William S. Hart

Personal Info

Known For Actor

Gender Male

Birthday 1864-12-06

Deathday 1946-06-23 (81 years old)

Place of Birth Newburgh, New York, USA

Also Known As William Surrey Hart, Two-Gun Bill, W.S. Hart, Wm. S. Hart, Wm. S Hart

William S. Hart

Biography

The first Western superstar, the taciturn Hart actually was a successful Shakespearean actor who played Messala in “Ben-Hur” on Broadway in 1899 before riding the range in movies. A longtime fan of the Old West, Hart was friends with Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. His film career began in 1914. After two supporting roles he gained fame as the lead in the feature-length western “The Bargain” shot on location at the Grand Canyon. Hart strove to make his westerns realistic with detailed attention played to costumes and props. Though Hart could be cast as a villain, he imbued all of his characters with honor and integrity. After making western shorts for producer Thomas Ince, he went to Famous Players-Lasky, which merged with Paramount Pictures in 1917. At Paramount he made such gritty feature westerns as “Square Deal Sanderson” and “The Toll Gate.” His star began to fade in the early 1920s when audiences grew tired of his moralistic Western tales. Not helping his career was his 1923 divorce from his wife, Winifred, who accused him of having two children by another woman. He made one last film, 1925’s “Tumbleweeds, which he financed himself. In 1939, the film was reissued this time with a prologue featuring a 75-year-old Hart shot on location at his ranch in Newhall talking about the West and his days in films. He died in 1946 at age 81. His home and ranch were turned into William S. Hart Park in Newhall.

Known For

Actor

1976
It's Showtime

as Self (archive footage)

1961
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino

as Self (archive footage)

1953
Yesterday and Today

as (archive footage)

1948
Variety Time

as Texas Tex (archive footage) (uncredited)

1934
The Hollywood Gad-About

as Self (uncredited)

1931
1931
The House That Shadows Built

as (archive footage)

1928
Show People

as Self (uncredited)

1925
Tumbleweeds

as Don Carver

1924
Hello, 'Frisco

as William S. Hart

1924
Singer Jim Mckee

as 'Singer' Jim McKee

1923
Wild Bill Hickok

as Wild Bill Hickok

1923
Hollywood

as William S. Hart

1922
Travelin' On

as J.B., The Stranger

1921
Three Word Brand

as Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego

1921
The Whistle

as Robert Evans

1921
O'Malley of the Mounted

as Sergeant O'Malley

1921
White Oak

as Oak Miller, a gambling man

1920
The Testing Block

as 'Sierra' Bill

1920
The Cradle of Courage

as 'Square' Kelly

1920
Sand

as Dan Kurrie

1920
The Toll Gate

as Black Deering

1919
John Petticoats

as 'Hardwood' John Haynes

1919
Wagon Tracks

as Buckskin Hamilton

1919
Square Deal Sanderson

as Square Deal Sanderson

1919
The Money Corral

as Lem Beason

1919
The Poppy Girl's Husband

as Hairpin Harry Dutton

1919
Breed of Men

as Careless Carmody

1918
Branding Broadway

as Robert Sands

1918
The Border Wireless

as Steve Ransom

1918
Riddle Gawne

as Jefferson 'Riddle' Gawne

1918
Shark Monroe

as Shark Monroe

1918
Selfish Yates

as 'Selfish' Yates

1918
The Tiger Man

as Hawk Parsons

1918
'Blue Blazes' Rawden

as Blue Blazes Rawden

1918
Staking His Life

as Bud Randall

1918
Wolves of the Rail

as 'Buck' Andrade

1917
The Narrow Trail

as Ice Harding

1917
The Silent Man

as Budd Marr

1917
The Cold Deck

as Jefferson "On the Level" Leigh

1917
Wolf Lowry

as Tom 'Wolf' Lowry

1917
The Square Deal Man

as Jack O'Diamonds

1917
The Desert Man

as Jim Alton

1917
The Gun Fighter

as Cliff Hudspeth

1917
Truthful Tulliver

as Truthful Tulliver

1916
The Devil's Double

as 'Bowie' Blake

1916
The Return of Draw Egan

as 'Draw' Egan aka William Blake

1916
The Dawn Maker

as Joe Elk

1916
The Captive God

as Chiapa

1916
The Apostle of Vengeance

as David Hudson

1916
The Primal Lure

as Angus McConnell

1916
The Aryan

as Steve Denton

1916
The Patriot

as Bob Wiley

1916
Hell's Hinges

as Blaze Tracy

1916
Between Men

as Bob White

1915
The Disciple

as Jim Houston

1915
Keno Bates, Liar

as Keno Bates

1915
Pinto Ben

as Boss Rider

1915
Knight of the Trail

as Jim Treen

1915
The Ruse

as 'Bat' Peters

1915
Cash Parrish's Pal

as Cash Parrish

1915
Tools of Providence

as Steve Blake

1915
1915
1915
Bad Buck of Santa Ynez

as Bad Buck Peters

1915
The Man from Nowhere

as "Buck" Farley

1915
1915
1915
The Roughneck

as Dave Page

1915
1915
The Grudge

as Rio Ed

1915
Mr. 'Silent' Haskins

as Lon Haskins

1915
1915
1914
Two-Gun Hicks

as Two-Gun Hicks

1914
The Bargain

as Jim Stokes

1914
Jim Cameron's Wife

as Andy Stiles

1914
His Hour of Manhood

as Pete Larson

1914

Director

1925
Tumbleweeds

as Director

1920
1919
1919
The Money Corral

as Director

1919
1918
Shark Monroe

as Director

1918
1918
1918
Branding Broadway

as Director

1918
Wolves of the Rail

as Director

1918
The Tiger Man

as Director

1918
Selfish Yates

as Director

1918
Riddle Gawne

as Director

1917
The Narrow Trail

as Director

1917
The Cold Deck

as Director

1917
The Silent Man

as Director

1917
The Gun Fighter

as Director

1917
1917
The Desert Man

as Director

1917
Truthful Tulliver

as Director

1917
Wolf Lowry

as Director

1916
1916
The Aryan

as Director

1916
Between Men

as Director

1916
The Dawn Maker

as Director

1916
1916
The Devil's Double

as Director

1916
The Patriot

as Director

1916
The Primal Lure

as Director

1915
The Ruse

as Director

1915
Keno Bates, Liar

as Director

1915
1915
1915
The Roughneck

as Director

1915
Pinto Ben

as Director

1915
The Grudge

as Director

1915
1915
Cash Parrish's Pal

as Director

1915
Grit

as Director

1915
The Disciple

as Director

1915
1915
1915
1914
Two-Gun Hicks

as Director

Writer

1924
1923
1922
Travelin' On

as Story

1921
White Oak

as Story

1920
The Toll Gate

as Writer

1920
The Toll Gate

as Story

1920
1920
The Testing Block

as Screenplay

1919
1917
1915
Pinto Ben

as Writer

Producer

1923
Wild Bill Hickok

as Producer

1921
Three Word Brand

as Producer

1920
Sand

as Producer

1919
1919
The Money Corral

as Producer

1919
Wagon Tracks

as Producer

1918
Shark Monroe

as Producer

1918
Branding Broadway

as Producer