Date of Birth

5 March 1908, Huyton, Lancashire, England, UK (now Huyton, Knowsley, Merseyside, England, UK)

Date of Death

2 June 1990, New York City, New York, USA

Born in 1908 in Lancashire, England, Reginald Carey Harrison 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 Lili 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 Lili 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 Lili 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".

Winner of 2 Tony Awards for Best actor for "Anne of the Thousand Days" and "My Fair Lady".

Favorite beverage was Guinness Stout.

Hated the nickname given to him by the press, "Sexy Rexy".

Turned down the role of The King in "The King and I". The role went to Yul Brynner'.

Died three weeks after his final stage appearance as Lord Porteous in "The Circle" (1990).

Was so fanatical about wine that he often sent the bottles back if it was not to his liking, sometimes even to his own wine cellar.

Frequently wore a specific ring with a dark square-cut stone, on his little finger of his left hand. It appears in almost all of his films.

Father of Carey Harrison.

Was almost completely blind in the left eye as the result of a childhood bout of measles.

Has a style of hat named after him.

Father, with Lilli Palmer, of Carey Harrison.

Father, with Collette Thomas, of actor Noel Harrison.

Grandfather of Cathryn Harrison and Simon Harrison.

Was cremated and part of his ashes were scattered in Italy in Portofino and on the grave of his second wife, Lilli Palmer.

His son, Carey Harrison, was born in 1944.

Won three Tony Awards: in 1949, as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "Anne of the Thousand Days"; in 1957, as Best Actor (Musical) for "My Fair Lady", which he recreated in an Oscar-winning performance in the film version of the same title, My Fair Lady (1964) and a Special Tony Award in 1969. He was also nominated in 1984 as Best Actor (Play) for his role as Capt. Shotover in George Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House".

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965.

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of England at the age of 81. [1989]

Turned down the role of the Prince in the Broadway production of Noel Coward's "The Girl Who Came To Supper" in order to do My Fair Lady (1964). The role went to José Ferrer.

Once punched Frank Sinatra in the jaw, thinking the singer was hitting on his wife, Lilli Palmer. Afterwards the two men became good friends.

Turned down the lead role in 13 Rue Madeleine (1947). It then went to James Cagney.

When he accepted his Academy Award for My Fair Lady (1964), he dedicated it to his "two fair ladies", Audrey Hepburn and Julie Andrews. Andrews had played Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway production, but was passed over for the film version in favor of Hepburn.

Is the basis for the voice of Stewie Griffin on "Family Guy" (1999).

One of only eight actors to have won both a Tony and an Oscar for having portrayed the same role on stage and screen ("My Fair Lady"). The others are: Joel Grey ("Cabaret"); Shirley Booth ("Come Back, Little Sheba"); Yul Brynner ("The King and I"); Anne Bancroft ("The Miracle Worker"); Paul Scofield ("A Man For All Seasons"); Jack Albertson ("The Subject Was Roses") and José Ferrer ("Cyrano de Bergerac").

Despite extensive vocal training after landing the part of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady (1964), he was unable to sing a note. In the end the director gave up and told him to quasi-speak the whole thing.

He had a reputation for being very abrupt with his fans. One night, after a stage performance of "My Fair Lady", it was late, cold and pouring with rain and there was an old woman standing alone outside the Stage Door. When she saw Rex, she asked him for his autograph. Rex told her to "Sod off", and the old woman was so enraged at this that she rolled up her program and hit him with it. Stanley Holloway, who had followed Rex out in time to see this, congratulated him on not only making theater history but, for the first time in world history, "the fan has hit the shit!".

Discovered Carole Landis' body the day she committed suicide. He had dined with her the previous night.

He was the brother-in-law of Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, one of the prosecutors at the Nuremberg Trials, the British Home Secretary from 1951 to 1954 and the Lord Chancellor from 1954 to 1962.

His first name [Rex] means 'King' in Latin.

Chuck Jones has stated that Bugs Bunny's character was based on an amalgam of Rex Harrison, Dorothy Parker and D'Artagnan.

When filming Doctor Dolittle (1967), was frequently bitten by the animals.

He was reportedly considered for the role of Nicholas II in Nicholas and Alexandra (1971). However, a recent biography of producer Sam Spiegel revealed that Harrison was in fact never offered the part, since at 63 he was too old to play the Tsar, who was only fifty at the time of his death. Harrison was in fact offered the role of Count Witte, but replied, "Tell him [Spiegel] that I don't play bit parts.".

Won a 1969 Special Tony Award (New York City).

In a 1963 interview his friend Dirk Bogarde named Harrison as the actor who had influenced him most.

Retired from films after making The Fifth Musketeer (1979), but continued to act on Broadway and television.

He never had any acting lessons.

Quit smoking after suffering from pains in his legs.

Continued to act on Broadway until almost the very end of his life despite suffering from pancreatic cancer, painful teeth and glaucoma in his only eye.

Harrison nearly missed out on reprising his stage role of Henry Higgins in the film version of My Fair Lady (1964), since he was in his mid-fifties and the character was supposed to be in his late thirties.

Contrary to some sources, Harrison was never considered to play James Bond in Dr. No (1962) because of his age.

First came to notice in the London stage version of "French Without Tears" in 1937, but was not considered for the 1940 film version since he was unknown in Hollywood.

Twice appeared with fellow Academy Award winner Claudette Colbert late in their careers in Broadway productions; "The Kingfisher" by William Douglas-Home opening at the Biltmore Theatre on December 16, 1978 running for 181 performances and "Aren't We All" by Frederick Lonsdale opening at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on April 2, 1985 running for 93 performances.

He was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.

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