Henry Joseph Crocker II (July 2, 1893 – May 23, 1958) was an American journalist and occasional film actor.

Life and career

Although Crocker was for most of his career a '' Los Angeles Examiner'' newsman, he also appeared as Rex in

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

's '' The Circus'' in 1928. He was Chaplin's personal assistant until he was fired during the making of Chaplin's ''

City Lights ''City Lights'' is a 1931 American synchronized sound film, sound romance film, romantic comedy drama, comedy-drama film written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a ...

'' in 1930. Crocker later reconciled with Chaplin and maintained a friendship until the comedian left America in 1952. Overall, Crocker appeared in 20 films between 1925 and 1952, mostly in small roles or cameo appearances. His other films besides ''The Circus'' include '' The Big Parade'' (1925), '' Tillie the Toiler'' (1927), '' Sally in Our Alley'' (1927), '' A Warm Corner'' (1930), '' The Great John L.'' (1945), ''

A Song for Miss Julie ''A Song for Miss Julie'' is a 1945 American Musical film directed by William Rowland. Plot Cast * Shirley Ross as Valerie Kimbro * Barton Hepburn as George Kimbro * Jane Farrar as Julie Charteris * Roger Clark as Stephen Mont * Cheryl Wa ...

'' (1945) and ''

Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...

'' (1952). His grand uncle was

Charles Crocker Charles Crocker (September 16, 1822 – August 14, 1888) was an American railroad executive who was one of the founders of the Central Pacific Railroad, which constructed the westernmost portion of the first transcontinental railroad, and took ...

(1822–1888) who had been a builder of the Central Pacific Railroad and his distant cousins were the

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

William Henry Crocker, president of

Crocker National Bank Crocker National Bank was an American bank headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was acquired by and merged into Wells Fargo Bank in 1986. History The bank traces its history to the Woolworth National Bank in San Francisco. Charles ...

, mystic, princess and writer Aimée Crocker and

Templeton Crocker Charles Templeton Crocker (September 2, 1884 – December 12, 1948) was an American philanthropist, art patron and yachtsman. He was a past president of the California Historical Society and a member of the board of directors for over twenty year ...

past president of the California Historical Society who funded and headed expeditions with the

California Academy of Sciences The California Academy of Sciences is a research institute and natural history museum in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, that is among the largest List of natural history museums, museums of natural history in the world, housing over ...

and other academic institutions aboard his personal yacht. Crocker married Elizabeth Jenns in late 1936. Crocker was also a close friend of

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

. He died on May 23, 1958, after being in ill health for three years.

Filmography

References

External links

* *
Harry Crocker
at Virtual History
Still
from '' The Circus'' (1928) at gettyimages.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Crocker, Harry 1893 births American male film actors 1958 deaths 20th-century American male actors Crocker family