Rex Harrison Trivia

Trivia

  • Father, with Lilli Palmer, of Carey Harrison.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • 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!".
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • 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".
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • 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").
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • Chuck Jones has stated that Bugs Bunny's character was based on an amalgam of Rex Harrison, Dorthy Parker and D'Artagnian.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • Grandfather of Cathryn Harrison and Simon Harrison.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • His son, Carey Harrison, was born in 1944.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • 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.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • Father, with Collette Thomas, of actor Noel Harrison.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Editor wdwdemo
  • 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.".
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • When filming Doctor Dolittle (1967), was frequently bitten by the animals.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • His first name [Rex] means `King` in Latin.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • 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.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Discovered Carole Landis` body the day she committed suicide. He had dined with her the previous night.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • 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.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • 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.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Is the basis for the voice of Stewie Griffin on "Family Guy" (1999).
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Turned down the lead role in 13 Rue Madeleine (1947). It then went to James Cagney.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Once punched Frank Sinatra in the jaw, thinking the singer was hitting on his wife, Lilli Palmer. Afterwards the two men became good friends.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • 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.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of England at the age of 81. This was unusual since historically knighthood was not bestowed on anyone who had lived abroad or married more than once, both of which Harrison had done. [1989]
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Was cremated and part of his ashes were scattered in Italy in Portofino and on the grave of his second wife, Lilli Palmer.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Father, with Lilli Palmer, of Carey Harrison. Father, with Collette Thomas, of actor Noel Harrison. Grandfather of Cathryn Harrison and Simon Harrison.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Has a style of hat named after him.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Blind in one eye as the result of a childhood illness.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Father of Carey Harrison.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Frequently wore a specific ring with a dark square-cut stone, on his pinky finger of his left hand. It appears in almost all of his films.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • 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.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Died three weeks after his final stage appearance as Lord Porteous in "The Circle" (1990).
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Turned down the role of The King in "The King and I". The role went to Yul Brynner`.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Hated the nickname given to him by the press, "Sexy Rexy".
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Favorite beverage was Guinness Stout.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Winner of 2 Tony Awards for Best actor for "Anne of the Thousand Days" and "My Fair Lady".
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
  • Married 6 times.
    (imdb.com)
    Posted by Chief Editor CindyCelebs
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