Acting
William B. Davidson
Born 1888-06-15
Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA
Department: Acting
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
Prominent works featuring William B. Davidson
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Scarface
1932
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My Darling Clementine
1946
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The Most Dangerous Game
1932
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Mystery of the Wax Museum
1933
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They Were Expendable
1945
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Hell's Angels
1930
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TV
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MGM Parade
1955
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Imitation of Life
1934
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Dishonored
1931
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Marked Woman
1937
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (250 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1994 |
 | Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1975 |
 | MGM Parade | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1955 |
 | The Judge Steps Out | Colonel Bright (uncredited) | Movie | 1947 |
 | That Hagen Girl | Mr. Bowman (uncredited) | Movie | 1947 |
 | That's My Man | Steward | Movie | 1947 |
 | Dick Tracy's Dilemma | Peter Premium | Movie | 1947 |
 | The Plainsman and the Lady | Russell | Movie | 1946 |
 | My Darling Clementine | Saloon Owner (uncredited) | Movie | 1946 |
 | The Cat Creeps | James Walsh | Movie | 1946 |
 | Ding Dong Williams | Mr. Saul Dana | Movie | 1946 |
 | Blonde Alibi | Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited) | Movie | 1946 |
 | The Notorious Lone Wolf | Inspector Crane (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1946 |
 | They Were Expendable | Hotel Manager (uncredited) | Movie | 1945 |
 | Sing Your Way Home | F.T. Johnson (uncredited) | Movie | 1945 |
 | Tell It to a Star | Brannigan | Movie | 1945 |
| Blonde Ransom | Police Captain | Movie | 1945 | |
 | Dillinger | Bank President (uncredited) | Movie | 1945 |
 | Circumstantial Evidence | Board of Appeals Chairman | Movie | 1945 |
 | The Man Who Walked Alone | Governor | Movie | 1945 |
 | See My Lawyer | Judge | Movie | 1945 |
 | Greenwich Village | Dance Director | Movie | 1944 |
 | In Society | Parker | Movie | 1944 |
 | Make Your Own Bed | Mr. Linklater | Movie | 1944 |
 | A Night of Adventure | Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited) | Movie | 1944 |
 | Shine on Harvest Moon | Tim Donovan (uncredited) | Movie | 1944 |
 | Up in Arms | Maxwell (uncredited) | Movie | 1944 |
 | Over the Wall | Warden Ed | Movie | 1943 |
 | Murder on the Waterfront | Capt. Towne | Movie | 1943 |
 | The Good Fellows | Blake | Movie | 1943 |
 | Hers to Hold | Al | Movie | 1943 |
 | Mission to Moscow | Senator (uncredited) | Movie | 1943 |
 | Calaboose | Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1943 |
 | Truck Busters | Stephen S. Gray | Movie | 1943 |
 | Gentleman Jim | Donovan (uncredited) | Movie | 1942 |
 | Careful, Soft Shoulders | Mr. Aldrich | Movie | 1942 |
 | The Magnificent Dope | Mr. Reindel | Movie | 1942 |
 | The Affairs of Martha | Homer Jacell | Movie | 1942 |
 | In This Our Life | Jim Purdy | Movie | 1942 |
 | Larceny, Inc. | McCarthy | Movie | 1942 |
 | The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine | Cyrus Ballard | Movie | 1942 |
 | The Male Animal | Alumnus | Movie | 1942 |
 | Over My Dead Body | Crole (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1942 |
 | Remember the Day | Committeeman | Movie | 1941 |
 | Keep 'Em Flying | Gonigle | Movie | 1941 |
 | The Great Man's Lady | Sen. Knobs | Movie | 1941 |
 | Three Girls About Town | Labor Leader | Movie | 1941 |
 | Uncle Joe | Mr. Day | Movie | 1941 |
 | Week-End in Havana | Captain Moss | Movie | 1941 |
 | Sun Valley Serenade | Jack Murray | Movie | 1941 |
 | Highway West | Gorman | Movie | 1941 |
 | Hold That Ghost | Moose Matson | Movie | 1941 |
 | Three Sons o' Guns | Henry Baxter | Movie | 1941 |
 | In the Navy | Capt. Richards (uncredited) | Movie | 1941 |
 | Thieves Fall Out | Harrison "Harry" Eckles | Movie | 1941 |
 | The Lady from Cheyenne | Nye Dunbar | Movie | 1941 |
 | Man-Made Monster | District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley | Movie | 1941 |
 | San Francisco Docks | Dist. Atty. Craig | Movie | 1940 |
 | Charter Pilot | Mr. Wentworth | Movie | 1940 |
 | A Night at Earl Carroll's | Mayor Green of San Bernardino | Movie | 1940 |
 | Lady with Red Hair | Stock Company Manager (uncredited) | Movie | 1940 |
 | Tin Pan Alley | Hotel Manager | Movie | 1940 |
 | Sandy Gets Her Man | Councilman Charles J. Clark | Movie | 1940 |
 | Seven Sinners | Police Chief | Movie | 1940 |
 | Hired Wife | Mumford (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1940 |
 | Maryland | John Addison | Movie | 1940 |
 | My Love Came Back | Agent | Movie | 1940 |
 | Sailor's Lady | Judge Hinsdale | Movie | 1940 |
 | Florian | Archduke Franz Ferdinand | Movie | 1940 |
 | Girl in 313 | George Grayson | Movie | 1940 |
 | Lillian Russell | President Cleveland | Movie | 1940 |
 | On Their Own | Judge Bull | Movie | 1940 |
 | Half a Sinner | Slick | Movie | 1940 |
 | Granny Get Your Gun | Fitzgerald | Movie | 1940 |
 | My Little Chickadee | Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited) | Movie | 1940 |
 | Invisible Stripes | Montgomery (uncredited) | Movie | 1939 |
 | The Honeymoon's Over | Crane | Movie | 1939 |
 | Private Detective | Inspector Evans | Movie | 1939 |
 | Smashing the Money Ring | Warden Denby | Movie | 1939 |
 | Honeymoon in Bali | Store Detective | Movie | 1939 |
 | Dust Be My Destiny | Work Farm Warden | Movie | 1939 |
 | Hidden Power | Foster | Movie | 1939 |
 | Each Dawn I Die | Bill Mason | Movie | 1939 |
 | Indianapolis Speedway | Duncan Martin | Movie | 1939 |
 | Naughty but Nice | Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher | Movie | 1939 |
 | On Trial | Mr. Gray | Movie | 1939 |
 | Sudden Money | Sam | Movie | 1939 |
 | Three Smart Girls Grow Up | Stock Broker | Movie | 1939 |
 | Blondie Meets the Boss | Elderly Man in Café (uncredited) | Movie | 1939 |
 | Tail Spin | Sales Manager (Uncredited) | Movie | 1939 |
 | Blackwell's Island | Hempel | Movie | 1939 |
 | They Made Me a Criminal | Ennis | Movie | 1939 |
 | Off the Record | Scotty | Movie | 1939 |
 | Illegal Traffic | Dalton | Movie | 1938 |
 | There Goes My Heart | Skipper Jackson (uncredited) | Movie | 1938 |
 | Mr. Doodle Kicks Off | Ellory Bugs | Movie | 1938 |
 | Letter of Introduction | Mr. Raleigh (uncredited) | Movie | 1938 |
 | Racket Busters | Trucking Chairman (uncredited) | Movie | 1938 |
 | Cowboy from Brooklyn | Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey | Movie | 1938 |
 | Blockade | Commandant | Movie | 1938 |
 | You and Me | N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited) | Movie | 1938 |
 | Cocoanut Grove | Hawtrey | Movie | 1938 |
 | The Jury's Secret | Page | Movie | 1938 |
 | Hollywood Hotel | Director Kelton | Movie | 1938 |
 | Sergeant Murphy | Maj. Gruff (uncredited) | Movie | 1938 |
 | Love on Toast | Jonathan | Movie | 1937 |
 | The Hurricane | The Bully (uncredited) | Movie | 1937 |
 | Something to Sing About | Café Manager | Movie | 1937 |
 | Behind the Mike | Cyrus Wittles | Movie | 1937 |
 | It Happened in Hollywood | Al Howard | Movie | 1937 |
 | Paradise Isle | Hoener | Movie | 1937 |
 | Easy Living | Mr. Hyde | Movie | 1937 |
 | Ever Since Eve | Henderson | Movie | 1937 |
 | Marry the Girl | Drake | Movie | 1937 |
 | The Road Back | Bartscher | Movie | 1937 |
 | Melody for Two | Mr. Hale | Movie | 1937 |
 | Let Them Live | The Editor | Movie | 1937 |
 | Marked Woman | Bob Crandall | Movie | 1937 |
 | Midnight Court | Alfred H. Kruger | Movie | 1937 |
 | Gold Diggers of 1937 | Andy Callahan | Movie | 1936 |
 | Earthworm Tractors | Mr. Jackson | Movie | 1936 |
 | Satan Met a Lady | City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited) | Movie | 1936 |
 | The Big Noise | Welford Andrews | Movie | 1936 |
 | Murder by an Aristocrat | Bayard Thatcher | Movie | 1936 |
 | Fatal Lady | Detective (uncredited) | Movie | 1936 |
 | The Singing Kid | Barney Hammond | Movie | 1936 |
 | Road Gang | Attorney General Mardsen | Movie | 1936 |
 | Love on a Bet | A.W. Hutchinson | Movie | 1936 |
 | You May Be Next! | Official (uncredited) | Movie | 1936 |
 | Dangerous | Reed Walsh | Movie | 1935 |
 | Show Them No Mercy! | Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1935 |
 | In Person | Director Bill Sutter (uncredited) | Movie | 1935 |
 | Special Agent | Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer | Movie | 1935 |
 | Redheads on Parade | Theatre Manager | Movie | 1935 |
 | Woman Wanted | Collins | Movie | 1935 |
 | Oil for the Lamps of China | E.H. Swaley | Movie | 1935 |
 | Go Into Your Dance | Tom McGee | Movie | 1935 |
 | A Night at the Ritz | Connolly | Movie | 1935 |
 | Straight from the Heart | Prosecuting Attorney | Movie | 1935 |
 | Death Flies East | Police Captain Barrie | Movie | 1935 |
 | Sweet Music | Billie Madison | Movie | 1935 |
 | Devil Dogs of the Air | Adjutant | Movie | 1935 |
 | Bordertown | Dr. Carter | Movie | 1935 |
 | The Man Who Reclaimed His Head | Charles (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1934 |
 | The Secret Bride | Representative McPherson | Movie | 1934 |
 | Imitation of Life | Man Buying Cigar (uncredited) | Movie | 1934 |
 | The St. Louis Kid | Joe Hunter | Movie | 1934 |
 | The Dragon Murder Case | Greeff | Movie | 1934 |
 | Housewife | Nan's Attorney | Movie | 1934 |
 | Friends of Mr. Sweeney | Stephen Prime | Movie | 1934 |
 | Fog Over Frisco | Editor Joe Hogue | Movie | 1934 |
 | Upperworld | City Editor (uncredited) | Movie | 1934 |
 | Laughing Boy | Hartshone (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1934 |
 | The Big Shakedown | District Attorney (uncredited) | Movie | 1934 |
 | Lady Killer | Director Williams | Movie | 1933 |
 | Female | Department Head (Uncredited) | Movie | 1933 |
 | Meet the Baron | General Broadcasting Representative | Movie | 1933 |
 | I'm No Angel | Ernest Brown | Movie | 1933 |
 | Torch Singer | Jarrett | Movie | 1933 |
| How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action | Himself | Movie | 1933 | |
 | The Intruder | Det. Lt. Samson | Movie | 1933 |
 | Dangerously Yours | George Carr | Movie | 1933 |
 | Mystery of the Wax Museum | Detective (Uncredited) | Movie | 1933 |
 | Hello, Everybody! | Mr. Parker | Movie | 1933 |
 | The Billion Dollar Scandal | Jim Lawrence | Movie | 1933 |
 | The Animal Kingdom | Chess Player (uncredited) | Movie | 1932 |
 | Central Park | Police Lieutenant (uncredited) | Movie | 1932 |
 | Guilty or Not Guilty | Chief | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Sport Parade | Kendricks (uncredited) | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Pride of the Legion | Sgt. Arnold | Movie | 1932 |
 | Her Mad Night | District Attorney | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Most Dangerous Game | Captain | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Thirteenth Guest | Police Captain Brown (uncredited) | Movie | 1932 |
 | Is My Face Red? | O'Sullivan | Movie | 1932 |
 | Scarface | Citizens Committee Member (uncredited) | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Lost Squadron | Lelewer | Movie | 1932 |
 | Sky Devils | Captain | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Menace | John Utterson | Movie | 1932 |
| Half Holiday | Jerry - Andy's Pal | Movie | 1931 | |
 | Graft | M.H. Thomas | Movie | 1931 |
 | The Secret Call | Jim Blake | Movie | 1931 |
 | The Vice Squad | Magistrate Tom Morrison | Movie | 1931 |
 | Windy Riley Goes Hollywood | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1931 |
 | How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots' | Himself - Golfer | Movie | 1931 |
 | Dishonored | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1931 |
 | Captain Applejack | Bill Dennett | Movie | 1931 |
 | No Limit | Wilkie | Movie | 1931 |
 | Hook, Line and Sinker | Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1930 |
 | Oh, for a Man! | Kerry Stokes | Movie | 1930 |
 | Hell's Angels | Staff Major | Movie | 1930 |
 | Sunny | First Ship's Officer | Movie | 1930 |
 | The Silver Horde | Tom Hilliard | Movie | 1930 |
 | Playboy of Paris | Monsieur Bannack (uncredited) | Movie | 1930 |
 | The Costello Case | Saunders | Movie | 1930 |
 | Scarlet Pages | Jackson | Movie | 1930 |
 | For the Defense | Dist. Atty. Stone | Movie | 1930 |
 | A Man from Wyoming | Major | Movie | 1930 |
 | Men Are Like That | Frank Hyland | Movie | 1930 |
 | Blaze o' Glory | District Attorney (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1929 |
 | Always Faithful | George W. Mason | Movie | 1929 |
 | Woman Trap | Watts | Movie | 1929 |
 | Queen of the Night Clubs | Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1929 |
 | The Carnation Kid | Blythe | Movie | 1929 |
| Sharp Tools | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1928 | |
 | Good Morning, Judge | Elton (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1928 |
 | A Gentleman of Paris | Henri Dufour | Movie | 1927 |
 | Cradle Snatchers | Roy Ladd | Movie | 1927 |
 | The Last Trail | Kurt Morley | Movie | 1927 |
 | Hearts and Spurs | Victor Dufresne | Movie | 1925 |
 | Recompense | Col. Donovan | Movie | 1925 |
 | Women and Gold | Señor Ortego | Movie | 1925 |
 | Ports of Call | Randolph Sherman | Movie | 1925 |
 | The Valley of Doubt | Macy | Movie | 1924 |
 | The Storm Daughter | Rennert | Movie | 1924 |
 | Adam and Eva | Dr. Delamater | Movie | 1923 |
 | The Dumb-Bell | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1922 |
 | Nobody | John Rossmore | Movie | 1921 |
 | The Girl from Nowhere | Jimmy Ryder | Movie | 1921 |
 | Partners of the Night | Robert Clifford | Movie | 1920 |
 | The Capitol | Congressman Blake | Movie | 1919 |
 | Lure of Ambition | Hon. Cyril Ralston | Movie | 1919 |
 | Impossible Catherine | John Henry Jackson | Movie | 1919 |
 | La belle Russe | Brand | Movie | 1919 |
 | A Woman There Was | Rev. Winthrop Stark | Movie | 1919 |
 | The Gold Cure | Michael Darcy | Movie | 1919 |
 | Why I Would Not Marry | Undetermined Role | Movie | 1918 |
 | In Pursuit of Polly | Larry O'Malley | Movie | 1918 |
 | Ashes of Love | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1918 |
 | Friend Husband | John Sparr | Movie | 1918 |
 | Our Little Wife | Dr. Elliott | Movie | 1918 |
 | Her Second Husband | John Kirby | Movie | 1917 |
 | American Maid | David Starr | Movie | 1917 |
 | Persuasive Peggy | Ed Trowbridge | Movie | 1917 |
| More Truth Than Poetry | Allen Danby | Movie | 1917 | |
 | The Lifted Veil | Malcolm Grant | Movie | 1917 |
 | The Greatest Power | John Conrad | Movie | 1917 |
 | Lady Barnacle | Krishna Dhwaj | Movie | 1917 |
 | The Call of Her People | Nicholas Van Kleet | Movie | 1917 |
 | A Magdalene of the Hills | Bud Weaver | Movie | 1917 |
 | Mary Lawson's Secret | Dr. Brundage | Movie | 1917 |
 | The White Raven | The Stranger | Movie | 1917 |
| A Modern Cinderella | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1917 | |
 | In the Diplomatic Service | Lynn Hardi | Movie | 1916 |
 | The Pretenders | Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1916 |
 | The Child of Destiny | Calvin Baker | Movie | 1916 |
 | Dorian's Divorce | Henry Morgan (as William Davidson) | Movie | 1916 |
 | The Price of Malice | Capt. Mills | Movie | 1916 |
| Her Debt of Honor | John Hartfield | Movie | 1916 | |
 | A Yellow Streak | Jack Rader | Movie | 1915 |
 | For the Honor of the Crew | Robert Brent | Movie | 1915 |