William B. Davidson
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.
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- Born:
- Jun 16, 1888 In Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA
- Movie/TV Credits:
- 205
- First Appeared:
- In the movie The Pretenders 1916-08-21
- Latest Project:
- Movie Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 1975-08-06
Known For
Filmography
| Movie | Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? | Self (archive footage) | 1975-08-06 |
| Movie | Dick Tracy's Dilemma | Peter Premium | 1947-05-20 |
| Movie | That's My Man | Steward | 1947-06-01 |
| Movie | That Hagen Girl | Mr. Bowman (uncredited) | 1947-11-01 |
| Movie | The Judge Steps Out | Colonel Bright (uncredited) | 1947-12-15 |
| Movie | Blonde Alibi | Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited) | 1946-03-01 |
| Movie | The Notorious Lone Wolf | Inspector Crane (as William Davidson) | 1946-02-14 |
| Movie | Ding Dong Williams | Mr. Saul Dana | 1946-04-15 |
| Movie | My Darling Clementine | Saloon Owner (uncredited) | 1946-10-17 |
| Movie | The Plainsman and the Lady | Russell | 1946-11-11 |
| Movie | The Cat Creeps | James Walsh | 1946-05-17 |
| Movie | The Man Who Walked Alone | Governor | 1945-03-15 |
| Movie | Circumstantial Evidence | Board of Appeals Chairman | 1945-04-20 |
| Movie | See My Lawyer | Judge | 1945-03-09 |
| Movie | Tell It to a Star | Brannigan | 1945-08-16 |
| Movie | They Were Expendable | Hotel Manager (uncredited) | 1945-12-07 |
| Movie | Sing Your Way Home | F.T. Johnson | 1945-11-14 |
| Movie | Up in Arms | Maxwell | 1944-02-17 |
| Movie | A Night of Adventure | Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited) | 1944-06-02 |
| Movie | Make Your Own Bed | Mr. Linklater | 1944-06-10 |
| Movie | Greenwich Village | Dance Director | 1944-09-27 |
| Movie | In Society | Parker | 1944-08-16 |
| Movie | Calaboose | Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson) | 1943-01-29 |
| Movie | Truck Busters | Stephen S. Gray | 1943-01-28 |
| Movie | Mission to Moscow | Senator (uncredited) | 1943-04-29 |
| Movie | Murder on the Waterfront | Capt. Towne | 1943-09-18 |
| Movie | Hers to Hold | Al | 1943-07-16 |
| Movie | Over the Wall | Warden Ed | 1943-12-25 |
| Movie | The Good Fellows | Blake | 1943-08-11 |
| Movie | The Great Man's Lady | Sen. Knobs | 1942-04-15 |
| Movie | The Male Animal | Alumnus | 1942-03-12 |
| Movie | Larceny, Inc. | McCarthy | 1942-04-24 |
| Movie | Over My Dead Body | Crole (as William Davidson) | 1942-01-15 |
| Movie | Gentleman Jim | Donovan (uncredited) | 1942-11-14 |
| Movie | In This Our Life | Jim Purdy | 1942-05-08 |
| Movie | Careful, Soft Shoulders | Mr. Aldrich | 1942-09-18 |
| Movie | The Magnificent Dope | Mr. Reindel | 1942-07-01 |
| Movie | The Affairs of Martha | Homer Jacell | 1942-06-21 |
| Movie | Highway West | Gorman | 1941-08-07 |
| Movie | In the Navy | Capt. Richards (uncredited) | 1941-05-30 |
| Movie | Man-Made Monster | District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley | 1941-03-28 |
| Movie | Hold That Ghost | Moose Matson | 1941-08-08 |
| Movie | The Lady from Cheyenne | Nye Dunbar | 1941-04-11 |
| Movie | Thieves Fall Out | Harrison "Harry" Eckles | 1941-05-03 |
| Movie | Three Sons o' Guns | Henry Baxter | 1941-08-02 |
| Movie | Remember the Day | Committeeman | 1941-12-25 |
| Movie | Sun Valley Serenade | Jack Murray | 1941-08-29 |
| Movie | Three Girls About Town | Labor Leader | 1941-10-23 |
| Movie | Keep 'Em Flying | Gonigle | 1941-11-27 |
| Movie | Uncle Joe | Mr. Day | 1941-10-18 |
| Movie | Week-End in Havana | Captain Moss | 1941-10-17 |
| Movie | Girl in 313 | George Grayson | 1940-05-31 |
| Movie | Florian | Archduke Franz Ferdinand | 1940-06-05 |
| Movie | Sailor's Lady | Judge Hinsdale | 1940-07-05 |
| Movie | Lillian Russell | President Cleveland | 1940-05-24 |
| Movie | My Love Came Back | Agent | 1940-07-13 |
| Movie | My Little Chickadee | Sheriff of Little Bend | 1940-02-09 |
| Movie | Granny Get Your Gun | Fitzgerald | 1940-02-10 |
| Movie | Half a Sinner | Slick | 1940-04-05 |
| Movie | San Francisco Docks | Dist. Atty. Craig | 1940-12-25 |
| Movie | Charter Pilot | Mr. Wentworth | 1940-12-06 |
| Movie | Maryland | John Addison | 1940-07-19 |
| Movie | Tin Pan Alley | Hotel Manager | 1940-11-29 |
| Movie | Lady with Red Hair | Stock Company Manager (uncredited) | 1940-11-30 |
| Movie | Seven Sinners | Police Chief | 1940-10-25 |
| Movie | Hired Wife | Mumford (as William Davidson) | 1940-09-13 |
| Movie | Sandy Gets Her Man | Councilman Charles J. Clark | 1940-11-08 |
| Movie | Three Smart Girls Grow Up | Stock Broker | 1939-03-24 |
| Movie | On Trial | Mr. Gray | 1939-04-01 |
| Movie | Blondie Meets the Boss | Elderly Man in Café (uncredited) | 1939-03-08 |
| Movie | Sudden Money | Sam | 1939-03-31 |
| Movie | They Made Me a Criminal | Ennis | 1939-01-21 |
| Movie | Naughty But Nice | Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher | 1939-06-23 |
| Movie | Off the Record | Scotty | 1939-01-21 |
| Movie | Tail Spin | Sales Manager (Uncredited) | 1939-02-19 |
| Movie | Blackwell's Island | Hempel | 1939-01-24 |
| Movie | Smashing the Money Ring | Warden Denby | 1939-10-21 |
| Movie | Invisible Stripes | Montgomery (uncredited) | 1939-12-30 |
| Movie | Indianapolis Speedway | Duncan Martin | 1939-08-05 |
| Movie | Honeymoon in Bali | Store Detective | 1939-09-29 |
| Movie | Private Detective | Inspector Evans | 1939-12-09 |
| Movie | Dust Be My Destiny | Work Farm Warden | 1939-09-16 |
| Movie | Each Dawn I Die | Bill Mason | 1939-08-19 |
| Movie | When Tomorrow Comes | Army Captain | 1939-08-11 |
| Movie | You and Me | N.G. Borton, Attorney-at-Law | 1938-06-01 |
| Movie | Cocoanut Grove | Hawtrey | 1938-05-20 |
| Movie | Hollywood Hotel | Director Kelton | 1938-01-15 |
| Movie | Blockade | Commandant | 1938-06-17 |
| Movie | Sergeant Murphy | Maj. Gruff (uncredited) | 1938-01-01 |
| Movie | The Jury's Secret | Page | 1938-01-16 |
| Movie | Cowboy from Brooklyn | Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey | 1938-07-09 |
| Movie | Racket Busters | Trucking Chairman (uncredited) | 1938-07-16 |
| Movie | Illegal Traffic | Dalton | 1938-11-02 |
| Movie | There Goes My Heart | Skipper Jackson (uncredited) | 1938-10-14 |
| Movie | Mr. Doodle Kicks Off | Ellory Bugs | 1938-10-07 |
| Movie | Letter of Introduction | Mr. Raleigh (uncredited) | 1938-08-05 |
| Movie | Marry the Girl | Drake | 1937-07-13 |
| Movie | Ever Since Eve | Henderson | 1937-07-15 |
| Movie | The Road Back | Bartscher | 1937-06-01 |
| Movie | Midnight Court | Alfred H. Kruger | 1937-03-06 |
| Movie | Marked Woman | Bob Crandall | 1937-04-10 |
| Movie | Let Them Live | The Editor | 1937-04-25 |
| Movie | Melody for Two | Mr. Hale | 1937-05-01 |
| Movie | Easy Living | Mr. Hyde | 1937-07-16 |
| Movie | The Hurricane | Abusive Drunk (uncredited) | 1937-11-09 |
| Movie | Paradise Isle | Hoener | 1937-07-21 |
| Movie | Something to Sing About | Mr. Richards (as William Davidson) | 1937-09-30 |
| Movie | Love on Toast | Jonathan | 1937-12-03 |
| Movie | Behind the Mike | Cyrus Wittles | 1937-09-26 |
| Movie | It Happened in Hollywood | Al Howard | 1937-09-07 |
| Movie | The Singing Kid | Barney Hammond | 1936-04-10 |
| Movie | Road Gang | Attorney General Mardsen | 1936-03-28 |
| Movie | You May Be Next! | Official (uncredited) | 1936-02-05 |
| Movie | Fatal Lady | Detective (uncredited) | 1936-05-15 |
| Movie | Love on a Bet | A.W. Hutchinson | 1936-03-06 |
| Movie | Murder by an Aristocrat | Bayard Thatcher (as William Davidson) | 1936-06-13 |
| Movie | Earthworm Tractors | Mr. Jackson | 1936-07-24 |
| Movie | Satan Met a Lady | City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited) | 1936-07-22 |
| Movie | Gold Diggers of 1937 | Andy Callahan | 1936-12-28 |
| Movie | The Big Noise | Welford Andrews | 1936-06-22 |
| Movie | A Night at the Ritz | Connolly | 1935-03-23 |
| Movie | Death Flies East | Police Captain Barrie | 1935-02-28 |
| Movie | Bordertown | Dr. Carter | 1935-01-23 |
| Movie | Go Into Your Dance | Tom McGee | 1935-04-20 |
| Movie | Sweet Music | Billie Madison | 1935-02-23 |
| Movie | Devil Dogs of the Air | Adjutant | 1935-02-09 |
| Movie | Show Them No Mercy! | Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson) | 1935-12-06 |
| Movie | Oil for the Lamps of China | E.H. Swaley | 1935-06-08 |
| Movie | In Person | Director Bill Sutter | 1935-11-22 |
| Movie | Dangerous | Reed Walsh | 1935-12-25 |
| Movie | Special Agent | Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer | 1935-09-14 |
| Movie | Woman Wanted | Collins | 1935-08-02 |
| Movie | Fog Over Frisco | Editor Joe Hogue | 1934-06-02 |
| Movie | Upperworld | City Editor (uncredited) | 1934-04-19 |
| Movie | Laughing Boy | Hartshone (as William Davidson) | 1934-04-13 |
| Movie | Friends of Mr. Sweeney | Stephen Prime | 1934-07-28 |
| Movie | The Big Shakedown | District Attorney (uncredited) | 1934-01-06 |
| Movie | Housewife | Nan's Attorney | 1934-08-11 |
| Movie | Imitation of Life | Man Buying Cigar (uncredited) | 1934-11-23 |
| Movie | The Secret Bride | Representative McPherson | 1934-12-22 |
| Movie | The St. Louis Kid | Joe Hunter | 1934-11-10 |
| Movie | The Dragon Murder Case | Greeff | 1934-08-25 |
| Movie | The Intruder | Det. Lt. Samson | 1933-03-13 |
| Movie | Mystery of the Wax Museum | Detective (Uncredited) | 1933-02-18 |
| Movie | The Billion Dollar Scandal | Jim Lawrence | 1933-01-06 |
| Movie | Hello, Everybody! | Mr. Parker | 1933-02-17 |
| Movie | How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action | Himself | 1933-06-23 |
| Movie | Torch Singer | Jarrett | 1933-09-08 |
| Movie | Lady Killer | Director Williams | 1933-12-09 |
| Movie | Female | Department Head (Uncredited) | 1933-11-11 |
| Movie | Meet the Baron | General Broadcasting Representative | 1933-10-20 |
| Movie | I'm No Angel | Ernest Brown | 1933-10-06 |
| Movie | Scarface | Citizens Committee Member (uncredited) | 1932-04-09 |
| Movie | Is My Face Red? | O'Sullivan | 1932-06-17 |
| Movie | The Lost Squadron | Lelewer | 1932-03-12 |
| Movie | The Menace | John Utterson | 1932-01-29 |
| Movie | Sky Devils | Captain | 1932-03-12 |
| Movie | The Thirteenth Guest | Police Captain Brown (Uncredited) | 1932-08-09 |
| Movie | Guilty or Not Guilty | Chief | 1932-11-15 |
| Movie | The Animal Kingdom | Chess Player | 1932-12-28 |
| Movie | The Most Dangerous Game | Captain (uncredited) | 1932-09-16 |
| Movie | The Sport Parade | Kendricks (uncredited) | 1932-11-11 |
| Movie | Central Park | Police Lieutenant (uncredited) | 1932-12-10 |
| Movie | The Pride of the Legion | Sgt. Arnold | 1932-10-17 |
| Movie | Her Mad Night | District Attorney | 1932-10-12 |
| Movie | Dishonored | 1931-04-04 | |
| Movie | Captain Applejack | Bill Dennett | 1931-01-31 |
| Movie | No Limit | Wilkie | 1931-01-15 |
| Movie | How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots' | Himself - Golfer | 1931-04-26 |
| Movie | The Vice Squad | Magistrate Tom Morrison | 1931-05-29 |
| Movie | Windy Riley Goes Hollywood | 1931-05-02 | |
| Movie | Half Holiday | Jerry - Andy's Pal | 1931-12-13 |
| Movie | Graft | M.H. Thomas | 1931-09-21 |
| Movie | The Secret Call | Jim Blake | 1931-07-24 |
| Movie | The Costello Case | Saunders | 1930-10-14 |
| Movie | For the Defense | Dist. Atty. Stone | 1930-07-19 |
| Movie | Men Are Like That | Frank Hyland | 1930-03-22 |
| Movie | Playboy of Paris | Monsieur Bannack (uncredited) | 1930-10-18 |
| Movie | A Man from Wyoming | Major | 1930-07-12 |
| Movie | Scarlet Pages | Jackson | 1930-09-27 |
| Movie | The Silver Horde | Tom Hilliard | 1930-10-24 |
| Movie | Hook, Line and Sinker | Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson) | 1930-12-26 |
| Movie | Oh, for a Man! | Kerry Stokes | 1930-11-28 |
| Movie | Sunny | First Ship's Officer | 1930-11-09 |
| Movie | Hell's Angels | Staff Major | 1930-11-15 |
| Movie | Queen of the Night Clubs | Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson) | 1929-03-23 |
| Movie | Woman Trap | Watts | 1929-09-28 |
| Movie | Blaze o' Glory | District Attorney (as William Davidson) | 1929-12-30 |
| Movie | Always Faithful | George W. Mason | 1929-12-29 |
| Movie | Sharp Tools | 1928-09-12 | |
| Movie | The Last Trail | Kurt Morley | 1927-01-23 |
| Movie | Cradle Snatchers | Roy Ladd | 1927-05-28 |
| Movie | Recompense | Col. Donovan | 1925-04-26 |
| Movie | Adam and Eva | Dr. Delamater | 1923-02-11 |
| Movie | The Dumb-Bell | 1922-07-16 | |
| Movie | Partners of the Night | Robert Clifford | 1920-02-29 |
| Movie | Impossible Catherine | John Henry Jackson | 1919-10-05 |
| Movie | A Woman There Was | Rev. Winthrop Stark | 1919-06-01 |
| Movie | The Capitol | Congressman Blake | 1919-12-01 |
| Movie | In Pursuit of Polly | Larry O'Malley | 1918-08-19 |
| Movie | Why I Would Not Marry | Undetermined Role | 1918-11-24 |
| Movie | A Modern Cinderella | 1917-01-08 | |
| Movie | The Greatest Power | John Conrad | 1917-06-18 |
| Movie | Mary Lawson's Secret | Dr. Brundage | 1917-04-01 |
| Movie | The Pretenders | Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson) | 1916-08-21 |