Edgar Norton (born Harry Edgar Mills; August 11, 1868 – February 6, 1953) was an English-born American character actor.

Early years

Norton was born in

Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...

in London, England, on August 11, 1868, as Harry Edgar Mills, one of eight children of Jane Anne ''née'' Fleming and Frederic Mills, a clerk in the

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

department of the

Civil Service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

Career

Norton was active on both stage and screen, his theater performances were on both the London and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

stages, and his film career spanned both the silent and "talkie" eras in Hollywood. Aged 18, he appeared as the Hare in the original production of ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'' in London in 1886, with the production being under the guidance of

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

, who saw the musical five times. During his thirty-year film career, he appeared in at least ninety films. Many consider his most memorable role to be that of Poole, the butler to Dr. Jekyll in the 1931 classic, ''

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is an 1886 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series ...

''— a role he had been playing on-stage since 1898, opposite

Richard Mansfield Richard Mansfield (24 May 1857 – 30 August 1907) was a German-born English actor-manager best known for his performances in Shakespeare plays, Gilbert and Sullivan operas, and the play ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1887 play), Dr. Jekyll and Mr ...

as Jekyll.

Personal life and death

Norton moved permanently to the United States in 1889, and was naturalised as an American citizen in 1927. He married his Detroit-born wife Lillian Mable ''née'' Hubbard in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

in Canada in 1890, and with her had a son, Edgar Norton Mills.Harry Edgar Mills in the U.S., Naturalization Records, 1840-1957 (1927): Ancestry.com {{subscription{{
/ref> He died in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles in February 1953.

Filmography

(Per AFI database) {{div col, colwidth=30em *''The Ocean Waif'' (1916) - Valentine Borroyer *'' The Beautiful Adventure'' (1917) - Valentine Borroyer *'' The Amazons'' (1917) - Lord Tweenways * '' A Pair of Cupids'' (1918) - Martin *'' The New York Idea'' (1920) - Thomas *''

The Light in the Dark ''The Light in the Dark'' (later re-edited into a shorter version called ''The Light of Faith'') is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Clarence Brown and stars Lon Chaney and Hope Hampton. It is around 50% lost. A still exists showi ...

'' (1922) - Peters *'' Woman-Proof'' (1923) - Cecil Updyke *''Broadway After Dark'' (1924) - The Old Actor *'' The Fast Set'' (1924) - Archie Wells *'' The Female'' (1924) - Clyde Wiel *''

Men A man is an adult male human. Before adulthood, a male child or adolescent is referred to as a boy. Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the fa ...

'' (1924) - The baron *'' Tiger Love'' (1924) - Don Victoriano Fuentes *'' The Wolf Man'' (1924) - Sir Reginald Stackpoole *'' Enticement'' (1925) - William Blake *'' The King on Main Street'' (1925) - Jensen *''Learning To Love'' (1925) - Butler *'' Lost: A Wife'' (1925) - Baron Deliguières *'' The Marriage Whirl'' (1925) - Dick Mayne *'' A Regular Fellow'' (1925) - Valet *'' The Boy Friend'' (1926) - (uncredited) *''

Diplomacy Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of State (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international syste ...

'' (1926) - British embassy servant * '' The Lady from Hell'' (1926) - Hon. Charles Darnely *'' Marriage License?'' (1927) - Beadon *''

Fast and Furious ''Fast & Furious'', also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'', is an American action media franchise centered on a series of films revolving around street racing, heists, and spies. The franchise also includes short films, a television se ...

'' (1927) - Englishman *'' Singed'' (1927) - Ernie Whitehead *'' My Friend from India'' (1927) - Jennings, a butler *''

The Man Who Laughs ''The Man Who Laughs'' (also published under the title ''By Order of the King'' from its subtitle in French) is a Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, originally published in April 1869 under the French title ''L'Homme qui rit''. It takes place in Engl ...

'' (1928) - Lord High Chancellor *'' Oh, Kay!'' (1928) - Lord Braggot *'' The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg'' (1928) - Lutz *''

The Love Parade ''The Love Parade'' is a 1929 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, involving the marital difficulties of Queen Louise of Sylvania (MacDonal ...

'' (1929) - Master of ceremonies *'' The Girl Said No'' (1930) - Butler *'' The Man From Blankley's'' (1930) - Dawes *'' One Romantic Night'' (1930) - Colonel Wunderlich *'' The Runaway Bride'' (1930) - Williams *'' The Lady of Scandal'' (1930) - Morton *''

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...

'' (1930) - Minor Role (uncredited) *''

A Lady Surrenders A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''English alphabet#Letter names, a'' (pronounced ), plural ...

'' (1930) - Butler * ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot in ...

'' (1930) - Spettigue's Lawyer *''

Du Barry, Woman of Passion ''Du Barry, Woman of Passion'' is a 1930 American pre-Code dramatic film starring Norma Talmadge, produced by her husband Joseph Schenck, released through United Artists, and based on a 1901 stage play ''Du Barry'' written and produced by David ...

'' (1930) - Renal *'' East Is West'' (1930) - Thomas *'' The Bachelor Father'' (1931) - Bolton *'' The Lady Refuses'' (1931) - Dobbs *'' Meet the Wife'' (1931) - Williams *'' Compromised'' (1931) - Tipton *''

'' (1931) - Poole *'' The Man Called Back'' (1932) - Secretary *''

Love Me Tonight ''Love Me Tonight'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film produced and directed by Rouben Mamoulian, with music by Rodgers and Hart. It stars Maurice Chevalier as a tailor who poses as a nobleman and Jeanette MacDonald as a princ ...

'' (1932) - Valet *'' A Lady's Profession'' (1933) - Crotchett *''

Sing, Sinner, Sing ''Sing Sinner Sing'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Howard Christie. Plot Leila Hyams plays a singer who is accused of her husband's murder. Cast *Paul Lukas as Phil Carida *Leila Hyams as Lela ...

'' (1933) - Roberts the butler *'' The Big Brain'' (1933) - Butler *'' The Worst Woman in Paris?'' (1933) - Valet *'' Only Yesterday'' (1933) - George, the butler *'' Imitation of Life'' (1934) - Butler *'' We Live Again'' (1934) - Judge *'' The Richest Girl in the World'' (1934) - The butler, Binkley *'' Sons of Steel'' (1934) - Higgins *'' Thirty Day Princess'' (1934) - Baron Passeria *'' Million Dollar Ransom'' (1934) - Meigs *''

Stingaree The Stingaree was a neighborhood in downtown San Diego from the boom of the 1880s until it was demolished during a vice eradication campaign of 1916. It was the site of the city's Chinatown.Elizabeth Perl (Spring, 1977). San Diego's Chinese Mis ...

'' (1934) - Governor's first aide *'' The Girl from 10th Avenue'' (1935) - Butler *'' When a Man's a Man'' (1935) - Gibbs *''Vagabond Lady'' (1935) - Chauffeur *''East of Java'' (1935) - Resident *'' Give Me Your Heart'' (1936) - Servant *'' August Weekend'' (1936) - Grimsby *'' Dracula's Daughter'' (1936) - Hobbs *''

The Bohemian Girl ''The Bohemian Girl'' is an English language Romantic opera composed by Michael William Balfe with a libretto by Alfred Bunn. The plot is loosely based on a Miguel de Cervantes' tale, ''La gitanilla''. The best-known aria from the piece is "I D ...

'' (1936) *''45 Fathers'' (1937) - Van Brunt *'' You Can't Buy Luck (1937) - Rivers *'' Maytime'' (1937) - Secretary *''

Stage Door ''Stage Door'' is a 1937 American Tragicomedy, tragicomedy film directed by Gregory La Cava, and starring Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Constance Collier, Andrea Leeds, Samuel S. Hinds, and Lucille Ball. Adapt ...

'' (1937) - Minor Role (uncredited) *'' Bill Cracks Down'' (1937) - Jarvis *''

The Big Broadcast of 1938 ''The Big Broadcast of 1938'' is a Paramount Pictures musical film, musical comedy film starring W. C. Fields and featuring Bob Hope. Directed by Mitchell Leisen, the film is the last in a series of ''Big Broadcast'' movies that were variety sh ...

'' (1938) - Secretary to T. F. Bellows *''

Son of Frankenstein ''Son of Frankenstein'' is a 1939 American horror film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The film is the third in Universal Pictures' ''Frankenstein'' series and is the follow-up to the 1935 ...

'' (1939) - Thomas Benson *'' Captain Fury'' (1939) - Governor's aide *''

Rulers of the Sea ''Rulers of the Sea'' is a 1939 American historical drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Margaret Lockwood and Will Fyffe. The film's story is based on the voyage of the , the first steamship to cross the North A ...

'' (1939) - Mr. McKinnon *''The Mad Empress'' (1939) - (uncredited) *''

A Chump at Oxford ''A Chump at Oxford'' is a Hal Roach comedy film produced in 1939 and released in 1940 by United Artists. It was directed by Alfred J. Goulding and is the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Roach studio. The title echoes the film '' ...

'' (1940) - Professor Witherspoon *''

Brother Orchid ''Brother Orchid'' is a 1940 American crime/comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern and Humphrey Bogart, with featured performances by Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy and Allen Jenkins. The screenplay was w ...

'' (1940) - Meadows *''

The House of the Seven Gables ''The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance'' is a Gothic fiction, Gothic novel written beginning in mid-1850 by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in April 1851 by Ticknor and Fields of Boston. The novel follows a New England fam ...

'' (1940) - Phineas Weed *'' Rings on Her Fingers'' (1942) - Paul *'' Happy Go Lucky'' (1943) - Captain of waiters *'' Practically Yours'' (1944) - Harvey, butler *'' Are These Our Parents'' (1944) - Butler *'' The Suspect'' (1944) - Frazer *''

Captain Kidd William Kidd (c. 1645 – 23 May 1701), also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd, was a Scottish-American privateer. Conflicting accounts exist regarding his early life, but he was likely born in Dundee and later settled in Ne ...

'' (1945) - Nobleman *''

Doll Face ''Doll Face'' is a 1945 American film released by 20th Century Fox and directed by Lewis Seiler starring Vivian Blaine as "Doll Face" Carroll. It also stars actor Dennis O'Keefe and singers Carmen Miranda and Perry Como. The film is based on th ...

'' (1945) - Soho, the butler *'' Kitty'' (1946) - Earl of Campton *'' Devotion'' (1946) - Club member *''Our Hearts Were Growing Up'' (1946) - Butler *'' Bob, Son of Battle'' (1947) - Parson Leggy Hornbut *'' The Woman in White'' (1948) - Night clerk {{div col end

References

{{Reflist

External links

{{Commons category, Edgar Norton * {{IBDB name * {{IMDb name, 0636199 * {{Tcmdb name {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Norton, Edgar 1868 births 1953 deaths Male actors from London English male stage actors American male stage actors American male film actors English male film actors American male silent film actors English male silent film actors 20th-century English male actors British emigrants to the United States 20th-century American male actors