Lady. Married to Lilli Palmer (1943-1957), Kay Kendall (1957-1959), and Rachel Roberts (1962-1971), second, third, and fourth of six. Also received an Oscar nomination for Cleopatra. Knighted in 1989. Died from pancreatic cancer. Suffered from poor sight in his declining years, but kept working.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Stars).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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Rex Harrison was nominated for two Academy Awards, winning one for Best Actor for My Fair Lady (as Professor Henry Higgins) in 1964.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1963Best ActorCleopatra (1963)Julius CaesarNominated
1964Best ActorMy Fair Lady (1964)Professor Henry HigginsWon
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He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the categories of Television and Motion Pictures. Rex Harrison's handprints and footprints were 'set in stone' at Grauman's Chinese Theater during imprint ceremony #75 on Jul 8, 1946.

BlogHub Articles:

Margaret Lockwood and take the "Night Train to Munich"

By Stephen Reginald on Feb 20, 2023 From Classic Movie Man

Margaret Lockwood and take the "Night Train to Munich" Night Train to Munich (1940) is a British-American war) thriller directed by Carol Reed and starring Margaret Lockwood and . When German forces take over Czechoslovakia in 1939, Axel Bomasch (James Harcourt) is flo... Read full article


and Linda Darnell in Preston Sturges's "Unfaithfully Yours"

By Stephen Reginald on Mar 1, 2022 From Classic Movie Man

and Linda Darnell in Preston Sturges's "Unfaithfully Yours" Unfaithfully Yours (1948) is a black comedy written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring and Linda Darnell. Rudy Vallee and Barbara Lawrence costar.Sir Alfred de Carter (Harrison) is a famous conductor... Read full article


“The Ghost and Mrs Muir” (1947) Gene Tierney and

By Art on Feb 12, 2014 From Classic Cinema Gold

THE SPIRIT… so willing! THE FLESH… so weak! THE ROMANCE… so wonderful! “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” (1947 – 20th Century Fox) is a romantic fantasy film starring Gene Tierney and along with George Sanders, Edna Best, and Natalie Wood. Produced by F... Read full article


Day 31:

By Jill Blake on Aug 31, 2013 From Sittin' on a Backyard Fence

Thanks to everyone who participated in yesterday’s tribute to Kirk Douglas. Please make sure you check out the great contributions to Doulgas. ? We close out our 2013 Summer Under the Stars Blogathon with 24 hours dedicated to . Some trivia on : ?On to the blogging... Read full article


(31 August SUTS) (1)

By Margaret Perry on Aug 31, 2013 From The Great Katharine Hepburn

(31 August SUTS) This post is written in conjunction with the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon hosted by Sittin’ on a Backyard Fence and Scribe Hard on Film. Full listings for SUTS programming on Turner Classic Movies can be found HERE. "When I was ten we moved and I d... Read full article


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Rex Harrison Quotes:

Professor Henry Higgins: There even are places where English completely disappears; in America they haven't used it for years.


Dr. Dolittle: [singing about why he's a vegetarian] I stay away from deviled ham on principle/I wouldn't eat roast duckling if I could/Willpower has made me invincible!/My word, those sausages look good...


Professor Henry Higgins: All right, Eliza, say it again.
Eliza Doolittle: The rine in spine sties minely in the pline.
Professor Henry Higgins: [sighs] The *rain* in *Spain* stays *mainly* in the *plain*.
Eliza Doolittle: Didn't ah sy that?
Professor Henry Higgins: No, Eliza, you didn't "sy" that, you didn't even "say" that. Now every night before you get into bed, where you used to say your prayers, I want you to say "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain" fifty times. You'll get much further with the Lord if you learn not to offend His ears.


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Best Actor Oscar 1964






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Grauman's Imprints

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Rex Harrison on the
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Rex Harrison Facts
First came to notice in the London stage version of "French Without Tears" in 1937, but was not considered for the 1940 film version since he was unknown in Hollywood.

Harrison nearly missed out on reprising his stage role of Henry Higgins in the film version of My Fair Lady (1964), since he was in his mid-fifties and the character was supposed to be in his late thirties.

He was the brother-in-law of Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, one of the prosecutors at the Nuremberg Trials, the British Home Secretary from 1951 to 1954 and the Lord Chancellor from 1954 to 1962.

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