Rex Downing

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Rex Downing
Paso Robles, California, U.S.[1]
Years active1935–1948; 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.

Personal life

His younger brother Barry Downing (1931–1995) was also a child actor.[4]

Downing died in November 2020 at the age of 95.[5]

Filmography

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

References

  1. ^ titel=Death notices for Nov. 9-18 from Kuehl-Nickolay Funeral Home
  2. ^ Lord Heath: Rex Downing
  3. Newspapers.com
    .
  4. ^ Leonard Maltin& Richard W. Bann: The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang (1992), S. 279
  5. ^ Rex Haddon Downing obituary
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