William Desmond (actor) explained

William Desmond (actor) should not be confused with William Desmond Taylor.

William Desmond
Birth Date:	23 January 1878
Birth Place:	Salamanca, New York U.S.
Death Place:	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Spouse:	Mary McIvor (m. 1919-1941)
Children:	2
Yearsactive:	1915–1949
Birthname:	William Mannion
Occupation:	Actor
Resting Place:	Chapel of the Pines Crematory

William Desmond (born William Mannion; January 23, 1878  - November 3, 1949) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."

Born William Mannion^[1] in Salamanca, New York on January 23 1878, he was raised in New York City. He later changed his surname to a stage name. He started out in vaudeville and the legitimate stage before making his film debut. In 1919, he married his co-star Mary McIvor, with whom he had two daughters. ^[2]

On November 3, 1949, Desmond died at age 71 of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California. His cremated remains are stored in the vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory, Los Angeles.^[3]

Selected filmography

• Kilmeny (1915) - Bob Meredith
• The Majesty of the Law (1915) - Jackson Morgan Kent
• Peer Gynt (1915) - The Parson
• Peggy (1916) - Rev. Donald Bruce
• Bullets and Brown Eyes (1916) - Prince Carl
• The Waifs (1916) - Arthur Rayburn
• Not My Sister (1916) - Michael Arnold
• The Sorrows of Love (1916) - Guido Perli
• The Captive God (1916)
• The Payment (1916) - Dick
• Lieutenant Danny, U.S.A. (1916) - Lt. Danny Ward
• The Dawn Maker (1916) - Bruce Smithson
• The Criminal (1916) - Donald White
• A Gamble in Souls (1916) - Arthur Worden, Evangelist
• The Iced Bullet (1917) - The Author / Horace Lee
• The Last of the Ingrams (1917) - Jules Ingram
• Blood Will Tell (1917) - Samson Oakley III
• Paddy O'Hara (1917) - Paddy O'Hara
• Paws of the Bear (1917) - Ray Bourke
• Time Locks and Diamonds (1917) - Silver Jim Farrel
• Master of His Home (1917) - Carson Stewart
• Flying Colors (1917) - Brent Brewster
• Married in Name Only (1917)
• Fighting Back (1917) - The Weakling
• The Sudden Gentleman (1917) - Garry Garrity
• Captain of His Soul (1918) - Horace Boyce
• The Sea Panther (1918) - Paul Le Marsan
• Society for Sale (1918) - Honorable Billy
• An Honest Man (1918) - Benny Boggs
• Old Hartwell's Cub (1918) - Bill Hartwell
• Closin' In (1918) - Jack Bradon
• Hell's End (1918) - Jack Donovan
• Beyond the Shadows (1918) - Jean Du Bois
• Wild Life (1918) - Chick Ward
• The Pretender (1918) - Bob Baldwin
• Deuce Duncan (1918) - Deuce Duncan
• Life's a Funny Proposition (1919) - Jimmie Pendleton
• The Prodigal Liar (1919) - Percival Montgomery Edwards
• Her Code of Honor (1919) - Eugene La Salle
• Whitewashed Walls (1919) - Larry Donovan
• The Mints of Hell (1919) - Dan Burke
• Bare-Fisted Gallagher (1919) - 'Bare-Fisted' Gallagher
• A Sagebrush Hamlet (1919) - Larry Lang
• Dangerous Waters (1919) - Jimmie Moulton
• The Blue Bandanna (1919) - Jerry Jerome
• The Prince and Betty (1919) - John Maude
• A Broadway Cowboy (1920) - Burke Randolph
• Twin Beds (1920) - Harry Hawkins
• The Parish Priest (1920) - Reverend John Whalen
• Women Men Love (1921) - David Hunter
• The Child Thou Gavest Me (1921) - Tom Marshall
• Dangerous Toys (1921) - Jack Gray
• Fightin' Mad (1921) - Bud McGraw
• Don't Leave Your Husband (1921)
• Perils of the Yukon (1922) - Jack Merrill
• Night Life in Hollywood (1922) - Himself
• Around the World in Eighteen Days (1923) - Phineas Fogg III
• The Phantom Fortune (1923) - Larry Barclay
• McGuire of the Mounted (1923) - Bob McGuire
• Shadows of the North (1923) - Ben 'Wolf' Darby
• Beasts of Paradise (1923) - Phil Grant
• The Extra Girl (1923) - William Desmond - Actor
• The Eagle's Talons (1923)
• The Breathless Moment (1924) - Billy Carson
• Big Timber (1924) - Walter Sandry
• The Measure of a Man (1924) - John Fairmeadow
• The Sunset Trail (1924) - Happy Hobo
• The Riddle Rider (1924) - Randolph Parker / The Riddle Rider
• Hello, 'Frisco (1924 short) - Himself - William Desmond
• Outwitted (1925) - Jack Blaisdel
• Ridin' Pretty (1925) - Sky Parker
• Barriers of the Law (1925) - Rex Brandon
• Duped (1925) - John Morgan
• Straight Through (1925) - Good Deed O'Day
• The Burning Trail (1925) - Smiling Bill Flannigan
• Blood and Steel (1925) - Gordon Steele
• The Meddler (1925) - Richard Gilmore
• Ace of Spades (1925 serial) - Dan Harvey
• Ace of Spies (1925)
• The Winking Idol (1926) - Dave Ledbetter
• Strings of Steel (1926) - Ned Brown
• Tongues of Scandal (1927) - Gov. John Rhodes
• The Return of the Riddle Rider (1927) - Randolph Parker / The Riddle Rider
• Red Clay (1927) - Chief John Nisheto
• The Vanishing Rider (1928) - Jim Davis / The Vanishing Rider
• The Devil's Trademark (1928) - Morgan Gray
• The Mystery Rider (1928) - Winthrop Lane / The Mystery Rider
• No Defense (1929) - John Harper
• The Phantom of the West (1931) - Martin Blair
• The Vanishing Legion (1931) - Milesburg Sheriff
• First Aid (1931) - Chief of Police
• Hell-Bent for Frisco (1931) - The Editor
• Oklahoma Jim (1931) - Lacy
• The Lightning Warrior (1931 serial) - Townsman (uncredited)
• Battling with Buffalo Bill (1931) - John Mills
• Heroes of the West (1932) - John Blaine
• The Last Frontier (1932 serial) - General Custer (Ch. 1)
• Jungle Mystery (1932) - John Morgan
• A Scarlet Week-End (1932)
• Clancy of the Mounted (1933) - Dave Moran
• Rustlers' Roundup (1933) - San Dimas Sheriff Holden
• The Three Musketeers (1933 serial) - Captain Boncour
• The Whispering Shadow (1933 serial) - Empire Transport Co. driver (uncredited)
• The Phantom of the Air (1933 serial) - Thomas Edmonds
• Laughing at Life (1933) - Military Cabinet Officer
• Gordon of Ghost City (1933 serial) - John Mulford
• Strawberry Roan (1933) - Colonel Brownlee
• The Perils of Pauline (1933 serial) - Prof. Thompson [Chs. 9-12]
• Fargo Express (1933) - Sheriff Joe Thompson
• Pirate Treasure (1934) - Capt. Jim Carson
• Border Guns (1934) - Dr. Jim Wilson
• The Vanishing Shadow (1934 serial) - Newspaper Editor MacDonald
• I Can't Escape (1934) - Parole Officer Donovan
• The Red Rider (1934 serial) - Sheriff Campbell
• The Way of the West (1934) - 'Cash' Horton
• Tailspin Tommy (1934 serial) - Sloane - Taggart's Office Henchman, Chs. 4, 7, 10-11
• Frontier Days (1934) - Sheriff Barnes
• Gunfire (1934) - Townsman (uncredited)
• The Rawhide Terror (1934) - Tom Blake - Betty's Older Brother
• When Lightning Strikes (1934) - Marshall Jack Stevens
• Rustlers of Red Dog (1935 serial) - Ira Dale (Wagonmaster)
• Five Bad Men (1935) - Colonel Matoon
• Defying the Law (1935) - Jim Kenmore
• Naughty Marietta (1935) - Gendarme Chief (uncredited)
• Born to Battle (1935) - John Brownell
• Devil's Canyon (1935)
• The Cowboy and the Bandit (1935) - Sheriff Pete
• Cyclone of the Saddle (1935) - Wagon Master
• The Call of the Savage (1935) - Allen
• The Tia Juana Kid (1935) - Cantina Owner
• The Phantom Cowboy (1935) - Barfly (uncredited)
• The Ghost Rider (1935) - Guard
• Social Error (1935) - Policeman (uncredited)
• The Roaring West (1935) - Jim Parker
• Powdersmoke Range (1935) - Happy - Bartender
• Rough Riding Ranger (1935) - Major Wright
• Courage of the North (1935) - Gene Travis
• Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery (1935 serial) - Foreman Burke [Chs. 7-9,11-12] (uncredited)
• Nevada (1935) - Wilson
• Frisco Kid (1935) - Vigilante Hangman (uncredited)
• Timber Terrors (1935) - Royce Horter
• Custer's Last Stand (1936 serial) - Wagon Master [Ch. 1] (as Bill Desmond)
• The Broken Coin (1936)
• The Adventures of Frank Merriwell (1936 serial) - Captain of the 'Viking' (uncredited)
• Song of the Saddle (1936) - Stage Driver Tim
• Flash Gordon (1936 serial) - Hawkman Lookout Captain (uncredited)
• The Clutching Hand (1936 serial) - Bartender Steve [Chs.5,8,10-12,14] (uncredited)
• Treachery Rides the Range (1936) - Bill - Stage Driver (uncredited)
• Hollywood Boulevard (1936) - Pago Pago Patron (uncredited)
• The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936) - Anderson
• The Black Coin (1936) - Cantina Bartender
• Cavalry (1936) - Cavalry Major (uncredited)
• Song of the Gringo (1936) - Bailiff
• Headin' for the Rio Grande (1936) - Mr. Mack
• Arizona Days (1937) - Stranger (uncredited)
• The Mysterious Pilot (1937 serial) - Lumberjack / Townsman (uncredited)
• Tim Tyler's Luck (1937 serial) - Dock Official [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
• Man of Conquest (1939) - Tennessee Man (uncredited)
• Winners of the West (1940 serial) - Bill Brine - Foreman
• The Boys from Syracuse (1940) - Citizen (uncredited)
• Junior G-Men (1940 serial) - Irish Cop [Ch. 6] (uncredited)
• A Little Bit of Heaven (1940) - Uncle Francis
• Where Did You Get That Girl? (1941) - Tourist (uncredited)
• Nice Girl? (1941) - Postman (uncredited)
• Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941) - Bartender
• Sky Raiders (1941 serial) - Murphy - Police Officer [Ch. 9] (uncredited)
• Don Winslow of the Navy (1942 serial) - Pat - Smelter Foreman [Ch. 5] (uncredited)
• Stagecoach Buckaroo (1942) - Barfly (uncredited)
• Raiders of the West (1942) - Townsman (uncredited)
• Gang Busters (1942 serial) - Rogan's Death Witness [Ch. 4] (uncredited)
• Junior G-Men of the Air (1942 serial) - Parts Customer [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
• Down Rio Grande Way (1942) - Townsman (uncredited)
• The Silver Bullet (1942) - Townsman (uncredited)
• Overland Mail (1942 serial) - Williams - Banker [Chs. 5, 12] (uncredited)
• Sin Town (1942) - Town Leader (uncredited)
• Prairie Chickens (1943) - Cache Lake Townsman (uncredited)
• Cheyenne Roundup (1943) - Pete (uncredited)
• Frontier Fury (1943) - Townsman (uncredited)
• The Lone Star Trail (1943) - Bartender Mike (uncredited)
• Frontier Badmen (1943) - Townsman (uncredited)
• Phantom of the Opera (1943) - Stagehand (uncredited)
• Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) - Westerner in Dennis Morgan Number (uncredited)
• Marshal of Gunsmoke (1944) - Barfly (uncredited)
• Oklahoma Raiders (1944) - Townsman Grinning at Banjo's Fall (uncredited)
• The Scarlet Claw (1944) - Member of Royal Canadian Occult Society (uncredited)
• The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
• The Mummy's Ghost (1944) - Museum Tourist (uncredited)
• National Barn Dance (1944) - Farmer at Barn Dance (uncredited)
• Tall in the Saddle (1944) - Town Citizen (uncredited)
• The Climax (1944) - Backstage Technician (uncredited)
• Bowery to Broadway (1944) - Man at Bar (uncredited)
• The Old Texas Trail (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
• Firebrands of Arizona (1944) - Townsman (uncredited)
• Hi, Beautiful (1944) - Passenger (uncredited)
• See My Lawyer (1945) - Bystander (uncredited)
• Song of the Sarong (1945) - Councillor (uncredited)
• The Return of the Durango Kid (1945) - Street Ambusher (uncredited)
• Beyond the Pecos (1945) - Bill - Barfly (uncredited)
• The Naughty Nineties (1945) - (uncredited)
• That Night with You (1945) - Man in Market (uncredited)
• Strange Confession (1945) - Peanut Vendor (uncredited)
• The Royal Mounted Rides Again (1945) - Miner at Meeting (uncredited)
• Frontier Gal (1945) - Barfly (uncredited)
• The Scarlet Horseman (1946 serial) - Barfly (uncredited)
• Code of the West (1947) - Settler (uncredited)
• The Michigan Kid (1947) - Townsman (uncredited)
• The Egg and I (1947) - Spectator at County Fair (uncredited)
• Relentless (1948) - Townsman on Porch (uncredited)
• Are You with It? (1948) - Spectator (uncredited)

External links

• • William Desmond at Virtual History

Notes and References

1. Book: Room. Adrian. Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed.. 2012. McFarland. 9780786457632. 143. January 23, 2018. en.
2. A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses 1476609055 George A. Katchmer - 2002 -"William Desmond's biography can be read in its entirety in the author's book Eighty Silent Film Stars: Biographies and Filmographies from the Obscure to the ... In 1919, he married Mary McIvor, who bore him two daughters, Mary Jo and Terry.
3. Book: Ellenberger. Allan R.. Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. 2001. McFarland. 9780786409839. 24. January 23, 2018. en.