Reginald Owen

Reginald Owen Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: August 5, 1887

Death Date: November 5, 1972

Birth Place: Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England, UK

A versatile British character actor, Reginald Owen stayed very busy during a career with amazing longevity. A student at Sir Herbert Tree's Academy of Dramatic Arts, he made his professional stage debut in 1905. He earned his first film credit in the 1911 short "Henry VIII" before coming to America to appear on-stage and in films. One of his earliest roles was in the Jean Harlow vehicle "Platinum Blonde" in 1931, and he assumed the classic role Dr. Watson in the 1932 version of "Sherlock Holmes." A year later, he played Holmes himself in "A Study in Scarlet." One of the most important roles of his career came about because of Lionel Barrymore's broken hip; slated to play Ebenezer Scrooge in the Charles Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol," the legendary Barrymore yield the role after his injury.

Owen took over successfully, achieving notoriety for his portrayal in the 1938 film. He also excelled at playing historical figures, portraying King Louis XV, Emperor Franz Josef, and Thomas Cromwell, among others. His film roles continued in the '40s and '50s, as he played Treville in "The Three Musketeers," Foley in the Academy Award-winning wartime classic "Mrs. Miniver," and Clayton in the Hepburn/Tracy romantic comedy "Woman of the Year." Owen successfully made the transition to the television era and, finding guest roles on shows like "Bewitched" and, in one of his final credits, detective show "McCloud." He also played Admiral Boom in the 1964 musical "Mary Poppins."

Credits

Bedknobs and BroomsticksStream

Actor
Gen. Teagler
Movie
1971

BewitchedStream

Guest Star
Ockie
Series
1964

Mary Poppins

Actor
Admiral Boom
Show
1964

Mary PoppinsStream

Actor
Admiral Boom
Movie
1964
96%

The Thrill of It All

Actor
Old Tom Fraleigh
Movie
1963
89%

Five Weeks in a Balloon

Actor
Consul
Movie
1962

ThrillerStream

Actor
Series
1960

One Step BeyondStream

Actor
Series
1959

Moochie of the Little League

Actor
J. Cecil Bennett
Movie
1959

Darby's RangersStream

Actor
Sir Arthur Hollister
Movie
1958

Climax!

Actor
Series
1954

Red Garters

Actor
Judge Wallace Winthrop
Movie
1954

The Great Diamond Robbery

Actor
Bainbridge Gibbons
Movie
1953

Grounds for Marriage

Actor
Dely Delacorte
Movie
1950

The Miniver Story

Actor
Mr. Foley
Movie
1950

Kim

Actor
Father Victor
Movie
1950

Challenge to Lassie

Actor
Sgt. Davie
Movie
1949

The Secret GardenStream

Actor
Ben Weatherstaff
Movie
1949

The PirateStream

Actor
The Advocate
Movie
1948
78%

Julia Misbehaves

Actor
Benny Hawkins
Movie
1948

Hills of Home

Actor
Hopps
Movie
1948

If Winter Comes

Actor
Mr. Fortune
Movie
1948

The Three MusketeersStream

Actor
Treville
Movie
1948
75%

Imperfect Lady

Actor
Mr. Hopkins
Movie
1947

Green Dolphin Street

Actor
Captain O'Hara
Movie
1947

Diary of a Chambermaid

Actor
Captain Lanlaire
Movie
1946

Piccadilly Incident

Actor
Judge
Movie
1946

Cluny Brown

Actor
Sir Henry Carmel
Movie
1946

Kitty

Actor
Duke of Malmunster
Movie
1945

She Went to the Races

Actor
Dr. Pembroke
Movie
1945

The Valley of Decision

Actor
McCready
Movie
1945

Captain Kidd

Actor
Cary Shadwell
Movie
1945

National VelvetStream

Actor
Farmer Ede
Movie
1944
97%

The Canterville GhostStream

Actor
Lord Canterville
Movie
1944
86%

Salute to the Marines

Actor
Mr. Henry Caspar
Movie
1943

Assignment in Brittany

Actor
Col. Trane
Movie
1943

Above Suspicion

Actor
Dr. Mespelbrunn
Movie
1943

Three Hearts for Julia

Actor
John Girard
Movie
1943

Woman of the YearStream

Actor
Clayton
Movie
1942
83%

Somewhere I'll Find You

Actor
Willie Manning
Movie
1942

Mrs. MiniverStream

Actor
Foley, Storekeeper and Air-raid Warden
Movie
1942
94%

I Married an Angel

Actor
"Whiskers"
Movie
1942

We Were Dancing

Actor
Major Berty Tyler-Blane
Movie
1942

Random HarvestStream

Actor
Biffer
Movie
1942
82%

Reunion in FranceStream

Actor
Schultz
Movie
1942

Cairo

Actor
Philo Cobson
Movie
1942

Lady Be GoodStream

Actor
Max Milton
Movie
1941

They Met in Bombay

Actor
The General
Movie
1941

Tarzan's Secret Treasure

Actor
Professor Elliott
Movie
1941

Blonde Inspiration

Actor
Reginald
Movie
1941

Charley's Aunt

Actor
Redcliff
Movie
1941

A Woman's FaceStream

Actor
Bernard Dalvik
Movie
1941
100%

Free and Easy

Actor
Sir George Kelvin
Movie
1941

The Earl of Chicago

Actor
Gervase Gonwell
Movie
1940

The Ghost Comes Home

Actor
Hemingway
Movie
1940

Remember?

Actor
Mr. Bronson
Movie
1939

The Real Glory

Actor
Capt. Steve Hartley
Movie
1939

Bad Little Angel

Actor
Edwards
Movie
1939

Bridal Suite

Actor
Sir Horace Bragdon
Movie
1939

Fast and Loose

Actor
Vincent Charlton
Movie
1939

Kidnapped

Actor
Capt. Hoseason
Movie
1938

Everybody Sing

Actor
Hillary Bellaire
Movie
1938

A Christmas CarolStream

Actor
Ebenezer Scrooge
Movie
1938
100%

The Girl Downstairs

Actor
Charlie Grump
Movie
1938

Hotel Imperial

Actor
General Videnko
Movie
1938

Vacation From Love

Actor
John Hodge Lawson
Movie
1938

Paradise for Three

Actor
Johann Kesselhut
Movie
1938

Three Loves Has Nancy

Actor
William
Movie
1938

Personal Property

Actor
Claude Dabney
Movie
1937

RosalieStream

Actor
Chancellor of Romanza
Miniseries
1937

The Bride Wore Red

Actor
Admiral Monti
Movie
1937

Madame X

Actor
Maurice Dourel
Movie
1937

Dangerous Number

Actor
Cousin William Medhill
Movie
1937

Conquest

Actor
Tallyrand
Movie
1937

Trouble for Two

Actor
President of Club
Movie
1936

The Great ZiegfeldStream

Actor
Sampston
Movie
1936
72%

Love on the Run

Actor
Baron Otto Spandermann
Movie
1936

Indian Love Call

Actor
Myerson
Movie
1936

Petticoat Fever

Actor
Sir James Felton
Movie
1936

Yours for the Asking

Actor
Dictionary McKinney
Movie
1936

Adventure in Manhattan

Actor
Blackton Gregory
Movie
1936

Rose Marie

Actor
Myerson
Movie
1936

The Girl on the Front Page

Actor
Archie Biddle
Movie
1936

A Tale of Two CitiesStream

Actor
Stryver
Movie
1935
93%

Call of the WildStream

Actor
Mr. Smith
Movie
1935

Enchanted April

Actor
Henry Arbuthnot
Movie
1935

The Bishop Misbehaves

Actor
Guy Waller
Movie
1935

Escapade

Actor
Paul
Movie
1935

Madame Du Barry

Actor
King Louis XV
Movie
1934

Mandalay

Actor
Police Commissioner
Movie
1934

Of Human BondageStream

Actor
Thorpe Athelny
Movie
1934
50%

The Countess of Monte Cristo

Actor
The Baron
Movie
1934

Stingaree

Actor
Governor General
Movie
1934

Nana

Actor
Bordenave
Movie
1934

Where Sinners Meet

Actor
Leonard
Movie
1934

The House of Rothschild

Actor
Herries
Movie
1934

Fashions

Actor
Oscar Baroque
Movie
1934

The Narrow Corner

Actor
Mr. Frith
Movie
1933

A Study in Scarlet

Actor
Sherlock Holmes
Movie
1933

Voltaire

Actor
King Louis XV
Movie
1933

Queen ChristinaStream

Actor
Charles
Movie
1933
84%

Double Harness

Actor
Freeman
Movie
1933

The Man Called Back

Actor
Movie
1932

Robbers' Roost

Actor
Cecil Herrick
Movie
1932

Lovers Courageous

Actor
Jimmy
Movie
1932

Sherlock Holmes

Actor
Dr. Watson
Movie
1932

Downstairs

Actor
Baron `'Nicky'` von Burgen
Movie
1932

The Man in Possession

Actor
Claude Dabney
Movie
1931

The Letter

Actor
Robert Crosbie
Movie
1929