Rex Harrison
Sir Reginald Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990), known as Rex Harrison, was an English actor of stage and screen. Harrison began his career on the stage in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play French Without Tears, in what was his breakthrough role. He won his first Tony Award for his performance as Henry VIII in the play Anne of the Thousand Days in 1949. He won his second Tony for the role of Professor Henry Higgins in the stage production of My Fair Lady in 1957.
You can find people similar to Rex Harrison by visiting our lists American Theater Hall of Fame inductees and Male actors from Merseyside.
| Full name at birth | Sir Reginald Carey Harrison
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| Claim to fame | My Fair Lady
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| Date of birth | 5 March 1908
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| Place of birth | Huyton, Knowsley, Lancashire, England
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| Date of death | 2 June 1990
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| Age | 82 (age at death)
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| Place of death | New York City, USA
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| Cause of death | Pancreatic Cancer
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| Resting place | Cremated, Ashes scattered
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| Occupation | Actor, Producer, Voice over
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PERSONAL DETAILS
| Height | 6' 1" (185 cm)
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ADDITIONAL DETAILS
| High school | Birkdale Preparatory School
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| University | Liverpool College
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![Rex Harrison - Chatelaine Magazine Cover [Canada] (July 1964)](http://img3.bdbphotos.com/images/130x130/i/m/imip67rtv9ihr9pi.jpg?skj2io4l)
- Father, with Lilli Palmer, of Carey Harrison.
- He had a reputation for being very abrupt with his fans. One night, after a stage performance of "My Fair Lady", it was late, cold and pouring with rain and there was an old woman standing alone outside the Stage Door. When she saw Rex, she asked him for his autograph. Rex told her to "Sod off", and the old woman was so enraged at this that she rolled up her program and hit him with it. Stanley Holloway, who had followed Rex out in time to see this, congratulated him on not only making theater history but, for the first time in world history, "the fan has hit the shit!".
- Won three Tony Awards: in 1949, as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "Anne of the Thousand Days"; in 1957, as Best Actor (Musical) for "My Fair Lady", which he recreated in an Oscar-winning performance in the film version of the same title, My Fair Lady (1964) and a Special Tony Award in 1969. He was also nominated in 1984 as Best Actor (Play) for his role as Capt. Shotover in George Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House".
- One of only eight actors to have won both a Tony and an Oscar for having portrayed the same role on stage and screen ("My Fair Lady"). The others are: Joel Grey ("Cabaret"); Shirley Booth ("Come Back, Little Sheba"); Yul Brynner ("The King and I"); Anne Bancroft ("The Miracle Worker"); Paul Scofield ("A Man For All Seasons"); Jack Albertson ("The Subject Was Roses") and José Ferrer ("Cyrano de Bergerac").
- Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965.
More...
- Albums (2) keyboard_arrow_right
- Songs (86) keyboard_arrow_right
- Quotes (12) keyboard_arrow_right
- Trivia (35) keyboard_arrow_right
- Pictorials (14) keyboard_arrow_right
- Magazines (18) keyboard_arrow_right
- Photos (543) keyboard_arrow_right
- Lists (39) keyboard_arrow_right
- Filmography (156) keyboard_arrow_right
- Awards (13) keyboard_arrow_right
- Forum (3) keyboard_arrow_right
- Fans (24) keyboard_arrow_right
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