William B. Davidson
Known for
Acting
Life
1888 – 1947 (aged 59)
Born in
Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA
Credits
View on IMDb246 acting credits
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William B. Davidson (June 16, 1888 – September 28, 1947) was an American film actor.
Davidson attended Columbia University where he played football. He became a popular football star. This fame eventually led to his foray into motion pictures after he had spent some time as a lawyer. He started in films in 1914 with Vitagraph and supported well known stage and film actresses such as Ethel Barrymore, Mabel Taliaferro, Charlotte Walker, Olga Petrova, Viola Dana, June Caprice, Edna Goodrich, and Mae West. He appeared in 318 films between 1915 and 1949.
He was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and died in Santa Monica, California. His first Hollywood film was For the Honor of the Crew. Afterward, he appeared in many films, his best-known role was perhaps the Ship's captain in The Most Dangerous Game. He remained in show business until his sudden death after surgery in 1947.
Known For
Scarface
09 Apr 1932
My Darling Clementine
17 Oct 1946
The Most Dangerous Game
16 Sep 1932
Mystery of the Wax Museum
18 Feb 1933
They Were Expendable
07 Dec 1945
Hell's Angels
15 Nov 1930
Imitation of Life
23 Nov 1934
Marked Woman
10 Apr 1937
Photos
Filmography
1955
- MGM Parade1 episode
1947
- The Judge Steps Outas Colonel Bright (uncredited)
- That Hagen Girlas Mr. Bowman (uncredited)
- That's My Manas Steward
- Dick Tracy's Dilemmaas Peter Premium
1946
- The Plainsman and the Ladyas Russell
- My Darling Clementineas Saloon Owner (uncredited)
- The Cat Creepsas James Walsh
- Ding Dong Williamsas Mr. Saul Dana
- Blonde Alibias Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)
- The Notorious Lone Wolfas Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)
1945
- They Were Expendableas Hotel Manager (uncredited)
- Sing Your Way Homeas F.T. Johnson (uncredited)
- Tell It to a Staras Brannigan
- Blonde Ransomas Police Captain
- Dillingeras Bank President (uncredited)
- Circumstantial Evidenceas Board of Appeals Chairman
- The Man Who Walked Aloneas Governor
- See My Lawyeras Judge
1944
- Greenwich Villageas Dance Director
- In Societyas Parker
- Make Your Own Bedas Mr. Linklater
- A Night of Adventureas Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)
- Shine on Harvest Moonas Tim Donovan (uncredited)
- Up in Armsas Maxwell (uncredited)
1943
- Over the Wallas Warden Ed
- Murder on the Waterfrontas Capt. Towne
- The Good Fellowsas Blake
- Hers to Holdas Al
- Mission to Moscowas Senator (uncredited)
- Calabooseas Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)
- Truck Bustersas Stephen S. Gray
1942
- Gentleman Jimas Donovan (uncredited)
- Careful, Soft Shouldersas Mr. Aldrich
- The Magnificent Dopeas Mr. Reindel
- The Affairs of Marthaas Homer Jacell
- In This Our Lifeas Jim Purdy
- Larceny, Inc.as McCarthy
- The Affairs of Jimmy Valentineas Cyrus Ballard
- The Male Animalas Alumnus
- Over My Dead Bodyas Crole (as William Davidson)
1941
- Remember the Dayas Committeeman
- Keep 'Em Flyingas Gonigle
- The Great Man's Ladyas Sen. Knobs
- Three Girls About Townas Labor Leader
- Uncle Joeas Mr. Day
- Week-End in Havanaas Captain Moss
- Sun Valley Serenadeas Jack Murray
- Highway Westas Gorman
- Hold That Ghostas Moose Matson
- Three Sons o' Gunsas Henry Baxter
- In the Navyas Capt. Richards (uncredited)
- Thieves Fall Outas Harrison "Harry" Eckles
- The Lady from Cheyenneas Nye Dunbar
- Man-Made Monsteras District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley
1940
- San Francisco Docksas Dist. Atty. Craig
- Charter Pilotas Mr. Wentworth
- A Night at Earl Carroll'sas Mayor Green of San Bernardino
- Lady with Red Hairas Stock Company Manager (uncredited)
- Tin Pan Alleyas Hotel Manager
- Sandy Gets Her Manas Councilman Charles J. Clark
- Seven Sinnersas Police Chief
- Hired Wifeas Mumford (as William Davidson)
- Marylandas John Addison
- My Love Came Backas Agent
- Sailor's Ladyas Judge Hinsdale
- Florianas Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- Girl in 313as George Grayson
- Lillian Russellas President Cleveland
- On Their Ownas Judge Bull
- Half a Sinneras Slick
- Granny Get Your Gunas Fitzgerald
- My Little Chickadeeas Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)
1939
- Invisible Stripesas Montgomery (uncredited)
- The Honeymoon's Overas Crane
- Private Detectiveas Inspector Evans
- Smashing the Money Ringas Warden Denby
- Honeymoon in Balias Store Detective
- Dust Be My Destinyas Work Farm Warden
- Hidden Poweras Foster
- Each Dawn I Dieas Bill Mason
- Indianapolis Speedwayas Duncan Martin
- Naughty but Niceas Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher
- On Trialas Mr. Gray
- Sudden Moneyas Sam
- Three Smart Girls Grow Upas Stock Broker
- Blondie Meets the Bossas Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)
- Tail Spinas Sales Manager (Uncredited)
- Blackwell's Islandas Hempel
- They Made Me a Criminalas Ennis
- Off the Recordas Scotty
1938
- Illegal Trafficas Dalton
- There Goes My Heartas Skipper Jackson (uncredited)
- Mr. Doodle Kicks Offas Ellory Bugs
- Letter of Introductionas Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)
- Racket Bustersas Trucking Chairman (uncredited)
- Cowboy from Brooklynas Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey
- Blockadeas Commandant
- You and Meas N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited)
- Cocoanut Groveas Hawtrey
- The Jury's Secretas Page
- Hollywood Hotelas Director Kelton
- Sergeant Murphyas Maj. Gruff (uncredited)
1937
- Love on Toastas Jonathan
- The Hurricaneas The Bully (uncredited)
- Something to Sing Aboutas Café Manager
- Behind the Mikeas Cyrus Wittles
- It Happened in Hollywoodas Al Howard
- Paradise Isleas Hoener
- Easy Livingas Mr. Hyde
- Ever Since Eveas Henderson
- Marry the Girlas Drake
- The Road Backas Bartscher
- Melody for Twoas Mr. Hale
- Let Them Liveas The Editor
- Marked Womanas Bob Crandall
- Midnight Courtas Alfred H. Kruger
1936
- Gold Diggers of 1937as Andy Callahan
- Earthworm Tractorsas Mr. Jackson
- Satan Met a Ladyas City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)
- The Big Noiseas Welford Andrews
- Murder by an Aristocratas Bayard Thatcher
- Fatal Ladyas Detective (uncredited)
- The Singing Kidas Barney Hammond
- Road Gangas Attorney General Mardsen
- Love on a Betas A.W. Hutchinson
- You May Be Next!as Official (uncredited)
1935
- Dangerousas Reed Walsh
- Show Them No Mercy!as Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)
- In Personas Director Bill Sutter (uncredited)
- Special Agentas Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer
- Redheads on Paradeas Theatre Manager
- Woman Wantedas Collins
- Oil for the Lamps of Chinaas E.H. Swaley
- Go Into Your Danceas Tom McGee
- A Night at the Ritzas Connolly
- Straight from the Heartas Prosecuting Attorney
- Death Flies Eastas Police Captain Barrie
- Sweet Musicas Billie Madison
- Devil Dogs of the Airas Adjutant
- Bordertownas Dr. Carter
1934
- The Man Who Reclaimed His Headas Charles (as William Davidson)
- The Secret Brideas Representative McPherson
- Imitation of Lifeas Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)
- The St. Louis Kidas Joe Hunter
- The Dragon Murder Caseas Greeff
- Housewifeas Nan's Attorney
- Friends of Mr. Sweeneyas Stephen Prime
- Fog Over Friscoas Editor Joe Hogue
- Upperworldas City Editor (uncredited)
- Laughing Boyas Hartshone (as William Davidson)
- The Big Shakedownas District Attorney (uncredited)
1933
- Lady Killeras Director Williams
- Femaleas Department Head (Uncredited)
- Meet the Baronas General Broadcasting Representative
- I'm No Angelas Ernest Brown
- Torch Singeras Jarrett
- The Intruderas Det. Lt. Samson
- Dangerously Yoursas George Carr
- Mystery of the Wax Museumas Detective (Uncredited)
- Hello, Everybody!as Mr. Parker
- The Billion Dollar Scandalas Jim Lawrence
1932
- The Animal Kingdomas Chess Player (uncredited)
- Central Parkas Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
- Guilty or Not Guiltyas Chief
- The Sport Paradeas Kendricks (uncredited)
- The Pride of the Legionas Sgt. Arnold
- Her Mad Nightas District Attorney
- The Most Dangerous Gameas Captain
- The Thirteenth Guestas Police Captain Brown (uncredited)
- Is My Face Red?as O'Sullivan
- Scarfaceas Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)
- The Lost Squadronas Lelewer
- Sky Devilsas Captain
- The Menaceas John Utterson
1931
- Half Holidayas Jerry - Andy's Pal
- Graftas M.H. Thomas
- The Secret Callas Jim Blake
- The Vice Squadas Magistrate Tom Morrison
- Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
- Dishonored
- Captain Applejackas Bill Dennett
- No Limitas Wilkie
1930
- Hook, Line and Sinkeras Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)
- Oh, for a Man!as Kerry Stokes
- Hell's Angelsas Staff Major
- Sunnyas First Ship's Officer
- The Silver Hordeas Tom Hilliard
- Playboy of Parisas Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)
- The Costello Caseas Saunders
- Scarlet Pagesas Jackson
- For the Defenseas Dist. Atty. Stone
- A Man from Wyomingas Major
- Men Are Like Thatas Frank Hyland
1929
- Blaze o' Gloryas District Attorney (as William Davidson)
- Always Faithfulas George W. Mason
- Woman Trapas Watts
- Queen of the Night Clubsas Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson)
- The Carnation Kidas Blythe
1928
- Sharp Tools
- Good Morning, Judgeas Elton (as William Davidson)
1927
- A Gentleman of Parisas Henri Dufour
- Cradle Snatchersas Roy Ladd
- The Last Trailas Kurt Morley
1925
- Hearts and Spursas Victor Dufresne
- Recompenseas Col. Donovan
- Women and Goldas Señor Ortego
- Ports of Callas Randolph Sherman
1924
- The Valley of Doubtas Macy
- The Storm Daughteras Rennert
1923
- Adam and Evaas Dr. Delamater
1922
1921
- Nobodyas John Rossmore
- The Girl from Nowhereas Jimmy Ryder
1920
- Partners of the Nightas Robert Clifford
1919
- The Capitolas Congressman Blake
- Lure of Ambitionas Hon. Cyril Ralston
- Impossible Catherineas John Henry Jackson
- La belle Russeas Brand
- A Woman There Wasas Rev. Winthrop Stark
- The Gold Cureas Michael Darcy
1918
- Why I Would Not Marryas Undetermined Role
- In Pursuit of Pollyas Larry O'Malley
- Ashes of Love
- Friend Husbandas John Sparr
- Our Little Wifeas Dr. Elliott
1917
- Her Second Husbandas John Kirby
- American Maidas David Starr
- Persuasive Peggyas Ed Trowbridge
- More Truth Than Poetryas Allen Danby
- The Lifted Veilas Malcolm Grant
- The Greatest Poweras John Conrad
- Lady Barnacleas Krishna Dhwaj
- The Call of Her Peopleas Nicholas Van Kleet
- A Magdalene of the Hillsas Bud Weaver
- Mary Lawson's Secretas Dr. Brundage
- The White Ravenas The Stranger
- A Modern Cinderella
1916
- In the Diplomatic Serviceas Lynn Hardi
- The Pretendersas Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson)
- The Child of Destinyas Calvin Baker
- Dorian's Divorceas Henry Morgan (as William Davidson)
- The Price of Maliceas Capt. Mills
- Her Debt of Honoras John Hartfield
1915
- A Yellow Streakas Jack Rader
- For the Honor of the Crewas Robert Brent