Leslie Henson

Birth : 1891-08-03, London, England, UK

Death : 1957-12-02

History

From Wikipedia Leslie Lincoln Henson (3 August 1891 – 2 December 1957) was an English comedian, actor, producer for films and theatre, and film director. He initially worked in silent films and Edwardian musical comedy and became a popular music hall comedian who enjoyed a long stage career. He was famous for his bulging eyes, malleable face and raspy voice and helped to form the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) during the Second World War. Henson's post war stage success continued in revues, musicals and plays, including a West End adaptation of The Diary of a Nobody in 1955. Henson's film career was intermittent, and he made 14 films from 1916 to 1956. The most notable of these was Tons of Money in 1924, which introduced the popular Aldwych farces to British cinema audiences for the first time. In 1956. Henson died at his home in Harrow Weald, Middlesex, in 1957. He was 66.

Movies

Home and Away

Uncle Tom

When George discovers that he has won the pools, there is huge excitement in the household. But it turns out that it's his son who has won, in partnership with the son of a woman against whom George has some ill feelings.

The Demi-Paradise

Himself

Ivan Kouznetsoff, a Russian engineer, recounts during World War II his stay in England prior to the war working on a new propeller for ice-breaking ships. Naïve about British people and convinced by hearsay that they are shallow and hypocritical, Ivan is both bemused and amused by them. He is blunt in his opinions about Britons and at first this puts off his hosts, including the lovely Ann Tisdall, whose grandfather runs the shipbuilding firm that will make use of Ivan's propeller. The longer Ivan stays, however, the more he comes to understand the humor, warmth, strength, and conviction of the British people, and the more they come to see him as a friend rather than merely a suspicious Russian. As a romantic bond grows between Ivan and Ann, a cultural bond begins to grow as well, particularly as the war begins and Russia is attacked by Germany.

Oh, Daddy!

Lord Wilfred Pye

Member of a village Purity League branch find things much livelier on a trip to London.

The Girl from Maxim's

Dr. Petypon

A Doctor tries to pass off a singer as his wife in Paris in 1904.

It's a Boy

James Skippett

"It's a Boy" stars Horton as Dudley Leake, who is betrothed to Mary Bogle (the very pretty Wendy Barrie). Shortly before the wedding, Dudley blurts a confession to his friend and best man, Jim Skippett: 20 years ago, Dudley had a brief affair with a certain Miss Piper, but he's never heard from her since then. Next day, who should suddenly appear? A youth about 19 or 20 years old, claiming to be named Joe Piper. Is he Horton's son, or is Skippett playing a practical joke?

The Sport of Kings

Amos Purdie, JP

Algernon Sprigg, a horse-racing fanatic, is convinced that everyone is a gambler at heart. To prove his theory, he bets a friend that he can convert Amos Purdie, the puritanical head of an anti-betting association, into a punter within a week.

A Warm Corner

Mr. Corner

This early Gainsborough film is truly a lost treasure and easily one of the most daring and risque films ever made. At least half a dozen different tales seem to be going on at once all finally meeting in the end. The story starts in the Lido hotel where our "Pickles" remarks upon the fact that everyone in the register is called Smith. Hes trying to chat up Mimi so shell split up with her boyfriend as her boyfriends uncle has other plans for his nephew - alas what no one knows is that he and Mimi have already been married for a few months on the sly!

Tons of Money

Producer

Tons of Money is a 1924 British silent comedy film directed by Frank Hall Crane and starring Leslie Henson, Flora le Breton and Mary Brough. Aubrey Allington is pursued by creditors and on learning of a family inheritance is persuaded by his wife to fake his own death and return as his own long-lost relative, George Maitland, the rightful claimant. Things get complicated when the real Maitland turns up with another Maitland impersonator, the brother of Aubrey’s butler, Sprules. It is an adaptation of the 1922 play Tons of Money by Will Evans and Arthur Valentine. Both were co-produced with Tom Walls. It was remade as a sound film Tons of Money in 1930

Tons of Money

Aubrey Allington

Fashion Forecasts For Adam - By Mr Leslie Henson!

Himself

Funny film - pastiche of how women's fashions are described in flowery terms. Leslie is funny! (British Pathé)