William Desmond (born William Mannion; January 23, 1878 – November 3, 1949) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."
William Desmond | |
|---|---|
 Desmond in 1915 | |
| Born | William Mannion January 23, 1878 |
| Died | November 3, 1949 (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Chapel of the Pines Crematory |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1915–1949 |
| Spouse | Mary McIvor (m. 1919-1941) |
| Children | 2 |
Born William Mannion[1] in Salamanca, New York on January 23 1878, he was raised in New York City. He later changed his surname to a stage name. He started out in vaudeville and the legitimate stage before making his film debut. In 1919, he married his co-star Mary McIvor, with whom he had two daughters. [2]
He portrayed a globetrotting hero, Phineas Fogg the 3rd, in a now lost film serial from the twenties.[3] With the coming of sound he gravitated to older, supporting roles.
On November 3, 1949, Desmond died at age 71 of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California. His cremated remains are stored in the vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory, Los Angeles.[4]
Selected filmography
edit- Kilmeny (1915) - Bob Meredith
- The Majesty of the Law (1915) - Jackson Morgan Kent
- Peer Gynt (1915) - The Parson
- Peggy (1916) - Rev. Donald Bruce
- Bullets and Brown Eyes (1916) - Prince Carl
- The Waifs (1916) - Arthur Rayburn
- Not My Sister (1916) - Michael Arnold
- The Sorrows of Love (1916) - Guido Perli
- The Captive God (1916)
- The Payment (1916) - Dick
- Lieutenant Danny, U.S.A. (1916) - Lt. Danny Ward
- The Dawn Maker (1916) - Bruce Smithson
- The Criminal (1916) - Donald White
- A Gamble in Souls (1916) - Arthur Worden, Evangelist
- The Iced Bullet (1917) - The Author / Horace Lee
- The Last of the Ingrams (1917) - Jules Ingram
- Blood Will Tell (1917) - Samson Oakley III
- Paddy O'Hara (1917) - Paddy O'Hara
- Paws of the Bear (1917) - Ray Bourke
- Time Locks and Diamonds (1917) - Silver Jim Farrel
- Master of His Home (1917) - Carson Stewart
- Flying Colors (1917) - Brent Brewster
- Married in Name Only (1917)
- Fighting Back (1917) - The Weakling
- The Sudden Gentleman (1917) - Garry Garrity
- Captain of His Soul (1918) - Horace Boyce
- The Sea Panther (1918) - Paul Le Marsan
- Society for Sale (1918) - Honorable Billy
- An Honest Man (1918) - Benny Boggs
- Old Hartwell's Cub (1918) - Bill Hartwell
- Closin' In (1918) - Jack Bradon
- Hell's End (1918) - Jack Donovan
- Beyond the Shadows (1918) - Jean Du Bois
- Wild Life (1918) - Chick Ward
- The Pretender (1918) - Bob Baldwin
- Deuce Duncan (1918) - Deuce Duncan
- Life's a Funny Proposition (1919) - Jimmie Pendleton
- The Prodigal Liar (1919) - Percival Montgomery Edwards
- Her Code of Honor (1919) - Eugene La Salle
- Whitewashed Walls (1919) - Larry Donovan
- The Mints of Hell (1919) - Dan Burke
- Bare-Fisted Gallagher (1919) - 'Bare-Fisted' Gallagher
- A Sagebrush Hamlet (1919) - Larry Lang
- Dangerous Waters (1919) - Jimmie Moulton
- The Blue Bandanna (1919) - Jerry Jerome
- The Prince and Betty (1919) - John Maude
- A Broadway Cowboy (1920) - Burke Randolph
- Twin Beds (1920) - Harry Hawkins
- The Parish Priest (1920) - Reverend John Whalen
- Women Men Love (1921) - David Hunter
- The Child Thou Gavest Me (1921) - Tom Marshall
- Dangerous Toys (1921) - Jack Gray
- Fightin' Mad (1921) - Bud McGraw
- Don't Leave Your Husband (1921)
- Perils of the Yukon (1922) - Jack Merrill
- Night Life in Hollywood (1922) - Himself
- Around the World in Eighteen Days (1923) - Phineas Fogg III
- The Phantom Fortune (1923) - Larry Barclay
- McGuire of the Mounted (1923) - Bob McGuire
- Shadows of the North (1923) - Ben 'Wolf' Darby
- Beasts of Paradise (1923) - Phil Grant
- The Extra Girl (1923) - William Desmond - Actor
- The Eagle's Talons (1923)
- The Breathless Moment (1924) - Billy Carson
- Big Timber (1924) - Walter Sandry
- The Measure of a Man (1924) - John Fairmeadow
- The Sunset Trail (1924) - Happy Hobo
- The Riddle Rider (1924) - Randolph Parker / The Riddle Rider
- Hello, 'Frisco (1924 short) - Himself - William Desmond
- Outwitted (1925) - Jack Blaisdel
- Ridin' Pretty (1925) - Sky Parker
- Barriers of the Law (1925) - Rex Brandon
- Duped (1925) - John Morgan
- Straight Through (1925) - Good Deed O'Day
- The Burning Trail (1925) - Smiling Bill Flannigan
- Blood and Steel (1925) - Gordon Steele
- The Meddler (1925) - Richard Gilmore
- Ace of Spades (1925 serial) - Dan Harvey
- Ace of Spies (1925)
- The Winking Idol (1926) - Dave Ledbetter
- Strings of Steel (1926) - Ned Brown
- Tongues of Scandal (1927) - Gov. John Rhodes
- The Return of the Riddle Rider (1927) - Randolph Parker / The Riddle Rider
- Red Clay (1927) - Chief John Nisheto
- The Vanishing Rider (1928) - Jim Davis / The Vanishing Rider
- The Devil's Trademark (1928) - Morgan Gray
- The Mystery Rider (1928) - Winthrop Lane / The Mystery Rider
- No Defense (1929) - John Harper
- The Phantom of the West (1931) - Martin Blair
- The Vanishing Legion (1931) - Milesburg Sheriff
- First Aid (1931) - Chief of Police
- Hell-Bent for Frisco (1931) - The Editor
- Oklahoma Jim (1931) - Lacy
- The Lightning Warrior (1931 serial) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Battling with Buffalo Bill (1931) - John Mills
- Heroes of the West (1932) - John Blaine
- The Last Frontier (1932 serial) - General Custer (Ch. 1)
- Jungle Mystery (1932) - John Morgan
- A Scarlet Week-End (1932)
- Clancy of the Mounted (1933) - Dave Moran
- Rustlers' Roundup (1933) - San Dimas Sheriff Holden
- The Three Musketeers (1933 serial) - Captain Boncour
- The Whispering Shadow (1933 serial) - Empire Transport Co. driver (uncredited)
- The Phantom of the Air (1933 serial) - Thomas Edmonds
- Laughing at Life (1933) - Military Cabinet Officer
- Gordon of Ghost City (1933 serial) - John Mulford
- Strawberry Roan (1933) - Colonel Brownlee
- The Perils of Pauline (1933 serial) - Prof. Thompson [Chs. 9-12]
- Fargo Express (1933) - Sheriff Joe Thompson
- Pirate Treasure (1934) - Capt. Jim Carson
- Border Guns (1934) - Dr. Jim Wilson
- The Vanishing Shadow (1934 serial) - Newspaper Editor MacDonald
- I Can't Escape (1934) - Parole Officer Donovan
- The Red Rider (1934 serial) - Sheriff Campbell
- The Way of the West (1934) - 'Cash' Horton
- Tailspin Tommy (1934 serial) - Sloane - Taggart's Office Henchman, Chs. 4, 7, 10-11
- Frontier Days (1934) - Sheriff Barnes
- Gunfire (1934) - Townsman (uncredited)
- The Rawhide Terror (1934) - Tom Blake - Betty's Older Brother
- When Lightning Strikes (1934) - Marshall Jack Stevens
- Rustlers of Red Dog (1935 serial) - Ira Dale (Wagonmaster)
- Five Bad Men (1935) - Colonel Matoon
- Defying the Law (1935) - Jim Kenmore
- Naughty Marietta (1935) - Gendarme Chief (uncredited)
- Born to Battle (1935) - John Brownell
- Devil's Canyon (1935)
- The Cowboy and the Bandit (1935) - Sheriff Pete
- Cyclone of the Saddle (1935) - Wagon Master
- The Call of the Savage (1935) - Allen
- The Tia Juana Kid (1935) - Cantina Owner
- The Phantom Cowboy (1935) - Barfly (uncredited)
- The Ghost Rider (1935) - Guard
- Social Error (1935) - Policeman (uncredited)
- The Roaring West (1935) - Jim Parker
- Powdersmoke Range (1935) - Happy - Bartender
- Rough Riding Ranger (1935) - Major Wright
- Courage of the North (1935) - Gene Travis
- Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery (1935 serial) - Foreman Burke [Chs. 7-9,11-12] (uncredited)
- Nevada (1935) - Wilson
- Frisco Kid (1935) - Vigilante Hangman (uncredited)
- Timber Terrors (1935) - Royce Horter
- Custer's Last Stand (1936 serial) - Wagon Master [Ch. 1] (as Bill Desmond)
- The Broken Coin (1936)
- The Adventures of Frank Merriwell (1936 serial) - Captain of the 'Viking' (uncredited)
- Song of the Saddle (1936) - Stage Driver Tim
- Flash Gordon (1936 serial) - Hawkman Lookout Captain (uncredited)
- The Clutching Hand (1936 serial) - Bartender Steve [Chs.5,8,10-12,14] (uncredited)
- Treachery Rides the Range (1936) - Bill - Stage Driver (uncredited)
- Hollywood Boulevard (1936) - Pago Pago Patron (uncredited)
- The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936) - Anderson
- The Black Coin (1936) - Cantina Bartender
- Cavalry (1936) - Cavalry Major (uncredited)
- Song of the Gringo (1936) - Bailiff
- Headin' for the Rio Grande (1936) - Mr. Mack
- Arizona Days (1937) - Stranger (uncredited)
- The Mysterious Pilot (1937 serial) - Lumberjack / Townsman (uncredited)
- Tim Tyler's Luck (1937 serial) - Dock Official [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
- Man of Conquest (1939) - Tennessee Man (uncredited)
- Winners of the West (1940 serial) - Bill Brine - Foreman
- The Boys from Syracuse (1940) - Citizen (uncredited)
- Junior G-Men (1940 serial) - Irish Cop [Ch. 6] (uncredited)
- A Little Bit of Heaven (1940) - Uncle Francis
- Where Did You Get That Girl? (1941) - Tourist (uncredited)
- Nice Girl? (1941) - Postman (uncredited)
- Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941) - Bartender
- Sky Raiders (1941 serial) - Murphy - Police Officer [Ch. 9] (uncredited)
- Don Winslow of the Navy (1942 serial) - Pat - Smelter Foreman [Ch. 5] (uncredited)
- Stagecoach Buckaroo (1942) - Barfly (uncredited)
- Raiders of the West (1942) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Gang Busters (1942 serial) - Rogan's Death Witness [Ch. 4] (uncredited)
- Junior G-Men of the Air (1942 serial) - Parts Customer [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
- Down Rio Grande Way (1942) - Townsman (uncredited)
- The Silver Bullet (1942) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Overland Mail (1942 serial) - Williams - Banker [Chs. 5, 12] (uncredited)
- Sin Town (1942) - Town Leader (uncredited)
- Prairie Chickens (1943) - Cache Lake Townsman (uncredited)
- Cheyenne Roundup (1943) - Pete (uncredited)
- Frontier Fury (1943) - Townsman (uncredited)
- The Lone Star Trail (1943) - Bartender Mike (uncredited)
- Frontier Badmen (1943) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Phantom of the Opera (1943) - Stagehand (uncredited)
- Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) - Westerner in Dennis Morgan Number (uncredited)
- Marshal of Gunsmoke (1944) - Barfly (uncredited)
- Oklahoma Raiders (1944) - Townsman Grinning at Banjo's Fall (uncredited)
- The Scarlet Claw (1944) - Member of Royal Canadian Occult Society (uncredited)
- The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
- The Mummy's Ghost (1944) - Museum Tourist (uncredited)
- National Barn Dance (1944) - Farmer at Barn Dance (uncredited)
- Tall in the Saddle (1944) - Town Citizen (uncredited)
- The Climax (1944) - Backstage Technician (uncredited)
- Bowery to Broadway (1944) - Man at Bar (uncredited)
- The Old Texas Trail (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Firebrands of Arizona (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
- Hi, Beautiful (1944) - Passenger (uncredited)
- See My Lawyer (1945) - Bystander (uncredited)
- Song of the Sarong (1945) - Councillor (uncredited)
- The Return of the Durango Kid (1945) - Street Ambusher (uncredited)
- Beyond the Pecos (1945) - Bill - Barfly (uncredited)
- The Naughty Nineties (1945) - (uncredited)
- That Night with You (1945) - Man in Market (uncredited)
- Strange Confession (1945) - Peanut Vendor (uncredited)
- The Royal Mounted Rides Again (1945) - Miner at Meeting (uncredited)
- Frontier Gal (1945) - Barfly (uncredited)
- The Scarlet Horseman (1946 serial) - Barfly (uncredited)
- Code of the West (1947) - Settler (uncredited)
- The Michigan Kid (1947) - Townsman (uncredited)
- The Egg and I (1947) - Spectator at County Fair (uncredited)
- Relentless (1948) - Townsman on Porch (uncredited)
- Are You with It? (1948) - Spectator (uncredited)
References
edit- ^ Room, Adrian (2012). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 143. ISBN 9780786457632. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
- ^ A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses 1476609055 George A. Katchmer - 2002 -"William Desmond's biography can be read in its entirety in the author's book Eighty Silent Film Stars: Biographies and Filmographies from the Obscure to the ... In 1919, he married Mary McIvor, who bore him two daughters, Mary Jo and Terry.
- ^ "Progressive Silent Film List: Around the World in Eighteen Days". Silent Era. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
- ^ Ellenberger, Allan R. (2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 24. ISBN 9780786409839. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to William Desmond (actor).
- William Desmond at IMDb
- William Desmond at Virtual History