Rex Harrison

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Birthday:

5 March 1908, Huyton, Lancashire, England, UK [now Huyton, Knowsley, Merseyside, England, UK]

Birth Name:

Reginald Carey Harrison

Height:

186 cm

Rex Harrison was born Reginald Carey Harrison in Huyton, Lancashire, England, to Edith Mary (Carey) and William Reginald Harrison, a cotton broker. He changed his name to Rex as a young boy, knowing it was the Latin word for "King". Starting out on his theater career at age 18, his first job at the Liverpool Rep Theatre was nearly his last - dashing across the stage to say his one line, made his entrance and promptly blew it. Fates were kind, however, and soon he began landing roles in the West End. "French Without Tears", a play by Terence Rattigan, proved to be his breakthrough role. Soon he was being called the "greatest actor of light comedy in the world". Having divorced his first wife Collette Thomas in 1942, he married German actress Lilli Palmer. The two began appearing together in many plays and British films. He attained international fame when he portrayed the King in Anna and the King of Siam (1946), his first American film. After a sex scandal, in which starlet Carole Landis apparently committed suicide because he ended their affair, the relationship with wife Lilli became strained. Rex (by this time known as "Sexy Rexy" for his philandering ways and magnetic charm) began a relationship with British actress Kay Kendall and divorced Lilli to marry the terminally ill Kay with hopes of a re-marriage to Palmer upon Kay's death. The death of Kay affected Harrison greatly and Lilli never returned to him. During this time Rex was offered the defining role of his career: Professor Henry Higgins in the original production of "My Fair Lady". He won the Tony for the play and an Oscar for the film version. In 1962 Harrison married actress Rachel Roberts. This union and the one following it to Elizabeth Harris (Richard's ex) also ended in divorce. In 1978 Rex met and married Mercia Tinker. He and Mercia remained happily married until his death in 1990. She was also with him in 1989 when he was granted his much-deserved and long awaited knighthood at Buckingham Palace. Rex Harrison died of pancreatic cancer three weeks after his last stage appearance, as Lord Porteous in W. Somerset Maugham's "The Circle". Show less «

[When asked if he received any special privileges upon becoming a knight]: Alas, no. In the old days I believe you at least got a couple of ...Show more »

[When asked if he received any special privileges upon becoming a knight]: Alas, no. In the old days I believe you at least got a couple of horses out of the deal. Show less «

There is always a struggle, a striving for something bigger than yourself in all forms of art. And even if you don't achieve greatness, even...Show more »

There is always a struggle, a striving for something bigger than yourself in all forms of art. And even if you don't achieve greatness, even if you fail, which we all must, everything you do in your work is somehow connected with your attitude toward life, your deepest secret feelings. Show less «

Exhilaration is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you, and just before you realize what's wrong with it.

When I was ten we moved and I decided that none of the names I was then called - Reggie, Bobby, Baa - suited me. Somehow I hit on Rex. I mus...Show more »

When I was ten we moved and I decided that none of the names I was then called - Reggie, Bobby, Baa - suited me. Somehow I hit on Rex. I must have heard someone calling for their dog and thought it sounded rather nice. Show less «

Whatever it is that makes a person charming, it needs to remain a mystery once the charmer is aware of a mannerism or characteristic that ot...Show more »

Whatever it is that makes a person charming, it needs to remain a mystery once the charmer is aware of a mannerism or characteristic that others find charming, it ceases to be a mannerism and becomes an affectation. And good Lord, there is nothing less charming than affectations! Show less «

[After viewing The Sound of Music (1965)]: That was the only time I've ever rooted for the Nazis.

by Rachel Roberts, Harrison's fourth wife]: Rex cannot be pleased. Servants have got slapped with his tongue or hand. Eventually his servant...Show more »

by Rachel Roberts, Harrison's fourth wife]: Rex cannot be pleased. Servants have got slapped with his tongue or hand. Eventually his servants and wives leave him. Rex is one of those who thinks living well is the best revenge. It may be, but the revenge is taken out on his nearest and dearest. Show less «

[Rex's son, Noel Harrison, recalling sitting watching a storm with his father and Rex exclaiming this when a bolt of lightning obliterated a...Show more »

[Rex's son, Noel Harrison, recalling sitting watching a storm with his father and Rex exclaiming this when a bolt of lightning obliterated a tree in their yard]: Well hit, God! Show less «

It takes a long time to learn to treat the camera as a friend and confidant, which finally you have to do if you're to become a good film ac...Show more »

It takes a long time to learn to treat the camera as a friend and confidant, which finally you have to do if you're to become a good film actor. Show less «

[1980]: I'm now at the age where I've got to prove that I'm just as good as I never was.

Wives are like gilt-edged stocks. The more you have, the greater your dividends.

Heston is an enormously tall man - if I'm six foot one, he must be about six foot three - and I asked my wardrobe man, as I was wearing long...Show more »

Heston is an enormously tall man - if I'm six foot one, he must be about six foot three - and I asked my wardrobe man, as I was wearing long robes, to put a little lift in my shoes, so that I could gain a couple of inches, and meet Heston at his own level. The lifts were duly put in, and I eyed Heston and congratulated myself that at least he no longer towered above me. As the film went on, however, it seemed to me that he was growing. Eyeball to eyeball he was once more a couple of inches taller than I. I looked down at his feet - not a sign of lifts! He must have grown through sheer tenacity. Nether of us made any comment, nor did our wardrobe men - it was a very funny, silent contest. - On making The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) with Charlton Heston Show less «

Eliza Doolittle is supposed to be ill at ease in European ballrooms. Bloody Audrey has never spent a day in her life out of European ballroo...Show more »

Eliza Doolittle is supposed to be ill at ease in European ballrooms. Bloody Audrey has never spent a day in her life out of European ballrooms. - On My Fair Lady (1964) Show less «

The important thing is to learn through experience. The more you do the more you learn. I don't think anyone can teach acting from a podium.

My contract for 'My Fair Lady' was for nine months only - but how could you leave a show like that? It was all far too exciting, and I staye...Show more »

My contract for 'My Fair Lady' was for nine months only - but how could you leave a show like that? It was all far too exciting, and I stayed with it for two years. Show less «

Originally I had a block about appearing in a musical. I went to a voice teacher for a while, but that did no good. My range is about one an...Show more »

Originally I had a block about appearing in a musical. I went to a voice teacher for a while, but that did no good. My range is about one and a half notes. I ended up talking the musical numbers, which was revolutionary at the time. The lyrics are extremely intricate. They move along like a precisely acted scene. If you miss a word - heaven help you - the orchestra rattles past like an express train, and you've got to run like the devil to catch up. Show less «

His reply to how he felt being Knighted by the Queen on July 25th 1989: It was a marvelous moment kneeling there and getting tapped on the s...Show more »

His reply to how he felt being Knighted by the Queen on July 25th 1989: It was a marvelous moment kneeling there and getting tapped on the shoulder. Show less «

Lana Turner is to an evening gown what Frank Lloyd Wright is to a pile of lumber.