Leslie Howard

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Trevor Howard was born in Cliftonville, Kent, England on 29 September 1913, though he later claimed to have been born in 1916. His father was an insurance underwriter for Lloyd's of London, serving as representative in Colombo, Ceylon and elsewhere; Howard spent the first eight years of his life travelling around the world. He was educated at Clifton College and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). In 1933, at the end of his first year, he was chosen as best actor in his class for his performance as Benedict in a school production of Much Ado About Nothing. While still studying, he made his professional debut at the Gate Theatre in Revolt in a Reformatory (1934). After varied stage work, his film career launched with an uncredited part in The Way Ahead (1944), which caught the attention of David Lean. Lean recommended him to Noël Coward for the role of Alec in Brief Encounter (1945), and the success of that film launched Howard's film career. He later starred in Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949), which became the film of which Howard was most proud. During the filming in Vienna, he visited a bar wearing his British Army officer's uniform costume and, following an altercation, was detained for impersonation by the Royal Military Police. When identified, he was released without further ado.

Reader's Guide

Trevor Howard's significance lies in his career as a leading man in British cinema from the 1940s onward, known for portraying steady, middle-class characters capable of suggesting neurosis. His breakthrough came with Brief Encounter (1945), followed by The Third Man (1949), which became an international success. He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor four times, winning for The Key (1958), and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for Sons and Lovers (1960). His other notable film performances include Golden Salamander (1950), The Clouded Yellow (1951), Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), Battle of Britain (1969), Ryan's Daughter (1970), Superman (1978), Gandhi (1982), and White Mischief (1987). He was also an Emmy Award recipient and a three-time Golden Globe nominee. British exhibitors voted him the 10th most popular British star at the box office in 1947, the 2nd biggest British star in 1950, and the 5th biggest in 1951. His wartime record became controversial: around 1945, journalists circulated stories of courageous service, but records show he was discharged from the British Army in 1943 for mental instability and having a "psychopathic personality," on account of having "lied about his background, from his schooldays onward ... determinedly."

Did You Know?

• Trevor Howard was actually born in 1913, though he later claimed to have been born in 1916, a date quoted by most reference sources.
• During the filming of The Third Man in Vienna, Howard was detained by the Royal Military Police for impersonating a British Army officer while still wearing his costume.
• Howard was discharged from the British Army in 1943 for mental instability and having a 'psychopathic personality,' according to Public Record Office files.
• British exhibitors voted Howard the 2nd biggest British star at the box office in 1950.
• Howard left a substantial legacy in his will to Clifton College for a drama scholarship.

Career & Rise to Stardom

Trevor Howard's path to screen stardom began in the theatre, where he built a solid reputation through productions of Sheridan's The Rivals, several performances at Stratford-upon-Avon, and a two-year run in the original staging of French Without Tears. His transition to cinema was gradual: an uncredited role in Carol Reed's The Way Ahead (1944) caught the eye of director David Lean, who then pitched Howard to Noël Coward for the part of Alec in Brief Encounter (1945). That film became his breakthrough, establishing him as a leading man. The following years brought a steady stream of successful British pictures, but it was Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949), co-starring Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten, that became the role Howard was proudest of and the one that carried his name internationally. Critics at BFI Screenonline later identified him as representing a fresh archetype in British cinema: a composed, middle-class presence who could hint at deeper psychological turbulence beneath a tweedy exterior. His filmography stretched across decades and genres, touching war epics like Mutiny on the Bounty and Battle of Britain, the family adventure Superman (1978), the biographical Gandhi (1982), and the late-career White Mischief (1987).

The Military Service Controversy

Perhaps no aspect of Trevor Howard's public image generated more controversy than his wartime record. Around 1945, journalists began publishing stories portraying him as a brave officer in the Royal Corps of Signals, a narrative that earned him admiration from colleagues and audiences alike. The situation escalated when police visited him, warning that falsely claiming a military medal constituted a criminal offence under the Army Act. Howard insisted he had not been the source of the circulating tales. The truth, however, was markedly different. Journalist Terrence Pettigrew's 2001 biography drew on Public Record Office files revealing that Howard had been discharged from the British Army in 1943 on grounds of mental instability and a so-called "psychopathic personality," with the records noting he had "lied about his background, from his schooldays onward ... determinedly." The London Gazette confirms he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the South Staffordshire Regiment in October 1942 but relinquished his commission just over a year later citing ill-health. His widow, Helen Cherry, initially pushed back against these findings but ultimately acknowledged that Howard's mother had claimed he held the Military Cross—a decoration that the official record does not support.

Awards & Industry Recognition

Throughout a career spanning over four decades, Trevor Howard accumulated a remarkable catalogue of critical recognition. He was put forward for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor on four separate occasions, and his performance in The Key (1958) finally secured him the trophy. His work in Sons and Lovers (1960) earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor, placing him among the most respected British performers of his generation on the international stage. Beyond film, Howard also collected an Emmy Award and received three Golden Globe nominations, underscoring his range across both screen and television. His popularity with general audiences was equally significant: British exhibitors voted him the tenth most popular star at the domestic box office in 1947, and by 1950 he had climbed to second place among British actors. He remained a top-five draw through 1951 and still featured in the top ten as late as 1952. These figures, combined with his critical accolades, paint a picture of an actor who was simultaneously a commercial force and a figure taken seriously by the industry's most prestigious awarding bodies.

Early Life & Formative Years

Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith entered the world on 29 September 1913 in Cliftonville, Kent, the son of Mabel Grey Wallace and Arthur John Howard-Smith, an insurance underwriter connected to Lloyd's of London. His father's role as a representative in Colombo, Ceylon and other postings meant the young Trevor spent his first eight years moving across the globe. Although he later told the world he was born in 1916—a date that persisted in most reference works—school records confirm 1913 as the true year. His education took him to Clifton College, where he left a substantial legacy in his will to fund a drama scholarship, and then to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. At RADA, his talent was recognized early: in 1933, at the end of his first year, he was selected as the best actor in his class for his portrayal of Benedict in a school production of Much Ado About Nothing. Still a student, he made his professional stage debut at the Gate Theatre in Revolt in a Reformatory (1934), and went on to work steadily in productions including Sheridan's The Rivals and a lengthy run in French Without Tears.