Born in London, England. The son of an architect, he was educated at Sherborne College and London University and trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He made his London debut in 1908 and his first New York appearance in 1912. He remained in this country and served with the US Army in WW I. In the early 20s he appeared in two silent films, in one of which he played Dr. Watson to John Barrymore's SHERLOCK HOLMES (1922). But it was in the 30s and 40s that he became established as a screen personality, playing character comedy parts in numerous Hollywood films, typically portraying whimsical, bemused, quizzical characters, most memorably in the title role of TOPPER (Oscar nomination, 1937) and its two sequels (TOPPER TAKES A TRIP,1939 & TOPPER RETURNS, 1941). Other notable credits include THE GUARDSMAN (1931), HIS DOUBLE LIFE (1933), DAVID COPPERFIELD (as Uriah Heep) and RUGGLES OF RED GAP (both 1935), KING SOLOMON'S MINES and ALI BABA GOES TO TOWN (both 1937), IRENE, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY and NO, NO, NANETTE (all 1940), THE FLAME OF NEW ORLEANS (1941), TALES OF MANHATTAN (1942), FOREVER AND A DAY (1943), STANDING ROOM ONLY (1944), AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945), BOND STREET (1947), YOU GOTTA STAY HAPPY (1948), THE GREAT LOVER (1949), LET'S DANCE (1950), ST. BENNY THE DIP (1951) and his last film, THAT MAN FROM TANGIER / AQUEL HOMBRE DE TÁNGER (1953).    Nominated for Supporting Actor 1937: TOPPER 1 nomination