REX HARRISON - HOLLYWOOD STAR
Rex Harrison was born in 1908 as Reginald Carey Harrison here in Derry Lodge, Huyton, Lancashire, England, to Edith Mary (Carey) and William Reginald Harrison, a cotton broker. He changed his name to Rex as a young boy, knowing it was the Latin word for "King". Starting out on his theater career at age 18, his first job at the Liverpool Rep Theatre was nearly his last - dashing across the stage to say his one line, made his entrance and promptly blew it. Fates were kind, however, and soon he began landing roles in the West End. "French Without Tears", proved to be his breakthrough role. Soon he was being called the "greatest actor of light comedy in the world". Having divorced his first wife Collette Thomas in 1942, he married German actress Lilli Palmer. The two began appearing together in many plays and British films. He attained international fame when he portrayed the King in Anna and the King of Siam, his first American film. After a sex scandal, in which starlet Carole Landis apparently committed suicide because he ended their affair, the relationship with wife Lilli became strained. Rex (by this time known as "Sexy Rexy" for his philandering ways and magnetic charm) began a relationship with British actress Kay Kendall and divorced Lilli to marry the terminally ill Kay with hopes of a re-marriage to Palmer upon Kay's death. The death of Kay affected Harrison greatly and Lilli never returned to him. During this time Rex was offered the defining role of his career: Professor Henry Higgins in the original production of My Fair Lady (Where the title of this cache comes from if you were wondering). He won the Tony for the play and an Oscar for the film version. Rex went on to marry three more times to Rachel Roberts, Elizabeth Harris (Richard's ex) and Mercia Tinker. He and Mercia remained happily married until his death in 1990. She was also with him in 1989 when he was granted his much-deserved and long awaited knighthood at Buckingham Palace. Rex starred in many popular films during his career, including Blithe Spirit, The Yellow Rolls Royce, and Doctor Dolittle. He died in 1990 of pancreatic cancer three weeks after his last stage appearance, as Lord Porteous in "The Circle".
The Cache
This is the second of a series of 5 entitled Huyton Walk of Fame. (with a few other caches in between to fill in the gaps)Â .
The cache is a small tupperware box, containing only a log and a pencil. Â
You will NOT have to access any gardens and although the information regarding this address is freely available online, please be respectful of the privacy of the current residents of the house.
Most of the caches are possible to do as drive-by's but if you wish to park up at the given parking coordinates and walk between caches the trail is approx 41/2km long.