William B. Davidson

Actor · 1888–1947 · Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA

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.

Acted in 242

1950s

1955
MGM Parade
TV · 1 Season

1940s

1947
The Judge Steps Out
Colonel Bright (uncredited)
That Hagen Girl
Mr. Bowman (uncredited)
That's My Man
Steward
Dick Tracy's Dilemma
Peter Premium
57
1946
The Plainsman and the Lady
Russell
My Darling Clementine
Saloon Owner (uncredited)
83
The Cat Creeps
James Walsh
Ding Dong Williams
Mr. Saul Dana
Blonde Alibi
Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)
The Notorious Lone Wolf
Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)
1945
They Were Expendable
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
78
Sing Your Way Home
F.T. Johnson (uncredited)
Tell It to a Star
Brannigan
Dillinger
Bank President (uncredited)
63
Circumstantial Evidence
Board of Appeals Chairman
The Man Who Walked Alone
Governor
See My Lawyer
Judge
Leave It to Blondie
Butler (uncredited)
1944
Greenwich Village
Dance Director
In Society
Parker
Make Your Own Bed
Mr. Linklater
A Night of Adventure
Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)
Shine on Harvest Moon
Tim Donovan (uncredited)
Up in Arms
Maxwell (uncredited)
66
1943
Over the Wall
Warden Ed
Murder on the Waterfront
Capt. Towne
The Good Fellows
Blake
Hers to Hold
Al
Mission to Moscow
Senator (uncredited)
Calaboose
Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)
Truck Busters
Stephen S. Gray
1942
Gentleman Jim
Donovan (uncredited)
81
Careful, Soft Shoulders
Mr. Aldrich
The Magnificent Dope
Mr. Reindel
The Affairs of Martha
Homer Jacell
In This Our Life
Jim Purdy
Larceny, Inc.
McCarthy
72
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Cyrus Ballard
The Male Animal
Alumnus
Over My Dead Body
Crole (as William Davidson)
1941
Remember the Day
Committeeman
Keep 'Em Flying
Gonigle
The Great Man's Lady
Sen. Knobs
Three Girls About Town
Labor Leader
Uncle Joe
Mr. Day
Week-End in Havana
Captain Moss
Sun Valley Serenade
Jack Murray
Highway West
Gorman
Hold That Ghost
Moose Matson
79
Three Sons o' Guns
Henry Baxter
In the Navy
Capt. Richards (uncredited)
Thieves Fall Out
Harrison "Harry" Eckles
The Lady from Cheyenne
Nye Dunbar
Man-Made Monster
District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley
1940
San Francisco Docks
Dist. Atty. Craig
Charter Pilot
Mr. Wentworth
A Night at Earl Carroll's
Mayor Green of San Bernardino
Lady with Red Hair
Stock Company Manager (uncredited)
Tin Pan Alley
Hotel Manager
Sandy Gets Her Man
Councilman Charles J. Clark
Seven Sinners
Police Chief
68
Hired Wife
Mumford (as William Davidson)
Maryland
John Addison
My Love Came Back
Agent
Sailor's Lady
Judge Hinsdale
Florian
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Girl in 313
George Grayson
Lillian Russell
President Cleveland
On Their Own
Judge Bull
Half a Sinner
Slick
Granny Get Your Gun
Fitzgerald
My Little Chickadee
Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)

1930s

1939
Invisible Stripes
Montgomery (uncredited)
66
The Honeymoon's Over
Crane
Private Detective
Inspector Evans
Smashing the Money Ring
Warden Denby
Honeymoon in Bali
Store Detective
Dust Be My Destiny
Work Farm Warden
Hidden Power
Foster
Each Dawn I Die
Bill Mason
66
Indianapolis Speedway
Duncan Martin
Naughty but Nice
Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher
On Trial
Mr. Gray
Sudden Money
Sam
Three Smart Girls Grow Up
Stock Broker
Blondie Meets the Boss
Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)
Tail Spin
Sales Manager (Uncredited)
Blackwell's Island
Hempel
They Made Me a Criminal
Ennis
67
Off the Record
Scotty
1938
Illegal Traffic
Dalton
There Goes My Heart
Skipper Jackson (uncredited)
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
Ellory Bugs
Letter of Introduction
Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)
61
Racket Busters
Trucking Chairman (uncredited)
59
Cowboy from Brooklyn
Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey
Blockade
Commandant
You and Me
N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited)
Cocoanut Grove
Hawtrey
The Jury's Secret
Page
Hollywood Hotel
Director Kelton
Sergeant Murphy
Maj. Gruff (uncredited)
1937
Love on Toast
Jonathan
The Hurricane
The Bully (uncredited)
70
Something to Sing About
Café Manager
Behind the Mike
Cyrus Wittles
It Happened in Hollywood
Al Howard
Paradise Isle
Hoener
Easy Living
Mr. Hyde
81
Ever Since Eve
Henderson
Marry the Girl
Drake
The Road Back
Bartscher
Melody for Two
Mr. Hale
Let Them Live
The Editor
Marked Woman
Bob Crandall
77
Midnight Court
Alfred H. Kruger
1936
Gold Diggers of 1937
Andy Callahan
Earthworm Tractors
Mr. Jackson
Satan Met a Lady
City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)
58
The Big Noise
Welford Andrews
Murder by an Aristocrat
Bayard Thatcher
Fatal Lady
Detective (uncredited)
The Singing Kid
Barney Hammond
Road Gang
Attorney General Mardsen
Love on a Bet
A.W. Hutchinson
You May Be Next!
Official (uncredited)
1935
Dangerous
Reed Walsh
Show Them No Mercy!
Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)
In Person
Director Bill Sutter (uncredited)
Special Agent
Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer
Redheads on Parade
Theatre Manager
Woman Wanted
Collins
Oil for the Lamps of China
E.H. Swaley
Go Into Your Dance
Tom McGee
A Night at the Ritz
Connolly
Straight from the Heart
Prosecuting Attorney
Death Flies East
Police Captain Barrie
Sweet Music
Billie Madison
Devil Dogs of the Air
Adjutant
Bordertown
Dr. Carter
1934
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
Charles (as William Davidson)
The Secret Bride
Representative McPherson
61
Imitation of Life
Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)
The St. Louis Kid
Joe Hunter
The Dragon Murder Case
Greeff
Housewife
Nan's Attorney
64
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
Stephen Prime
Fog Over Frisco
Editor Joe Hogue
Upperworld
City Editor (uncredited)
Laughing Boy
Hartshone (as William Davidson)
The Big Shakedown
District Attorney (uncredited)
1933
Lady Killer
Director Williams
70
Female
Department Head (Uncredited)
Meet the Baron
General Broadcasting Representative
I'm No Angel
Ernest Brown
Torch Singer
Jarrett
The Intruder
Det. Lt. Samson
Dangerously Yours
George Carr
Mystery of the Wax Museum
Detective (Uncredited)
74
Hello, Everybody!
Mr. Parker
The Billion Dollar Scandal
Jim Lawrence
1932
The Animal Kingdom
Chess Player (uncredited)
61
Central Park
Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Guilty or Not Guilty
Chief
The Sport Parade
Kendricks (uncredited)
The Pride of the Legion
Sgt. Arnold
Her Mad Night
District Attorney
The Most Dangerous Game
Captain
78
The Thirteenth Guest
Police Captain Brown (uncredited)
Is My Face Red?
O'Sullivan
Scarface
Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)
84
The Lost Squadron
Lelewer
Sky Devils
Captain
The Menace
John Utterson
1931
Graft
M.H. Thomas
The Secret Call
Jim Blake
The Vice Squad
Magistrate Tom Morrison
Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
Movie
Dishonored
Movie · Drama · War
76
Captain Applejack
Bill Dennett
No Limit
Wilkie
1930
Hook, Line and Sinker
Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)
58
Oh, for a Man!
Kerry Stokes
Hell's Angels
Staff Major
65
Sunny
First Ship's Officer
The Silver Horde
Tom Hilliard
57
Playboy of Paris
Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)
The Costello Case
Saunders
Scarlet Pages
Jackson
For the Defense
Dist. Atty. Stone
A Man from Wyoming
Major
Men Are Like That
Frank Hyland