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William S. Hart
Actor

William S. Hart

6 Dec 1864Born
23 Jun 1946Died
81Age at death
79Credits

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.

Read the full biography

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

Filmography

  1. 1962The Great ChaseFilm
  2. 1953Yesterday and TodayFilm: (archive footage)
  3. 1948Variety TimeFilm: Texas Tex (archive footage) (uncredited)
  4. 1936O'Malley of the MountedFilm: Writer
  5. 1931The House That Shadows BuiltFilm: (archive footage)
  6. 1925TumbleweedsFilm: Don Carver, Director
  7. 1924Hello, 'FriscoFilm: William S. Hart
  8. 1924Singer Jim MckeeFilm: 'Singer' Jim McKee
  9. 1923Wild Bill HickokFilm: Wild Bill Hickok, Writer
  10. 1923HollywoodFilm: William S. Hart
  11. 1922Travelin' OnFilm: J.B., The Stranger
  12. 1921Three Word BrandFilm: Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego
  13. 1921The WhistleFilm: Robert Evans
  14. 1921O'Malley of the MountedFilm: Sergeant O'Malley
  15. 1921White OakFilm: Oak Miller, a gambling man
  16. 1920The Testing BlockFilm: 'Sierra' Bill, Screenplay
  17. 1920The Cradle of CourageFilm: 'Square' Kelly, Director
  18. 1920SandFilm: Dan Kurrie
  19. 1920The Toll GateFilm: Black Deering, Writer
  20. 1919John PetticoatsFilm: 'Hardwood' John Haynes
  21. 1919Wagon TracksFilm: Buckskin Hamilton
  22. 1919Square Deal SandersonFilm: Square Deal Sanderson, Director
  23. 1919The Money CorralFilm: Lem Beason, Director, Writer
  24. 1919The Poppy Girl's HusbandFilm: Hairpin Harry Dutton, Director
  25. 1919Breed of MenFilm: Careless Carmody
  26. 1918Branding BroadwayFilm: Robert Sands, Director
  27. 1918The Border WirelessFilm: Steve Ransom, Director
  28. 1918Riddle GawneFilm: Jefferson 'Riddle' Gawne, Director
  29. 1918Shark MonroeFilm: Shark Monroe, Director
  30. 1918Selfish YatesFilm: 'Selfish' Yates, Director
  31. 1918A Lion of the HillsFilm
  32. 1918The Tiger ManFilm: Hawk Parsons, Director
  33. 1918'Blue Blazes' RawdenFilm: Blue Blazes Rawden, Director
  34. 1918Staking His LifeFilm: Bud Randall
  35. 1918Wolves of the RailFilm: 'Buck' Andrade, Director
  36. 1917The Narrow TrailFilm: Ice Harding, Director
  37. 1917The Silent ManFilm: Budd Marr, Director
  38. 1917The Cold DeckFilm: Jefferson "On the Level" Leigh, Director
  39. 1917All-Star Production of Patriotic Episodes for the Second Liberty LoanFilm
  40. 1917Wolf LowryFilm: Tom 'Wolf' Lowry, Director
  41. 1917The Square Deal ManFilm: Jack O'Diamonds, Director
  42. 1917The Desert ManFilm: Jim Alton, Director
  43. 1917The Gun FighterFilm: Cliff Hudspeth, Director
  44. 1917Truthful TulliverFilm: Truthful Tulliver, Director
  45. 1916The Devil's DoubleFilm: 'Bowie' Blake, Director
  46. 1916The Return of Draw EganFilm: 'Draw' Egan aka William Blake, Director
  47. 1916The Dawn MakerFilm: Joe Elk, Director
  48. 1916The Captive GodFilm: Chiapa
  49. 1916The Apostle of VengeanceFilm: David Hudson, Director
  50. 1916The Primal LureFilm: Angus McConnell, Director
  51. 1916The AryanFilm: Steve Denton, Director
  52. 1916The PatriotFilm: Bob Wiley, Director
  53. 1916Hell's HingesFilm: Blaze Tracy
  54. 1916Between MenFilm: Bob White, Director
  55. 1915The DiscipleFilm: Jim Houston, Director
  56. 1915Keno Bates, LiarFilm: Keno Bates, Director
  57. 1915Pinto BenFilm: Boss Rider, Director, Writer
  58. 1915Knight of the TrailFilm: Jim Treen, Director
  59. 1915The RuseFilm: 'Bat' Peters, Director
  60. 1915Cash Parrish's PalFilm: Cash Parrish, Director
  61. 1915Tools of ProvidenceFilm: Steve Blake, Director
  62. 1915The Conversion of Frosty BlakeFilm: Frosty Blake, Director
  63. 1915The Darkening TrailFilm: Yukon Ed, Director
  64. 1915Bad Buck of Santa YnezFilm: Bad Buck Peters, Director
  65. 1915The Man from NowhereFilm: "Buck" Farley, Director
  66. 1915The Taking of Luke McVaneFilm: Luke McVane, Director
  67. 1915On the Night StageFilm: Texas
  68. 1915The RoughneckFilm: Dave Page, Director
  69. 1915The Sheriff's Streak of YellowFilm: Sheriff Hale, Director
  70. 1915The GrudgeFilm: Rio Ed, Director
  71. 1915Mr. 'Silent' HaskinsFilm: Lon Haskins, Director
  72. 1915The Scourge of the DesertFilm: Bill Evers, Director
  73. 1915GritFilm: Rio Ed, Director
  74. 1914Two-Gun HicksFilm: Two-Gun Hicks, Director
  75. 1914The BargainFilm: Jim Stokes
  76. 1914Jim Cameron's WifeFilm: Andy Stiles
  77. 1914His Hour of ManhoodFilm: Pete Larson
  78. 1914In the Sage Brush CountryFilm: Jim Brandon, Director
  79. 1907Ben HurFilm: Messala

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.