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.
Movies
The Most Dangerous Game
Captain (uncredited)
Dust Be My Destiny
Work Farm Warden
I'm No Angel
Ernest Brown
Seven Sinners
Police Chief
Circumstantial Evidence
Board of Appeals Chairman
Hook, Line and Sinker
Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)
Lady Killer
Director Williams
Sun Valley Serenade
Jack Murray
Hollywood Hotel
Director Kelton
Earthworm Tractors
Mr. Jackson
Highway West
Gorman
Larceny, Inc.
McCarthy
The Dragon Murder Case
Greeff
Blackwell's Island
Hempel
Special Agent
Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer
The Notorious Lone Wolf
Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)
The Great Man's Lady
Sen. Knobs
The Lost Squadron
Lelewer
Paradise Isle
Hoener
Her Mad Night
District Attorney
Show Them No Mercy!
Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)
Sergeant Murphy
Maj. Gruff (uncredited)
Sweet Music
Billie Madison
Sky Devils
Captain
Graft
M.H. Thomas
Tell It to a Star
Brannigan
Scarlet Pages
Jackson
Love on a Bet
A.W. Hutchinson
Murder on the Waterfront
Capt. Towne
The Menace
John Utterson
Midnight Court
Alfred H. Kruger
Laughing Boy
Hartshone (as William Davidson)
Marry the Girl
Drake
Woman Trap
Watts
Road Gang
Attorney General Mardsen
The Pride of the Legion
Sgt. Arnold
Uncle Joe
Mr. Day
For the Defense
Dist. Atty. Stone
The Affairs of Martha
Homer Jacell
Florian
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The Vice Squad
Magistrate Tom Morrison
The Plainsman and the Lady
Russell
Indianapolis Speedway
Duncan Martin
Woman Wanted
Collins
Playboy of Paris
Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
Ellory Bugs
Captain Applejack
Bill Dennett
In the Navy
Capt. Richards (uncredited)
That Hagen Girl
Mr. Bowman (uncredited)
The Dumb-Bell
No Limit
Wilkie
Blockade
Commandant
Guilty or Not Guilty
Chief
The St. Louis Kid
Joe Hunter
Murder by an Aristocrat
Bayard Thatcher (as William Davidson)
Ding Dong Williams
Mr. Saul Dana
Death Flies East
Police Captain Barrie
Cradle Snatchers
Roy Ladd
Partners of the Night
Robert Clifford
Lillian Russell
President Cleveland
Easy Living
Mr. Hyde
The Intruder
Det. Lt. Samson
In Person
Director Bill Sutter
Ever Since Eve
Henderson
It Happened in Hollywood
Al Howard
They Made Me a Criminal
Ennis
Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
Racket Busters
Trucking Chairman (uncredited)
Fatal Lady
Detective (uncredited)
Cowboy from Brooklyn
Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey
Cocoanut Grove
Hawtrey
Melody for Two
Mr. Hale
Naughty But Nice
Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher
Up in Arms
Maxwell
Adam and Eva
Dr. Delamater
Smashing the Money Ring
Warden Denby
The Sport Parade
Kendricks (uncredited)
The Big Noise
Welford Andrews
Hired Wife
Mumford (as William Davidson)
Oil for the Lamps of China
E.H. Swaley
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
Stephen Prime
Tail Spin
Sales Manager (Uncredited)
Blondie Meets the Boss
Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)
Three Smart Girls Grow Up
Stock Broker
Three Sons o' Guns
Henry Baxter
Each Dawn I Die
Bill Mason
Honeymoon in Bali
Store Detective
Man-Made Monster
District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley
The Last Trail
Kurt Morley
A Night of Adventure
Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)
Calaboose
Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)
Bordertown
Dr. Carter
Devil Dogs of the Air
Adjutant
Dick Tracy's Dilemma
Peter Premium
The Secret Bride
Representative McPherson
Dangerous
Reed Walsh
A Woman There Was
Rev. Winthrop Stark
Love on Toast
Jonathan
Keep 'Em Flying
Gonigle
Mary Lawson's Secret
Dr. Brundage
Scarface
Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)
Over My Dead Body
Crole (as William Davidson)
My Darling Clementine
Saloon Owner (uncredited)
My Little Chickadee
Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)
The Lady from Cheyenne
Nye Dunbar
Hold That Ghost
Moose Matson
My Love Came Back
Agent
The Singing Kid
Barney Hammond
Half a Sinner
Slick
Gentleman Jim
Donovan (uncredited)
Tin Pan Alley
Hotel Manager
A Night at the Ritz
Connolly
Lady with Red Hair
Stock Company Manager (uncredited)
Maryland
John Addison
Girl in 313
George Grayson
Meet the Baron
General Broadcasting Representative
How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action
Himself
Private Detective
Inspector Evans
Satan Met a Lady
City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)
Three Girls About Town
Labor Leader
The Silver Horde
Tom Hilliard
Something to Sing About
Mr. Richards (as William Davidson)
The Secret Call
Jim Blake
Always Faithful
George W. Mason
Remember the Day
Committeeman
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots'
Himself - Golfer
Upperworld
City Editor (uncredited)
Sharp Tools
Gold Diggers of 1937
Andy Callahan
Sudden Money
Sam
Oh, for a Man!
Kerry Stokes
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
Careful, Soft Shoulders
Mr. Aldrich
The Costello Case
Saunders
Housewife
Nan's Attorney
Off the Record
Scotty
Men Are Like That
Frank Hyland
On Trial
Mr. Gray
Half Holiday
Jerry - Andy's Pal
Week-End in Havana
Captain Moss
The Cat Creeps
James Walsh
Fog Over Frisco
Editor Joe Hogue
Thieves Fall Out
Harrison "Harry" Eckles
Hell's Angels
Staff Major
Mission to Moscow
Senator (uncredited)
Sailor's Lady
Judge Hinsdale
Marked Woman
Bob Crandall
Torch Singer
Jarrett
Over the Wall
Warden Ed
Go Into Your Dance
Tom McGee
Truck Busters
Stephen S. Gray
Blonde Alibi
Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)
Behind the Mike
Cyrus Wittles
Why I Would Not Marry
Undetermined Role
The Jury's Secret
Page
See My Lawyer
Judge
Sandy Gets Her Man
Councilman Charles J. Clark
Let Them Live
The Editor
Recompense
Col. Donovan
Make Your Own Bed
Mr. Linklater
Impossible Catherine
John Henry Jackson
The Billion Dollar Scandal
Jim Lawrence
You May Be Next!
Official (uncredited)
The Big Shakedown
District Attorney (uncredited)
Imitation of Life
Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)
In Society
Parker
San Francisco Docks
Dist. Atty. Craig
The Man Who Walked Alone
Governor
Granny Get Your Gun
Fitzgerald
The Capitol
Congressman Blake
Central Park
Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Invisible Stripes
Montgomery (uncredited)
In This Our Life
Jim Purdy
Blaze o' Glory
District Attorney (as William Davidson)
A Gentleman of Paris
Henri Dufour
Dorian's Divorce
Henry Morgan (as William Davidson)
They Were Expendable
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Is My Face Red?
O'Sullivan
The Male Animal
Alumnus
Female
Department Head (Uncredited)
Mystery of the Wax Museum
Detective (Uncredited)
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
Charles (as William Davidson)
Illegal Traffic
Dalton
The Magnificent Dope
Mr. Reindel
Dishonored
The Thirteenth Guest
Police Captain Brown (Uncredited)
Sing Your Way Home
F.T. Johnson
The Road Back
Bartscher
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Cyrus Ballard
The White Raven
The Stranger
The Call of Her People
Nicholas Van Kleet
The Greatest Power
John Conrad
The Lifted Veil
Malcolm Grant
Hidden Power
Foster
La belle Russe
Brand
The Pretenders
Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson)
Lure of Ambition
Hon. Cyril Ralston
In Pursuit of Polly
Larry O'Malley
Good Morning, Judge
Elton (as William Davidson)
Queen of the Night Clubs
Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson)
Dangerously Yours
George Carr
Hearts and Spurs
Victor Dufresne
Ports of Call
Randolph Sherman
A Yellow Streak
Jack Rader
For the Honor of the Crew
Robert Brent
Hello, Everybody!
Mr. Parker
A Man from Wyoming
Major
Her Debt of Honor
John Hartfield
In the Diplomatic Service
Lynn Hardi
The Price of Malice
Capt. Mills
A Modern Cinderella
The Carnation Kid
Blythe
The Hurricane
Abusive Drunk (uncredited)
There Goes My Heart
Skipper Jackson (uncredited)
The Judge Steps Out
Colonel Bright (uncredited)
On Their Own
Judge Bull
The Good Fellows
Blake
Letter of Introduction
Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)
The Animal Kingdom
Chess Player
Sunny
First Ship's Officer
Charter Pilot
Mr. Wentworth
Greenwich Village
Dance Director
That's My Man
Steward
Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
Self (archive footage)
The Girl from Nowhere
Hers to Hold
Al