Rex Downing obit

Rex Haddon Downing

APRIL 21, 1925 – NOVEMBER 18, 2020

 

He was not on the list.

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.

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

 

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)