William B. Davidson
Davidson in Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947)
Born
William Beatman Davidson

(1888-06-16)June 16, 1888
Dobbs Ferry, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 28, 1947(1947-09-28) (aged 59)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Alma materColumbia University
OccupationActor
Years active1915–1947
Spouses
Mary Hellen Dorsey
​
​
(m. 1916; div. 1932)​
Helen Bolton
​
​
(m. 1934)​

William Beatman Davidson (June 16, 1888 – September 28, 1947) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1915 and 1947.[1]

Early life

Davidson was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He 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.[2]

Career

Davidson started in films in 1914 with Vitagraph. 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 (1932). He 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.

Death

He remained in show business until his sudden death in Santa Monica, California after surgery in 1947.[3]

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ "William B. Davidson". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2014. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  2. ^ Katchmer, George A. (May 20, 2015). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. ISBN 9781476609058. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Ellenberger, Allan R. (May 1, 2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. ISBN 9780786409839. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Google Books.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to William B. Davidson.
Authority control databases
Categories