C. Henry Gordon (born Henry Racke; June 17, 1883 – December 3, 1940) was an American stage and film actor. Gordon was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, New York. He was educated both in New York and abroad in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and Germany. For some years he owned and ran a silver mine in

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. After failing to succeed in this venture, he became an actor. Gordon's entry into acting came accidentally when he accompanied his sister to a tryout for a play. The director had him read a part and he soon was a member of the troupe. He had a long stage career, on and off Broadway, before entering films. For six years he appeared in the summer stock cast at Elitch Theatre (1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, & 1929.) His Broadway credits included ''The Shanghai Gesture'' (1928), ''The Shanghai Gesture'' (1926), ''Mismates'' (1925), ''Puppets'' (1925), ''The Saint'' (1924), ''Mr. Pitt'' (1924), ''The Crooked Square'' (1923), ''Thin Ice'' (1922), ''Lights Out'' (1922), and ''The Drums of Jeopardy'' (1922). He first worked in films in 1911 with George Beban in New York. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1930 and 1940, frequently as a villain. He often portrayed people of color, such as Surat Khan in '' The Charge of the Light Brigade'' (1936, opposite

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

), the Chinese smuggler Sam Kee in ''

Lazy River "(Up A) Lazy River" is a popular tune and song by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin, published in 1930. The melody is by Arodin, arranged and with words modified by Carmichael. It is considered a jazz standard and pop standard, and has ...

'' (1934), and the Sultan of Padaya in '' Sophie Lang Goes West'' (1937). On December 3, 1940, Gordon died at Hollywood Hospital in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, after having his leg amputated the previous day because of a blood clot.

Filmography

* '' A Devil with Women'' (1930) as Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Renegades'' (1930) as Captain Mordiconi * '' Once a Sinner'' (1931) as Serge Ratoff * '' Charlie Chan Carries On'' (1931) as John Ross * '' The Black Camel'' (1931) as Huntley Van Horn (uncredited) * '' Hush Money'' (1931) as Jack Curtis * '' A Woman of Experience'' (1931) as Captain Muller * '' Young as You Feel'' (1931) as Harry Lamson * '' Honor of the Family'' (1931) as Renard * '' Mata Hari'' (1932) as Dubois * '' The Gay Caballero'' (1932) as Don Paco Morales * '' Scarface'' (1932) as Police Inspector Ben Guarino * '' Doomed Battalion'' (1932) as Italian General * '' State's Attorney'' (1932) as Attorney Grey * '' The Strange Love of Molly Louvain'' (1932) as Detective Martin * ''

Roar of the Dragon ''Roar of the Dragon'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code adventure film directed by Wesley Ruggles and written by Howard Estabrook and released on July 8, 1932. The film stars Richard Dix, Gwili Andre, Edward Everett Horton, Arline Judge, and Za ...

'' (1932) as Voronsky * '' The Washington Masquerade'' (1932) as Hinsdale * '' Miss Pinkerton'' (1932) as Dr. Stuart * '' Thirteen Women'' (1932) as Swami Yogadachi * '' Hell's Highway'' (1932) as "Blacksnake" Skinner * '' The Crooked Circle'' (1932) as Yoganda * '' Kongo'' (1932) as Gregg Whitehall * '' Rasputin and the Empress'' (1932) as Grand Duke Igor * '' Whistling in the Dark'' (1933) as Lombardo * '' The Secret of Madame Blanche'' (1933) as State's Attorney * '' Clear All Wires!'' (1933) as Commissar * '' Gabriel Over the White House'' (1933) as Nick Diamond * '' Made on Broadway'' (1933) as Mayor Tom Starling * '' Storm at Daybreak'' (1933) as Panto Nikitch * '' The Devil's in Love'' (1933) as Capt. Radak, Chief of Police * '' Turn Back the Clock'' (1933) as Dave Holmes * '' Penthouse'' (1933) as Jim Crelliman * '' Stage Mother'' (1933) as Ricco * '' Night Flight'' (1933) as Daudet * '' Broadway Thru a Keyhole'' (1933) as Tim Crowley * '' The Chief'' (1933) as Paul Clayton * '' Advice to the Forlorn'' (1933) as Kane * '' The Women in His Life'' (1934) as Tony Perez * '' Fugitive Lovers'' (1934) as Detective Daly * '' This Side of Heaven'' (1934) as William Barnes * ''

'' (1934) as Sam Kee * '' Men in White'' (1934) as Dr. Cunningham * '' Stamboul Quest'' (1934) as Ali Bey * '' Straight Is the Way'' (1934) as Sullivan * '' Hide-Out'' (1934) as Tony Berrelli aka The Boss * ''

Death on the Diamond ''Death on the Diamond'' is a 1934 comedy-mystery film starring Robert Young (actor), Robert Young. It was based on the novel ''Death on the Diamond: A Baseball Mystery Story'' by Cortland Fitzsimmons, directed by Edward Sedgwick and produced and ...

'' (1934) as Joe Karnes * '' The Great Hotel Murder'' (1935) as Dr. John M. Temple * '' Pursuit'' (1935) as Nick Shawn * ''

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

'' (1935) as Philip the Second - King of France * ''Hollywood Extra Girl'' (1935, Short, Documentary) as Crusades Actor (uncredited) * '' The Big Broadcast of 1936'' (1935) as Gordoni * '' Professional Soldier'' (1935) as Gino * '' Under Two Flags'' (1936) as Lt. Petaine * ''

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...

'' (1936) as Jordan Winslow * '' The Big Game'' (1936) as Brad Anthony * '' The Charge of the Light Brigade'' (1936) as Surat Khan * '' Love Letters of a Star'' (1936) as Lt. Valcour * '' Trouble in Morocco'' (1937) as Captain Nardant * '' Charlie Chan at the Olympics'' (1937) as Arthur Hughes * '' Trapped by G-Men'' (1937) as Kilgour * '' Sophie Lang Goes West'' (1937) as Sultan of Padaya * ''

Conquest Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or Coercion (international relations), coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or ...

'' (1937) as Prince Poniatowski * ''

Stand-In A stand-in, sometimes a lighting double, for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and tele ...

'' (1937) as Nassau * '' Tarzan's Revenge'' (1938) as Ben Alleu Bey * '' The Black Doll'' (1938) as Nelson Rood * '' Invisible Enemy'' (1938) as Nikolai Kamarov * '' Yellow Jack'' (1938) as Col. Wiggins, Medical Corp (uncredited) * '' Adventure in Sahara'' (1938) as Capt. Savatt * '' Sharpshooters'' (1938) as Kolter * ''

Long Shot In photography, filmmaking and video production, a wide shot (sometimes referred to as a full shot or long shot) is a shot that typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surro ...

'' (1939) as Lew Ralston * '' The Return of the Cisco Kid'' (1939) as Mexican Captain * '' Man of Conquest'' (1939) as Santa Ana * '' Trapped in the Sky'' (1939) as Fornay * '' Heritage of the Desert'' (1939) as Henry Holderness * '' Charlie Chan in City in Darkness'' (1939) as Prefect of Police J. Romaine * '' Passport to Alcatraz'' (1940) as Leon Fenten * ''Women in Hiding'' (1940, Short) as Dr. Mansby, Clinic Administrator * '' Kit Carson'' (1940) as General Castro * '' Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum'' (1940) as Dr. Cream * ''You, the People'' (1940, Short) as Boss Bailey

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, C. Henry 1883 births 1940 deaths American male film actors Male actors from New York City American amputees American male stage actors 20th-century American male actors American expatriates in Switzerland American expatriates in Germany