William S. Hart

William S. Hart

Date of Birth:

Dec 06, 1864

Place of Birth:

Newburgh, New York, USA

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.

filmography:

The Aryan The Aryan

1916

The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow

1915

The Square Deal Man The Square Deal Man

1917

Variety Time Variety Time

1948

Show People Show People

1928

Branding Broadway Branding Broadway

1918

The Hollywood Gad-About The Hollywood Gad-About

1934

The Testing Block The Testing Block

1920

The Desert Man The Desert Man

1917

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1 Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1

1941

Tools of Providence Tools of Providence

1915

The Gun Fighter The Gun Fighter

1917

White Oak White Oak

1921

'Blue Blazes' Rawden 'Blue Blazes' Rawden

1918

Wild Bill Hickok Wild Bill Hickok

1923

The Captive God The Captive God

1916

Bad Buck of Santa Ynez Bad Buck of Santa Ynez

1915

All-Star Production of Patriotic Episodes for the Second Liberty Loan All-Star Production of Patriotic Episodes for the Second Liberty Loan

1917

The Disciple The Disciple

1915

Hello, 'Frisco Hello, 'Frisco

1924

Wolves of the Rail Wolves of the Rail

1918

In the Sage Brush Country In the Sage Brush Country

1914

It's Showtime It's Showtime

1976

The Man from Nowhere The Man from Nowhere

1915

The House That Shadows Built The House That Shadows Built

1931

The Patriot The Patriot

1916

The Poppy Girl's Husband The Poppy Girl's Husband

1919

The Primal Lure The Primal Lure

1916

The Apostle of Vengeance The Apostle of Vengeance

1916

The Money Corral The Money Corral

1919

Square Deal Sanderson Square Deal Sanderson

1919

Wolf Lowry Wolf Lowry

1917

Breed of Men Breed of Men

1919

Selfish Yates Selfish Yates

1918

The Tiger Man The Tiger Man

1918

Riddle Gawne Riddle Gawne

1918

O'Malley of the Mounted O'Malley of the Mounted

1921

Singer Jim Mckee Singer Jim Mckee

1924

John Petticoats John Petticoats

1919

Truthful Tulliver Truthful Tulliver

1917

Three Word Brand Three Word Brand

1921

The Darkening Trail The Darkening Trail

1915

A Lion of the Hills A Lion of the Hills

1918

The Devil's Double The Devil's Double

1916

Grit Grit

1915

Cash Parrish's Pal Cash Parrish's Pal

1915

The Border Wireless The Border Wireless

1918

Staking His Life Staking His Life

1918

Hell's Hinges Hell's Hinges

1916

The Legend of Rudolph Valentino The Legend of Rudolph Valentino

1961

Stars of Yesterday Stars of Yesterday

1931

The Conversion of Frosty Blake The Conversion of Frosty Blake

1915

The Grudge The Grudge

1915

Jim Cameron's Wife Jim Cameron's Wife

1914

His Hour of Manhood His Hour of Manhood

1914

Yesterday and Today Yesterday and Today

1953

The Roughneck The Roughneck

1915

Pinto Ben Pinto Ben

1915

Mr. 'Silent' Haskins Mr. 'Silent' Haskins

1915

The Scourge of the Desert The Scourge of the Desert

1915

Two-Gun Hicks Two-Gun Hicks

1914

Tumbleweeds Tumbleweeds

1925

The Narrow Trail The Narrow Trail

1917

The Silent Man The Silent Man

1917

The Taking of Luke McVane The Taking of Luke McVane

1915

Travelin' On Travelin' On

1922

Shark Monroe Shark Monroe

1918

Between Men Between Men

1916

The Dawn Maker The Dawn Maker

1916

On the Night Stage On the Night Stage

1915

Knight of the Trail Knight of the Trail

1915

The Cradle of Courage The Cradle of Courage

1920

The Ruse The Ruse

1915

The Whistle The Whistle

1921

Sand Sand

1920

The Return of Draw Egan The Return of Draw Egan

1916

The Toll Gate The Toll Gate

1920

Wagon Tracks Wagon Tracks

1919

Keno Bates, Liar Keno Bates, Liar

1915

The Cold Deck The Cold Deck

1917

The Bargain The Bargain

1914

Hollywood Hollywood

1923

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