Dell Henderson

Dell Henderson

1877-07-04 – 1956-12-02 (age 79) St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
View on IMDb ↗

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Delbert "Dell" Henderson (July 5, 1877 – December 2, 1956) was a Canadian-American actor, director, and writer. He began his long and prolific film career in the early days of silent film.

Born in the Southwestern Ontario city of St. Thomas, Dell Henderson started his acting career on the stage, but appeared in his first movie Monday Morning in a Coney Island Police Court already in 1908. Henderson was a frequent associate of film pioneer D.W. Griffith since 1909 and appeared in numerous of his early shorts in Hollywood. He also acted on a less prolific basis in the movies of producer Mack Sennett and his Keystone Studios. In addition to acting, Henderson also directed nearly 200 silent films between 1911 and 1928. Most of those films are forgotten or lost, but he also directed movies with silent stars like Harry Carey and Roscoe Arbuckle. Henderson also worked as a writer on numerous screenplays.

After retiring from directing in 1927, Henderson turned to acting full-time and played important supporting roles in King Vidor's The Crowd (1928) and as General Marmaduke Pepper in Show People (1928). The advent of sound film damaged his acting career, and he often had to play smaller roles. In the 1930s, the comedic character actor appeared on several occasions as a comic foil for such comedians as The Three Stooges, W. C. Fields and Laurel and Hardy. He often played somewhat pompous figures like judges, businessmen, detectives or mayors. Modern audiences will remember Henderson as annoyed hospital president Dr. Graves in The Three Stooges film Men in Black and the put-upon chaperone in the Little Rascals film Choo-Choo!. He also appeared as a Night Court Judge in Laurel and Hardy's Our Relations (1936) and as a friendly Car salesman in Leo McCarey's drama Make Way for Tomorrow (1937). Henderson ended his film career after numerous small roles in 1950.

Henderson died of a heart attack in Hollywood at the age of 79. He was married with actress Florence Lee until his death, they made several silent films together.

Photos

Known For

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Annie Get Your Gun
Annie Get Your Gun

1950

as Hotel Guest in Hammock (uncredited)

The Awful Truth
The Awful Truth

1937

as Vance's Butler (uncredited)

Make Way for Tomorrow
Make Way for Tomorrow

1937

as Ed Weldon - Auto Salesman (uncredited)

The Major and the Minor
The Major and the Minor

1942

as Doorman (uncredited)

Once Upon a Honeymoon
Once Upon a Honeymoon

1942

as American AttachΓ© (uncredited)

Undercurrent
Undercurrent

1946

as Party Guest (uncredited)

Stranger on the Third Floor
Stranger on the Third Floor

1940

as Detective (uncredited)

It's a Gift
It's a Gift

1934

as Mr. Abernathy

Fifth Avenue Girl
Fifth Avenue Girl

1939

as Headwaiter (uncredited)

The Mystery Man
The Mystery Man

1935

as Mr. Clark, Hotel Manager

The Daring Young Man
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood

1945

as Benson (uncredited)

The Romance of Rosy Ridge
The Romance of Rosy Ridge

1947

as Southerner (uncredited)

Du Barry Was a Lady
Du Barry Was a Lady

1943

as Flunky (uncredited)

Show People
Show People

1928

as Colonel Pepper

The Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers

1936

as Citizen (uncredited)

Ruggles of Red Gap
The Crowd
The Crowd

1928

as Dick

Love Affair
Love Affair

1939

as Cafe Manager (uncredited)