Harold George Bryant Davenport (January 19, 1866August 9, 1949) was an American film and stage actor who worked in show business from the age of six until his death. After a long and prolific Broadway career, he came to Hollywood in the 1930s, where he often played grandfathers, judges, doctors, and ministers. His roles include Dr. Meade in '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and Grandpa in ''

Meet Me in St. Louis ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' is a 1944 American Christmas film, Christmas musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Divided into a series of seasonal vignettes, starting with Summer 1903, it relates the story of a year in the life of the Smith famil ...

'' (1944).

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

once called Davenport "without a doubt . .the greatest

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

of all time."

Early life

Harry Davenport was born in

Canton, Pennsylvania Canton is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 1,723 at the 2020 census. Geography Canton is located in southwestern Bradford County at (41.655805, -76.850706), in ...

, where his family lived during the holidays. He also grew up in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

. Harry came from a long line of stage actors; his father was thespian

Edward Loomis Davenport Edward Loomis Davenport (1816September 1, 1877) was an American actor. Life and career Born in Boston, he made his first appearance on the stage in Providence, Rhode Island in support of Junius Brutus Booth. Afterwards he went to England, where ...

and his mother,

Fanny Vining Davenport Fanny Elizabeth Davenport ( Vining; 17 July 1829 – 20 July 1891) was an English actress who emigrated to America. After her marriage to American tragedian Edward Loomis Davenport, she was known as Mrs. E. L. Davenport. Their children included ...

, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

actress and a descendant of the renowned 18th-century Irish stage actor Jack Johnson. His sister was actress

Fanny Davenport Fanny Lily Gipsey Davenport (April 10, 1850 – September 26, 1898) was an English-American stage actress. Life The eldest child of Edward Loomis Davenport and Fanny Elizabeth (Vining) Gill Davenport, Fanny Lily Gypsey Davenport was born on ...

Career

He made his stage debut at the age of five in the play '' Damon and Pythias''. Davenport made his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in ''The Voyage of Suzette'' (1894) and appeared there in numerous plays.

Film career

Stage actor Harry Davenport (SAYRE 22101)

Harry Davenport was one of the best-known and busiest "old men" in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s. He started his film career at the age of 47, debuting in the 1913 silent short film ''Kenton's Heir''. The next year, he starred in ''Fogg's Millions'' co-starring

Rose Tapley Rose Elizabeth Tapley (June 30, 1881 – February 23, 1956) was an American actress of the stage and an early heroine of silent films. Early life Tapley was born in Salem, Massachusetts. She was the cousin of Captain Robert Bartlett, comm ...

. The film became the first in a series of silent comedy shorts. In addition, he also directed some silent features and many shorts between 1915 and 1917, including many of the films in the ''Mr. and Mrs. Jarr'' series. Harry Davenport played Dr. Meade in '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939). Some of his other film roles are a lone resident in a ghost town in ''

The Bride Came C.O.D. ''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' is a 1941 American screwball romantic comedy starring James Cagney as an airplane pilot and Bette Davis as a runaway heiress, and directed by William Keighley. Although the film was publicized as the first screen pairin ...

'' (1942), filmed on location in Death Valley, and the aged

Louis XI of France Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (french: le Prudent), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revol ...

in ''

The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...

'' (1939) with

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future ...

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for pl ...

and

Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and ...

. He also had supporting roles in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's thriller ''

Foreign Correspondent A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locat ...

'' (1940), William A. Wellman's western ''

The Ox-Bow Incident ''The Ox-Bow Incident'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by William A. Wellman, starring Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews and Mary Beth Hughes, with Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Harry Morgan and Jane Darwell. Two cowboys arrive in a ...

'' (1943) and in ''

Kings Row ''Kings Row'' is a 1942 film starring Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan and Betty Field that tells a story of young people growing up in a small American town at the turn of the twentieth century. The picture was directed by Sam Wood ...

'' (1943) with

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

. Davenport also played the grandfather of

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American stage director and film director. He directed the classic movie musicals '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944), '' An American in Paris'' (1951), ' ...

's classic ''

'' (1944) and the great-uncle of

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. ...

and

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

in '' The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer'' (1947). His last film,

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...

's '' Riding High'' (1950), was released after his death. Harry Davenport appeared in over 160 films. Asked why he made so many films at his age, he replied:

I hate to see men of my age sit down as if their lives were ended and accept a dole. An old man must show that he knows his job and is no loafer. If he can do that, they can take their pension money and buy daisies with it.

Actors' Equity Association

In 1913, he co-founded, along with actor

Eddie Foy Edwin Fitzgerald (March 9, 1856 – February 16, 1928Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; and McNeilly, Donald. ''Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America''. Routledge Press, September 2006, . pp. 406–410), ...

, the

Actors' Equity Association The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a boo ...

, an American labor union for actors. The original organization, known as the White Rats, was spearheaded by Davenport. After a nine-month stretch, the actors' group united in defiance of the appalling treatment of actors by theater owners such as the

Shubert family The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th c ...

and David Belasco, among others, by refusing to appear on stage by striking. The actions of the association caused the closure of all the theatres on

, the only exception being theaters owned by George M. Cohan's company.

Personal life

He and his wife

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

were wed in 1893. They had one daughter,

Dorothy Davenport Fannie Dorothy Davenport (March 13, 1895 – October 12, 1977) was an American actress, screenwriter, film director, and producer. Born into a family of film performers, Davenport had her own independent career before her marriage to the film a ...

, who also became an actress. After divorcing Alice in 1896, he married actress Phyllis Rankin, that same year. They had three biological children: Ned, Ann, and Kate, who all became actors. Harry also adopted Phyllis's son,

Arthur Rankin Arthur Rankin may refer to: *Arthur Rankin (surveyor) (1816–1893), Canadian surveyor, entrepreneur, and politician *Arthur Rankin Jr. Arthur Gardner Rankin Jr. (July 19, 1924 – January 30, 2014) was an American director, producer and wr ...

(actor father of

Arthur Rankin, Jr. Arthur Gardner Rankin Jr. (July 19, 1924 – January 30, 2014) was an American director, producer and writer, who mostly worked in animation. Co-creator of Rankin/Bass Productions with his friend Jules Bass, he created stop-motion animation ...

, founder of the

Rankin/Bass Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment (founded and formerly known as Videocraft International, Ltd. and Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc.) was an American production company located in New York City, and known for its seasonal television specials, usual ...

animation studio). Actress Anne Seymour (born Anne Seymour Eckert) and her brother, radio personality Bill Seymour, were Harry Davenport's great-niece and great-nephew by their mother, May Davenport. Through his marriage to Phyllis, he was the brother-in-law of

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''A Free Soul'' (1931 ...

, who was married at the time to Phyllis' sister Doris. Phyllis's father, McKee Rankin, had been the top actor at the Arch Street Theater, which was run by Lionel's grandmother and Sidney's mother,

Louisa Lane Drew Louisa Lane Drew (January 10, 1820 – August 31, 1897) was an English-born American actress and theatre owner and an ancestor of the Barrymore acting family. Professionally she was often known as Mrs. John Drew. Life and career Louisa L ...

. He was the grandfather of producer Dirk Wayne Summers,

Arthur Rankin Jr. Arthur Gardner Rankin Jr. (July 19, 1924 – January 30, 2014) was an American director, producer and writer, who mostly worked in animation. Co-creator of Rankin/Bass Productions with his friend Jules Bass, he created stop-motion animation ...

, and Wallace Reid Jr. After Phyllis's death, Davenport moved to Los Angeles and lived with his now-grown children. He died of a sudden

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

at age 83, one hour after he asked his agent Walter Herzbrun about a new film role. He was buried in

Kensico Cemetery Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads that served the city. Initially , it ...

Westchester County, New York Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

. In the obituary, a newspaper called him the "white-haired character actor" with "the longest acting career in American history".

Filmography

Actor

* ''Kenton's Heir'' (1913, Short) as The Doctor * ''Too Many Husbands'' (1914, Short) as Dr. Crane * ''The Accomplished Mrs. Thompson'' (1914, Short) * ''Fogg's Millions'' (1914, Short) * ''Rainy, the Lion Killer'' (1914, Short) as Jack Brown * ''The Professional Scapegoat'' (1914, Short) as The Lawyer *'' Damon and Pythias'' (1914) as Phillistus * '' C.O.D.'' (1914) as C.O. Darlington * ''The Jarr Family Discovers Harlem'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr Brings Home a Turkey'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and the Lady Reformer'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr Takes a Night Off'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr's Magnetic Friend'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''The Closing of the Circuit'' (1915, Short) as Mary's Father * ''The Jarrs Visit Arcadia'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and the Dachshund'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr Visits His Home Town'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mrs. Jarr's Auction Bridge'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mrs. Jarr and the Beauty Treatment'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and the Ladies' Cup'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Philanthropic Tommy'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Moreland * ''Mr. Jarr and Love's Young Dream'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and the Captive Maid'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and Gertrude's Beaux'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr's Big Vacation'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and Circumstantial Evidence'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mr. Jarr and the Visiting Firemen'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * ''Mrs. Jarr and the Society Circus'' (1915, Short) as Mr. Jarr * '' Father and the Boys'' (1915) as Tobias Ford * ''One Night'' (1916) * ''Fashion and Fury'' (1916, Short) as The Gardener * ''O'Hagan's Scoop'' (1916, Short) as The City Editor * '' The Wheel of the Law'' (1916) as John Daniels * ''The Father of Her Child'' (1916, Short) as Farmer Gray * ''The Heart of a Fool'' (1916, Short) as Abe Peters, aka Gash * ''

Sowers and Reapers ''Sowers and Reapers'' is a lost 1917 silent film feature produced by Rolfe Photoplays and distributed by Metro Pictures. George D. Baker directed and Emmy Wehlen starred.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1911-20'' published ...

'' (1917) as Henry Ainsworth * '' The Planter'' (1917) as Short * '' The Unknown Quantity'' (1919) as Septimus Kinsolving * '' A Girl at Bay'' (1919) as Frank Galt * ''

Among Those Present ''Among Those Present'' is a 1921 American "three-reeler" silent comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and starring Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis and Mary Pickford . Plot Mrs. O'Brien (Herring) is eager to be accepted as part of high societ ...

'' (1921, Short) (uncredited) * '' My Sin'' (1931) as Roger Metcalf * '' His Woman'' (1931) as Customs Inspector (uncredited) * '' The Wiser Sex'' (1932) as Rolfe's Defense Attorney (uncredited) * ''

Get That Venus ''Get That Venus'' is a 1933 American comedy film directed by Arthur Varney and starring Ernest Truex, Jean Arthur and Harry Davenport.Koszarski p.306 Cast * Ernest Truex as Tom Wilson * Jean Arthur as Margaret Rendleby * Harry Davenport as ...

'' (1933) as Mr. Rendleby * '' The Scoundrel'' (1935) as Slezack * '' The Case of the Black Cat'' (1936) as Peter Laxter * ''

Legion of Terror ''Legion of Terror'' is a 1936 American drama/action film, directed by Charles C. Coleman. The film, which stars Bruce Cabot, Marguerite Churchill, Ward Bond, and Crawford Weaver, is a fictionalized story about the real-life Ku Klux Klan splinter ...

'' (1936) as Senator Morton (uncredited) * '' Three Men on a Horse'' (1936) as Williams * ''

Four Days' Wonder ''Four Days' Wonder'' is a 1936 American comedy mystery film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Jeanne Dante, Kenneth Howell and Martha Sleeper. Produced by Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, ...

'' (1936) as Ticket Agent * ''

King of Hockey ''King of Hockey'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by George Bricker. The film stars Dick Purcell, Anne Nagel, Marie Wilson, Wayne Morris, George E. Stone and Joseph Crehan. The film was released by Warner ...

'' (1936) as Tom McKenna * ''

Under Cover of Night ''Under Cover of Night'' is a 1937 American action film directed by George B. Seitz, written by Bertram Millhauser, and starring Edmund Lowe, Florence Rice, Nat Pendleton, Henry Daniell, Sara Haden and Dean Jagger. It was released on January 8, ...

'' (1937) as Dr. Reed * ''

Paradise Express ''Paradise Express'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Joseph Kane. Plot summary The Moon Valley Railroad is losing money to the Armstrong Trucking Company, which is owned by gangsters. When the railroad goes into receivership, it i ...

'' (1937) as Jed Carson * '' Her Husband's Secretary'' (1937) as Dan Kingdon * '' Maytime'' (1937) as Opera Director (uncredited) * '' As Good as Married'' (1937) as Jessup * '' Armored Car'' (1937) as Pop Logan * ''

Fly-Away Baby ''Fly-Away Baby'' (a.k.a. ''Fly Away Baby'') is a 1937 American crime-mystery film starring Glenda Farrell as reporter Torchy Blane, along with her detective boyfriend, Steve McBride ( Barton MacLane) solving a murder and smuggling case during a ...

'' (1937) as Colonel Higgam * ''

They Won't Forget ''They Won't Forget'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claude Rains, Gloria Dickson, Edward Norris, and Lana Turner, in her feature debut. It was based on a novel by Ward Greene called ''Death in the Deep Sou ...

'' (1937) as Confederate Soldier * ''

White Bondage ''White Bondage'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Nick Grinde and written by Anthony Coldeway. The film stars Jean Muir, Gordon Oliver, Howard Phillips, Joe King, Harry Davenport and Virginia Brissac. The film was released by Warne ...

'' (1937) as Pop Craig * ''

The Life of Emile Zola ''The Life of Emile Zola'' is a 1937 American biographical film about the 19th-century French author Émile Zola starring Paul Muni and directed by William Dieterle. It premiered at the Los Angeles Carthay Circle Theatre to great critical and ...

'' (1937) as Chief of Staff * ''

Mr. Dodd Takes the Air ''Mr. Dodd Takes the Air'' is a 1937 American musical comedy film. Composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin were nominated at the 10th Academy Awards in the category of Best Song for "Remember Me". Plot summary A small town electrician becom ...

'' (1937) as Doc Jeremiah George Quinn * ''

Fit for a King ''Fit for a King'' is a 1937 American film starring Joe E. Brown and directed by Edward Sedgwick. Plot summary Newspaper reporter "Scoop (term), Scoops" (Brown) is sent out on assignment, to investigate the failed assassination attempts on Arc ...

'' (1937) as Archduke Julio * '' Radio Patrol'' (1937, Serial) as John P. Adams * ''

The Perfect Specimen ''The Perfect Specimen'' is a 1937 film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Joan Blondell. The picture is based on a novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams. It was Flynn's first comedy. Plot Gerald Wicks, the heir to a large fortune, ...

'' (1937) as Carl Carter * ''

The Great Garrick ''The Great Garrick'' is a 1937 American historical comedy film directed by James Whale and starring Brian Aherne, Olivia de Havilland, and Edward Everett Horton. The film also features Lionel Atwill, Luis Alberni, Melville Cooper, and fu ...

'' (1937) as Innkeeper of Turk's Head (uncredited) * ''

First Lady First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non- monarchical head of state or chief executive. The term is also used to describe a woman seen to be at the ...

'' (1937) as Charles * ''

Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...

'' (1937) as Ingalls - Banker * '' Man-Proof'' (1938) as Hitch-Hiking Old Man (uncredited) * '' Gold Is Where You Find It'' (1938) as Dr. Parsons * '' Reckless Living'' (1938) as 'General' Jeff * ''

The First Hundred Years ''The First Hundred Years'' is the first ongoing TV soap opera in the United States that began as a daytime serial, airing on CBS from December 4, 1950 until June 27, 1952. A previous daytime drama on NBC, '' These Are My Children'', aired in 19 ...

'' (1938) as Uncle Dawson * ''

The Higgins Family ''The Higgins Family'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Paul Gerard Smith and Jack Townley. The film stars James Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Russell Gleason, Lynne Roberts, Harry Davenport and William Bakewell. T ...

'' (1938) as Grandpa William Jordan * '' The Rage of Paris'' (1938) as Pop - the Caretaker * ''

Young Fugitives ''Young Fugitives'' is a 1938 American crime film directed by John Rawlins and written by Ben Grauman Kohn and Charles Grayson. The film stars Robert Wilcox, Dorothea Kent, Harry Davenport, Larry J. Blake, Clem Bevans and Mira McKinney. The f ...

'' (1938) as Joel Bentham * ''

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...

'' (1938) as Monsieur de Cosse (uncredited) * '' You Can't Take It with You'' (1938) as Night Court Judge * '' The Sisters'' (1938) as Doc Moore * '' The Cowboy and the Lady'' (1938) as Uncle Hannibal Smith * ''

Orphans of the Street ''Orphans of the Street'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by John H. Auer and written by Eric Taylor, Jack Townley and Olive Cooper. The film stars Tommy Ryan, Robert Livingston, June Storey, Ralph Morgan, Harry Davenport and James Bur ...

'' (1938) as Doc Will Ramsey * '' Long Shot'' (1939) as Henry Sharon * '' Made for Each Other'' (1939) as Dr. Healy (uncredited) * '' Tail Spin'' (1939) as T.P. Lester * ''

The Story of Alexander Graham Bell ''The Story of Alexander Graham Bell'' is a somewhat fictionalized 1939 biographical film of the famous inventor. It was filmed in black-and-white and released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The film stars Don Ameche as Bell and Loretta Young as Mab ...

'' (1939) as Judge Rider * '' Juarez'' (1939) as Dr. Samuel Basch * ''

My Wife's Relatives ''My Wife's Relatives'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Jack Townley. The film stars James Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Russell Gleason, Harry Davenport (actor), Harry Davenport, Lynne Roberts and Tommy Ryan. The fi ...

'' (1939) as Grandpa Ed Carson * '' Exile Express'' (1939) as Dr. Hite * '' Should Husbands Work?'' (1939) as Grandpa Higgins * '' Death of a Champion'' (1939) as Guy Lanyard * ''

The Covered Trailer ''The Covered Trailer'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Jack Townley. The film stars James Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Russell Gleason, Harry Davenport, Mary Beth Hughes and Tommy Ryan. The film was released ...

'' (1939) as Grandpa Ed Carson * '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939) as Dr. Meade * ''

'' (1939) as King Louis XI * '' Money to Burn'' (1939) as Grandpa Ed Carson * ''

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet ''Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet'' is a 1940 American biographical film directed by William Dieterle and starring Edward G. Robinson, based on the true story of the German doctor and scientist Dr. Paul Ehrlich. The film was released by Warner Bros., w ...

'' (1940) as Judge * '' Granny Get Your Gun'' (1940) as Nate * ''

Too Many Husbands ''Too Many Husbands'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''My Two Husbands'') is a 1940 American romantic comedy film about a woman who loses her husband in a boating accident and remarries, only to have her first spouse reappear—yet another var ...

'' (1940) as George * ''

Grandpa Goes to Town ''Grandpa Goes to Town'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Jack Townley. The film stars James Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Russell Gleason, Harry Davenport, Lois Ranson and Maxie Rosenbloom. The film was released on ...

'' (1940) as Grandpa * ''

All This, and Heaven Too ''All This, and Heaven Too'' is a 1940 American drama film made by Warner Bros.-First National Pictures, produced and directed by Anatole Litvak with Hal B. Wallis as executive producer. The screenplay was adapted by Casey Robinson from the 1938 ...

'' (1940) as Pierre * '' Lucky Partners'' (1940) as Judge * ''

'' (1940) as Mr. Powers * '' Earl of Puddlestone'' (1940) as Grandpa Ed Carson * ''

I Want a Divorce ''I Want a Divorce'' is a 1940 Paramount film directed by Ralph Murphy. The screenplay was written by Frank Butler (based on a story by Adela Rogers St. Johns). The film starred then-married actors Joan Blondell and Dick Powell, who would later ...

'' (1940) as Grandpa Brokaw * ''

Meet John Doe ''Meet John Doe'' is a 1941 American comedy-drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra, written by Robert Riskin, and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The film is about a "grassroots" political campaign created unwittingly by ...

'' (1941) as Former Bulletin Owner (uncredited) * '' I Wanted Wings'' (1941) as 'Sandbags' Riley * '' That Uncertain Feeling'' (1941) as Jone * ''

'' (1941) as Pop Tolliver * '' Hurricane Smith'' (1941) as Robert Ingersoll Reed * ''

One Foot in Heaven ''One Foot in Heaven'' is a 1941 American biographical film starring Fredric March, Martha Scott, Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart and Elisabeth Fraser. The film was adapted by Casey Robinson from the autobiography by Hartzell Spence. It was directed ...

'' (1941) as Elias Samson * '' Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake'' (1942) as Amos Kidder * ''

'' (1942) as Colonel Skeffington * '' Larceny, Inc.'' (1942) as Homer Bigelow * ''

Ten Gentlemen from West Point ''Ten Gentlemen from West Point'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring George Montgomery, Maureen O'Hara and John Sutton. Its cinematography was nominated for an Academy Award in 1943. George Montgomery replac ...

'' (1942) as Bane * ''

Tales of Manhattan ''Tales of Manhattan'' is a 1942 American anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart, worked on the six stories in this film. Ba ...

'' (1942) as Professor Lyons * ''

The Amazing Mrs. Holliday ''The Amazing Mrs. Holliday'' is a 1943 American comedy drama film produced and directed by Bruce Manning and starring Deanna Durbin, Edmond O'Brien, and Barry Fitzgerald. Based on a story by Sonya Levien, the film is about a young idealistic mi ...

'' (1943) as Commodore Thomas Spencer Holliday * '' Shantytown'' (1943) as 'Doc' Herndon * ''

'' (1943) as Arthur Davies * '' We've Never Been Licked'' (1943) as Pop Lambert * ''

Headin' for God's Country ''Headin' for God's Country'' is a 1943 American action film directed by William Morgan and written by Houston Branch and Elizabeth Meehan. The film stars William Lundigan, Virginia Dale, Harry Davenport, Harry Shannon, Addison Richards and ...

'' (1943) as Clem Adams * ''

Princess O'Rourke ''Princess O'Rourke'' is a 1943 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Norman Krasna (in Krasna's directorial debut), and starring Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummings and Charles Coburn. Krasna won the 1944 Oscar for Best Origin ...

'' (1943) as Supreme Court Judge * '' Gangway for Tomorrow'' (1943) as Fred Taylor * '' Government Girl'' (1943) as Senator MacVickers * ''

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...

'' (1943) as Prof. Hilliard * ''

December 7th Events Pre-1600 *43 BC – Marcus Tullius Cicero is assassinated in Formia on orders of Marcus Antonius. * 574 – Byzantine Emperor Justin II, suffering recurring seizures of insanity, adopts his general Tiberius and proclaims hi ...

'' (1943) as Mr. 'C' * '' Kismet'' (1944) as Agha * '' The Impatient Years'' (1944) as Minister * ''

'' (1944) as Grandpa * '' Music for Millions'' (1944) as Doctor * ''

The Thin Man Goes Home ''The Thin Man Goes Home'' is a 1945 comedy- mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe. It is the fifth of the six '' Thin Man'' films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Dashiell Hammett's dapper ex-private detective Nick Charles and his ...

'' (1945) as Dr. Bertram Charles * '' This Love of Ours'' (1945) as Dr. Wilkerson * ''

She Wouldn't Say Yes ''She Wouldn't Say Yes'' is a 1945 screwball comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Rosalind Russell and Lee Bowman. Plot A psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Lane, is leaving a military hospital after spending two weeks working with patients ...

'' (1945) as Albert * ''

Too Young to Know ''Too Young to Know'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by Frederick de Cordova, and written by Jo Pagano, and starring Joan Leslie, Robert Hutton, Dolores Moran, Harry Davenport, Rosemary DeCamp and Barbara Brown. It was released by Warne ...

'' (1945) as Judge Boller * '' The Enchanted Forest'' (1945) as Old John * '' Pardon My Past'' (1945) as Grandpa Pemberton * ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' (1945) as Dr. Ashlon * '' Claudia and David'' (1946) as Dr. Harry * ''

Courage of Lassie ''Courage of Lassie'' is a 1946 Technicolor MGM feature film starring Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Morgan, and dog actor Pal in a story about a collie named Bill and his young companion, Kathie Merrick. When Bill is separated from Kathie following a v ...

'' (1946) as Judge Payson * '' G.I. War Brides'' (1946) as Grandpa Giles * '' Faithful in My Fashion'' (1946) as Great Grandpa * '' Three Wise Fools'' (1946) as The Ancient * ''

Lady Luck Lady Luck, a personification of luck, may refer to: Fiction and mythology * Fortuna, in Roman mythology, goddess of fortune * Tyche, in Greek mythology, goddess of fortune * Lady Luck (comics), a character created by Will Eisner Film * '' ...

'' (1946) as Judge Martin * '' A Boy and His Dog'' (1946, Short) as Squire Jim Kirby * '' The Farmer's Daughter'' (1947) as Dr. Matthew Sulven * ''

Stallion Road ''Stallion Road'' is a 1947 American Drama Western film directed by James V. Kern, written by Stephen Longstreet, and starring Ronald Reagan, Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott, Peggy Knudsen, Patti Brady and Harry Davenport. It was released by Warner ...

'' (1947) as Dr. Stevens * '' Keeper of the Bees'' (1947) as Michael Worthington * '' The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer'' (1947) as Judge Thaddeus Turner * '' That Hagen Girl'' (1947) as Judge Merrivale * '' The Fabulous Texan'' (1947) as Rev. Baker * ''

Three Daring Daughters ''Three Daring Daughters'' (UK title: ''The Birds and the Bees'') is a 1948 musical Technicolor film directed by Fred M. Wilcox and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay was written by Albert Mannheimer, Frederick Kohner, Sonya Levien ...

'' (1948) as Dr. Cannon * '' The Man from Texas'' (1948) as 'Pop' Hickey * ''

That Lady in Ermine ''That Lady in Ermine'' is a 1948 American Technicolor musical film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. The screenplay by Samson Raphaelson is based on the 1919 operetta ''Die Frau im Hermelin'' by Rudolph Schanzer and Ernst Welisch. Although Lubitsch ...

'' (1948) as Luigi * '' For the Love of Mary'' (1948) as Justice Peabody * ''

The Decision of Christopher Blake ''The Decision of Christopher Blake'' is a 1948 American drama film based upon the Moss Hart play. It was adapted by Ranald MacDougall and directed by Peter Godfrey. The film stars Alexis Smith, Robert Douglas, Cecil Kellaway, Ted Donaldson, ...

'' (1948) as Courtroom Attendant * '' Down to the Sea in Ships'' (1949) as Benjamin Harris * ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the live ...

'' (1949) as Dr. Barnes * '' That Forsyte Woman'' (1949) as Old Jolyon Forsyte * ''

Tell It to the Judge ''Tell It to the Judge'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Foster and starring Rosalind Russell as a divorcee who tries to get back her ex-husband, played by Robert Cummings. Plot Appointed to be a federal judge, Marsha ...

'' (1949) as Judge MacKenzie Meredith * '' Riding High'' (1950) as Johnson (final film)

Director

* ''The Island of Regeneration'' (1915) * ''The Jarr Family Discovers Harlem'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr Brings Home a Turkey'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and the Lady Reformer'' (1915, Short) * ''The Enemies'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr Takes a Night Off'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr's Magnetic Friend'' (1915, Short) * ''The Closing of the Circuit'' (1915, Short) * ''The Jarrs Visit Arcadia'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and the Dachshund'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr Visits His Home Town'' (1915, Short) * ''Mrs. Jarr's Auction Bridge'' (1915, Short) * ''Mrs. Jarr and the Beauty Treatment'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and the Ladies' Cup'' (1915, Short) * ''Philanthropic Tommy'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and Love's Young Dream'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and the Captive Maid'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and Gertrude's Beaux'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr's Big Vacation'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and Circumstantial Evidence'' (1915, Short) * ''Mr. Jarr and the Visiting Firemen'' (1915, Short) * ''Mrs. Jarr and the Society Circus'' (1915, Short) * ''The Woman in the Box'' (1915, Short) * '' The Making Over of Geoffrey Manning'' (1915) * ''For a Woman's Fair Name'' (1916) * ''The Supreme Temptation'' (1916) * ''Myrtle the Manicurist'' (1916, Short) * ''The Rookie'' (1916, Short) * ''The Resurrection of Hollis'' (1916, Short) * ''O'Hagan's Scoop'' (1916, Short) * ''Carew and Son'' (1916, Short) * ''Letitia'' (1916, Short) * ''The Heart of a Fool'' (1916, Short) * '' A Woman Alone'' (1917) * ''Tillie Wakes Up'' (1917) * ''The Millionaire's Double'' (1917) * ''The False Friend'' (1917) * ''A Son of the Hills'' (1917) * ''A Man's Law'' (1917)

References

External links

* *
Obituary

"Harry Davenport Biography" by Hal Erickson, Allmovie

Harry Davenport and Phyllis Rankin family papers, 1857-circa 1946
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Metro ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davenport, Harry 1866 births 1949 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors American people of English descent Silent film directors People from Canton, Pennsylvania Male actors from Philadelphia 19th-century American male actors American male stage actors 20th-century American male actors Burials at Kensico Cemetery Film directors from Pennsylvania