Henry Kendall, born in London on 28 May 1897 was an English stage and
film actor, theatre director and an immaculately stylish revue artiste.
Kendall was educated at the City of London School, and made his first
appearance on the stage in September 1914 at the Lyceum Theatre,
playing a 'super' in Tommy Atkins. He had a distinguished war career,
serving as a Captain in the Royal Air Force from 1916 to 1919, and on
demobilisation was awarded the Air Force Cross.
In addition to a busy career as an actor and entertainer, he was
frequently engaged as a director, notably staging the first productions
of See How They Run (Peterborough Rep, tour and Q Theatre 1944; Comedy
Theatre 1945), and The Shop at Sly Corner (St Martin's Theatre 1945).
He also directed numerous plays at the Embassy Theatre and Q Theatre.
In the book "Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light" by Patrick McGilligan, Alfred Hitchcock is quoted as saying that Henry Kendall was "a fairly obvious homosexual.".