William B. Davidson

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

Blake

The Good Fellows

Cyrus Ballard

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

Work Farm Warden

Dust Be My Destiny

John Conrad

The Greatest Power

Nicholas Van Kleet

The Call of Her People

The Stranger

The White Raven

Malcolm Grant

The Lifted Veil

Ernest Brown

I'm No Angel

Foster

Hidden Power

Brand

La belle Russe

Hon. Cyril Ralston

Lure of Ambition

Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson)

The Pretenders

Police Chief

Seven Sinners

Larry O'Malley

In Pursuit of Polly

Elton (as William Davidson)

Good Morning, Judge

Board of Appeals Chairman

Circumstantial Evidence

Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)

Hook, Line and Sinker

Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson)

Queen of the Night Clubs

Jack Murray

Sun Valley Serenade

Director Williams

Lady Killer

Director Kelton

Hollywood Hotel

Mr. Jackson

Earthworm Tractors

George Carr

Dangerously Yours

Gorman

Highway West

Victor Dufresne

Hearts and Spurs

Greeff

The Dragon Murder Case

McCarthy

Larceny, Inc.

Hempel

Blackwell's Island

Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer

Special Agent

Randolph Sherman

Ports of Call

Sen. Knobs

The Great Man's Lady

Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)

The Notorious Lone Wolf

Lelewer

The Lost Squadron

Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)

Letter of Introduction

District Attorney

Her Mad Night

Hoener

Paradise Isle

Jack Rader

A Yellow Streak

Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)

Show Them No Mercy!

Maj. Gruff (uncredited)

Sergeant Murphy

Billie Madison

Sweet Music

Captain

Sky Devils

M.H. Thomas

Graft

Brannigan

Tell It to a Star

Jackson

Scarlet Pages

Chess Player

The Animal Kingdom

A.W. Hutchinson

Love on a Bet

Capt. Towne

Murder on the Waterfront

John Utterson

The Menace

Alfred H. Kruger

Midnight Court

Hartshone (as William Davidson)

Laughing Boy

Sgt. Arnold

The Pride of the Legion

Drake

Marry the Girl

Watts

Woman Trap

Attorney General Mardsen

Road Gang

Agent

My Love Came Back

Dist. Atty. Stone

For the Defense

Mr. Day

Uncle Joe

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Florian

Magistrate Tom Morrison

The Vice Squad

Homer Jacell

The Affairs of Martha

Robert Brent

For the Honor of the Crew

Russell

The Plainsman and the Lady

Ellory Bugs

Mr. Doodle Kicks Off

Mr. Bowman (uncredited)

That Hagen Girl

Duncan Martin

Indianapolis Speedway

Collins

Woman Wanted

Bill Dennett

Captain Applejack

Capt. Richards (uncredited)

In the Navy

Mr. Parker

Hello, Everybody!

Wilkie

No Limit

Captain

The Most Dangerous Game

Commandant

Blockade

Chief

Guilty or Not Guilty

Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)

Playboy of Paris

The Dumb-Bell

Joe Hunter

The St. Louis Kid

Major

A Man from Wyoming

John Hartfield

Her Debt of Honor

Lynn Hardi

In the Diplomatic Service

Police Captain Barrie

Death Flies East

Bayard Thatcher (as William Davidson)

Murder by an Aristocrat

Mr. Saul Dana

Ding Dong Williams

Capt. Mills

The Price of Malice

A Modern Cinderella

Blythe

The Carnation Kid

Robert Clifford

Partners of the Night

Roy Ladd

Cradle Snatchers

Henderson

Ever Since Eve

Al Howard

It Happened in Hollywood

Mr. Hyde

Easy Living

President Cleveland

Lillian Russell

Director Bill Sutter

In Person

Ennis

They Made Me a Criminal

Det. Lt. Samson

The Intruder

Windy Riley Goes Hollywood

The Bully (uncredited)

The Hurricane

Trucking Chairman (uncredited)

Racket Busters

Detective (uncredited)

Fatal Lady

Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey

Cowboy from Brooklyn

Hawtrey

Cocoanut Grove

First Ship's Officer

Sunny

Mr. Hale

Melody for Two

Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher

Naughty But Nice

Maxwell (uncredited)

Up in Arms

Dr. Delamater

Adam and Eva

Dance Director

Greenwich Village

Warden Denby

Smashing the Money Ring

Kendricks (uncredited)

The Sport Parade

E.H. Swaley

Oil for the Lamps of China

Mr. Wentworth

Charter Pilot

Welford Andrews

The Big Noise

Mumford (as William Davidson)

Hired Wife

Stephen Prime

Friends of Mr. Sweeney

Sales Manager (Uncredited)

Tail Spin

Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)

Blondie Meets the Boss

Stock Broker

Three Smart Girls Grow Up

Henry Baxter

Three Sons o' Guns

Bill Mason

Each Dawn I Die

Steward

That's My Man

Store Detective

Honeymoon in Bali

Skipper Jackson (uncredited)

There Goes My Heart

District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley

Man-Made Monster

Self (archive footage)

Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her

Kurt Morley

The Last Trail

Jimmy Ryder

The Girl from Nowhere

Al

Hers to Hold

Colonel Bright (uncredited)

The Judge Steps Out

Judge Bull

On Their Own

Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)

A Night of Adventure

Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)

Calaboose

Dr. Carter

Bordertown

Adjutant

Devil Dogs of the Air

Peter Premium

Dick Tracy's Dilemma

Jonathan

Love on Toast

Representative McPherson

The Secret Bride

Reed Walsh

Dangerous

Rev. Winthrop Stark

A Woman There Was

Crole (as William Davidson)

Over My Dead Body

Gonigle

Keep 'Em Flying

Dr. Brundage

Mary Lawson's Secret

Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)

Scarface

Saloon Owner (uncredited)

My Darling Clementine

Nye Dunbar

The Lady from Cheyenne

Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)

My Little Chickadee

Moose Matson

Hold That Ghost

Slick

Half a Sinner

Hotel Manager

Tin Pan Alley

Barney Hammond

The Singing Kid

Donovan (uncredited)

Gentleman Jim

Connolly

A Night at the Ritz

Stock Company Manager (uncredited)

Lady with Red Hair

George Grayson

Girl in 313

John Addison

Maryland

General Broadcasting Representative

Meet the Baron

Himself

How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action

Inspector Evans

Private Detective

City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)

Satan Met a Lady

Labor Leader

Three Girls About Town

Tom Hilliard

The Silver Horde

Mr. Richards (as William Davidson)

Something to Sing About

Jim Blake

The Secret Call

George W. Mason

Always Faithful

Committeeman

Remember the Day

Himself - Golfer

How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots'

City Editor (uncredited)

Upperworld

Sharp Tools

Andy Callahan

Gold Diggers of 1937

Sam

Sudden Money

Self (archive footage)

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Kerry Stokes

Oh, for a Man!

Mr. Aldrich

Careful, Soft Shoulders

Nan's Attorney

Housewife

Scotty

Off the Record

Saunders

The Costello Case

Frank Hyland

Men Are Like That

Mr. Gray

On Trial

Jerry - Andy's Pal

Half Holiday

Captain Moss

Week-End in Havana

James Walsh

The Cat Creeps

Editor Joe Hogue

Fog Over Frisco

Harrison "Harry" Eckles

Thieves Fall Out

Staff Major

Hell's Angels

Senator (uncredited)

Mission to Moscow

Judge Hinsdale

Sailor's Lady

Bob Crandall

Marked Woman

Jarrett

Torch Singer

Warden Ed

Over the Wall

Tom McGee

Go Into Your Dance

Stephen S. Gray

Truck Busters

Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)

Blonde Alibi

Page

The Jury's Secret

Judge

See My Lawyer

Councilman Charles J. Clark

Sandy Gets Her Man

Cyrus Wittles

Behind the Mike

The Editor

Let Them Live

Undetermined Role

Why I Would Not Marry

Col. Donovan

Recompense

Mr. Linklater

Make Your Own Bed

John Henry Jackson

Impossible Catherine

Jim Lawrence

The Billion Dollar Scandal

District Attorney (uncredited)

The Big Shakedown

Official (uncredited)

You May Be Next!

Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)

Imitation of Life

Parker

In Society

Dist. Atty. Craig

San Francisco Docks

Governor

The Man Who Walked Alone

Fitzgerald

Granny Get Your Gun

Congressman Blake

The Capitol

Police Lieutenant (uncredited)

Central Park

Montgomery (uncredited)

Invisible Stripes

Jim Purdy

In This Our Life

District Attorney (as William Davidson)

Blaze o' Glory

Henry Morgan (as William Davidson)

Dorian's Divorce

Hotel Manager (uncredited)

They Were Expendable

O'Sullivan

Is My Face Red?

Henri Dufour

A Gentleman of Paris

Alumnus

The Male Animal

Department Head (Uncredited)

Female

Detective (Uncredited)

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Charles (as William Davidson)

The Man Who Reclaimed His Head

Dalton

Illegal Traffic

Mr. Reindel

The Magnificent Dope

Dishonored

Police Captain Brown (uncredited)

The Thirteenth Guest

F.T. Johnson

Sing Your Way Home

Bartscher

The Road Back

Macy

The Valley of Doubt

Ed Trowbridge

Persuasive Peggy

John Kirby

Her Second Husband

David Starr

American Maid

Ashes of Love

Theatre Manager

Redheads on Parade

N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited)

You and Me

Prosecuting Attorney

Straight from the Heart

Mayor Green of San Bernardino

A Night at Earl Carroll's

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

235

Gender

Male

Birthday

1888-06-15

Place of Birth

Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA

Also Known As

Wm. B. Davidson