Born in 1908 in Lancashire, England, Reginald Carey Harrison changed his name to Rex as a young boy, knowing it was the Latin word for King. Starting out on his theatre career at age 18, his first job at the Liverpool Rep Theatre was nearly his last--dashing across the stage to say his one line, made his entrance and promptly blew it. Fates were kind, however, and soon he began landing roles in the West End. "French Without Tears", a play by Terence Rattigan, proved to be his breakthrough role. Soon he was being called the "greatest actor of light comedy in the world." Having divorced his first wife Collette Thomas in 1942, he married German actress Lilli Palmer. The two began appearing together in many plays and British films. He attained international fame when he portrayed the King in Anna and the King of Siam, his first American film. After a sex scandal, in which starlet Carole Landis apparently committed suicide because he ended their affair, the relationship with wife Lili became strained. Rex (by this time known as "Sexy Rexy" for his philandering ways and magnetic charm) began a relationship with British actress Kay Kendall, divorced Lili to marry the terminally ill Kay with hopes of a re-marriage to Palmer upon Kay's death. The death of Kay affected Harrison greatly and Lili never returned to him. During this time Rex was offered the defining role of his career: Professor Henry Higgins in the original production of "My Fair Lady". He won the Tony for the play and an Oscar for the film version. In 1962 Harrison married actress Rachel Roberts. This union and the one following it to Elizabeth Harris (Richard's ex) also ended in divorce. In 1978 Rex met and married Mercia Tinker. He and Mercia remained happily married until his death in 1990. She was also with him in 1989 when he was granted his much deserved and long awaited knighthood at Buckingham Palace. Rex Harrison died of pancreatic cancer three weeks after his last stage appearance, as Lord Porteous in W. Somerset Maugham's 'The Circle'.
My Fair Lady (1964): $250,000
Cleopatra (1963): $300,000
Anna and the King of Siam (1946): $4,000/week

Winner of 2 Tony Awards for Best actor. "Anne of the Thousand Days" and "My Fair Lady". Favorite beverage was Guinness Stout. Hated the nickname given to him by the press, "Sexy Rexy". Turned down the role of The King in "The King and I". The role went to Yul Brynner' . Died three weeks after his final stage appearance as Lord Porteous in "The Circle" (1990). 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. 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. Father of Carey Harrison. Blind in one eye as the result of a childhood illness. Has a style of hat named after him. Father, with Lilli Palmer of Carey Harrison. Father, with Collette Thomas, of actor Noel Harrison. Grandfather of Cathryn Harrison and Simon Harrison. Was cremated and part of his ashes were scattered in Italy in Portofino and on the grave of his second wife, Lilli Palmer. His son, Carey Harrison, was born in 1944. 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; 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". Despite extensive vocal training after landing the part of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, he was unable to sing a note. In the end the director gave up and told him to quasi-speak the whole thing. Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965 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] 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. The role went to José Ferrer. Once punched Frank Sinatra in the jaw, thinking the singer was hitting on his wife, Lilli Palmer. Afterwards the two men became good friends. Turned down the lead role in 13 Rue Madeleine. It then went to James Cagney. When he accepted his Academy Award for My Fair Lady, 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. Is the basis for the voice of Stewie Griffin on Family Guy. 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"). Despite extensive vocal training after landing the part of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, he was unable to sing a note. In the end the director gave up and told him to quasi-speak the whole thing. 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." Discovered Carole Landis' body the day she committed suicide. He had dined with her the previous night. 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.