William B. Davidson

Born: 1888-06-15 in Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA

Died: 1947-09-28

Known For: Acting

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.

Filmography

1947

Dick Tracy's Dilemma as Peter Premium
That's My Man as Steward
The Judge Steps Out as Colonel Bright (uncredited)
That Hagen Girl as Mr. Bowman (uncredited)

1946

My Darling Clementine as Saloon Owner (uncredited)
The Notorious Lone Wolf as Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)
Blonde Alibi as Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)
The Plainsman and the Lady as Russell
Ding Dong Williams as Mr. Saul Dana
The Cat Creeps as James Walsh

1945

They Were Expendable as Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Sing Your Way Home as F.T. Johnson (uncredited)
The Man Who Walked Alone as Governor
Tell It to a Star as Brannigan
Circumstantial Evidence as Board of Appeals Chairman
Dillinger as Bank President (uncredited)
See My Lawyer as Judge
Blonde Ransom as Police Captain

1944

Greenwich Village as Dance Director
A Night of Adventure as Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)
Shine on Harvest Moon as Tim Donovan (uncredited)
Make Your Own Bed as Mr. Linklater
In Society as Parker
Up in Arms as Maxwell (uncredited)

1943

Mission to Moscow as Senator (uncredited)
Murder on the Waterfront as Capt. Towne
The Good Fellows as Blake
Calaboose as Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)
Truck Busters as Stephen S. Gray
Hers to Hold as Al
Over the Wall as Warden Ed

1942

In This Our Life as Jim Purdy
Gentleman Jim as Donovan (uncredited)
Over My Dead Body as Crole (as William Davidson)
The Male Animal as Alumnus
The Affairs of Martha as Homer Jacell
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine as Cyrus Ballard
Larceny, Inc. as McCarthy
The Magnificent Dope as Mr. Reindel
Careful, Soft Shoulders as Mr. Aldrich

1941

Hold That Ghost as Moose Matson
Man-Made Monster as District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley
Week-End in Havana as Captain Moss
Three Girls About Town as Labor Leader
The Great Man's Lady as Sen. Knobs
Sun Valley Serenade as Jack Murray
In the Navy as Capt. Richards (uncredited)
Keep 'Em Flying as Gonigle
Three Sons o' Guns as Henry Baxter
The Lady from Cheyenne as Nye Dunbar
Remember the Day as Committeeman
Highway West as Gorman
Thieves Fall Out as Harrison "Harry" Eckles
Uncle Joe as Mr. Day

1940

My Love Came Back as Agent
Seven Sinners as Police Chief
Lady with Red Hair as Stock Company Manager (uncredited)
My Little Chickadee as Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)
Maryland as John Addison
Granny Get Your Gun as Fitzgerald
A Night at Earl Carroll's as Mayor Green of San Bernardino
Sandy Gets Her Man as Councilman Charles J. Clark
Lillian Russell as President Cleveland
Sailor's Lady as Judge Hinsdale
Florian as Archduke Franz Ferdinand
San Francisco Docks as Dist. Atty. Craig
Hired Wife as Mumford (as William Davidson)
Tin Pan Alley as Hotel Manager
Half a Sinner as Slick
Girl in 313 as George Grayson
Charter Pilot as Mr. Wentworth
On Their Own as Judge Bull

1939

Smashing the Money Ring as Warden Denby
Each Dawn I Die as Bill Mason
Invisible Stripes as Montgomery (uncredited)
They Made Me a Criminal as Ennis
Three Smart Girls Grow Up as Stock Broker
Naughty but Nice as Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher
Blondie Meets the Boss as Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)
Dust Be My Destiny as Work Farm Warden
The Honeymoon's Over as Crane
Blackwell's Island as Hempel
Private Detective as Inspector Evans
Indianapolis Speedway as Duncan Martin
Honeymoon in Bali as Store Detective
Off the Record as Scotty
Tail Spin as Sales Manager (Uncredited)
Sudden Money as Sam
On Trial as Mr. Gray
Hidden Power as Foster

1938

There Goes My Heart as Skipper Jackson (uncredited)
The Jury's Secret as Page
You and Me as N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited)
Letter of Introduction as Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)
Cowboy from Brooklyn as Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off as Ellory Bugs
Hollywood Hotel as Director Kelton
Cocoanut Grove as Hawtrey
Blockade as Commandant
Racket Busters as Trucking Chairman (uncredited)
Illegal Traffic as Dalton
Sergeant Murphy as Maj. Gruff (uncredited)

1937

Marked Woman as Bob Crandall
Easy Living as Mr. Hyde
The Hurricane as The Bully (uncredited)
It Happened in Hollywood as Al Howard
Ever Since Eve as Henderson
Something to Sing About as Café Manager
Let Them Live as The Editor
The Road Back as Bartscher
Behind the Mike as Cyrus Wittles
Marry the Girl as Drake
Melody for Two as Mr. Hale
Love on Toast as Jonathan
Paradise Isle as Hoener
Midnight Court as Alfred H. Kruger

1936

Satan Met a Lady as City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)
Murder by an Aristocrat as Bayard Thatcher
Road Gang as Attorney General Mardsen
Gold Diggers of 1937 as Andy Callahan
Love on a Bet as A.W. Hutchinson
You May Be Next! as Official (uncredited)
The Singing Kid as Barney Hammond
Fatal Lady as Detective (uncredited)
The Big Noise as Welford Andrews
Earthworm Tractors as Mr. Jackson

1935

Oil for the Lamps of China as E.H. Swaley
Special Agent as Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer
In Person as Director Bill Sutter (uncredited)
Devil Dogs of the Air as Adjutant
Straight from the Heart as Prosecuting Attorney
Go Into Your Dance as Tom McGee
A Night at the Ritz as Connolly
Dangerous as Reed Walsh
Show Them No Mercy! as Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)
Redheads on Parade as Theatre Manager
Bordertown as Dr. Carter
Woman Wanted as Collins
Death Flies East as Police Captain Barrie
Sweet Music as Billie Madison

1934

Housewife as Nan's Attorney
Imitation of Life as Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)
The St. Louis Kid as Joe Hunter
Fog Over Frisco as Editor Joe Hogue
The Dragon Murder Case as Greeff
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head as Charles (as William Davidson)
Friends of Mr. Sweeney as Stephen Prime
Upperworld as City Editor (uncredited)
The Big Shakedown as District Attorney (uncredited)
The Secret Bride as Representative McPherson
Laughing Boy as Hartshone (as William Davidson)

1933

I'm No Angel as Ernest Brown
Mystery of the Wax Museum as Detective (Uncredited)
The Billion Dollar Scandal as Jim Lawrence
Female as Department Head (Uncredited)
Torch Singer as Jarrett
Meet the Baron as General Broadcasting Representative
Lady Killer as Director Williams
Hello, Everybody! as Mr. Parker
How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action as Himself
The Intruder as Det. Lt. Samson
Dangerously Yours as George Carr

1932

Scarface as Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)
The Most Dangerous Game as Captain
Is My Face Red? as O'Sullivan
The Pride of the Legion as Sgt. Arnold
The Thirteenth Guest as Police Captain Brown (uncredited)
The Animal Kingdom as Chess Player (uncredited)
Guilty or Not Guilty as Chief
Her Mad Night as District Attorney
The Lost Squadron as Lelewer
Central Park as Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
The Sport Parade as Kendricks (uncredited)
The Menace as John Utterson
Sky Devils as Captain

1931

Dishonored
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots' as Himself - Golfer
Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
The Secret Call as Jim Blake
Graft as M.H. Thomas
The Vice Squad as Magistrate Tom Morrison
Captain Applejack as Bill Dennett
No Limit as Wilkie
Half Holiday as Jerry - Andy's Pal

1930

Hell's Angels as Staff Major
Oh, for a Man! as Kerry Stokes
Hook, Line and Sinker as Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)
A Man from Wyoming as Major
Men Are Like That as Frank Hyland
Sunny as First Ship's Officer
The Silver Horde as Tom Hilliard
Playboy of Paris as Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)
For the Defense as Dist. Atty. Stone
Scarlet Pages as Jackson
The Costello Case as Saunders

1929

Queen of the Night Clubs as Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson)
Woman Trap as Watts
The Carnation Kid as Blythe
Blaze o' Glory as District Attorney (as William Davidson)
Always Faithful as George W. Mason

1928

Good Morning, Judge as Elton (as William Davidson)
Sharp Tools

1927

A Gentleman of Paris as Henri Dufour
Cradle Snatchers as Roy Ladd
The Last Trail as Kurt Morley

1925

Recompense as Col. Donovan
Hearts and Spurs as Victor Dufresne
Women and Gold as Señor Ortego
Ports of Call as Randolph Sherman

1924

The Valley of Doubt as Macy
The Storm Daughter as Rennert

1923

Adam and Eva as Dr. Delamater

1922

The Dumb-Bell

1921

Nobody as John Rossmore
The Girl from Nowhere as Jimmy Ryder

1920

Partners of the Night as Robert Clifford

1919

A Woman There Was as Rev. Winthrop Stark
The Gold Cure as Michael Darcy
The Capitol as Congressman Blake
Impossible Catherine as John Henry Jackson
Lure of Ambition as Hon. Cyril Ralston
La belle Russe as Brand

1918

Friend Husband as John Sparr
Why I Would Not Marry as Undetermined Role
In Pursuit of Polly as Larry O'Malley
Our Little Wife as Dr. Elliott
Ashes of Love

1917

More Truth Than Poetry as Allen Danby
A Magdalene of the Hills as Bud Weaver
The Call of Her People as Nicholas Van Kleet
Mary Lawson's Secret as Dr. Brundage
The White Raven as The Stranger
The Lifted Veil as Malcolm Grant
Her Second Husband as John Kirby
A Modern Cinderella
The Greatest Power as John Conrad
Lady Barnacle as Krishna Dhwaj
Persuasive Peggy as Ed Trowbridge
American Maid as David Starr

1916

The Child of Destiny as Calvin Baker
Her Debt of Honor as John Hartfield
In the Diplomatic Service as Lynn Hardi
The Price of Malice as Capt. Mills
The Pretenders as Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson)
Dorian's Divorce as Henry Morgan (as William Davidson)

1915

For the Honor of the Crew as Robert Brent
A Yellow Streak as Jack Rader