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.
Acted in 72
1960s
- 1962
The Great Chase
Movie
1950s
- 1957
Los ojos del siglo (Volumen I)
Él mismo (material de archivo)
- 1953
Yesterday and Today
(archive footage)
1940s
- 1948
Variety Time
Texas Tex (archive footage) (uncredited)
1930s
- 1931
The House That Shadows Built
(archive footage)
1920s
- 1925
- 1924
Singer Jim Mckee
'Singer' Jim McKee
- 1923
Wild Bill Hickok
Wild Bill Hickok
Hollywood
William S. Hart
- 1922
Travelin' On
J.B., The Stranger
- 1921
Three Word Brand
Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego
The Whistle
Robert Evans
O'Malley of the Mounted
Sergeant O'Malley
White Oak
Oak Miller, a gambling man
- 1920
The Testing Block
'Sierra' Bill
The Cradle of Courage
'Square' Kelly
Sand
Dan Kurrie
The Toll Gate
Black Deering
1910s
- 1919
John Petticoats
'Hardwood' John Haynes
Wagon Tracks
Buckskin Hamilton
Square Deal Sanderson
Square Deal Sanderson
The Money Corral
Lem Beason
The Poppy Girl's Husband
Hairpin Harry Dutton
Breed of Men
Careless Carmody
- 1918
Branding Broadway
Robert Sands
The Border Wireless
Steve Ransom
Riddle Gawne
Jefferson 'Riddle' Gawne
Selfish Yates
'Selfish' Yates
A Lion of the Hills
Movie
The Tiger Man
Hawk Parsons
'Blue Blazes' Rawden
Blue Blazes Rawden
Wolves of the Rail
'Buck' Andrade
- 1917
The Narrow Trail
Ice Harding
The Silent Man
Budd Marr
The Cold Deck
Jefferson "On the Level" Leigh
All-Star Production of Patriotic Episodes for the Second Liberty Loan
Movie
Wolf Lowry
Tom 'Wolf' Lowry
The Square Deal Man
Jack O'Diamonds
The Desert Man
Jim Alton
The Gun Fighter
Cliff Hudspeth
Truthful Tulliver
Truthful Tulliver
- 1916
The Devil's Double
'Bowie' Blake
The Return of Draw Egan
'Draw' Egan aka William Blake
The Dawn Maker
Joe Elk
The Captive God
Chiapa
The Apostle of Vengeance
David Hudson
The Primal Lure
Angus McConnell
The Aryan
Steve Denton
The Patriot
Bob Wiley
Between Men
Bob White
- 1915
The Disciple
Jim Houston
Keno Bates, Liar
Keno Bates
Knight of the Trail
Jim Treen
The Ruse
'Bat' Peters
Cash Parrish's Pal
Cash Parrish
Tools of Providence
Steve Blake
The Conversion of Frosty Blake
Frosty Blake
The Darkening Trail
Yukon Ed
Bad Buck of Santa Ynez
Bad Buck Peters
The Man from Nowhere
"Buck" Farley
The Taking of Luke McVane
Luke McVane
On the Night Stage
Texas
The Roughneck
Dave Page
The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow
Sheriff Hale
The Grudge
Rio Ed
Mr. 'Silent' Haskins
Lon Haskins
- 1914
Two-Gun Hicks
Two-Gun Hicks
The Bargain
Jim Stokes
In the Sage Brush Country
Jim Brandon
1900s
- 1907
Ben Hur
Messala
Directed 46
1920s
- 1925
- 1920
The Cradle of Courage
Director
1910s
- 1919
Square Deal Sanderson
Director
The Money Corral
Director
The Poppy Girl's Husband
Director
- 1918
Branding Broadway
Director
The Border Wireless
Director
Riddle Gawne
Director
Selfish Yates
Director
The Tiger Man
Director
'Blue Blazes' Rawden
Director
Wolves of the Rail
Director
- 1917
The Narrow Trail
Director
The Silent Man
Director
The Cold Deck
Director
Wolf Lowry
Director
The Square Deal Man
Director
The Desert Man
Director
The Gun Fighter
Director
Truthful Tulliver
Director
- 1916
The Devil's Double
Director
The Return of Draw Egan
Director
The Dawn Maker
Director
The Apostle of Vengeance
Director
The Primal Lure
Director
The Aryan
Director
The Patriot
Director
Between Men
Director
- 1915
The Disciple
Director
Keno Bates, Liar
Director
Knight of the Trail
Director
The Ruse
Director
Cash Parrish's Pal
Director
Tools of Providence
Director
The Conversion of Frosty Blake
Director
The Darkening Trail
Director
Bad Buck of Santa Ynez
Director
The Man from Nowhere
Director
The Taking of Luke McVane
Director
The Roughneck
Director
The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow
Director
The Grudge
Director
Mr. 'Silent' Haskins
Director
- 1914
Two-Gun Hicks
Director
In the Sage Brush Country
Director
Wrote 10
1930s
- 1936
O'Malley of the Mounted
Writer
1920s
- 1924
Singer Jim Mckee
Story
- 1923
Wild Bill Hickok
Writer
- 1922
Travelin' On
Story
- 1921
O'Malley of the Mounted
Story
White Oak
Story
- 1920
The Testing Block
Screenplay, Story
The Toll Gate
Story, Writer
1910s
- 1919
The Money Corral
Writer
- 1917
The Narrow Trail
Story
Produced 8
1920s
- 1923
Wild Bill Hickok
Producer
- 1921
Three Word Brand
Producer
- 1920
Sand
Producer
1910s
- 1919
Wagon Tracks
Producer
The Money Corral
Producer
The Poppy Girl's Husband
Producer
- 1918
Branding Broadway
Producer
Appearances7
2000s
- 2002
Decasia: The State of Decay
Self - Cowboy (archive footage)
1970s
- 1976
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
1960s
- 1961
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
Self (archive footage)
1940s
- 1941
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1
Self (uncredited)
1930s
- 1934
The Hollywood Gad-About
Self (uncredited)
- 1931
Stars of Yesterday
Self
1920s
- 1928
