Reginald Owen | |
|---|---|
 Owen in thetrailer forThe Great Ziegfeld (1936) | |
| Born | John Reginald Owen (1887-08-05)5 August 1887 Wheathampstead,Hertfordshire, England |
| Died | 5 November 1972(1972-11-05) (aged 85) Boise, Idaho, US |
| Resting place | Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise, Idaho, US |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1905–1972 |
| Spouse(s) | [1] (died 1998) |
| Children | 2 |
John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor, known for his many roles in British and American films and television programmes.
Owen was born to Joseph and Frances Owen inWheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England. He studied at theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his professional debut in 1905.
Sometime prior to 1911 Owen met the authorMrs. Clifford Mills. On hearing her idea of a rainbow story, persuaded her to turn it into a play, which becameWhere the Rainbow Ends.[2] He co-authored the work with Mills using the pseudonymJohn Ramsey.
He went to the United States in 1920 and performed on Broadway. He later moved to Hollywood, where he began a lengthy film career, becoming a familiar face in manyMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions.
Owen is perhaps best known today for his performance asEbenezer Scrooge in the 1938 film version ofCharles Dickens'A Christmas Carol, a role he inherited fromLionel Barrymore, who had played the part on the radio for years.[3]
Owen was one of several actors to play bothSherlock Holmes and his companionDr. Watson,[4] assaying Watson in the filmSherlock Holmes (1932) starringClive Brook as Holmes, and then Holmes inA Study in Scarlet (1933).
Later in his career, Owen appeared withJames Garner in the television seriesMaverick in the episodes "The Belcastle Brand" (1957) and "Gun-Shy" (1958) and guest starred in episodes of the seriesOne Step Beyond,Kentucky Jones, andBewitched. He was featured in theWalt Disney filmsMary Poppins (1964) andBedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). He had a small role in the 1962Irwin Allen production of theJules Verne novelFive Weeks in a Balloon. In August 1964, his mansion in Bel Air was rented tothe Beatles, who were performing at theHollywood Bowl, when no hotel would book them.[5]
Owen died from a heart attack at age 85 inBoise, Idaho, and buried at theMorris Hill Cemetery there.[6][7]
