Edwin Eugene Lockhart (July 18, 1891 – March 31, 1957)"Gene Lockhart"
''The Canadian Encyclopedia''. was a Canadian-American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

, playwright, singer and lyricist. He appeared in over 300 films, and received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Regis in ''

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

'' (1938), the American remake of '' Pepe le Moko''.

Early life

Lockhart was born in

London, Ontario London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River (Ontario), Thames River and N ...

, Canada, and made his professional debut at the age of six when he appeared with the Kilties Band of Canada. He later appeared in sketches with Beatrice Lillie. Lockhart was raised Catholic and educated in Canadian schools and at the

London Oratory School The London Oratory School, also known as "The Oratory" or "The London Oratory" to distinguish it from other schools, is a Selective Catholic Voluntary Aided secondary school for boys aged 7–18 and girls aged 16–18 in West Brompton. Foun ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England. He played football for the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...

Stage

Lockhart had a long stage career; he also wrote professionally and taught acting and stage technique at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He also wrote theatrical sketches, radio shows, special stage material, song lyrics and articles for stage and radio magazines. He made his Broadway debut in 1916, in the musical '' The Riviera Girl''. He was a member of the traveling play ''The Pierrot Players'' (for which he wrote the book and lyrics). This play introduced the song, '' The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise'', for which Lockhart wrote the lyrics along with Canadian composer Ernest Seitz. (The song was subsequently made popular by Les Paul and Mary Ford in the 1950s.) He wrote and directed the Broadway musical revue ''Bunk of 1926''. He sang in ''

Die Fledermaus ' (, ''The Bat'', sometimes called ''The Revenge of the Bat'') is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, which premiered in 1874. Background The original literary source for ' was ...

'' for the

San Francisco Opera The San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 wh ...

Association. On Broadway, Lockhart originated the roles of Uncle Sid in

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...

's only comedy, '' Ah, Wilderness!'' (1933), and Fortesque in

Arthur Schwartz Arthur Schwartz (November 25, 1900 – September 3, 1984) was an American composer and film producer, widely noted for his songwriting collaborations with Howard Dietz. Biography Early life Schwartz was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New ...

's ''

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

'' (1937). In 1949, he took over from Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman, during the original run of

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...

's ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by the American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a ...

''.

Film

Lockhart made his film debut in '' Smilin' Through'' (1922) as the Rector, but he made few additional appearances during the

silent era A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...

. His sound debut was in the film '' By Your Leave'' (1934), where he played the playboy "Skeets". Lockhart subsequently appeared in more than 300 motion pictures. He often played villains, including a role as the treacherous informant Regis in ''

'' (1938), the American remake of '' Pepe le Moko'', which gained him an

nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He played the suspicious Georges de la Trémouille, the Dauphin's chief counselor, in ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

'' (1948), starring Ingrid Bergman. He also had a great succession of "good guy" supporting roles including Bob Cratchit in ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...

'' (1938) and Judge Harper in '' Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947). Upon the arrival of

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

in Hollywood in 1940, Lockhart wrote a short poem satirizing Welles entitled "Little Orson Annie". The poem was a parody of the 1885 poem "

Little Orphant Annie "Little Orphant Annie" is an 1885 poem written by James Whitcomb Riley and published by the Bobbs-Merrill Company. First titled "The Elf Child", the name was changed by Riley to "Little Orphant Allie" at its third printing; however, a typesetting ...

" by

James Whitcomb Riley James Whitcomb Riley (October 7, 1849 – July 22, 1916) was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry. His ...

. Lockhart played a bumbling sheriff in '' His Girl Friday'' (1940), opposite

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

and Rosalind Russell. He appeared in the movie '' The Sea Wolf'' (1941), adapted from the novel by

Jack London John Griffith London (; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors t ...

, as a ship's doctor. He played the Starkeeper in ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

'' (1956). His last film role was that of the Equity Board President in the film '' Jeanne Eagels'' (1957).

Personal life

Lockhart was married to actress Kathleen Lockhart from June 12, 1924, until his death. They had one child together, actress June Lockhart, through whom he is the grandfather of actress Anne Lockhart. Lockhart became an American citizen in 1939.

Death

Lockhart died March 31, 1957, from a

coronary thrombosis Coronary thrombosis is defined as the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel of the heart. This blood clot may then restrict blood flow within the heart, leading to heart tissue damage, or a myocardial infarction, also known as a heart ...

at the age of 65 in St. John's Hospital,

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

Legacy

Lockhart has two stars on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

—one for motion pictures, at 6307

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 ...

, and one for television at 6681 Hollywood Boulevard. Both were dedicated February 8, 1960.

Filmography

*'' Smilin' Through'' (1922) as Village Rector (film debut) *''The No Man'' (1933, Short) *''Paul Revere, Jr.'' (1933, Short) as Miles Standish (uncredited) *'' By Your Leave'' (1934) as Skeets *'' The Gay Bride'' (1934) as Jim Smiley (uncredited) *'' Captain Hurricane'' (1935) as Capt. Jeremiah Taylor *'' I've Been Around'' (1935) as Sammy Ames *''

Storm Over the Andes ''Storm Over the Andes'' (aka ''Alas sobre El Chaco'') is a 1935 American adventure film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Jack Holt (actor), Jack Holt, Antonio Moreno and Mona Barrie. The low-budget programmer is set against the backdrop o ...

'' (1935) as Cracker *'' Star of Midnight'' (1935) as Horatio Swayne *'' Thunder in the Night'' (1935) as Police Lt. Gabor *''

Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published in the literary journal '' The Russian Messenger'' in twelve monthly installments during 1866.

'' (1935) as Lushin *'' The Garden Murder Case'' (1936) as Lowe Hammle *'' Brides Are Like That'' (1936) as John Robinson *'' The First Baby'' (1936) as Mr. Ellis *'' Times Square Playboy'' (1936) as P.H. "Ben"/"Pig Head" Bancroft *'' Earthworm Tractors'' (1936) as George Healey *'' The Gorgeous Hussy'' (1936) as Maj. William O'Neal *''

The Devil Is a Sissy ''The Devil Is a Sissy'' is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s. The film pre ...

'' (1936) as Mr. Murphy *'' Wedding Present'' (1936) as Archduke Gustav Ernest *'' Come Closer, Folks'' (1936) as Elmer Woods *'' Career Woman'' (1936) as Uncle Billy Burly *'' Mind Your Own Business'' (1936) as Bottles *'' Mama Steps Out'' (1937) as Mr. Sims *'' Too Many Wives'' (1937) as Winfield Jackson *'' The Sheik Steps Out'' (1937) as Samuel P. Murdock *'' Something to Sing About'' (1937) as Bennett O. "B.O." Regan *''

'' (1938) as Regis *'' Of Human Hearts'' (1938) as Quid *'' Sinners in Paradise'' (1938) as Senator Corey *''Stock and Blondes'' (1938, Short) *'' Men Are Such Fools'' (1938) as Bill Dalton *'' Penrod's Double Trouble'' (1938) as Mr. Frank Schofield *'' Meet the Girls'' (1938) as Homer Watson *'' Listen, Darling'' (1938) as Mr. Drubbs *'' Blondie'' (1938) as C.P. Hazlip *''

'' (1938) as Bob Cratchit *'' Sweethearts'' (1938) as Augustus *'' I'm from Missouri'' (1939) as Porgie Rowe *'' The Story of Alexander Graham Bell'' (1939) as Thomas Sanders *'' Hotel Imperial'' (1939) as Elias *'' Tell No Tales'' (1939) as Arno *'' Bridal Suite'' (1939) as Cornelius McGill *'' Our Leading Citizen'' (1939) as J.T. Tapley *''

Blackmail Blackmail is a criminal act of coercion using a threat. As a criminal offense, blackmail is defined in various ways in common law jurisdictions. In the United States, blackmail is generally defined as a crime of information, involving a thr ...

'' (1939) as William Ramey *''

Geronimo Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...

'' (1939) as Gillespie *'' His Girl Friday'' (1940) as Sheriff Peter B. Hartwell *'' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940) as

Stephen Douglas Stephen Arnold Douglas ( né Douglass; April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. As a U.S. senator, he was one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party to run for president in the 1860 ...

*''

Edison, the Man ''Edison, the Man'' is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was portrayed by Spencer Tracy. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story, Academy Award for Best Writing, Ori ...

'' (1940) as Mr. Taggart *'' We Who Are Young'' (1940) as C.B. Beamis *'' South of Pago Pago'' (1940) as Lindsay *'' Dr. Kildare Goes Home'' (1940) as George Winslow *'' A Dispatch from Reuter's'' (1940) as Otto Bauer *'' Keeping Company'' (1940) as Mr. Hellman *'' Meet John Doe'' (1941) as Mayor Lovett *'' The Sea Wolf'' (1941) as Dr. Prescott *'' Billy the Kid'' (1941) as Dan Hickey *''

One Foot in Heaven ''One Foot in Heaven'' is a 1941 American biographical drama film directed by Irving Rapper and starring Fredric March, Martha Scott, Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart and Elisabeth Fraser. The film was adapted by Casey Robinson from the autobi ...

'' (1941) as Preston Thurston *'' International Lady'' (1941) as Sidney Grenner *'' The Devil and Daniel Webster'' (1941) as Squire Slossum *'' They Died with Their Boots On'' (1941) as Samuel Bacon, Esq. *'' Steel Against the Sky'' (1941) as John Powers *'' Juke Girl'' (1942) as Henry Madden *'' The Gay Sisters'' (1942) as Herschell Gibbon *'' You Can't Escape Forever'' (1942) as Carl Robelink *'' Forever and a Day'' (1943) as Cobblewick *'' Hangmen Also Die'' (1943) as Emil Czaka *'' Mission to Moscow'' (1943) as Premier Molotov *'' Find the Blackmailer'' (1943) as John M. Rhodes *'' Northern Pursuit'' (1943) as Ernst *'' Madame Curie'' (1943) (uncredited) *'' The Desert Song'' (1943) as Pere FanFan *'' Action in Arabia'' (1944) as Josef Danesco *''

Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ...

'' (1944) as Ted Haines Sr. *'' Man from Frisco'' (1944) as Joel Kennedy *'' That's the Spirit'' (1945) as Jasper Cawthorne *'' The House on 92nd Street'' (1945) as Charles Ogden Roper *''

Leave Her to Heaven ''Leave Her to Heaven'' is a 1945 American film directed by John M. Stahl, starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, and Vincent Price. Adapted by screenwriter Jo Swerling from the 1944 novel of the same name by Ben Ames Williams, the ...

'' (1945) as Dr. Saunders *'' Meet Me on Broadway'' (1946) as John Whittaker *'' A Scandal in Paris'' (1946) as Prefect of Police Richet *'' The Strange Woman'' (1946) as Isaiah Poster *'' The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' (1947) as Saxon *''

Honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds after their wedding to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase in a couple ...

'' (1947) as Consul Prescott *'' Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947) as Judge Henry X. Harper *'' Cynthia'' (1947) as Dr. Fred I. Jannings *'' The Foxes of Harrow'' (1947) as Viscount Henri D'Arceneaux *'' Her Husband's Affairs'' (1947) as Peter Winterbottom *'' The Inside Story'' (1948) as Horace Taylor *'' I, Jane Doe'' (1948) as Arnold Matson *'' Apartment for Peggy'' (1948) as Prof. Edward Bell *''

'' (1948) as Georges de la Trémoille *'' That Wonderful Urge'' (1948) as Judge Parker *'' Down to the Sea in Ships'' (1949) as Andrew L. Bush *'' The Sickle or the Cross'' (1949) as James John *''

Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' (; ), commonly known as simply ''Madame Bovary'', is the début novel by France, French writer Gustave Flaubert, originally published in 1856 and 1857. The eponymous character, Emma Bovary, lives beyond he ...

'' (1949) as J. Homais *'' Red Light'' (1949) as Warni Hazard *'' The Inspector General'' (1949) as The Mayor *'' Riding High'' (1950) as J.P. Chase *''

The Big Hangover ''The Big Hangover'' is a 1950 American comedy film released by MGM. The film starred Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor and was written and directed by Norman Krasna. Supporting players include Percy Waram, Fay Holden, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, Se ...

'' (1950) as Charles Parkford *'' I'd Climb the Highest Mountain'' (1951) as Jeff Brock *'' Rhubarb'' (1951) as Thaddeus J. Banner *'' Texas Lady'' (1951) as Judge George Jeffers *'' A Girl in Every Port'' (1952) as Garvey *''

Hoodlum Empire ''Hoodlum Empire'' is a 1952 American film noir crime film directed by Joseph Kane starring Brian Donlevy, Claire Trevor, Forrest Tucker, Vera Ralston, Luther Adler and John Russell (actor), John Russell.. It was inspired by the United States Sena ...

'' (1952) as Senator Tower *'' Down Among the Sheltering Palms'' (1953) as Rev. Paul Edgett *'' Bonzo Goes to College'' (1952) as Clarence B. Gateson *'' Apache War Smoke'' (1952) as Cyril R. Snowden *'' Face to Face'' (1952) as Capt. Archbold ('The Secret Sharer') *''

Tales of Tomorrow ''Tales of Tomorrow'' is an American anthology science fiction series that was performed and broadcast live on ABC from 1951 to 1953. The series covered such stories as ''Frankenstein'' starring Lon Chaney Jr., ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' ...

'' (1952, TV) as Prof. Vanya *'' Androcles and the Lion'' (1952) as Menagerie Keeper *'' Confidentially Connie'' (1953) as Dean Edward E. Magruder *'' The Lady Wants Mink'' (1953) as Mr. Heggie *'' Francis Covers the Big Town'' (1953) as Tom Henderson *'' World for Ransom'' (1954) as Alexis Pederas *''The Father Who Had No Sons'' (1955, TV Movie) as Milton Hershey *'' The Vanishing American'' (1955) as Blucher *''

'' (1956) as Starkeeper/Dr. Selden *'' The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit'' (1956) as Bill Hawthorne *'' Science Fiction Theatre'' (1956, TV) as Dr. Richard Hewitt/Dr. Elwood Dove *'' Telephone Time'' (1956, TV) as Louis P. Cashman *'' Jeanne Eagels'' (1957) as Equity Board President (final film)

References

Sources

* "Gene Lockhart of Stage, Screen Actor of Supporting Roles Dies — Had First Broadway Part in 1916", ''New York Times'', April 1, 1957.

External links

* * *
Sheet music for "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise"
Chappell-Harms, 1919.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lockhart, Gene 1891 births 1957 deaths American male film actors American Roman Catholics Canadian male film actors Canadian male singers Canadian Roman Catholics Canadian lyricists Male actors from London, Ontario Musicians from London, Ontario Deaths from coronary thrombosis People educated at London Oratory School Naturalized citizens of the United States Toronto Argonauts players Juilliard School faculty 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Canadian male actors 20th-century American singers 20th-century Canadian male singers Canadian emigrants to the United States 20th-century American male singers