History Creator / RexHarrison

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being [[HostilityOnTheSet very domineering and hard to work with]], particularly after his success in ''My Fair Lady''. The 1967 musical ''Film/DoctorDolittle'' cast him at the height of his power and he annoyed everyone with unreasonable demands, such as vetoing Creator/SammyDavisJr being cast because he didn't want to work with an "entertainer" (read: someone who could sing better than him) and demanding Creator/SidneyPoitier instead, despite the inconvenient fact that Poitier was no musical performer. That was just the beginning of his antics, whether it was continually demanding pointless script changes or flinging anti-Semitic abuse at co-star Anthony Newley. It got to the point where Harrison was fired and about to be replaced by Creator/ChristopherPlummer until he begged for the job back. As it was, Harrison's antics were one of many reasons why ''Doctor Dolittle'' failed spectacularly at the box office and his career never recovered.

[[quoteright:192:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mvvef00z_2098.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:192:That's ''[[UsefulNotes/KnightFever Sir]]'' Rex Harrison to you.]]

[[UsefulNotes/KnightFever Sir]] Reginald "Rex" Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English stage and screen actor, known for starring as the eponymous doctor in ''Film/DoctorDolittle''.

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being [[HostilityOnTheSet very domineering and hard to work with]], particularly after his success in ''My Fair Lady''. ''Film/DoctorDolittle'' cast him at the height of his power and he annoyed everyone with unreasonable demands, such as vetoing Creator/SammyDavisJr being cast because he didn't want to work with an "entertainer" (read: someone who could sing better than him) and demanding Creator/SidneyPoitier instead, despite the inconvenient fact that Poitier was no musical performer. That was just the beginning of his antics, whether it was continually demanding pointless script changes or flinging anti-Semitic abuse at co-star Anthony Newley. It got to the point where Harrison was fired and about to be replaced by Creator/ChristopherPlummer until he begged for the job back. As it was, Harrison's antics were one of many reasons why ''Doctor Dolittle'' failed spectacularly at the box office and his career never recovered.

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being very domineering and hard to work with, especially after his success in ''My Fair Lady''. ''Film/DoctorDolittle'' cast him at the height of his power and he annoyed everyone with unreasonable demands, such as vetoing Creator/SammyDavisJr being cast because he didn't want to work with an "entertainer" (read: someone who could sing better than him) and demanding Creator/SidneyPoitier instead, despite the inconvenient fact that Poitier was no musical performer. That was just the beginning of his antics, whether it was continually demanding pointless script changes or flinging anti-Semitic abuse at co-star Anthony Newley. It got to the point where Harrison was fired and about to be replaced by Creator/ChristopherPlummer until he begged for the job back. As it was, Harrison's antics were one of many reasons why ''Doctor Dolittle'' failed spectacularly at the box office and his career never recovered.

He was also a serial philanderer, [[SerialSpouse marrying six times]] in total and earning the nickname "sexy Rexy." His marital problems, especially with his unstable fourth wife (actress Rachel Roberts), was known to disrupt filming almost as much as his own bad behavior. In one case, he divorced from actress Lilli Palmer to marry one of his mistresses, actress Kay Kendall, to provide for her care as she was dying of myeloid leukemia and wanted to remarry Palmer after her death, which ultimately didn't happen.

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being very domineering and hard to work with, especially after his success in ''My Fair Lady''. For instance, ''Film/DoctorDolittle'' cast him at the height of his power and he annoyed everyone with unreasonable demands such as objecting to casting Creator/SammyDavisJr as a co-star because he didn't want to work with an "entertainer" (Read: someone who could sing better than him) and demanded Creator/SidneyPoitier instead, despite the inconvenient detail that Poitier was no musical performer. That was just the beginning of his antics whether it was continually demanding pointless script changes or flinging anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish co-star Anthony Newley. It got to the point where Harrison was fired and about to be replaced by Creator/ChristopherPlummer until he begged for the job back. As it was, Harrison's antics were one of many reasons why ''Doctor Dolittle'' failed spectacularly at the box office and his career never recovered.

He was also a serial philanderer, [[SerialSpouse marrying six times]] in total and earning the nickname "sexy Rexy." His marriage drama (especially his unstable fourth wife, actress Rachel Roberts) was known to disrupt filming almost as much as his own bad behavior. In one case, he divorced from actress Lilli Palmer to marry one of his mistresses, actress Kay Kendall, to provide for her care as she was dying of myeloid leukemia and wanted to remarry Palmer after her death, which eventually didn't happen.

He was also a serial philanderer, [[SerialSpouse marrying six times]] in total and earning the nickname "sexy Rexy." His marriage drama (especially his unstable fourth wife, actress Rachel Roberts) was known to disrupt filming almost as much as his own bad behavior.

Reginald "Rex" Carey Harrison [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever KBE]] (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English stage and screen actor, known for starring as the eponymous doctor in ''Film/DoctorDolittle''.

* ''Film/TheCitadel''
* ''Film/NightTrainToMunich''
* ''Theatre/MajorBarbara''
* ''Theatre/BlitheSpirit''
* ''Film/TheGhostAndMrsMuir''
* ''Film/UnfaithfullyYours''
* ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}''
* ''Theatre/MyFairLady'' -- Both the stage and film adaptations.
* ''Film/TheAgonyAndTheEcstasy''
* ''Film/DoctorDolittle''

He started his theater career in his teens in [[OopNorth Liverpool]] and made his breakthrough appearance in a Terrence Rattigan play named ''French Without Tears'', followed by his film debut ''The Great Game'' in 1930, before putting it aside to serve in the Royal Air Force in WorldWarTwo.

[[caption-width-right:192:That's ''[[KnightFever Sir]]'' Rex Harrison to you.]]

Reginald "Rex" Carey Harrison [[KnightFever KBE]] (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English stage and screen actor, known for starring as the eponymous doctor in ''Film/DoctorDolittle''.

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being very domineering and hard to work with, especially after his success in ''My Fair Lady''. For instance, ''Film/DoctorDolittle'' cast him at the height of his power and he annoyed everyone with unreasonable demands such as objecting to casting Creator/SammyDavisJr as a co-star because he didn't want to work with an "entertainer" (Read: someone who could sing better than him) and demanded Creator/SidneyPoitier instead, despite the inconvenient detail that Poitier was no musical performer. That was just the beginning of his antics whether it was continually demanding pointless script changes or flinging anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish co-star Anthony Newley. It got to the point where Harrison was fired and about to be replaced by Creator/ChristopherPlummer until he begged for the job back. As it was, Harrison's antics were one of many reasons why ''DoctorDolittle'' failed spectacularly at the box office and his career never recovered.

'''Reginald "Rex" Carey Harrison''' [[KnightFever KBE]] (March 5, 1908 -- June 2, 1990) was an English stage and screen actor, known for starring as the eponymous doctor in ''Film/DoctorDolittle''.

* ''Film/DoctorDolittle''

Born in Lancashire as Reginald Carey Harrison, '''Rex Harrison''' [[KnightFever KBE]] (March 5, 1908 -- June 2, 1990) was an English stage and screen actor. He changed his name to Rex as a boy with the knowledge that it was Latin for "king." He started his theater career in his teens in Liverpool. In spite of botching his first small role, he was able to retain his job and made his breakthrough appearance in ''French Without Tears'', a play by Terence Rattigan. His film debut was in ''The Great Game'' in 1930. His acting career was briefly put on the back burner in favor of serving in the Royal Air Force in WWII.

He was also a serial philanderer, marrying six times in total and earning the nickname "sexy Rexy." His marriage drama (especially his unstable fourth wife, actress Rachel Roberts) was known to disrupt filming almost as much as his own bad behavior.

He was also a serial philanderer, marrying six times in total and earning the nickname "sexy Rexy." His marriage drama was know to disrupt filming almost as much as his own bad behavior.

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being very domineering and hard to work with, especially after his success in ''My Fair Lady''. For instance, ''Film/DoctorDolittle'' cast him at the height of his power and he annoyed everyone with unreasonable demands such as objecting to casting Creator/SammyDavisJr as a co-star because he didn't want to work with an "entertainer" (Read: someone who could sing better than him) and demanded Creator/SidneyPoitier instead, despite the inconvenient detail that Poitier was no musical performer. That was just the beginning of his antics whether it was continually demanding pointless script changes or flinging anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish co-star Anthony Newley. It got to the point where Harrison was fired and about to be replaced by Creator/ChristopherPlummer until he begged for the job back. As it was, Harrison's antics were one of many reasons ''DoctorDolittle'' failed spectacularly at the box office and his career never recovered.

Off screen, he gained a reputation for being very domineering and hard to work with, especially after his success in ''My Fair Lady'' and ''Film/DoctorDolittle.'' He was also a serial philanderer, marrying six times in total and earning the nickname "sexy Rexy." His marriage drama was know to disrupt filming almost as much as his own bad behavior.

[[caption-width-right:192:That's ''Sir'' Rex Harrison to you.]]

Born in Lancashire as Reginald Carey Harrison, '''Rex Harrison''' (March 5, 1908 -- June 2, 1990) was an English stage and screen actor). He changed his name to Rex as a boy with the knowledge that it was Latin for "king." He started his theater career in his teens in Liverpool. In spite of botching his first small role, he was able to retain his job and made his breakthrough appearance in ''French Without Tears'', a play by Terence Rattigan. His film debut was in ''The Great Game'' in 1930. His acting career was briefly put on the back burner in favor of serving in the Royal Air Force in WWII.

In 1989 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Rex Harrison died of pancreatic cancer three weeks after his last stage appearance, as Lord Porteous in W. Somerset Maugham's ''The Circle''.