1876-10-25 London, England, UK
Henry Byron Warner (often credited as H.B. Warner) was an English actor. He was the definitive cinematic Jesus Christ in Cecil B. DeMille's The King of Kings (1927). He was born into a prominent theatrical family on October 26, 1875 in London. His father was Charles Warner, and his grandfather was James Warner, both prominent English actors. He replaced J.B. Warner as Jesus in The King of Kings (1927) when J.B. died of tuberculosis at age 29. (J.B. was not Henry's brother. J.B. had taken the professional last name "Warner" because Henry's family took him in.) Henry Warner's family wanted him to become a doctor, and he graduated from London University but eventually gave up his medical studies. The theater was in his blood, and he studied acting in Paris and Italy before joining his father's stock company, making his debut in the English production of "Drink." It was from his father that he honed his craft. Warner made it to America in the early 1900s, after touring the British Empire. Billed as Harry Warner, he made his Broadway debut in the American colonial drama "Audrey" at Hoyt's Theatre on November 24, 1902, starring James O'Neill, the father of playwright Eugene O'Neill. He was billed as H.B. Warner in his next appearance on Broadway, in the 1906 comedy "Nurse Marjorie." He appeared in 13 more Broadway productions in his career, from the twin-bill of "Susan in Search of a Husband" & "A Tenement Tragedy" (also 1906) to "Silence" in 1925. He moved into motion pictures, making his debut in the Mutual short Harp of Tara (1914). Also in 1914, he appeared in a film written by Cecil B. DeMille for Famous Players Lasky, The Ghost Breaker (1914), in which he had played on Broadway the year before. Warner became a leading man and a star in silent pictures, reaching the zenith of his career playing Jesus in DeMille's The King of Kings (1927). His excellent performance was actually enhanced by the silent screen, allowing the audience to imagine how Jesus would sound. Warner could be extremely moving in silent pictures, notably in the melodrama Sorrell and Son (1927) as a war veteran father who sacrifices all for his son. When talkies arrived, he became a busy supporting player. A favorite of Frank Capra , appeared in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936). Cast again by Capra, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Lost Horizon (1937). He also appeared in You Can't Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Other major talkies included The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) and Topper Returns (1941). Other than Jesus, the role he is best remembered role for today is in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), in which he played Mr. Gower, the druggist who is saved from committing a lethal medication error by the young George Bailey (the James Stewart character as a child). H.B. Warner appeared in Sunset Blvd. (1950) as himself. His last credited role was as Amminadab in DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1956), a remake of the earlier silent The Ten Commandments (1923). He last role was an uncredited bit part in Darby's Rangers (1958).
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A Ressureição de Cristo | 2026-04-09 | |
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Lux Æterna: The Art of Filmmaking | The Son of God | 2019-05-18 |
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James Stewart: A Wonderful Life | Self (archive footage) | 1987-03-13 |
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The Ten Commandments | Amminadab | 1956-10-05 |
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Here Comes the Groom | Uncle Elihu | 1951-09-20 |
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Savage Drums | Maou | 1951-06-22 |
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Journey Into Light | Wiz, the Wino | 1951-09-28 |
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The First Legion | Father José Sierra | 1951-05-04 |
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Sunset Boulevard | H.B. Warner | 1950-08-10 |
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Hellfire | Brother Joseph | 1949-05-29 |
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El Paso | Judge Fletcher | 1949-03-22 |
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The Prince of Thieves | Gilbert Head | 1948-01-16 |
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The Judge Steps Out | Chief Justice Hayes | 1947-12-15 |
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Driftwood | Rev. Hollingsworth | 1947-09-15 |
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High Wall | Mr. Slocum | 1947-12-17 |
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Gentleman Joe Palooka | Sen. McCarden | 1946-10-05 |
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Strange Impersonation | Dr. Mansfield, plastic surgeon | 1946-03-16 |
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Prospecting for Petroleum | The Voice of History (voice) | 1946-01-01 |
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It's a Wonderful Life | Mr. Gower | 1946-12-20 |
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Captain Tugboat Annie | Judge Abbott | 1945-11-17 |
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Faces in the Fog | Defense Attorney Rankins | 1944-11-30 |
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Enemy of Women | Col. Eberhart Brandt | 1944-11-10 |
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Action in Arabia | Abdul al-Rashid | 1944-02-18 |
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Rogues' Gallery | Professor Reynolds | 1944-12-06 |
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Women in Bondage | Pastor Renz | 1943-12-16 |
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Hitler's Children | The Bishop | 1943-01-06 |
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Crossroads | Prosecuting Attorney | 1942-07-23 |
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A Yank in Libya | Herbert Forbes | 1942-07-24 |
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The Boss of Big Town | Jeffrey Moore | 1942-12-07 |
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South of Tahiti | High Chief Kawalima | 1941-10-17 |
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All That Money Can Buy | Justice Hawthorne | 1941-10-17 |
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The Corsican Brothers | Dr. Enrico Paoli | 1941-11-28 |
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Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime | Ray Jardin | 1941-08-14 |
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City of Missing Girls | Capt. McVeigh | 1941-03-27 |
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Topper Returns | Mr. Carrington | 1941-03-21 |
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New Moon | Father Michel | 1940-06-28 |
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Senate Majority Leader | 1939-10-19 |
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Nurse Edith Cavell | Hugh Gibson | 1939-08-31 |
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The Gracie Allen Murder Case | Richard Lawrence | 1939-06-02 |
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Let Freedom Ring | Rutledge | 1939-02-24 |
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Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police | Colonel Nielson | 1939-03-29 |
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The Rains Came | Maharajah | 1939-09-15 |
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Bulldog Drummond's Bride | Colonel Nielson | 1939-07-12 |
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The Toy Wife | Victor Brigard | 1938-06-10 |
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Army Girl | Col. Armstrong | 1938-08-11 |
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Kidnapped | Angus Rankeiller | 1938-05-27 |
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The Adventures of Marco Polo | Chen Tsu | 1938-04-07 |
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Arrest Bulldog Drummond | Colonel Nielsen | 1938-11-25 |
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Bulldog Drummond in Africa | Colonel J. A. Nielsen | 1938-08-05 |
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The Girl of the Golden West | Father Sienna | 1938-03-18 |
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You Can't Take It with You | Ramsey | 1938-09-01 |
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Our Fighting Navy | British Consul Brent | 1937-09-25 |
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Victoria the Great | Lord Melbourne | 1937-09-01 |
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Lost Horizon | Chang | 1937-03-03 |
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Blackmailer | Michael Rankin | 1936-07-23 |
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Moonlight Murder | Godfrey Chiltern | 1936-03-27 |
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Along Came Love | Dr. Martin | 1936-11-05 |
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The Garden Murder Case | Major Fenwicke-Ralston | 1936-02-21 |
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Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | Judge May | 1936-04-09 |
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Rose of the Rancho | Don Pasqual Castro | 1936-01-09 |
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A Tale of Two Cities | Theophile Gabelle | 1935-12-25 |
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Born to Gamble | Carter Mathews | 1935-07-09 |
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In Old Santa Fe | Charlie Miller | 1934-11-15 |
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Sorrell and Son | Captain Stephen Sorrell | 1934-03-05 |
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Night Alarm | Henry B. Smith | 1934-12-10 |
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Grand Canary | Dr Ismay | 1934-07-20 |
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Viva Villa! | Man | 1934-04-27 |
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Behold My Wife! | Hubert Carter | 1934-12-06 |
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Justice Takes a Holiday | John Logan | 1933-04-18 |
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Supernatural | Dr. Carl Houston | 1933-04-21 |
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Jennie Gerhardt | William Gerhardt | 1933-06-08 |
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Christopher Bean | Maxwell Davenport | 1933-11-17 |
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Tom Brown of Culver | Dr. Brown | 1932-06-30 |
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A Woman Commands | Col. Stradimirovitsch | 1932-02-12 |
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The Crusader | Phillip Brandon | 1932-10-04 |
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The Son-Daughter | Sin Kai | 1932-12-23 |
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Charlie Chan's Chance | Inspector Fife | 1932-01-24 |
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Cross-Examination | Gerald Waring | 1932-02-13 |
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Unholy Love | Dr. Daniel Gregory | 1932-06-08 |
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The Menace | Inspector Tracy | 1932-01-29 |
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The Phantom of Crestwood | Priam Andes | 1932-10-14 |
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Expensive Women | Melville Raymond | 1931-10-24 |
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Five Star Final | Michael Townsend | 1931-09-26 |
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The Reckless Hour | Walter Nichols | 1931-08-15 |
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A Woman of Experience | Hugh Schmidt | 1931-07-08 |
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The Princess and the Plumber | Prince Conrad of Daritzia | 1930-12-21 |
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The Green Goddess | Major Crespin | 1930-02-13 |
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Liliom | Chief Magistrate | 1930-09-27 |
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On Your Back | Raymond Pryor | 1930-09-14 |
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The Furies | Oliver Bedlow | 1930-03-16 |
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The Second Floor Mystery | Inspector Bray | 1930-04-26 |
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Wild Company | Henry Grayson | 1930-07-05 |
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Tiger Rose | Dr. Cusick | 1929-12-21 |
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The Gamblers | James Darwin | 1929-06-29 |
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The Trial of Mary Dugan | District Attorney Galway | 1929-06-08 |
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The Doctor's Secret | Richard Garson | 1929-01-26 |
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The Argyle Case | Hurley | 1929-08-17 |
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Stark Mad | Prof. Dangerfield | 1929-02-02 |
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The Show of Shows | The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited) | 1929-11-21 |
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Wedding Rings | Lewis Dike | 1929-12-29 |
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Conquest | James Farnham | 1928-12-22 |
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Man-Made Women | Jules Moret | 1928-09-09 |
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The Divine Lady | Sir William Hamilton | 1928-12-26 |
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Romance of a Rogue | Bruce Lowry | 1928-10-01 |
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The King of Kings | Jesus, The Christ | 1927-04-19 |
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French Dressing | Phillip Grey | 1927-12-10 |
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Sorrell and Son | Stephen Sorrell | 1927-12-02 |
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Silence | Jim Warren | 1926-04-25 |
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Whispering Smith | 'Whispering Smith' | 1926-03-28 |
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Is Love Everything? | Jordan Southwick | 1924-11-30 |
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The Man from Broadway | James Sanford Richardson | 1924-10-01 |
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Zaza | Bernard Dufresne | 1923-10-21 |
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When We Were Twenty-One | Richard Carewe | 1921-01-01 |
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One Hour Before Dawn | George Clayton | 1920-07-11 |
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Dice of Destiny | Jimmy Doyle | 1920-12-05 |
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Felix O'Day | Felix O'Day | 1920-09-12 |
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For a Woman's Honor | Captain Clyde Mannering | 1919-09-14 |
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The Gray Wolf's Ghost | Doctor West / Harry West | 1919-10-26 |
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Haunting Shadows | John Glenarm | 1919-12-28 |
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The Pagan God | Bruce Winthrop | 1919-08-04 |
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A Fugitive from Matrimony | Stephen Van Courtlandt | 1919-11-23 |
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The Man Who Turned White | Captain Rand / Ali Zaman | 1919-06-01 |
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God's Man | Arnold L'Hommedieu | 1917-04-01 |
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The Seventh Sin | Feodor | 1917-03-17 |
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Danger Trail | John Howland | 1917-04-30 |
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Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath | Feodor | 1917-03-05 |
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The Vagabond Prince | Prince Tonio | 1916-10-22 |
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The Market of Vain Desire | John Armstrong | 1916-05-28 |
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The Raiders | Scott Wells | 1916-02-27 |
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The Beggar of Cawnpore | Dr. Robert Lowndes | 1916-04-29 |
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Shell 43 | William Berner | 1916-08-13 |
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The Ghost Breaker | Warren Jarvis | 1914-12-07 |
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The Lost Paradise | Reuben Warren | 1914-09-01 |
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English Nell | Duke of Monmouth | 1900-09-06 |
