Rex Downing Explained

Rex Downing
Birthname:Rex Haddon Downing
Birth Date:21 April 1925
Death Place:Paso Robles, California, U.S.[1]
Yearsactive:1935–1948; 2007

Rex Haddon Downing[2] (April 21, 1925 – November 18, 2020) was an American actor as a child and youth.

Early years

Downing attended Hollywood High School.[3]

Career

Rex Downing started his film career in several Our Gang comedies, but his roles there and in feature films were usually small. He received first attention when he played Young Heathcliff in the 1939 William Wyler film Wuthering Heights (1939), which was nominated for eight Academy Awards. In the following time Downing had a major role in the B-Movie serial Mandrake the Magician (1939; serial) and played the younger version of Tyrone Power's character in Blood and Sand (1941).

After his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he returned to film business in 1946, but only got small parts. He left film business in 1948 and later became a teacher around Los Angeles.[4]

Personal life

His younger brother Barry Downing was also a child actor.[5]

Downing died in November 2020 at the age of 95.[6]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1935Teacher's Beau Our Gang Member Short
1936Branded a Coward Young Billy Hume
1935Little Sinner Our Gang member Short
1936Our Gang Follies of 1936 Kid Sneaking Two Other Kids In Short
1936The Pinch Singer Our Gang Member Short
1936Little Miss Nobody Orphan Uncredited
1936Two Too Young Student Short
1936Pay as You Exit Audience Member Short
1936General Spanky Kid Army Member Uncredited
1937Glove Taps Kid Short
1937Stella Dallas Minor Role Uncredited
1937The Pigskin Palooka Photographer Short
1937Love on Toast Uncredited
1937Wells Fargo Child Uncredited
1938The Man on the Rock Short, Uncredited
1938Black Bandit Young Don
1939Wuthering Heights Heathcliff (as a child)
1939Mandrake the Magician Tommy Houston Serial
1939Nurse Edith Cavell Francois
1939The Escape Tommy Rogers
1940Adventure in Diamonds Buttons Uncredited
1941Men of Boys Town Miles Fenlay Uncredited
1941Blood and Sand Juan (as a child)
1942The Vanishing Virginian Newsboy Uncredited
1942The Mayor of 44th Street Bits McKarg
1946Gas House Kids Mickey Papopalous
1947The Invisible Wall Bellhop Uncredited
1947That Hagen Girl Western Union Boy Uncredited
1947The Gangster Boy with Note Uncredited
1948Call Northside 777 Copy Boy Uncredited
1948He Walked by Night Young Hoodlum Uncredited
1948Act of Violence Teenage Boy Uncredited
2007Harvest of Redemption Mr. Cutchings (final film role)

Notes and References

  1. https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/death-notices-for-nov-9-18-from-kuehl-nickolay-funeral-home/117350/ title=Death notices for Nov. 9-18 from Kuehl-Nickolay Funeral Home
  2. http://www.lordheath.com/Rex_Downing.html Lord Heath: Rex Downing
  3. News: 'Times' Carrier Wins Film Role . September 13, 2020 . The Los Angeles Times . April 18, 1941 . 35. Newspapers.com.
  4. Leonard Maltin und Richard W. Bann: The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang (1992), p. 279
  5. Leonard Maltin& Richard W. Bann: The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang (1992), S. 279
  6. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/paso-robles-ca/rex-downing-9911718?fbclid=IwAR1em9XfmJ6OAeVhC6DqmEXXFcoYAEIP69-xwbROrfItSWUtHjX8Tq1UsI0 Rex Haddon Downing obituary