
William B. Davidson
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

The Good Fellows
1943

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
1942

Dust Be My Destiny
1939

The White Raven
1917

The Call of Her People
1917

The Greatest Power
1917

The Lifted Veil
1917

I'm No Angel
1933

Hidden Power
1939

La belle Russe
1919

The Pretenders
1916

Lure of Ambition
1919

Seven Sinners
1940

In Pursuit of Polly
1918

Good Morning, Judge
1928

Circumstantial Evidence
1945

Hook, Line and Sinker
1930

Queen of the Night Clubs
1929

Sun Valley Serenade
1941

Lady Killer
1933

Hollywood Hotel
1938

Earthworm Tractors
1936

Dangerously Yours
1933

Highway West
1941

Hearts and Spurs
1925

The Dragon Murder Case
1934

Larceny, Inc.
1942

Blackwell's Island
1939

Special Agent
1935

Ports of Call
1925

The Great Man's Lady
1941

The Notorious Lone Wolf
1946

The Lost Squadron
1932

Letter of Introduction
1938

Her Mad Night
1932

Paradise Isle
1937

A Yellow Streak
1915

Show Them No Mercy!
1935

Sergeant Murphy
1938

Sweet Music
1935

Sky Devils
1932

Graft
1931

Tell It to a Star
1945

Scarlet Pages
1930

The Animal Kingdom
1932

Love on a Bet
1936

Murder on the Waterfront
1943

The Menace
1932

Midnight Court
1937

Laughing Boy
1934

The Pride of the Legion
1932

Marry the Girl
1937

Woman Trap
1929

Road Gang
1936

My Love Came Back
1940

For the Defense
1930

Uncle Joe
1941

Florian
1940

The Vice Squad
1931

The Affairs of Martha
1942

For the Honor of the Crew
1915

The Plainsman and the Lady
1946

Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
1938

That Hagen Girl
1947

Indianapolis Speedway
1939

Woman Wanted
1935

Captain Applejack
1931

In the Navy
1941

Hello, Everybody!
1933

No Limit
1931

The Most Dangerous Game
1932

Blockade
1938

Guilty or Not Guilty
1932

Playboy of Paris
1930

The Dumb-Bell
1922

The St. Louis Kid
1934

A Man from Wyoming
1930

Her Debt of Honor
1916

In the Diplomatic Service
1916

Death Flies East
1935

Murder by an Aristocrat
1936

Ding Dong Williams
1946

The Price of Malice
1916

A Modern Cinderella
1917

The Carnation Kid
1929

Partners of the Night
1920

Cradle Snatchers
1927

Ever Since Eve
1937

It Happened in Hollywood
1937

Easy Living
1937

Lillian Russell
1940

In Person
1935

They Made Me a Criminal
1939

The Intruder
1933

Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
1931

The Hurricane
1937

Racket Busters
1938

Fatal Lady
1936

Cowboy from Brooklyn
1938

Cocoanut Grove
1938

Sunny
1930

Melody for Two
1937

Naughty But Nice
1939

Up in Arms
1944

Adam and Eva
1923

Greenwich Village
1944

Smashing the Money Ring
1939

The Sport Parade
1932

Oil for the Lamps of China
1935

Charter Pilot
1940

The Big Noise
1936

Hired Wife
1940

Friends of Mr. Sweeney
1934

Tail Spin
1939

Blondie Meets the Boss
1939

Three Smart Girls Grow Up
1939

Three Sons o' Guns
1941

Each Dawn I Die
1939

That's My Man
1947

Honeymoon in Bali
1939

There Goes My Heart
1938

Man-Made Monster
1941

Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
1994

The Last Trail
1927

The Girl from Nowhere
1921

Hers to Hold
1943

The Judge Steps Out
1947

On Their Own
1940

A Night of Adventure
1944

Calaboose
1943

Bordertown
1935

Devil Dogs of the Air
1935

Dick Tracy's Dilemma
1947

Love on Toast
1937

The Secret Bride
1934

Dangerous
1935

A Woman There Was
1919

Over My Dead Body
1942

Keep 'Em Flying
1941

Mary Lawson's Secret
1917

Scarface
1932

My Darling Clementine
1946

The Lady from Cheyenne
1941

My Little Chickadee
1940

Hold That Ghost
1941

Half a Sinner
1940

Tin Pan Alley
1940

The Singing Kid
1936

Gentleman Jim
1942

A Night at the Ritz
1935

Lady with Red Hair
1940

Girl in 313
1940

Maryland
1940

Meet the Baron
1933

How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action
1933

Private Detective
1939

Satan Met a Lady
1936

Three Girls About Town
1941

The Silver Horde
1930

Something to Sing About
1937

The Secret Call
1931

Always Faithful
1929

Remember the Day
1941

How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 2: 'Chip Shots'
1931

Sharp Tools
1928

Gold Diggers of 1937
1936

Sudden Money
1939

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975

Oh, for a Man!
1930

Careful, Soft Shoulders
1942

Housewife
1934

Off the Record
1939

The Costello Case
1930

Men Are Like That
1930

On Trial
1939

Half Holiday
1931

Week-End in Havana
1941

The Cat Creeps
1946

Fog Over Frisco
1934

Thieves Fall Out
1941

Hell's Angels
1930

Mission to Moscow
1943

Sailor's Lady
1940

Marked Woman
1937

Torch Singer
1933

Over the Wall
1943

Go Into Your Dance
1935

Truck Busters
1943

Blonde Alibi
1946

The Jury's Secret
1938

See My Lawyer
1945

Sandy Gets Her Man
1940

Behind the Mike
1937

Let Them Live
1937

Why I Would Not Marry
1918

Recompense
1925

Make Your Own Bed
1944

Impossible Catherine
1919

The Billion Dollar Scandal
1933

The Big Shakedown
1934

You May Be Next!
1936

Imitation of Life
1934

In Society
1944

San Francisco Docks
1940

The Man Who Walked Alone
1945

Granny Get Your Gun
1940

The Capitol
1919

Central Park
1932

Invisible Stripes
1939

In This Our Life
1942

Blaze o' Glory
1929

Dorian's Divorce
1916

They Were Expendable
1945

Is My Face Red?
1932

A Gentleman of Paris
1927

The Male Animal
1942

Female
1933

Mystery of the Wax Museum
1933

The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
1934

Illegal Traffic
1938

The Magnificent Dope
1942

Dishonored
1931

The Thirteenth Guest
1932

Sing Your Way Home
1945

The Road Back
1937

The Valley of Doubt
1924

Persuasive Peggy
1917

Her Second Husband
1917

American Maid
1917

Ashes of Love
1918

Redheads on Parade
1935

You and Me
1938

Straight from the Heart
1935

A Night at Earl Carroll's
1940

Shine on Harvest Moon
1944

Upperworld
1934

The Gold Cure
1919

Lady Barnacle
1917

A Magdalene of the Hills
1917

The Child of Destiny
1916

Our Little Wife
1918

Friend Husband
1918

Nobody
1921

More Truth Than Poetry
1917

The Storm Daughter
1924

Dillinger
1945

The Honeymoon's Over
1939

Women and Gold
1925

MGM Parade
1955