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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
June 15, 1888
Died
September 28, 1947
Place of Birth
Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA
Also Known As
- Wm. B. Davidson
- Wm. Davidson
- William Davidson
- Bill Davidson
- William Beatman Davidson
William B. Davidson
2.7 Popularity
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.
Known For
0.0
Self (archive footage)
Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
1994
6.1
Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
7.0
Colonel Bright (uncredited)
The Judge Steps Out
1947
4.8
Mr. Bowman (uncredited)
That Hagen Girl
1947
6.0
Steward
That's My Man
1947
5.4
Peter Premium
Dick Tracy's Dilemma
1947
3.0
Russell
The Plainsman and the Lady
1946
7.4
Saloon Owner (uncredited)
My Darling Clementine
1946
4.8
James Walsh
The Cat Creeps
1946
5.0
Mr. Saul Dana
Ding Dong Williams
1946
Credits
Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
as Self (archive footage)
1994
0.0
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
1975
6.1
The Judge Steps Out
as Colonel Bright (uncredited)
1947
7.0
That Hagen Girl
as Mr. Bowman (uncredited)
1947
4.8
That's My Man
as Steward
1947
6.0
Dick Tracy's Dilemma
as Peter Premium
1947
5.4
The Plainsman and the Lady
as Russell
1946
3.0
My Darling Clementine
as Saloon Owner (uncredited)
1946
7.4
The Cat Creeps
as James Walsh
1946
4.8
Ding Dong Williams
as Mr. Saul Dana
1946
5.0
Blonde Alibi
as Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)
1946
3.9
The Notorious Lone Wolf
as Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)
1946
5.5
They Were Expendable
as Hotel Manager (uncredited)
1945
6.5
Sing Your Way Home
as F.T. Johnson
1945
5.2
Tell It to a Star
as Brannigan
1945
0.0
Circumstantial Evidence
as Board of Appeals Chairman
1945
4.8
The Man Who Walked Alone
as Governor
1945
5.6
See My Lawyer
as Judge
1945
6.0
Greenwich Village
as Dance Director
1944
6.0
In Society
as Parker
1944
5.8
Make Your Own Bed
as Mr. Linklater
1944
5.8
A Night of Adventure
as Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)
1944
4.7
Shine on Harvest Moon
as Tim Donovan (uncredited)
1944
6.0
Up in Arms
as Maxwell (uncredited)
1944
5.6
Over the Wall
as Warden Ed
1943
7.0
Murder on the Waterfront
as Capt. Towne
1943
5.0
The Good Fellows
as Blake
1943
0.0
Hers to Hold
as Al
1943
6.9
Mission to Moscow
as Senator (uncredited)
1943
5.3
Calaboose
as Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)
1943
0.0
Truck Busters
as Stephen S. Gray
1943
6.0
Gentleman Jim
as Donovan (uncredited)
1942
7.1
Careful, Soft Shoulders
as Mr. Aldrich
1942
6.0
The Magnificent Dope
as Mr. Reindel
1942
7.2
The Affairs of Martha
as Homer Jacell
1942
6.2
In This Our Life
as Jim Purdy
1942
6.8
Larceny, Inc.
as McCarthy
1942
7.0
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
as Cyrus Ballard
1942
6.0
The Male Animal
as Alumnus
1942
3.9
Over My Dead Body
as Crole (as William Davidson)
1942
0.0
Remember the Day
as Committeeman
1941
6.6
Keep 'Em Flying
as Gonigle
1941
6.0
The Great Man's Lady
as Sen. Knobs
1941
6.3
Three Girls About Town
as Labor Leader
1941
5.3
Uncle Joe
as Mr. Day
1941
6.0
Week-End in Havana
as Captain Moss
1941
6.7
Sun Valley Serenade
as Jack Murray
1941
7.0
Hold That Ghost
as Moose Matson
1941
6.8
Highway West
as Gorman
1941
5.8
Three Sons o' Guns
as Henry Baxter
1941
5.0
In the Navy
as Capt. Richards (uncredited)
1941
6.4
Thieves Fall Out
as Harrison "Harry" Eckles
1941
5.5
The Lady from Cheyenne
as Nye Dunbar
1941
4.6
Man-Made Monster
as District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley
1941
6.1
San Francisco Docks
as Dist. Atty. Craig
1940
6.0
Charter Pilot
as Mr. Wentworth
1940
6.0
A Night at Earl Carroll's
as Mayor Green of San Bernardino
1940
3.4
Lady with Red Hair
as Stock Company Manager (uncredited)
1940
6.5
Tin Pan Alley
as Hotel Manager
1940
5.1
Sandy Gets Her Man
as Councilman Charles J. Clark
1940
4.0
Seven Sinners
as Police Chief
1940
5.8
Hired Wife
as Mumford (as William Davidson)
1940
6.8
Maryland
as John Addison
1940
6.2
My Love Came Back
as Agent
1940
4.6
Sailor's Lady
as Judge Hinsdale
1940
4.0
Florian
as Archduke Franz Ferdinand
1940
1.0
Girl in 313
as George Grayson
1940
5.4
Lillian Russell
as President Cleveland
1940
6.1
On Their Own
as Judge Bull
1940
0.0
Half a Sinner
as Slick
1940
5.2
Granny Get Your Gun
as Fitzgerald
1940
3.5
My Little Chickadee
as Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)
1940
6.4
Invisible Stripes
as Montgomery (uncredited)
1939
6.1
Private Detective
as Inspector Evans
1939
6.0
Smashing the Money Ring
as Warden Denby
1939
5.0
Honeymoon in Bali
as Store Detective
1939
6.2
Dust Be My Destiny
as Work Farm Warden
1939
6.2
Hidden Power
as Foster
1939
0.0
Each Dawn I Die
as Bill Mason
1939
6.8
Indianapolis Speedway
as Duncan Martin
1939
5.0
Naughty But Nice
as Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher
1939
6.2
On Trial
as Mr. Gray
1939
5.5
Sudden Money
as Sam
1939
5.0
Three Smart Girls Grow Up
as Stock Broker
1939
7.1
Blondie Meets the Boss
as Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)
1939
5.8
Tail Spin
as Sales Manager (Uncredited)
1939
5.8
Blackwell's Island
as Hempel
1939
5.0
Off the Record
as Scotty
1939
6.0
They Made Me a Criminal
as Ennis
1939
6.1
Illegal Traffic
as Dalton
1938
6.5
There Goes My Heart
as Skipper Jackson (uncredited)
1938
7.1
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
as Ellory Bugs
1938
9.0
Letter of Introduction
as Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)
1938
5.7
Racket Busters
as Trucking Chairman (uncredited)
1938
5.1
Cowboy from Brooklyn
as Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey
1938
4.0
Blockade
as Commandant
1938
5.5
You and Me
as N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited)
1938
6.5
Cocoanut Grove
as Hawtrey
1938
0.0
The Jury's Secret
as Page
1938
4.0
Hollywood Hotel
as Director Kelton
1938
5.4
Sergeant Murphy
as Maj. Gruff (uncredited)
1938
5.0
Love on Toast
as Jonathan
1937
5.5
The Hurricane
as The Bully (uncredited)
1937
6.7
Something to Sing About
as Mr. Richards (as William Davidson)
1937
6.1
Behind the Mike
as Cyrus Wittles
1937
0.0
It Happened in Hollywood
as Al Howard
1937
6.1
Paradise Isle
as Hoener
1937
5.0
Easy Living
as Mr. Hyde
1937
7.1
Ever Since Eve
as Henderson
1937
5.5
Marry the Girl
as Drake
1937
5.0
The Road Back
as Bartscher
1937
5.7
Melody for Two
as Mr. Hale
1937
0.0
Let Them Live
as The Editor
1937
0.0
Marked Woman
as Bob Crandall
1937
6.5
Midnight Court
as Alfred H. Kruger
1937
4.4
Gold Diggers of 1937
as Andy Callahan
1936
5.8
Earthworm Tractors
as Mr. Jackson
1936
5.0
Satan Met a Lady
as City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)
1936
5.7
The Big Noise
as Welford Andrews
1936
5.0
Murder by an Aristocrat
as Bayard Thatcher
1936
3.0
Fatal Lady
as Detective (uncredited)
1936
0.0
The Singing Kid
as Barney Hammond
1936
4.0
Road Gang
as Attorney General Mardsen
1936
6.5
Love on a Bet
as A.W. Hutchinson
1936
7.0
You May Be Next!
as Official (uncredited)
1936
2.5
Dangerous
as Reed Walsh
1935
6.6
Show Them No Mercy!
as Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)
1935
7.0
In Person
as Director Bill Sutter (uncredited)
1935
6.3
Special Agent
as Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer
1935
6.2
Redheads on Parade
as Theatre Manager
1935
0.0
Woman Wanted
as Collins
1935
6.3
Oil for the Lamps of China
as E.H. Swaley
1935
7.3
Go Into Your Dance
as Tom McGee
1935
6.8
A Night at the Ritz
as Connolly
1935
3.0
Straight from the Heart
as Prosecuting Attorney
1935
0.0
Death Flies East
as Police Captain Barrie
1935
5.0
Sweet Music
as Billie Madison
1935
5.7
Devil Dogs of the Air
as Adjutant
1935
6.4
Bordertown
as Dr. Carter
1935
5.9
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
as Charles (as William Davidson)
1934
6.0
The Secret Bride
as Representative McPherson
1934
5.9
Imitation of Life
as Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)
1934
7.0
The St. Louis Kid
as Joe Hunter
1934
5.8
The Dragon Murder Case
as Greeff
1934
5.7
Housewife
as Nan's Attorney
1934
7.7
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
as Stephen Prime
1934
6.0
Fog Over Frisco
as Editor Joe Hogue
1934
6.2
Upperworld
as City Editor (uncredited)
1934
6.3
Laughing Boy
as Hartshone (as William Davidson)
1934
3.2
The Big Shakedown
as District Attorney (uncredited)
1934
5.6
Lady Killer
as Director Williams
1933
6.9
Female
as Department Head (Uncredited)
1933
6.2
Meet the Baron
as General Broadcasting Representative
1933
4.2
I'm No Angel
as Ernest Brown
1933
6.3
Torch Singer
as Jarrett
1933
5.2
🎬
How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action
as Himself
1933
0.0
The Intruder
as Det. Lt. Samson
1933
4.0
Dangerously Yours
as George Carr
1933
0.0
Mystery of the Wax Museum
as Detective (Uncredited)
1933
6.4
Hello, Everybody!
as Mr. Parker
1933
6.0
The Billion Dollar Scandal
as Jim Lawrence
1933
0.0
The Animal Kingdom
as Chess Player
1932
5.4
Central Park
as Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
1932
5.2
Guilty or Not Guilty
as Chief
1932
6.0
The Sport Parade
as Kendricks (uncredited)
1932
4.8
The Pride of the Legion
as Sgt. Arnold
1932
6.0
Her Mad Night
as District Attorney
1932
2.7
The Most Dangerous Game
as Captain
1932
6.9
The Thirteenth Guest
as Police Captain Brown (uncredited)
1932
4.9
Is My Face Red?
as O'Sullivan
1932
4.7
Scarface
as Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)
1932
7.4
Sky Devils
as Captain
1932
4.0
The Lost Squadron
as Lelewer
1932
6.3
The Menace
as John Utterson
1932
4.5
🎬
Half Holiday
as Jerry - Andy's Pal
1931
0.0
Graft
as M.H. Thomas
1931
4.5
The Secret Call
as Jim Blake
1931
7.0
The Vice Squad
as Magistrate Tom Morrison
1931
7.0
Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
1931
5.0
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots'
as Himself - Golfer
1931
0.0
Dishonored
1931
6.8
Captain Applejack
as Bill Dennett
1931
6.5
No Limit
as Wilkie
1931
5.8
Hook, Line and Sinker
as Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)
1930
5.4
Oh, for a Man!
as Kerry Stokes
1930
5.7
Hell's Angels
as Staff Major
1930
6.4
Sunny
as First Ship's Officer
1930
6.5
The Silver Horde
as Tom Hilliard
1930
5.3
Playboy of Paris
as Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)
1930
7.0
The Costello Case
as Saunders
1930
0.0
Scarlet Pages
as Jackson
1930
6.5
For the Defense
as Dist. Atty. Stone
1930
4.8
A Man from Wyoming
as Major
1930
9.0
Men Are Like That
as Frank Hyland
1930
9.0
Blaze o' Glory
as District Attorney (as William Davidson)
1929
0.0
Always Faithful
as George W. Mason
1929
0.0
Woman Trap
as Watts
1929
4.8
Queen of the Night Clubs
as Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson)
1929
0.0
The Carnation Kid
as Blythe
1929
0.0
🎬
Sharp Tools
1928
0.0
Good Morning, Judge
as Elton (as William Davidson)
1928
0.0
A Gentleman of Paris
as Henri Dufour
1927
0.0
Cradle Snatchers
as Roy Ladd
1927
2.7
The Last Trail
as Kurt Morley
1927
0.0
Hearts and Spurs
as Victor Dufresne
1925
0.0
Recompense
as Col. Donovan
1925
0.0
Ports of Call
as Randolph Sherman
1925
0.0
The Valley of Doubt
as Macy
1924
0.0
The Storm Daughter
as Rennert
1924
0.0
Adam and Eva
as Dr. Delamater
1923
0.0
The Dumb-Bell
1922
6.0
Nobody
as John Rossmore
1921
0.0
The Girl from Nowhere
as Jimmy Ryder
1921
0.0
Partners of the Night
as Robert Clifford
1920
0.0
The Capitol
as Congressman Blake
1919
0.0
Lure of Ambition
as Hon. Cyril Ralston
1919
0.0
Impossible Catherine
as John Henry Jackson
1919
0.0
La belle Russe
as Brand
1919
0.0
A Woman There Was
as Rev. Winthrop Stark
1919
0.0
The Gold Cure
as Michael Darcy
1919
0.0
Why I Would Not Marry
as Undetermined Role
1918
0.0
In Pursuit of Polly
as Larry O'Malley
1918
7.5
Ashes of Love
1918
0.0
Friend Husband
as John Sparr
1918
0.0
Our Little Wife
as Dr. Elliott
1918
0.0
Her Second Husband
as John Kirby
1917
0.0
American Maid
as David Starr
1917
0.0
Persuasive Peggy
as Ed Trowbridge
1917
0.0
🎬
More Truth Than Poetry
as Allen Danby
1917
0.0
The Lifted Veil
as Malcolm Grant
1917
1.0
The Greatest Power
as John Conrad
1917
0.0
Lady Barnacle
as Krishna Dhwaj
1917
0.0
The Call of Her People
as Nicholas Van Kleet
1917
0.0
A Magdalene of the Hills
as Bud Weaver
1917
0.0
Mary Lawson's Secret
as Dr. Brundage
1917
0.0
The White Raven
as The Stranger
1917
6.0
🎬
A Modern Cinderella
1917
0.0
In the Diplomatic Service
as Lynn Hardi
1916
0.0
The Pretenders
as Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson)
1916
0.0
The Child of Destiny
as Calvin Baker
1916
0.0
Dorian's Divorce
as Henry Morgan (as William Davidson)
1916
0.0
The Price of Malice
as Capt. Mills
1916
0.0
🎬
Her Debt of Honor
as John Hartfield
1916
0.0
A Yellow Streak
as Jack Rader
1915
0.0
For the Honor of the Crew
as Robert Brent
1915
0.0