
William B. Davidson
Born
June 15, 1888
Died
September 28, 1947 (59 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA
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.

Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
Self (archive footage)
1994

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975

The Judge Steps Out
Colonel Bright (uncredited)
1947

That Hagen Girl
Mr. Bowman (uncredited)
1947

That's My Man
Steward
1947

Dick Tracy's Dilemma
Peter Premium
1947

The Plainsman and the Lady
Russell
1946

My Darling Clementine
Saloon Owner (uncredited)
1946

The Cat Creeps
James Walsh
1946

Ding Dong Williams
Mr. Saul Dana
1946

Blonde Alibi
Police Captain Hurley (Uncredited)
1946

The Notorious Lone Wolf
Inspector Crane (as William Davidson)
1946

They Were Expendable
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
1945

Sing Your Way Home
F.T. Johnson
1945

Tell It to a Star
Brannigan
1945

Circumstantial Evidence
Board of Appeals Chairman
1945

The Man Who Walked Alone
Governor
1945

See My Lawyer
Judge
1945

Greenwich Village
Dance Director
1944

In Society
Parker
1944

Make Your Own Bed
Mr. Linklater
1944

A Night of Adventure
Gilbert J. Regan (uncredited)
1944

Up in Arms
Maxwell (uncredited)
1944

Over the Wall
Warden Ed
1943

Murder on the Waterfront
Capt. Towne
1943

The Good Fellows
Blake
1943

Hers to Hold
Al
1943

Mission to Moscow
Senator (uncredited)
1943

Calaboose
Sheriff George Lane (as William Davidson)
1943

Truck Busters
Stephen S. Gray
1943

Gentleman Jim
Donovan (uncredited)
1942

Careful, Soft Shoulders
Mr. Aldrich
1942

The Magnificent Dope
Mr. Reindel
1942

The Affairs of Martha
Homer Jacell
1942

In This Our Life
Jim Purdy
1942

Larceny, Inc.
McCarthy
1942

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Cyrus Ballard
1942

The Male Animal
Alumnus
1942

Over My Dead Body
Crole (as William Davidson)
1942

Remember the Day
Committeeman
1941

Keep 'Em Flying
Gonigle
1941

The Great Man's Lady
Sen. Knobs
1941

Three Girls About Town
Labor Leader
1941

Uncle Joe
Mr. Day
1941

Week-End in Havana
Captain Moss
1941

Sun Valley Serenade
Jack Murray
1941

Hold That Ghost
Moose Matson
1941

Highway West
Gorman
1941

Three Sons o' Guns
Henry Baxter
1941

In the Navy
Capt. Richards (uncredited)
1941

Thieves Fall Out
Harrison "Harry" Eckles
1941

The Lady from Cheyenne
Nye Dunbar
1941

Man-Made Monster
District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley
1941

San Francisco Docks
Dist. Atty. Craig
1940

Charter Pilot
Mr. Wentworth
1940

A Night at Earl Carroll's
Mayor Green of San Bernardino
1940

Lady with Red Hair
Stock Company Manager (uncredited)
1940

Tin Pan Alley
Hotel Manager
1940

Sandy Gets Her Man
Councilman Charles J. Clark
1940

Seven Sinners
Police Chief
1940

Hired Wife
Mumford (as William Davidson)
1940

Maryland
John Addison
1940

My Love Came Back
Agent
1940

Sailor's Lady
Judge Hinsdale
1940

Florian
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
1940

Girl in 313
George Grayson
1940

Lillian Russell
President Cleveland
1940

On Their Own
Judge Bull
1940

Half a Sinner
Slick
1940

Granny Get Your Gun
Fitzgerald
1940

My Little Chickadee
Sheriff of Little Bend (uncredited)
1940

Invisible Stripes
Montgomery (uncredited)
1939

Private Detective
Inspector Evans
1939

Smashing the Money Ring
Warden Denby
1939

Honeymoon in Bali
Store Detective
1939

Dust Be My Destiny
Work Farm Warden
1939

Hidden Power
Foster
1939

Each Dawn I Die
Bill Mason
1939

Indianapolis Speedway
Duncan Martin
1939

Naughty But Nice
Samuel 'Sam' 'Simsy' Hudson - Music Publisher
1939

On Trial
Mr. Gray
1939

Sudden Money
Sam
1939

Three Smart Girls Grow Up
Stock Broker
1939

Blondie Meets the Boss
Elderly Man in Café (uncredited)
1939

Tail Spin
Sales Manager (Uncredited)
1939

Blackwell's Island
Hempel
1939

They Made Me a Criminal
Ennis
1939

Off the Record
Scotty
1939

Illegal Traffic
Dalton
1938

There Goes My Heart
Skipper Jackson (uncredited)
1938

Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
Ellory Bugs
1938

Letter of Introduction
Mr. Raleigh (uncredited)
1938

Racket Busters
Trucking Chairman (uncredited)
1938

Cowboy from Brooklyn
Mr. 'W.P.' Alvey
1938

Blockade
Commandant
1938

You and Me
N. G. Orton, Attorney-at-Law (uncredited)
1938

Cocoanut Grove
Hawtrey
1938

The Jury's Secret
Page
1938

Hollywood Hotel
Director Kelton
1938

Sergeant Murphy
Maj. Gruff (uncredited)
1938

Love on Toast
Jonathan
1937

The Hurricane
Abusive Drunk (uncredited)
1937

Something to Sing About
Mr. Richards (as William Davidson)
1937

Behind the Mike
Cyrus Wittles
1937

It Happened in Hollywood
Al Howard
1937

Paradise Isle
Hoener
1937

Easy Living
Mr. Hyde
1937

Ever Since Eve
Henderson
1937

Marry the Girl
Drake
1937

The Road Back
Bartscher
1937

Melody for Two
Mr. Hale
1937

Let Them Live
The Editor
1937

Marked Woman
Bob Crandall
1937

Midnight Court
Alfred H. Kruger
1937

Gold Diggers of 1937
Andy Callahan
1936

Earthworm Tractors
Mr. Jackson
1936

Satan Met a Lady
City Fathers Committee Spokesman (uncredited)
1936

The Big Noise
Welford Andrews
1936

Murder by an Aristocrat
Bayard Thatcher (as William Davidson)
1936

Fatal Lady
Detective (uncredited)
1936

The Singing Kid
Barney Hammond
1936

Road Gang
Attorney General Mardsen
1936

Love on a Bet
A.W. Hutchinson
1936

You May Be Next!
Official (uncredited)
1936

Dangerous
Reed Walsh
1935

Show Them No Mercy!
Chief Haggerty (as William Davidson)
1935

In Person
Director Bill Sutter
1935

Special Agent
Charlie Young - Carston's Lawyer
1935

Redheads on Parade
Theatre Manager
1935

Woman Wanted
Collins
1935

Oil for the Lamps of China
E.H. Swaley
1935

Go Into Your Dance
Tom McGee
1935

A Night at the Ritz
Connolly
1935

Straight from the Heart
Prosecuting Attorney
1935

Death Flies East
Police Captain Barrie
1935

Sweet Music
Billie Madison
1935

Devil Dogs of the Air
Adjutant
1935

Bordertown
Dr. Carter
1935

The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
Charles (as William Davidson)
1934

The Secret Bride
Representative McPherson
1934

Imitation of Life
Man Buying Cigar (uncredited)
1934

The St. Louis Kid
Joe Hunter
1934

The Dragon Murder Case
Greeff
1934

Housewife
Nan's Attorney
1934

Friends of Mr. Sweeney
Stephen Prime
1934

Fog Over Frisco
Editor Joe Hogue
1934

Upperworld
City Editor (uncredited)
1934

Laughing Boy
Hartshone (as William Davidson)
1934

The Big Shakedown
District Attorney (uncredited)
1934

Lady Killer
Director Williams
1933

Female
Department Head (Uncredited)
1933

Meet the Baron
General Broadcasting Representative
1933

I'm No Angel
Ernest Brown
1933

Torch Singer
Jarrett
1933
How to Break 90 #3: Hip Action
Himself
1933

The Intruder
Det. Lt. Samson
1933

Dangerously Yours
George Carr
1933

Mystery of the Wax Museum
Detective (Uncredited)
1933

Hello, Everybody!
Mr. Parker
1933

The Billion Dollar Scandal
Jim Lawrence
1933

The Animal Kingdom
Chess Player
1932

Central Park
Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
1932

Guilty or Not Guilty
Chief
1932

The Sport Parade
Kendricks (uncredited)
1932

The Pride of the Legion
Sgt. Arnold
1932

Her Mad Night
District Attorney
1932

The Most Dangerous Game
Captain
1932

The Thirteenth Guest
Police Captain Brown (Uncredited)
1932

Is My Face Red?
O'Sullivan
1932

Scarface
Citizens Committee Member (uncredited)
1932

The Lost Squadron
Lelewer
1932

Sky Devils
Captain
1932

The Menace
John Utterson
1932
Half Holiday
Jerry - Andy's Pal
1931

Graft
M.H. Thomas
1931

The Secret Call
Jim Blake
1931

The Vice Squad
Magistrate Tom Morrison
1931

Windy Riley Goes Hollywood
1931

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

Dishonored
1931

Captain Applejack
Bill Dennett
1931

No Limit
Wilkie
1931

Hook, Line and Sinker
Frank Dukette aka Duke of Winchester (as William Davidson)
1930

Oh, for a Man!
Kerry Stokes
1930

Hell's Angels
Staff Major
1930

Sunny
First Ship's Officer
1930

The Silver Horde
Tom Hilliard
1930

Playboy of Paris
Monsieur Bannack (uncredited)
1930

The Costello Case
Saunders
1930

Scarlet Pages
Jackson
1930

For the Defense
Dist. Atty. Stone
1930

A Man from Wyoming
Major
1930

Men Are Like That
Frank Hyland
1930

Blaze o' Glory
District Attorney (as William Davidson)
1929

Always Faithful
George W. Mason
1929

Woman Trap
Watts
1929

Queen of the Night Clubs
Assistant District Attorney (as William Davidson)
1929

The Carnation Kid
Blythe
1929
Sharp Tools
1928

Good Morning, Judge
Elton (as William Davidson)
1928

A Gentleman of Paris
Henri Dufour
1927

Cradle Snatchers
Roy Ladd
1927

The Last Trail
Kurt Morley
1927

Hearts and Spurs
Victor Dufresne
1925

Recompense
Col. Donovan
1925

Ports of Call
Randolph Sherman
1925

The Valley of Doubt
Macy
1924

Adam and Eva
Dr. Delamater
1923
The Dumb-Bell
1922

The Girl from Nowhere
Jimmy Ryder
1921

Partners of the Night
Robert Clifford
1920

The Capitol
Congressman Blake
1919

Lure of Ambition
Hon. Cyril Ralston
1919

Impossible Catherine
John Henry Jackson
1919

La belle Russe
Brand
1919

A Woman There Was
Rev. Winthrop Stark
1919

Why I Would Not Marry
Undetermined Role
1918

In Pursuit of Polly
Larry O'Malley
1918

Ashes of Love
1918

Her Second Husband
John Kirby
1917

American Maid
David Starr
1917

Persuasive Peggy
Ed Trowbridge
1917

The Lifted Veil
Malcolm Grant
1917

The Greatest Power
John Conrad
1917

The Call of Her People
Nicholas Van Kleet
1917

Mary Lawson's Secret
Dr. Brundage
1917

The White Raven
The Stranger
1917
A Modern Cinderella
1917

In the Diplomatic Service
Lynn Hardi
1916

The Pretenders
Joseph Bailey (as William Davidson)
1916

Dorian's Divorce
Henry Morgan (as William Davidson)
1916

The Price of Malice
Capt. Mills
1916
Her Debt of Honor
John Hartfield
1916

A Yellow Streak
Jack Rader
1915

For the Honor of the Crew
Robert Brent
1915