Harry Cording | |
|---|---|
.png) Cording inTerror by Night (1946) | |
| Born | Hector William Cording (1891-04-26)26 April 1891 Wellington,Somerset, England |
| Died | 1 September 1954(1954-09-01) (aged 63) |
| Resting place | Glen Haven & Sholom Memorial Park Sylmar,Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Other names | Harry Gording |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1925–1954 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
Hector William "Harry"Cording (26 April 1891 – 1 September 1954) was an English-American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the filmsThe Black Cat (1934) andThe Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
Cording was born Hector William Cording[citation needed] on 26 April 1891[1] inWellington,Somerset.[citation needed] He was brought up and was educated at Rugby, and he was a member of the British Army in World War I.[1] In 1919, he became steward for a British steamship line whose ships, such as theVauban and theCalamares, which he had worked on, frequently called at the Port of New York. After a number of trips, he resigned and decided to stay in the United States. He later settled permanently inLos Angeles, where he began a film career. His first role was as a henchman inThe Knockout (1925), followed by similar roles over the next few years. Cording appeared in many Hollywood films from the 1920s to the 1950s. With an imposing six-foot height, stocky build, and perhaps due to his uncomfortable resemblance to veteran film bad guyOskar Homolka, "Harry the Henchman" usually portrayedthugs, villains'henchmen and policemen.[2]
Cording's most notable roles were probably as the villainous Dickon Malbete, Captain of the Guard inErrol Flynn'sAdventures of Robin Hood and as Thamal, the hulking henchman toBela Lugosi's character in 1934'sBlack Cat. As a contract player atUniversal Pictures in the 1940s, he turned up in tiny parts in many of their horror films, such asThe Wolf Man.
Having appeared in a bit role in20th Century-Fox'sAdventures of Sherlock Holmes starringBasil Rathbone (1939), he went on to appear in supporting and bit parts in seven of the twelveUniversal StudiosSherlock Holmes films in which Rathbone starred.
Cording died on 1 September 1954.[3] The cause of death was not documented. His wife was Margaret Cording, née Fiero, (1912–91), a native of Michigan; their daughter, Margaret Rose, was born on 7 November 1939. The Cordings lived at 4104 Farmdale Avenue, North Hollywood. Harry Cording was an active member of theLoyal Order of Moose fraternity.
Cording is buried in Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, California.[4]
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