---
name: "Alan Mowbray"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/alan-mowbray"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 August 1896"
died: "25 March 1969"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-20T03:01:17.146531+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alan Mowbray

Actor. Born 17 August 1896 in London, England, UK. Died 25 March 1969.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 August 1896, London, England, UK
- **Died:** 25 March 1969
- **Active:** 1934–1956
- **Also known as:** Allan Mowbray, Alfred Ernest Allen, Альфред Эрнест Аллен
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 70 (1), 1950s 67 (2)
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Romance 3, Drama 2, History 2, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Family 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $63m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Mowbray, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1758264, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0610253/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8240

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The King and I*](https://film.one/film/the-king-and-i.md) (71)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Alan Mowbray

> Alan Mowbray spent nearly forty years in Hollywood as the Englishman the script needed: butler, prince, drunken Shakespearean. He was never the point of a film and rarely its problem, and for John Ford he was more than furniture.

The voice arrives before the man. Mowbray's diction is clipped and his back is straight, and within a second of his entrance you know what he is: the butler, the valet, the prince who thinks the room is beneath him. Hollywood found this out in 1931 and never let it go. He made more than 140 films, and the label of butler stuck to him even though the actual butler parts were few.

He came off the London stage, where he had been an actor and stage manager from 1922, arrived in America the next year and was on Broadway by 1926. Sound pictures wanted Englishmen who could be understood, and he could. *Alexander Hamilton* (1931) used the patrician air; *The House of Rothschild* (1934) made him Metternich, a title as much as a part; *My Man Godfrey* (1936) and *Topper* (1937) put him in the screwball drawing room, where he settled. *That Hamilton Woman* (1941) gave him Sir William Hamilton opposite Vivien Leigh, the nearest thing to a serious dramatic lead on the list.

What we would send anyone to is *My Darling Clementine* (1946), where John Ford, who used him twice, cast him as Granville Thorndyke, a travelling Shakespearean who drinks. Ford saw what the drawing-room parts hid: that Mowbray's dignity was funniest, and saddest, when it was slightly spoiled. The drunken actor became a line of work for him, along with the scheming mentor, and it is the line in which he seems to be enjoying himself.

In the two films we have reviewed he is doing the other thing, the upright thing. His Metternich in *Rothschild* is all bearing and no surprise; the film belongs to George Arliss, and Mowbray stands where he is told. Watching *The King and I* (1956), one of three films he made that year, we caught ourselves waiting for John Hay to do something and felt a small, unfair disappointment when he was simply correct. That is what he was hired for. Yul Brynner had the film; Mowbray had the tailoring.

He wrote about acting as a trade, for "the normal actor whose training enables him to portray his role with a minimum of headaches", and that is how he played it, as a professional who turned up knowing the words. Start with Ford's Thorndyke rather than the butlers. He was better at falling apart than at standing still, and the studios mostly asked him to stand still.

## Biography

Alan Mowbray was an English stage and film actor. Born Alfred Ernest Allen in London, he served in the British Army during the First World War and was awarded the Military Medal. He began his stage career in London in 1922 before moving to the United States in 1923, where he appeared in Broadway productions and toured with theatre companies.

Mowbray made his film debut in 1931 and went on to appear in more than 120 films, often in character roles. He is credited as Prince Metternich in *The House of Rothschild* (1934) and played supporting parts in films including *My Man Godfrey* (1936), *That Hamilton Woman* (1941), *My Darling Clementine* (1946), *The King and I* (1956), *Around the World in 80 Days* (1956) and *The Man Who Knew Too Much* (1956). He was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild and later appeared in television series such as *Colonel Humphrey Flack*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Around the World in 80 Days* (1956), Fi1m 63, as British Consul — [page](https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days.md)
- *The King and I* (1956), Fi1m 71, as John Hay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-king-and-i.md)
- *The House of Rothschild* (1934), Fi1m 70, as Prince Metternich — [page](https://film.one/film/the-house-of-rothschild.md)

## Complete filmography (174)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Broken Highway* (1993), Armorer
- *Going Hollywood: The '30s* (1984), as (archive footage)
- *The Flying Nun* (1967), series, as Father Duffy
- *Mister Roberts* (1965), series, Actor
- *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Harry Blackburn
- *Petticoat Junction* (1963), series, as Lucius J. Penrose
- *Burke's Law* (1963), series, as Butterfield
- *The Patty Duke Show* (1963), series, Actor
- *The Beverly Hillbillies* (1962), series, as Montrose
- *A Majority of One* (1961), as Captain Norcross
- *The Investigators* (1961), series, as Cranshaw
- *Dante* (1960), series, as Stewart Styles
- *Startime* (1959), series, as King Arthur
- *Fibber McGee & Molly* (1959), series, Actor
- *Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer* (1958), series, as Carlson
- *Maverick* (1957), series, as Luke Abigor
- *Meet McGraw* (1957), series, as Osgood
- *Blondie* (1957), series, as Jack Bell
- *Around the World in 80 Days* (1956), as British Consul — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days.md)
- *The Gale Storm Show* (1956), series, as Hadley Dexter
- *The King and I* (1956), as John Hay — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/the-king-and-i.md)
- *The Man Who Knew Too Much* (1956), as Val Parnell
- *Once Upon a Honeymoon* (1956), as Gordon
- *Matinee Theater* (1955), series, Actor
- *The King's Thief* (1955), as Sir Gilbert Talbot
- *The Bob Cummings Show* (1955), series, as Hawthorne
- *The Steel Cage* (1954), as Lee Filbert, segment "The Chef"
- *Social Lion* (1954), as Narrator
- *Hey Mulligan* (1954), series, as Jonathan Swift, Drama Instructor
- *Ma and Pa Kettle at Home* (1954), as Alphonsus Mannering
- *Colonel Humphrey Flack* (1953), series, Actor
- *The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse* (1953), series, Actor
- *The Life Of Riley* (1953), series, as Uncle Baxter
- *Blackbeard, the Pirate* (1952), as Noll
- *Androcles and the Lion* (1952), as Editor of Gladiators
- *The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet* (1952), series, as Orville
- *Mr. & Mrs. North* (1952), series, Actor
- *The Ford Television Theatre* (1952), series, Actor
- *Four Star Playhouse* (1952), series, as Jackson, Albert, Jackson - Waiter
- *Just Across the Street* (1952), as Davis
- *Chevron Theatre* (1952), series, Actor
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Mayor Perkins
- *Crosswinds* (1951), as The Hon Cecil Daubrey
- *The Lady and the Bandit* (1951), as Lord Charles Willoughby
- *The Jackpot* (1950), as Leslie
- *The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show* (1950), series, as Professor Bradford
- *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Carter
- *Wagon Master* (1950), as Dr. A. Locksley Hall
- *Robert Montgomery Presents* (1950), series, Actor
- *The Lone Wolf and His Lady* (1949), as Jamison
- *You're My Everything* (1949), as Joe Blanton
- *Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff* (1949), as Melton
- *The Lovable Cheat* (1949), as Justin
- *Every Girl Should Be Married* (1948), as Mr. Spitzer
- *My Dear Secretary* (1948), as Deveny (Bryant Detective Agency)
- *An Innocent Affair* (1948), as Ken St. Clair
- *The Prince of Thieves* (1948), as The Friar
- *The Main Street Kid* (1948), as The Great Martine
- *Captain from Castile* (1947), as Prof. Botello
- *Merton of the Movies* (1947), as Frank Mulvaney
- *Lured* (1947), as Lyle Maxwell
- *The Pilgrim Lady* (1947), as Clifford Latimer
- *My Darling Clementine* (1946), as Granville Thorndyke
- *Idea Girl* (1946), as J. C. Crow
- *Terror by Night* (1946), as Major Duncan-Bleek
- *Sunbonnet Sue* (1945), as Jonathan
- *Men in Her Diary* (1945), as Douglas Crane
- *Tell It to a Star* (1945), as Col. Ambrose Morgan
- *Where Do We Go from Here?* (1945), as General George Washington
- *The Phantom of 42nd Street* (1945), as Cecil Moore
- *Earl Carroll Vanities* (1945), as Grand Duke Paul
- *Bring on the Girls* (1945), as August
- *My Gal Loves Music* (1944), as Rodney Spoonyer
- *The Doughgirls* (1944), as Breckinridge Drake
- *Ever Since Venus* (1944), as J. Webster Hackett
- *His Butler's Sister* (1943), as Buzz Jenkins
- *Holy Matrimony* (1943), as Mr. Pennington
- *So This Is Washington* (1943), as Chester W. Marshall
- *Stage Door Canteen* (1943), as Alan Mowbray
- *Slightly Dangerous* (1943), as English Gentleman
- *The Powers Girl* (1943), as John Robert Powers
- *The Devil with Hitler* (1942), as Gesatan
- *Panama Hattie* (1942), as Jay Jerkins, Dick's Butler
- *Isle of Missing Men* (1942), as Dr. Brown
- *A Yank at Eton* (1942), as Mr. Duncan
- *The Mad Martindales* (1942), as Hugo Martindale
- *We Were Dancing* (1942), as Grand Duke Basil
- *Yokel Boy* (1942), as R.B. Harris - Movie Producer
- *Three Blonde Mice* (1942), as Elmer Smith
- *The Perfect Snob* (1941), as Freddie Browning
- *I Wake Up Screaming* (1941), as Robin Ray
- *Moon Over Her Shoulder* (1941), as Grover Sloan
- *Ice-Capades* (1941), as Pete Ellis
- *French Fried Patootie* (1941), Actor
- *The Cowboy and the Blonde* (1941), as Phineas Johnson
- *That Uncertain Feeling* (1941), as Doctor Vengard
- *That Hamilton Woman* (1941), as Sir William Hamilton
- *Footlight Fever* (1941), as Don Avery
- *The Quarterback* (1940), as Professor Hobbs
- *The Villain Still Pursued Her* (1940), as Silas Cribbs
- *The Boys from Syracuse* (1940), as Angelo
- *Scatterbrain* (1940), as J.R. Russell
- *Curtain Call* (1940), as Donald Avery
- *Music in My Heart* (1940), as Charles Spencer Gardner III
- *The Llano Kid* (1939), as John Travers
- *Way Down South* (1939), as Jacques Bouton
- *Never Say Die* (1939), as le Prince Smirnov
- *Topper Takes a Trip* (1938), as Wilkins - Topper's Butler
- *There Goes My Heart* (1938), as Penny E. Pennypepper
- *Merrily We Live* (1938), as Grosvenor
- *Hollywood Hotel* (1938), as Alexander Duprey
- *Stand-In* (1937), as Koslofski
- *Music for Madame* (1937), as Leon Rodowsky
- *On Such a Night* (1937), as Prof. Richard Candle
- *Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938* (1937), as Henry Morgan
- *Topper* (1937), as Wilkins
- *Marry the Girl* (1937), as Dr. Stryker
- *As Good as Married* (1937), as Wally
- *The King and the Chorus Girl* (1937), as Donald Taylor
- *On the Avenue* (1937), as Frederick Sims
- *Rainbow on the River* (1936), as Ralph Layton
- *Four Days Wonder* (1936), as Archibald Fenton
- *Ladies in Love* (1936), as Paul Sandor
- *My Man Godfrey* (1936), as Tommy Gray
- *Mary of Scotland* (1936), as Throckmorton
- *Fatal Lady* (1936), as Uberto Malla
- *The Case Against Mrs. Ames* (1936), as Lawrence Waterson
- *Desire* (1936), as Dr. Maurice Pauquet
- *Give Us This Night* (1936), as Forcellini
- *Muss 'em Up* (1936), as Paul Harding
- *Rose Marie* (1936), as Premier
- *In Person* (1935), as Jay Holmes
- *She Couldn't Take It* (1935), as Alan Bartlett
- *The Gay Deception* (1935), as Lord Clewe
- *Lady Tubbs* (1935), as Elyot Wembsleigh
- *Becky Sharp* (1935), as Rawdon Crawley
- *Night Life of the Gods* (1935), as Hunter Hawk
- *Charlie Chan in London* (1934), as Geoffrey Richmond
- *Embarrassing Moments* (1934), as Aheam
- *One More River* (1934), as Forsythe
- *The Girl from Missouri* (1934), as Lord Douglas
- *Little Man, What Now?* (1934), as Franz Schlüter
- *Where Sinners Meet* (1934), as Nicholas
- *Cheaters* (1934), as Paul Southern
- *The House of Rothschild* (1934), as Prince Metternich — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-house-of-rothschild.md)
- *Long Lost Father* (1934), as Sir Anthony "Tony" Gelding
- *Her Secret* (1933), as Nils Norton
- *Roman Scandals* (1933), as Majordomo
- *The World Changes* (1933), as Sir Philip Ivor
- *Berkeley Square* (1933), as Major Clinton
- *Voltaire* (1933), as Count de Sarnac
- *Midnight Club* (1933), as Arthur Bradley
- *Peg o' My Heart* (1933), as Capt. Christopher 'Chris' Brent
- *A Study in Scarlet* (1933), as Lestrade
- *Sherlock Holmes* (1932), as Colonel Gore-King
- *The Phantom President* (1932), as George Washington (uncredited)
- *Two Against the World* (1932), as George 'Georgie' Walton
- *Winner Take All* (1932), as Forbes, the etiquette teacher
- *The Man Called Back* (1932), as King's Counsel
- *Jewel Robbery* (1932), as Detective Fritz
- *The Man from Yesterday* (1932), as Dr. Waite
- *Man About Town* (1932), as Ivan Boris
- *The World and the Flesh* (1932), as Dimitri
- *Hotel Continental* (1932), as Walter Underwood
- *The Silent Witness* (1932), as Arthur Drinton
- *Lovers Courageous* (1932), as Lamone
- *Nice Women* (1931), as Mark Chandler
- *Honor of the Family* (1931), as Tony Revere
- *Left Over Ladies* (1931), as Jerry
- *Alexander Hamilton* (1931), as George Washington
- *Guilty Hands* (1931), as Gordon Rich
- *How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 6: 'The Big Irons'* (1931), as Mr. Mowbray (uncredited)
- *The Man in Possession* (1931), as Sir Charles Cartwright
- *God's Gift to Women* (1931), as Auguste, Toto's Butler

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/alan-mowbray