Dell Henderson
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.
Acted in
Once More, My Darling
1949
as Hotel Clerk
Undercurrent
1946
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
1945
as Benson (uncredited)
Main Street After Dark
1945
as Plainclothesman (uncredited)
The Great Morgan
1945
as Film Character (uncredited)
The Missing Juror
1944
as Train Conductor (Uncredited)
Du Barry was a Lady
1943
as Flunky
Slightly Dangerous
1943
as Doorman (uncredited)
Once Upon a Honeymoon
1942
as American Attaché (uncredited)
The Major and the Minor
1942
as Doorman (uncredited)
Arizona Terrors
1942
as President McKinley
Young People
1940
as Eddie's Father
Stranger on the Third Floor
1940
as Detective (uncredited)
Millionaires in Prison
1940
as Dell, Deputy Taking Vander to Prison (uncredited)
You Can't Fool Your Wife
1940
as Ritz Amsterdam Manager
Little Orvie
1940
as Mr. Brown
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
1940
as Minor Role (uncredited)
5th Ave Girl
1939
as Headwaiter (uncredited)
Frontier Marshal
1939
as Dave Hall
The Chump Takes a Bump
1939
as Elias J. Smart
Love Affair
1939
as Cafe Manager (uncredited)
Men with Wings
1938
as Chairman
Rebellious Daughters
1938
as Mr. Stanley - First Victim
The Girl of the Golden West
1938
as Stagecoach Passenger
Arsène Lupin Returns
1938
as Plainclothes Detective (uncredited)
Wells Fargo
1937
as Customer
The Awful Truth
1937
as Vance's Butler (uncredited)
Artists & Models
1937
as Lord (uncredited)
The Grand Bounce
1937
as Harry Briggs (uncredited)
Make Way for Tomorrow
1937
as Ed Weldon - Auto Salesman (uncredited)
We Who Are About to Die
1937
as Blake's Associate (uncredited)
The Texas Rangers
1936
as Citizen (uncredited)
Hitch Hike Lady
1935
as Williams
3 Kids and a Queen
1935
as Reporter
Thunder in the Night
1935
as Ambassador - Party Guest
Slightly Static
1935
as Mr. Campbell (as Del Henderson)
Little Big Shot
1935
as Policeman
Steamboat Round the Bend
1935
as Salesman
Diamond Jim
1935
as Gambler
Hot Tip
1935
as Sheriff
The Daring Young Man
1935
as Mayor
Ruggles of Red Gap
1935
as Sam
The Mystery Man
1935
as Mr. Clark, Hotel Manager
It's a Gift
1934
as Mr. Abernathy
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1934
as House Manager
Men in Black
1934
as Dr. Graves (uncredited)
Something Simple
1934
as Tanhauser
Bottoms Up
1934
as Lane Worthing
You're Telling Me!
1934
as Mayor (as Del Henderson)
Lone Cowboy
1933
as Mr. Burton (uncredited)
Rainbow Over Broadway
1933
as Bowers
Too Much Harmony
1933
as Small Town Theatre Manager
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles
1933
as The Masque
On Your Guard
1933
as Detective Calvin Carter - aka O'Hara
Goldie Gets Along
1933
as Mr. Moon
Mr. Bride
1932
as J. P. Henderson
Choo-Choo!
1932
as Mr. Henderson
In Walked Charley
1932
as Delbert Henderson
Free Eats
1932
as Mr. Moran
The Champ
1931
as The Doctor (uncredited)
Skip the Maloo!
1931
as Mr. Benson
Newly Rich
1931
as Director
Haunted at Midnight
1931
as Housekeeper
Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
1931
Thundering Tenors
1931
as Senator D.H. Henderson
Helping Grandma
1931
as Henderson
Chiselers of Hollywood
1930
Up a Tree
1930
as Del - Publicity Promoter
Looser Than Loose
1930
as Mr. Henderson
Bigger and Better
1930
as Mr. Kornman
Night of Goblins
1930
as Housekeeper
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case
1930
as Housekeeper (uncredited)
Fast Work
1930
as Old Faithful
The Sins of the Children
1930
as Ted Baldwin
Big Money
1930
All Teed Up
1930
as Judge Quirt
Whispering Whoopee
1930
as Mr. Henderson
Getting a Raise
1930
Hit the Deck
1929
as Admiral
Wrong Again
1929
as Painting owner
Off to Buffalo
1929
as Charley's boss
Riley the Cop
1928
as Judge Coronelli
Show People
1928
as Colonel Pepper
The Power of the Press
1928
as Bill Johnson
Is Everybody Happy?
1928
The Patsy
1928
as Pa Harrington
The Crowd
1928
as Dick
Getting Gertie's Garter
1927
as Barry Scott
The Clinging Vine
1926
as B. Harvey Doolittle
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
1916
as Extra (uncredited)
The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary
1916
as Aunt Mary's Sweetheart
Those Bitter Sweets
1915
as The Rival
For Better - But Worse
1915
as The Police Chief's Daughter's Romeo
Papa's Baby
1913
as Papa Binks
The Widow's Kids
1913
as The Traveling Man
The Power of the Camera
1913
as Second Convict
The Massacre
1912
as In Wagon Train
The Tragedy of a Dress Suit
1912
as Dick
The Speed Demon
1912
as Racing Official
Helen's Marriage
1912
as Friend
The Furs
1912
as The Husband
When the Fire-Bells Rang
1912
as An Actor
Won by a Fish
1912
as The Woman's Father
The Brave Hunter
1912
as The Brave Hunter's Rival
Help! Help!
1912
as Office Worker
A Voice from the Deep
1912
as On Roller Coaster
Hot Stuff
1912
as Cigar Drummer
The Engagement Ring
1912
as Redmond
The Sunbeam
1912
as The Bachelor
The Fatal Chocolate
1912
as The City Beau
The Mender of Nets
1912
as The Rival's Brother
For His Son
1912
as Dopokoke Factory Employee (uncredited)
A Victim of Circumstance
1911
as The Husband
The Long Road
1911
as Wedding Guest
The Adventures of Billy
1911
as Rich Man
The Making of a Man
1911
as Leading Man
The Baron
1911
as The Baron / A Waiter
The Last Drop of Water
1911
as Undetermined Role
The Ghost
1911
as A Crook
The Primal Call
1911
as The Creditor
The Lonedale Operator
1911
as A Tramp
Teaching Dad to Like Her
1911
as Harry's Father
His Trust Fulfilled
1911
His Trust
1911
as Col. Frazier
When a Man Loves
1911
as Mr. Bach
The Lesson
1910
as Policeman
A Plain Song
1910
as The Manager
The Song of the Wildwood Flute
1910
as A Suitor
That Chink at Golden Gulch
1910
as Gentleman Jim Dandy
A Gold Necklace
1910
as In Cafe
Muggsy Becomes a Hero
1910
as A Tramp
The Modern Prodigal
1910
as At Post Office
Wilful Peggy
1910
The Usurer
1910
as First Mover
In the Border States
1910
as Union Officer
A Child of the Ghetto
1910
as The Proprietor
Ramona
1910
as Man at Burial
Over Silent Paths
1910
as The Wanderer
The Two Brothers
1910
as Manuel
The Unchanging Sea
1910
as The Rescuer
The Gold Seekers
1910
as The Claim Agent
Gold Is Not All
1910
The Converts
1910
as In Bar
The Broken Locket
1909
Monday Morning in a Coney Island Police Court
1908