Henry Travers
Biography
Henry Travers was an English film and stage character actor born on March 4, 1874, in Prudhoe, Northumberland, England, UK. His birth name was Travers John Heagerty. He was a veteran of the English stage before emigrating to the United States in 1917, where he gained further stage experience on Broadway working with the Theatre Guild. He began his long film career with Reunion in Vienna in 1933. Over a career spanning twenty-five years, Travers specialized in portraying slightly bumbling, amiable, and likeable older men with a kindly, grandfatherly demeanor. Notable roles included playing Joan Leslie's kindly but slyly observant uncle in High Sierra in 1941, the generous Mr. Bogardus in The Bells of St. Mary's in 1945, and the somewhat befuddled angel Clarence Oddbody assigned to James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life in 1946. Travers died on October 18, 1965, at the age of ninety-one.
Career overview
Henry Travers, born Travers John Heagerty on March 4, 1874, in Prudhoe, Northumberland, England, was an English film and stage character actor. Before emigrating to the United States in 1917, he was a veteran of the English stage. Once in the United States, he gained additional stage experience on Broadway working with the Theatre Guild. Travers specialized in portraying slightly bumbling, amiable, and likeable older men, and his kindly, grandfatherly demeanor became familiar to filmgoers over a career spanning 25 years.
He began his long film career with Reunion in Vienna in 1933. Over the following decades, he appeared in numerous motion pictures, accumulating 53 known acting credits. Notable film appearances include High Sierra in 1941, where he played Joan Leslie's kindly but slyly observant uncle, and The Bells of St. Mary's in 1945, in which he portrayed the generous Mr. Bogardus.
However, Travers is perhaps best known for his role as the somewhat befuddled angel Clarence Oddbody, assigned to James Stewart in the classic film It's a Wonderful Life in 1946. Travers passed away on October 18, 1965, at the age of 91.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
53 titles- James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987) as Self (archive footage)
- The Accused (1949) as Blakely - Romley's Assistant (uncredited)
- The Girl from Jones Beach (1949) as Judge Bullfinch
- Beyond Glory (1948) as Pop Dewing
- The Flame (1947) as Dr. Mitchell
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Clarence
- The Yearling (1946) as Mr. Boyles
- Gallant Journey (1946) as Thomas Logan
- The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) as Horace P. Bogardus
- The Naughty Nineties (1945) as Capt. Sam Jackson
- Thrill of a Romance (1945) as Hobart Glenn
- Dragon Seed (1944) as Third Cousin
- The Very Thought of You (1944) as Pop Wheeler
- None Shall Escape (1944) as Father Warecki
- Shadow of a Doubt (1943) as Joseph Newton
- Madame Curie (1943) as Eugene Curie
- The Moon Is Down (1943) as Mayor Orden
- Mrs. Miniver (1942) as Mr. Ballard
- Random Harvest (1942) as Dr. Sims
- Pierre of the Plains (1942) as Percival Wellsby
- Ball of Fire (1941) as Prof. Jerome
- High Sierra (1941) as Pa
- A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob (1941) as Abel Martin
- I'll Wait for You (1941) as Mr. Miller
- The Bad Man (1941) as Mr. Hardy
- Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) as Matey
- Primrose Path (1940) as Gramp
- Edison, the Man (1940) as Ben Els
- Wyoming (1940) as Sheriff
- Dodge City (1939) as Dr. Irving
- Stanley and Livingstone (1939) as John Kingsley
- The Rains Came (1939) as Rev. Homer Smiley
- Dark Victory (1939) as Dr. Parsons
- On Borrowed Time (1939) as Dr. Evans
- You Can't Get Away with Murder (1939) as Pop
- Remember? (1939) as Judge Milliken
- The Sisters (1938) as Ned Elliott
- Too Many Parents (1936) as Wilkins
- Captain Hurricane (1935) as Capt. Ben
- Seven Keys to Baldpate (1935) as Lem Peters
- Pursuit (1935) as Tom Reynolds
- After Office Hours (1935) as Cap
- Four Hours to Kill! (1935) as Mac Mason
- Maybe It's Love (1935) as Mr. Halevy
- Escapade (1935) as Concierge
- Death Takes a Holiday (1934) as Baron Cesarea
- Ready for Love (1934) as Judge Pickett
- Born to Be Bad (1934) as Fuzzy
- The Party's Over (1934) as Theodore
- The Invisible Man (1933) as Dr. Cranley
- Reunion in Vienna (1933) as Father Krug
- My Weakness (1933) as Ellery Gregory
- Another Language (1933) as Pop Hallam
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Henry Travers best known for?
Henry Travers is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Saki (2009), High Sierra (1941).
When and where was Henry Travers born?
Henry Travers was born on March 4, 1874 in Prudhoe, Northumberland, England, UK. They passed away on October 18, 1965.
How many credits does Henry Travers have?
Henry Travers has accumulated over 53 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1933 to 1987.
What is Henry Travers's background in cinema and television?
Henry Travers was an English film and stage character actor born on March 4, 1874, in Prudhoe, Northumberland, England, UK. His birth name was Travers John Heagerty. He was a veteran of the English stage before emigrating to the United States in 1917, where he gained further stage experience on Broadway working with th...
Henry Travers by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Clarence — aged about 72
- Shadow of a Doubt (1943) as Joseph Newton — aged about 69
- The Invisible Man (1933) as Dr. Cranley — aged about 59
- High Sierra (1941) as Pa — aged about 67
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