Henry Jones

FAMOUS ACTOR ON TELEVISION, ON BROADWAY, AND IN THE MOVIES. Henry Jones - Biography Born August 1, 1912 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA Died May 17, 1999 in Los Angeles, California, USA (fall) Birth Name Henry Burk Bernard Jones Henry Burk Jones was born in New Jersey and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Helen (Burk) and John Francis Xavier Jones, and the grandson of Pennsylvania Representative Henry Burk, a Prussian immigrant. He graduated from St. Joseph's College. His Broadway debut was in 1938 in Maurice Evans' "Hamlet" (Reynaldo and the second gravedigger). He served in the army in World War II. His highly-reviewed stage appearances included the murdered handyman in "The Bad Seed," which he reprised in the film version (The Bad Seed (1956)), and the part of Louis Howe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's confidant in Sunrise at Campobello (1960). Though very ordinary in appearance ("The casting directors didn't know what to do with me. I was never tall enough or good looking enough to play juvenile leads"), he had a long and varied career on Broadway, in many movies and on television. His parts included a wide range of second-string roles (ministers, judges, janitors), often with a dark and even frightening underside. His television career, which included over 150 appearances, began early, in 1950. Though his movies included such well-known titles as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), 3:10 to Yuma (1957), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Grifters (1990), and Dick Tracy (1990) no doubt his most recognizable screen performance was in the brief role of the methodical, nearly cruel coroner in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958). He lived in Santa Monica, CA, and died 17 May 1999, aged 86, at the UCLA Medical Center. Spouse (2) Judith Johnston (Judy Briggs) (26 June 1948 - March 1961) (divorced) (2 children) Yvonne Sarah Bernhardt Buerger (Yvonne Bergere) (14 January 1942 - 28 November 1942) (her death) Trivia (6) He was a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock. Father of Jocelyn Jones. Won Broadway's 1958 Tony Award for Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for "Sunrise at Campobello." Jones amassed a considerable stage resume. He was active on Broadway as early as 1931, working there rather infrequently until late 1938 when his appearance there began to increase. He continued to appear on Broadway in numerous hit productions ("My Sister Eileen," "The Solid Gold Cadillac," "The Bad Seed," "Sunrise at Campobello," and "Advise and Consent") until 1961 when he moved into film and TV work exclusively. Grandfather of Samantha Watkins.