William S. Hart

William S. Hart

Acting
Born 1864-12-06 - Died 1946-06-23Newburgh, New York, USA

Biography

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.

Movies (85)

Hello, 'Frisco
7.5

Hello, 'Frisco

1924Movie7.5
Show People
7.1

Show People

1928Movie7.1
It's Showtime
7.5

It's Showtime

1976Movie7.5
Riddle Gawne

Riddle Gawne

1918Movie
Shark Monroe
6.0

Shark Monroe

1918Movie6.0
The House That Shadows Built
8.5

The House That Shadows Built

1931Movie8.5
Hollywood
9.0

Hollywood

1923Movie9.0
Yesterday and Today
7.0

Yesterday and Today

1953Movie7.0
The Silent Man
4.5

The Silent Man

1917Movie4.5
Singer Jim Mckee
10.0

Singer Jim Mckee

1924Movie10.0
Hell's Hinges
6.1

Hell's Hinges

1916Movie6.1
The Devil's Double

The Devil's Double

1916Movie
The Desert Man

The Desert Man

1917Movie
'Blue Blazes' Rawden
5.7

'Blue Blazes' Rawden

1918Movie5.7
Stars of Yesterday
9.0

Stars of Yesterday

1931Movie9.0
Tumbleweeds
6.1

Tumbleweeds

1925Movie6.1
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1
7.0

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1

1941Movie7.0
O'Malley of the Mounted
10.0

O'Malley of the Mounted

1921Movie10.0
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
7.0

The Legend of Rudolph Valentino

1961Movie7.0
The Great Chase
6.4

The Great Chase

1962Movie6.4
Jim Cameron's Wife

Jim Cameron's Wife

1914Movie
Decasia: The State of Decay
6.5

Decasia: The State of Decay

2002Movie6.5
Ben Hur
4.4

Ben Hur

1907Movie4.4
The Grudge

The Grudge

1915Movie
The Aryan
5.5

The Aryan

1916Movie5.5
The Taking of Luke McVane
5.7

The Taking of Luke McVane

1915Movie5.7
Pinto Ben

Pinto Ben

1915Movie
Between Men

Between Men

1916Movie
The Hollywood Gad-About
6.0

The Hollywood Gad-About

1934Movie6.0
His Hour of Manhood

His Hour of Manhood

1914Movie
The Roughneck

The Roughneck

1915Movie
Wolf Lowry
6.0

Wolf Lowry

1917Movie6.0
A Lion of the Hills
8.0

A Lion of the Hills

1918Movie8.0
The Ruse

The Ruse

1915Movie
The Return of Draw Egan
5.2

The Return of Draw Egan

1916Movie5.2
The Whistle
5.4

The Whistle

1921Movie5.4
Breed of Men

Breed of Men

1919Movie
Square Deal Sanderson
6.7

Square Deal Sanderson

1919Movie6.7
The Cradle of Courage
6.5

The Cradle of Courage

1920Movie6.5
The Apostle of Vengeance

The Apostle of Vengeance

1916Movie
All-Star Production of Patriotic Episodes for the Second Liberty Loan
8.0

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

1917Movie8.0
Wagon Tracks
6.3

Wagon Tracks

1919Movie6.3
The Square Deal Man

The Square Deal Man

1917Movie
Variety Time
10.0

Variety Time

1948Movie10.0
The Conversion of Frosty Blake

The Conversion of Frosty Blake

1915Movie
The Cold Deck

The Cold Deck

1917Movie
Keno Bates, Liar
5.0

Keno Bates, Liar

1915Movie5.0
The Narrow Trail
5.0

The Narrow Trail

1917Movie5.0
Sand
7.5

Sand

1920Movie7.5
The Tiger Man

The Tiger Man

1918Movie
The Gun Fighter

The Gun Fighter

1917Movie
John Petticoats
10.0

John Petticoats

1919Movie10.0
The Captive God
5.0

The Captive God

1916Movie5.0
Wild Bill Hickok
9.0

Wild Bill Hickok

1923Movie9.0
The Primal Lure

The Primal Lure

1916Movie
The Bargain
5.6

The Bargain

1914Movie5.6
Three Word Brand
7.5

Three Word Brand

1921Movie7.5
The Disciple
8.0

The Disciple

1915Movie8.0
The Scourge of the Desert

The Scourge of the Desert

1915Movie
Travelin' On
9.0

Travelin' On

1922Movie9.0
The Dawn Maker

The Dawn Maker

1916Movie
The Poppy Girl's Husband
3.0

The Poppy Girl's Husband

1919Movie3.0
In the Sage Brush Country

In the Sage Brush Country

1914Movie
Tools of Providence

Tools of Providence

1915Movie
Branding Broadway

Branding Broadway

1918Movie
Selfish Yates

Selfish Yates

1918Movie
Wolves of the Rail
6.0

Wolves of the Rail

1918Movie6.0
White Oak
6.0

White Oak

1921Movie6.0
On the Night Stage
4.4

On the Night Stage

1915Movie4.4
The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow
5.0

The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow

1915Movie5.0
The Money Corral
7.0

The Money Corral

1919Movie7.0
Two-Gun Hicks

Two-Gun Hicks

1914Movie
The Testing Block
6.5

The Testing Block

1920Movie6.5
The Toll Gate
5.7

The Toll Gate

1920Movie5.7
Mr. 'Silent' Haskins
5.5

Mr. 'Silent' Haskins

1915Movie5.5
The Man from Nowhere

The Man from Nowhere

1915Movie
Cash Parrish's Pal

Cash Parrish's Pal

1915Movie
The Patriot

The Patriot

1916Movie
Truthful Tulliver

Truthful Tulliver

1917Movie
Bad Buck of Santa Ynez
7.5

Bad Buck of Santa Ynez

1915Movie7.5
The Darkening Trail
5.8

The Darkening Trail

1915Movie5.8
The Border Wireless

The Border Wireless

1918Movie
Staking His Life
9.0

Staking His Life

1918Movie9.0
Knight of the Trail
4.8

Knight of the Trail

1915Movie4.8
Grit
9.0

Grit

1915Movie9.0