O. Henry

Writing

O. Henry

Born September 11, 1862 · Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Died June 5, 1910 · aged 47

William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. His stories are known for their surprise endings.

Known For

Mickey's Once Upon a ChristmasMickey's Once Upon a Christmas · 1999
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
★ 7.11999
MovieAnimationFamily
Mickey, Minnie, and their famous friends Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Pluto gather together to reminisce about the love, magic and surprises in three wonder-filled stories of Christmas past.
The Girl from San LorenzoThe Girl from San Lorenzo · 1950
The Girl from San Lorenzo
★ 8.01950
MovieWestern
Cisco and Pancho set out to clear their names in a series of stage robberies committed by two thugs who are impersonating them.
Khatta MeethaKhatta Meetha · 2010
Khatta Meetha
★ 5.82010
MovieComedyDrama
Sachin Tichkule, a struggling contractor whose failure in making peace with the corrupt bureaucracy in town as well as strained relation with his ex-girlfriend and his family leads to misadventures that deprive him of his closest relations. However, as he begins to mend his ways, justice comes knocking on his door.
Gift of the MagiGift of the Magi · 2010
Gift of the Magi
★ 4.82010
MovieDramaRomance
A newlywed couple burdened with economic hardship decides not to exchange Christmas presents to save money over the holidays. Secretly, they make sacrifices to buy the other a special gift.
RaincoatRaincoat · 2004
Raincoat
★ 7.42004
MovieDramaRomance
Tells the story of two lovers, separated by destiny, who meet again one day. This encounter allows each to realize the truth about the lives they are living.
The Ransom of Red ChiefThe Ransom of Red Chief · 1998
The Ransom of Red Chief
★ 4.21998
MovieActionComedy
Two hoboes strike on a get-rich quick scheme to kidnap an overly-energetic 9 year old son of a local banker. Based on the classic story by O. Henry.
LooteraLootera · 2013
Lootera
★ 7.02013
MovieDramaRomance
In a village, a young archaeologist falls in love with a landlord's daughter. Their union seems doomed. But destiny brings them together a year later. Will they live happily ever after?
Riding the California TrailRiding the California Trail · 1947
Riding the California Trail
★ 5.51947
MovieRomanceWestern
Chasing women and staying one step ahead of the law, the Cisco Kid meets Raquel and then Dolores. He sees that Raole is the boy friend of Raquel but engaged to Dolores. Learning that all her money will got to her uncle Don Jose when she marries Raole, Cisco suspects a plot and sets out to unravel it.

Filmography

Sort
Strictly BusinessStrictly Business · 1963
Strictly Business
★ 7.31963
MovieComedy
Three stories based on O. Henry novels. (1) Bob Tidball recovers $30,000 in pristine credit cards from a bandit’s sack and races across the plains until his horse breaks its leg. Forced to mount Dodson’s stallion, he’s ambushed and killed by “Shark” Dodson, who seizes the entire loot. (2) A thief slips through a third-floor window to steal a stack of bills from a sleeping gentleman’s dressing table. When the homeowner awakens and raises only one hand against the revolver—his other immobilized by a sudden rheumatic attack—the would-be robber reconsiders his plan. (3) Sam and Bill, two small-time grifters short $2,000 for their swindle, decide to kidnap Ebeneger Dorset’s young son. They demand exactly that sum as ransom, setting in motion a desperate bargain.

Short Story

Orson Welles' Great MysteriesOrson Welles' Great Mysteries · 1973
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries
★ 6.81973
SeriesMysteryDrama
Orson Welles’ Great Mysteries is a British television anthology series produced by Anglia Television for the ITV network and broadcast between 1973 and 1974. The series presents standalone adaptations of classic mystery, crime, and supernatural stories drawn from literary sources including Dickens, Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins, Balzac, Maugham, O. Henry, and others. Each episode is framed by original introductory and closing sequences performed by Orson Welles, who serves as the series’ host and sole recurring on-screen presence. These segments, written and directed by Welles (uncredited), function as stylized narrative framing devices rather than dramatic participation in the stories themselves. The dramatic content of each episode is performed by separate casts and directors, with no continuing characters or serialized narrative, establishing the series as a unified television anthology rather than a collection of standalone films.

Writer