An urbane English lead with a flair for projecting composure and quiet authority, Leslie Howard excelled at playing disillusioned intellectuals and gallant gentlemen on both stage and screen during the 1920s, 30s and early 40s. Although he appeared in dozens of plays and movies during his nearly 30-year career, he is probably best-known for his roles as Sir Percy Blakney in "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (1934), Professor Henry Higgins in "Pygmalion" (1938) and Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With the Wind" (1939).Born in England to a Hungarian Jewish father and British mother, the thin, fair-haired Howard
Diagnosed as shell-shocked during World War I; turned to stage acting as therapy (date approximate)
1917
British film acting debut in "The Happy Warrior"
1918
Made London stage debut in a small role in Arthur Pinero's "The Freaks"
1919
Had supporting parts in two London stage comedies: "Our Mr. Hipplewhite" and A A Milne's "Mr Pim Passes By"; also had larger role in an English film, "The Lackey and the Lady"
