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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
November 6, 1879
Died
July 11, 1948
Place of Birth
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
Also Known As
- William King Baggot
- King Baggott
King Baggot
0.3 Popularity
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William King Baggot (November 7, 1879 – July 11, 1948) was an American actor, film director and screenwriter. He was an internationally famous movie star of the silent film era. The first individually publicized leading man in America, Baggot was referred to as "King of the Movies", "The Most Photographed Man in the World", and "The Man Whose Face Is As Familiar As The Man In The Moon". Baggot appeared in over 300 motion pictures from 1909 to 1947, wrote 18 screenplays, and directed 45 movies from 1912 to 1928, including The Lie (1912), Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman (1925), and The House of Scandal (1928). He also directed William S. Hart in his most famous western, Tumbleweeds (1925). Among his film appearances, Baggot was best known for The Scarlet Letter (1911), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913), and Ivanhoe (1913). Baggot began his career on the stage, in a Shakespearean stock company, and toured throughout the U.S. While acting in stock in St. Louis in 1909, he was cast as supporting player in the Schubert touring production of The Wishing Ring. When The Wishing Ring closed in Chicago, Baggot returned to New York to join another company. Upon a chance meeting with Harry Solter, who was directing movies for Carl Laemmle at Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP), he was persuaded to go with Solter to the studio. Baggot became interested in the fledgling industry and decided to turn picture player. His first film was the romance short The Awakening of Bess (1909) opposite Florence Lawrence. It was directed by Harry Solter, her husband, at IMP in Fort Lee, New Jersey. At a time when screen actors worked anonymously, Baggot and Lawrence became the first "movie stars" to be given billing, a marquee, and promotion in advertising. Baggot starred in at least 42 movies opposite Lawrence from 1909 to 1911. In the latter year, he starred in at least 16 movies with Mary Pickford. He also began writing screenplays and directing, all the while becoming a major star internationally. When he appeared "in person" at theatres he was mobbed at stage doors. By 1912, he was so famous that when he took the leading part in forming the prestigious Screen Club in New York, the first organization of its kind strictly for movie people, he was the natural choice for its first president. King Baggot died in Los Angeles, California in 1948, age 68. For his contributions to the film industry, Baggot received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. His star is located at 6312 Hollywood Boulevard.
Known For
9.0
Himself (archive footage)
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
2011
6.8
Man in Audience (uncredited)
Merton of the Movies
1947
6.0
Bank Employee (uncredited)
My Brother Talks to Horses
1947
6.3
Man at Graduation Ceremony
The Secret Heart
1946
6.2
Holiday in Mexico
1946
7.0
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
The Postman Always Rings Twice
1946
5.6
Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
1945
6.0
Lunch Room Customer (uncredited)
Dangerous Partners
1945
5.0
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Swing Fever
1943
4.4
Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
Her Cardboard Lover
1942
Credits
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
as Himself (archive footage)
2011
9.0
Merton of the Movies
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
1947
6.8
My Brother Talks to Horses
as Bank Employee (uncredited)
1947
6.0
The Secret Heart
as Man at Graduation Ceremony
1946
6.3
Holiday in Mexico
1946
6.2
The Postman Always Rings Twice
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
1946
7.0
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
as Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
1945
5.6
Dangerous Partners
as Lunch Room Customer (uncredited)
1945
6.0
Swing Fever
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1943
5.0
Her Cardboard Lover
as Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
1942
4.4
Jackass Mail
as Old Miner
1942
7.0
Fingers at the Window
as Psychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited)
1942
5.5
Rio Rita
as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
1942
5.8
Honky Tonk
as Townsman (uncredited)
1941
6.4
The Big Store
as Store Employee (uncredited)
1941
6.2
Ziegfeld Girl
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
1941
6.5
Come Live with Me
as Doorman
1941
6.8
The Philadelphia Story
as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
1940
7.6
Gallant Sons
as Man on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited)
1940
7.2
Bitter Sweet
as Cafe Patron (uncredited)
1940
5.8
The Ghost Comes Home
as Townsman at Banquet (uncredited)
1940
5.0
I Take This Woman
as Man in Subway (uncredited)
1940
5.6
Dancing Co-Ed
as Man in Casting Office (uncredited)
1939
6.2
Stronger Than Desire
as Juror (uncredited)
1939
5.1
The Ice Follies of 1939
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
1939
5.6
Opening Day
as Baseball Fan
1938
6.0
Stablemates
as Bettor
1938
4.5
Too Hot to Handle
as Reporter (uncredited)
1938
5.8
Boys Town
as Derelict in Mission (uncredited)
1938
6.8
Marie Antoinette
as Nobleman at Court (uncredited)
1938
6.5
Think It Over
1938
6.3
Snow Gets in Your Eyes
as Department Store Customer (uncredited)
1938
6.0
That Mothers Might Live
as Passerby (uncredited)
1938
6.1
Arsène Lupin Returns
as Detective (uncredited)
1938
5.8
A Night at the Movies
as Movie Patron (uncredited)
1937
5.5
The Emperor's Candlesticks
as Customs Official (uncredited)
1937
4.7
It May Happen to You
as Man in Hospital (uncredited)
1937
5.2
Parnell
as Man in Office
1937
4.1
Torture Money
as False Accident Witness (uncredited)
1937
6.0
Mad Holiday
as Film Director (uncredited)
1936
6.0
Sworn Enemy
as Accident Witness (uncredited)
1936
5.3
The Devil-Doll
as Detective Pierre (uncredited)
1936
6.8
San Francisco
as Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
1936
6.5
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
as Chemistry Professor
1936
4.0
A Night at the Opera
as Dignitary (uncredited)
1935
7.4
3 Kids and a Queen
as Druggist
1935
6.0
Chinatown Squad
as Patrol Wagon Guard
1935
6.0
The Call of the Savage
as Dr. Pierce
1935
5.0
Mississippi
as Gambler (uncredited)
1935
6.7
🎬
Sweepstake Annie
as Motion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited)
1935
4.0
A Notorious Gentleman
as Police Sergeant
1935
6.0
Father Brown, Detective
as Priest (uncredited)
1934
6.4
Cheating Cheaters
as Official (uncredited)
1934
0.0
Romance in the Rain
as Milton McGillicuddy
1934
0.0
The Red Rider
as Townsman
1934
4.0
Beloved
as Second Doctor
1934
0.0
I Loved a Woman
as Banker (uncredited)
1933
4.5
The Death Kiss
as Al Payne
1932
5.1
Afraid to Talk
as Police Officer (uncredited)
1932
6.0
The Big Flash
as Hinkle
1932
4.5
What Price Hollywood?
as Department Head (uncredited)
1932
6.8
Police Court
as Harry Field
1932
5.0
Girl of the Rio
as Maitre d'hotel, Purple Pigeon Cafe
1932
5.1
Graft
as Ship's Captain
1931
4.5
Sweepstakes
as Mike - Weber's Trainer
1931
4.5
The Bad Sister
as Policeman on Street (uncredited)
1931
5.4
🎬
Once a Gentleman
as Van Warner
1930
0.0
The Czar of Broadway
1930
0.0
The Thrill Chaser
as Himself - Cameo
1923
5.0
The Girl in the Taxi
as Maj. Frederick Smith
1921
7.0
The Forbidden Thing
as Dave
1920
0.0
The Dwelling Place of Light
as Brooks Insall
1920
0.0
Life's Twist
as Jim Sargent
1920
0.0
The Cheater
as Lord Asgarby
1920
0.0
The Hawk's Trail
as Sheldon Steele/The Hawk
1919
0.0
The Man Who Stayed at Home
as Christopher Brent
1919
0.0
🎬
Building for Democracy
as The Husband
1918
0.0
Kildare of Storm
as Basil Kildare
1918
0.0
The Eagle's Eye
as Harrison Grant
1918
0.0
🎬
Mission of the War Chest
as Self
1918
0.0
🎬
The Silent Stranger
as The Silent Stranger
1916
0.0
The Man from Nowhere
as James Herron
1916
0.0
Half a Rogue
as Richard Warrington
1916
0.0
The Suburban
as Donald Gordon
1915
0.0
🎬
The Marble Heart
as Raphael / Phidias
1915
0.0
🎬
The Great Universal Mystery
as Himself
1914
0.0
Absinthe
as Jean Dumas
1914
0.0
Ivanhoe
as Wilfred of Ivanhoe
1913
4.7
🎬
The Wanderer
as The Shepherd
1913
0.0
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
1913
4.5
Up Against It
as Amos Bentley
1912
4.0
A Cave Man Wooing
as George - the 'Sissy' Hero
1912
4.0
🎬
Shamus O'Brien
as Shamus O'Brien
1912
0.0
🎬
Over the Hills
as Wayne Holland
1911
0.0
The Better Way
as Louis Perry - a Reformed Crook
1911
0.0
The Rose's Story
as Gerald Kinney
1911
0.0
🎬
The Call of the Song
as Hugh Norton
1911
0.0
🎬
Science
as Dr. Crawford
1911
0.0
🎬
At a Quarter of Two
as Dan Nolan - the Burglar
1911
0.0
For the Queen's Honor
as The King
1911
0.0
In the Sultan's Garden
as Lt. Robbins
1911
0.0
🎬
The Master and the Man
as Basil King
1911
0.0
🎬
The Fair Dentist
as Dental Patient
1911
0.0
The Temptress
as Gilbert Irving
1911
0.0
🎬
Second Sight
as Tom Mooreland
1911
0.0
The Scarlet Letter
as Reverend Dimmesdale
1911
1.0
🎬
While There is hope, There is Life
as Alfred King
1911
0.0
🎬
The Wife’s Awakening
as Enoch Harrington
1911
0.0
Sweet Memories
as Edward Jackson
1911
4.0
🎬
The Secret of the Palm
as Cecil Abbott
1911
0.0
🎬
Tracked
as Roger Densmore
1911
0.0
🎬
Pictureland
as Pablo
1911
4.0
🎬
At the Duke's Command
as Edward, the Duke's Nephew
1911
0.0
The Mirror
1911
0.0
🎬
The Count of Montebello
as Percy
1910
0.0
🎬
All the World’s a Stage
1910
0.0
🎬
Pressed Roses
1910
0.0
🎬
Debt
1910
0.0
🎬
The Taming of Jane
1910
0.0
🎬
Once Upon a Time
1910
0.0
🎬
The Irony of Fate
1910
0.0
🎬
Bear Ye One Another’s Burdens
as George Rand
1910
0.0
🎬
Old Heads and Young Hearts
1910
0.0
🎬
The Time-Lock Safe
as The Father
1910
0.0
🎬
The Call of the Circus
1910
0.0
🎬
A Game for Two
as Clark, the Best Friend
1910
0.0
🎬
A Reno Romance
as Jack
1910
0.0
🎬
The Eternal Triangle
as The Dashing Young Count
1910
0.0
🎬
The Doctor's Perfidy
1910
0.0
🎬
Two Men
as The Tenderfoot
1910
0.0
🎬
The New Shawl
as Jacques
1910
0.0
🎬
The Maelstrom
1910
0.0
🎬
His Second Wife
1910
0.0
🎬
The Miser’s Daughter
1910
0.0
🎬
Transfusion
1910
0.0
🎬
Jane and the Stranger
as The Stranger
1910
0.0
🎬
The Blind Man’s Tact
1910
0.0
🎬
The Right of Love
1910
0.0
🎬
The Winning Punch
1910
0.0
🎬
The Awakening of Bess
as Bess' Sweetheart
1909
0.0
Love's Stratagem
as The Boy
1909
0.0