Gene Lockhart (July 18, 1891 – March 31, 1957) was a beloved Canadian-American character actor, singer, and playwright, a wonderfully versatile performer equally adept at playing kind-hearted heroes and treacherous villains.
A former child performer and vaudeville veteran, Lockhart appeared in over 300 films, becoming one of the most familiar and dependable faces of Hollywood’s Golden Age. He is cherished by holiday audiences for two iconic roles: the humble and devoted family man Bob Cratchit in the classic 1938 MGM version of A Christmas Carol, and the pragmatic but fair-minded Judge Henry X. Harper in the timeless favorite, Miracle on 34th Street (1947).
Showcasing his incredible range, Lockhart also excelled at playing villains. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the treacherous informant Regis in the classic film noir Algiers (1938). He was married to actress Kathleen Lockhart, and their daughter, June Lockhart, and granddaughter, Anne Lockhart, also became accomplished actresses, establishing a true Hollywood dynasty.
