Harry Allen (born Henry Radford Allen; 10 July 1877 – 4 December 1951) was an Australian-born American character actor of the silent and

sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

eras. He was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Allen's World War One registration card gives his date of birth as 10 July, 1876 and confirms his place of birth as Melbourne, although at least one obituary gives the later birth year of 1883.

Career

Allen began his acting career on stage with the J. C. Williamson organisation, performing around Australia. In 1912 he left Australia for North America.The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950), Sat 20 Feb 1915, Page 5, "Objected to Friends"
Accessed May 15, 2017 In the United States, Allen was a member of a touring theater company, known for their popular rendition of '' The Better 'Ole''. He appeared on Broadway in the early 1920s. Allen's first film role was in the 1923 silent film, '' The Last Moment'', in a supporting role. In his career Allen appeared in over 100 films, mostly in supporting and smaller roles. Some of the more notable films he appeared in include: '' Of Human Bondage'' (1934), starring

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

and

Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director, producer and writer.Obituary, '' Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and '' Vanity Fair'' an ...

; the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act known for their anarchic humor, rapid-fire wordplay, and visual gags. They achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The core group consisted of brothers Chi ...

' classic, '' A Night at the Opera''; the original ''

Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the ''Bounty'' occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship, , from their captain, Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant William Bli ...

'' (1935), starring

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (; 1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British and American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play wi ...

and

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

;

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born American film director and producer. Known for his work in numerous genres over five decades, he received numerous awards and accolades, including three Aca ...

's 1942 Academy Award-winning film, ''

Mrs. Miniver ''Mrs. Miniver'' is a 1942 American romantic war drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. Inspired by the 1940 novel '' Mrs. Miniver'' by Jan Struther, it shows how the life of an unassuming Britis ...

'', starring

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was a British-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the homef ...

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. A major leading man during the Golden Age of Hollywood, known for his "portrayals of men who prove both sturdy and wise," Pidgeon earned two Academy ...

, and

Teresa Wright Muriel Teresa Wright (October 27, 1918 – March 6, 2005) was an American actress. She won the 1942 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Carol Beldon in ''Mrs. Miniver''. She was nominated for the same award in 1941 for her ...

; ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

'' (1944), starring

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 ...

and Joan Fontaine; the

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last survivi ...

and

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...

version of '' National Velvet'' (1945); and ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is an 1890 philosophical fiction and Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American period ...

'' (1945), starring

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous charac ...

. His final appearance on film was in the 1949 film, '' Challenge to Lassie'', starring

Edmund Gwenn Edmund Gwenn (born Edmund John Kellaway; 26 September 1877 – 6 September 1959) was an English actor. On film, he is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in the Christmas film ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), for which he won t ...

Personal life

In 1910, Allen married fellow actor Marjorie Josephine née Condon in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

. The union was not a success and he went to North America without her, in 1912, with an Australian court granting her a divorce for abandonment in 1915. He and his second wife, Gertrude Dorothea (née Hyde), had two children, Harry Jr. and Paula.

Filmography

(Per AFI database) *'' The Last Moment'' (1923) as Pat Rooney *'' The Enchanted Cottage'' (1924) as Riggs *'' Ella Cinders'' (1926) *'' Corporal Kate'' (1926) *''

Turkish Delight Turkish delight, or lokum () is a family of confectionery, confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often fl ...

'' (1927) *'' The Scorcher'' (1927) *'' The Silent Hero'' (1927) *'' The Adorable Cheat'' (1928) *'' The Wreck of the Singapore'' (1928) *'' Sweet Sixteen'' (1928) *'' Two Lovers'' (1928) *'' In Old California'' (1929) as Sgt. Washburn *'' Strange Cargo'' (1929) as Short *'' The Dawn Patrol'' (1930) as Allen - Mechanic (uncredited) *'' Headin' North'' (1930) *'' Hell Harbor'' (1930) as Peg Leg *'' Hell's Island'' (1930) as Bert *'' Second Honeymoon'' (1930) as Sheriff *'' Sunny'' (1930) as Side Show Barker (uncredited) *'' Chances'' (1931) *'' Rich Man's Folly'' (1931) *'' Texas Pioneers'' (1932) *'' The Fourth Horseman'' (1932) *''

Fugitive Road ''Fugitive Road'' is a 1934 American comedy drama film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Erich von Stroheim, Wera Engels and Leslie Fenton. It is set a border post in Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria following World War I. A variety of dif ...

'' (1934) *''

The House of Rothschild ''The House of Rothschild'' is a 1934 American pre-Code historical drama film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring George Arliss, Loretta Young and Boris Karloff. It was adapted by Nunnally Johnson from the play by George Hembert Westley ...

'' (1934) *'' Of Human Bondage'' (1934) *'' The Silver Streak'' (1934) *'' What Every Woman Knows'' (1934) *'' Riptide'' (1934) *'' Bombay Mail'' (1934) *'' A Night at the Opera'' (1935) as Doorman (uncredited) *'' A Feather in Her Hat'' (1935) *'' The Perfect Gentleman'' (1935) *''

'' (1935) as Wherryman (uncredited) *'' The Great Impersonation'' (1935) as Perkins *''

Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, Анна Каренина, p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Tolstoy called it his first true novel. It was initially released in serial in ...

'' (1935) as Cord *''

Libeled Lady ''Libeled Lady'' is a 1936 American screwball comedy film directed by Jack Conway and starring Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy. The screenplay was written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, Howard Emmett Rogers, and George Opp ...

'' (1936) *'' The Return of Sophie Lang'' (1936) as Graveyard Caretaker (uncredited) *''Angels in White'' (1936) *'' The White Angel'' (1936) *'' Love on the Run'' (1936) as Chauffeur (uncredited) *'' The Girl from Mandalay'' (1936) *''

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is a insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gover ...

'' (1936) as Waiter (uncredited) *'' London by Night'' (1937) *'' California Straight Ahead'' (1937) *'' A Girl with Ideas'' (1937) *'' Outside of Paradise'' (1938) *'' Bulldog Drummond in Africa'' (1938) *''

Holiday A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often ...

'' (1938) *'' Reckless Living'' (1938) *''

Mysterious Mr. Moto ''Mysterious Mr. Moto'', produced in 1938 by Twentieth Century Fox, is the fifth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, from an original screenpla ...

'' (1938) as Taxi Driver (uncredited) *'' Stand Up and Fight'' (1939) *'' The Little Princess'' (1939) *'' I'm from Missouri'' (1939) *'' Rulers of the Sea'' (1939) *'' We Are Not Alone'' (1939) *'' Zaza'' (1939) *''

The Earl of Chicago ''The Earl of Chicago'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Montgomery, Edward Arnold, Reginald Owen and Edmund Gwenn. Made during 1939 and released in January 1940, it was the first MGM film of the 1940 ...

'' (1940) *''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at the ...

'' (1940) *'' Moon over Burma'' (1940) *'' Blossoms in the Dust'' (1941) *'' One Night in Lisbon'' (1941) *'' Rage in Heaven'' (1941) *'' They Met in Bombay'' (1941) as Soldier in Saloon (uncredited) *'' A Yank in the R.A.F.'' (1941) as Air Raid Warden (uncredited) *'' Eagle Squadron'' (1942) *''

'' (1942) as William (uncredited) *''

Random Harvest ''Random Harvest'' is a novel written by James Hilton, first published in 1941. Like previous Hilton works, including '' Lost Horizon'' and '' Goodbye, Mr. Chips'', the novel was immensely popular, placing second on ''Publishers Weekly'' li ...

'' (1942) *'' This Above All'' (1942) *'' Forever and a Day'' (1943) as First Cockney Air Raid Watcher *'' The Man from Down Under'' (1943) *'' Two Tickets to London'' (1943) *'' Buckskin Frontier'' (1943) as McWhinny *''

'' (1943) as Guard (uncredited) *'' The White Cliffs of Dover'' (1944) *'' The Hour Before the Dawn'' (1944) *''

The Canterville Ghost "The Canterville Ghost" is a humorous short story by Oscar Wilde. It was the first of Wilde's stories to be published, appearing in two parts as "The Canterville Ghost – A Hylo-Idealistic Romance: The Redemptive Heroine" in '' The Court and S ...

'' (1944) *'' The Lodger'' (1944) *'' Ministry of Fear'' (1944) *'' Passport to Destiny'' (1944) *'' The Scarlet Claw'' (1944) *''

You Can't Ration Love ''You Can't Ration Love'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Lester Fuller and written by Val Burton and Hal Fimberg. The film stars Betty Jane Rhodes, Johnnie Johnston, Marjorie Weaver, Johnnie Davis, Marie Wilson (American actress), Mar ...

'' (1944) as Pop (uncredited) *'' National Velvet'' (1944) as Van Driver (uncredited) *'' Confidential Agent'' (1945) *'' Hangover Square'' (1945) *'' Love Letters'' (1945) *''

Murder, He Says ''Murder, He Says'' is a 1945 American black comedy horror film directed by George Marshall and starring Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker and Marjorie Main. It is about a murderous rural family and the hapless pollster who becomes entangled in their ...

'' (1945) *''

'' (1945) *'' Scotland Yard Investigator'' (1945) as Watchman (uncredited) *'' The Green Years'' (1946) *'' Bulldog Drummond at Bay'' (1947) as Postman (uncredited) *'' The Imperfect Lady'' (1947) *'' Bob, Son of Battle'' (1947) *'' The Swordsman'' (1948) *''

The Emperor Waltz ''The Emperor Waltz'' () is a 1948 American musical film directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine.Bookbinder 1977, p. 179. Written by Wilder and Charles Brackett, the film is about a brash American gramophone salesma ...

'' (1948) as Gamekeeper (uncredited) *'' Julia Misbehaves'' (1948) as Bill Collector (uncredited) *'' Kiss the Blood Off My Hands'' (1948) *'' Night Has a Thousand Eyes'' (1948) as MacDougall (uncredited) *'' Challenge to Lassie'' (1949) as Shepherd (uncredited) *''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in ''The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is seen as a classic of English c ...

'' (1949) *'' Take Me Out to the Ball Game'' (1949) *''Gun Cargo'' (1949) as Peg Leg

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Harry American male silent film actors Male actors from Melbourne 1877 births 1951 deaths 20th-century American male actors Australian emigrants to the United States