Born in London, Ontario, Canada. He was one of the screen's most versatile character actors, capable of making audiences laugh while playing a cheerful cherub in one film, and making them hiss while playing a conniving weasel in the next. Puffyfaced and jowly, this stage veteran portrayed gentility and brutality with equal skill and relish. He debuted on-screen in SMILIN' THROUGH (1922), but didn't actively pursue movie roles until 1935. Among some of his more memorable characterizations: the doddering suitor Lushin in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (1935), the sniveling informant Regis in ALGIERS (1938, an Oscar®-nominated performance), the unfortunate Bob Cratchit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (also 1938), corrupt sheriff "Pinky" Hartwell in HIS GIRL FRIDAY and Stephen Douglas in ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS (both 1940), and the revolutionary Molotov in MISSION TO MOSCOW (1943). Some of his other notable screen credits include 1935: STAR OF MIDNIGHT 1936: THE GARDEN MURDER CASE, THE DEVIL IS A SISSY 1937: MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW 1938: BLONDIE, SWEETHEARTS 1939: THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL, TELL NO TALES, BLACKMAIL 1940: EDISON THE MAN, A DISPATCH FROM REUTERS 1941: MEET JOHN DOE, THE SEA WOLF, BILLY THE KID, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (a.k.a. ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY) 1942: THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON 1943: HANGMEN ALSO DIE, THE DESERT SONG, NORTHERN PURSUIT 1944: GOING MY WAY 1945: THE HOUSE ON 92ND STREET, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 1947: MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, THE FOXES OF HARROW 1948: APARTMENT FOR PEGGY, JOAN OF ARC 1949: MADAME BOVARY, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL 1950: RIDING HIGH 1951: I'D CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN 1952: A GIRL IN EVERY PORT, THE HOODLUM EMPIRE 1953: ANDROCLES AND THE LION 1956: CAROUSEL, THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT 1957: JEANNE EAGELS (his last). Lockhart's wife Kathleen (1881-1978, née Arthur, in England) was also an accomplished actress and appeared in many films; although several years older than Gene, she outlived him by 20 years. Their daughter June (b. June 25, 1925), who debuted with her parents in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938), appeared in a number of 1940s films -- including SERGEANT YORK (1941), MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), SHEWOLF OF LONDON (1946, in the title role), and T-MEN (1947) -- before becoming a small-screen star in the TV series "Lassie" (1958-64) and "Lost in Space" (1965-68), among others. June's daughter Anne carried on the family tradition, appearing in several low-budget movies and telefilms throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Lockhart wrote the lyric to the song "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," which became a huge post-WW I hit. Later recorded by Ted Lewis, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington, a version by Les Paul and Mary Ford became a million-seller in 1949.    Nominated for Supporting Actor 1938: ALGIERS 1 nomination