Holmes Herbert
Holmes Herbert was an English character actor who appeared in Hollywood films from 1915 to 1952, often as a British gentleman.
Early life
Born Horace Edward Jenner, Holmes Herbert emigrated to the United States in 1912. He was the first son of Edward Henry Jenner, who worked as an actor and comedian in the British theatre.
Career
Holmes Herbert never made a film in his native country but managed to appear in 228 films during his career in the U.S., beginning with stalwart leading roles during the silent era and numerous supporting roles in many classic Hollywood films of the sound era, including Captain Blood, The [Charge of the Light Brigade (1936 film)|The Charge of the Light Brigade], The Life of Emile Zola, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and Foreign Correspondent.
In silent films, Herbert could play different nationalities, as did his contemporaries like Wyndham Standing, but when sound films came in, their pronounced British accents were revealed.
Herbert is perhaps best known for his role as Dr. Jekyll's friend Dr. Lanyon in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and made something of a career in horror films of the period, appearing in The Terror, The Thirteenth Chair, Mystery of the Wax Museum, The Invisible Man, Mark of the Vampire, Tower of London, The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Undying Monster, The Mummy's Curse and The Son of Dr. Jekyll. He also played in several of Universal's cycle of Sherlock Holmes films during the 1940s. He retired from acting in 1952.
Herbert was married three times. His first wife was actress Beryl Mercer, and his second was Elinor Kershaw Ince, widow of film mogul Thomas H. Ince. Both marriages ended in divorce. His third wife, Agnes Bartholomew, died in 1955, leaving Herbert a widower. He died in 1956 at age 74. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California.
Filmography
His Wife - John DennysHer Life and His - Ralph HowardThe [Man Without a Country (1917 film)|The Man Without a Country] - Lt. Philip NolanA Doll's House - Thorvald HelmarThe Whirlpool - Judge RevertonThe Death Dance - Arnold MaitlandThe Divorcee - Sir Paradine FuldesThe Rough Neck - A Half-Breed IndianThe White Heather - Lord Angus CameronOther Men's Wives - Fenwick FlintThe Market of Souls - Temple BaneThe A.B.C. of Love - Harry BryantOn with the Dance - Minor Role His House in Order - Filmer JessonBlack Is White - Jim BroodMy Lady's Garter - Henry Van Derp, aka The HawkThe [Right to Love (1920 film)|The Right to Love] - Lord FalklandLady Rose's Daughter - Jacob DelafieldDead Men [Tell No Tales (1920 film)|Dead Men Tell No Tales] - Squire John RattrayThe Truth About Husbands - Dustan RenshawHer Lord and Master - R. Honorable Thurston Ralph, Viscount CanningHeedless Moths - The SculptorThe Wild Goose - Frank MannersThe Inner Chamber - Edward J. WellmanThe Family Closet - Alfred DinsmoreAny Wife - Philip GrayA Stage Romance - Prince of WalesEvidence - Judge RowlandDivorce Coupons - Roland BlandMoonshine Valley - Dr. MartinA Woman's Woman - John PlummerToilers of the Sea - SandroI Will Repay - Sir Percy BlakeneyWeek End Husbands - William RandallThe Enchanted Cottage - Maj. HillgroveAnother Scandal - Pelham FranklinHer Own Free Will - Peter CraddockSinners in Heaven - Hugh RochedaleLove's Wilderness - David TennantThe Lost World - Angry Man at Meeting Daddy's Gone A-Hunting - GreenoughUp the Ladder - Robert NewhallWildfire - GarrisonThe Wanderer - ProphetWreckage - Stuart AmesA Woman of the World - Richard GrangerThe Passionate Quest - ErwenThe Honeymoon Express - Jim DonaldsonJosselyn's Wife - Thomas JosselynThe Fire Brigade - James CorwinOne Increasing Purpose - Charles ParisThe Nest - Richard ElliotWhen a Man Loves - Jean TibergeMr. Wu - Mr. GregoryLovers - MiltonThe Heart of Salome - Sir HumphreySlaves of Beauty - Leonard JonesThe Gay Retreat - Charles WrightEast Side, West Side - Gilbert Van HornThe Silver Slave - Tom RichardsGentlemen Prefer Blondes - Henry SpoffardTheir Hour - Cora's FatherThe Sporting Age - James DriscollThe Terror - GoodmanThrough the Breakers - Eustis HobbsOn Trial - Gerald TraskThe Charlatan - Count Merlin - aka Peter DwightCareers - CarougeSay It with Songs - Dr. Robert MerrillMadame X - NoelHer Private Life - Rudolph SolomonThe Careless Age - Sir JohnThe Thirteenth Chair - Sir Roscoe CrosbyThe Kiss - M. LassalleUntamed - Howard PresleyThe Ship from Shanghai - Paul ThorpeThe Single Sin - Roger Van DornThe Hot Heiress - Mr. HunterChances - Maj. BradfordBroadminded - John J. Hackett Sr.Daughter of the Dragon - Sir John PetrieDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Dr. John LanyonShop Angel - James Walton KennedyMiss Pinkerton - Arthur GlennCentral Park - Benefit Emcee Sister to Judas - Bruce RogersMystery of the Wax Museum - Dr. RasmussenThe Invisible Man - Chief of PoliceBeloved - Lord LandslakeThe House of Rothschild - RowerthThe [Count of Monte Cristo (1934 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo] - JudgeThe [Pursuit of Happiness (1934 film)|The Pursuit of Happiness] - Gen. Sir Henry ClintonThe Curtain Falls - John ScorsbySons of Steel - Curtis ChadburneOne in a Million - Donald Cabot, Sr.Cardinal Richelieu - NobleMark of the Vampire - Sir Karell BorotynAccent on Youth - Frank GallowayThe Dark Angel - Major in Dugout Captain Blood - Capt. GardnerWife vs. Secretary - Frawley Brilliant Marriage - Mr. Rodney AllisonThe Country Beyond - Insp. ReedChampagne Charlie - Capt. Dell The White Angel - War Minister Charlie Chan at the Race Track - Chief Steward, Melbourne Cup The Gentleman from Louisiana - Chief Steward15 Maiden Lane - Harold AndersonThe Charge of the Light Brigade - Gen. O'Neill House of Secrets - Sir Bertram Evans - Home SecretaryLloyd's of London - SpokesmanStolen Holiday - Nicole's Dance Partner at Party The [Prince and the Pauper (1937 film)|The Prince and the Pauper] - First DoctorThe Thirteenth Chair - Sir Roscoe CrosbySlave Ship - CommanderThe Life of Emile Zola - Commander of ParisLove Under Fire - Darnley The Girl Said No - Charles Dillon Lancer Spy - Dr. Aldrich The Buccaneer - Captain McWilliamsHere's Flash Casey - Major AddisonThe Black Doll - Dr. GiddingsThe [Adventures of Robin Hood (film)|The Adventures of Robin Hood] - Archery Referee Kidnapped - JudgeMarie Antoinette - Herald Say It in French - Richard Carrington Sr.Mr. Moto's Last Warning - Bentham The Mystery of Mr. Wong - Prof. Ed JanneyThe Little Princess - DoctorMystery of the White Room - Hospital AdministratorJuarez - Marshal Randon Wolf Call - J.L. WintonThe Sun Never Sets - Colonial Official Trapped in the Sky - FieldingThe House of Fear - Minor Role Stanley and Livingstone - Frederick HolcombThe [Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (film)|The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes] - JusticeHidden Power - Dr. MorleyThe Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex - Majordomo Intermezzo - The Doctor 20,000 Men a Year - Dean Norris Rulers of the Sea - Member of Naval Company Tower of London - Councilman We Are Not Alone - Police InspectorEverything Happens at Night - FeatherstoneThe Earl of Chicago - Sergeant-at-Arms British Intelligence - Arthur BennettAn Angel from Texas - Second Banker Women in War - Chief JusticePhantom Raiders - Sir Edward Foreign Correspondent - Asst. CommissionerBoom Town - Doctor A Dispatch from Reuters - Member of Parliament The Letter - Robert's Friend at Bar at Party South of Suez - SimpsonRage in Heaven - The Judge Scotland Yard - Dr. Woodward Man Hunt - Saul FarnsworthyInternational Squadron - Sir Basil WryxtonThe Men in Her Life - Second Doctor The Ghost of Frankenstein - MagistrateDanger in the Pacific - CommissionerLady in a Jam - Man Invisible Agent - Sir Alfred SpencerStrictly in the Groove - CommissionerThe Undying Monster - Chief Constable Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon - Sir. ReginaldSherlock Holmes in Washington - Mr. AhrensA Stranger in Town - Supreme Court Justice Two Tickets to London - KilgallenThe Man from Down Under - Government Official at Train Station Corvette K-225 - Commodore Ramsay Calling Dr. Death - Bryant - the ButlerThe Uninvited - Charlie Jessup Bermuda Mystery - Judge The Pearl of Death - James GoodramOur Hearts Were [Young and Gay (film)|Our Hearts Were Young and Gay] - Captain The Unwritten Code - McDowell Enter Arsène Lupin - JobsonThe Mummy's Curse - Dr. CooperSherlock Holmes and the House of Fear - Alan CosgraveJealousy - Melvyn RussellThe Strange Affair of Uncle Harry - Warden Swingin' on a Rainbow - Butler George White's Scandals - Lord Michael Asbury Confidential Agent - Lord BenditchThree Strangers - Sir Robert The Bandit of Sherwood Forest - Baron Dressed to Kill - Ebenezer CrabtreeCloak and Dagger - British Officer The Verdict - Sir William DawsonLove Laughs at Andy Hardy - Dr. White, Minister Over the Santa Fe Trail - Doc HendersonMr. District Attorney - Gallentyne The Ghost Goes Wild - JudgeBulldog Drummond at Bay - Scotland Yard Inspector McIvarIvy - Mulloy Singapore - Rev. Thomas BarnesBulldog Drummond Strikes Back - Scotland Yard Inspector McIvarThis Time for Keeps - Norman Randall If Winter Comes - Mr. Broadhurst, the Chemist The Swordsman - Lord GlowanA Woman's Vengeance - Warder The [Wreck of the Hesperus (1948 film)|The Wreck of the Hesperus] - Pastor WestSorry, Wrong Number - Wilkins Johnny Belinda - Judge Hills of Home - Hillocks Family Honeymoon - Rev. Miller Jungle Jim - Commissioner Geoffrey MarsdenCommand Decision - Chairman South of St. Louis - Sir Cecil The Lost Tribe - NarratorThe Stratton Story - Doctor Canadian Pacific - Head of Canadian ParliamentBarbary Pirate - Thomas JeffersonPost Office Investigator - James SeeleyMark of the Gorilla - Narrator The Iroquois Trail - Gen. JohnsonTo Please a Lady - Benson - Regina's ButlerThe Magnificent Yankee - Justice McKennaThe Law and the Lady - English Colonel David and Bathsheba - Jesse Anne of the Indies - English Sea CaptainThe Son of Dr. Jekyll - Constable The Unknown Man - Reverend Michael The Wild North - Magistrate At Sword's Point - Mallard The Brigand - Archbishop