1879-11-06 Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William King Baggot (November 7, 1879 – July 11, 1948) was an American actor, film director and screenwriter. He was an internationally famous movie star of the silent film era. The first individually publicized leading man in America, Baggot was referred to as "King of the Movies", "The Most Photographed Man in the World", and "The Man Whose Face Is As Familiar As The Man In The Moon". Baggot appeared in over 300 motion pictures from 1909 to 1947, wrote 18 screenplays, and directed 45 movies from 1912 to 1928, including The Lie (1912), Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman (1925), and The House of Scandal (1928). He also directed William S. Hart in his most famous western, Tumbleweeds (1925). Among his film appearances, Baggot was best known for The Scarlet Letter (1911), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913), and Ivanhoe (1913). Baggot began his career on the stage, in a Shakespearean stock company, and toured throughout the U.S. While acting in stock in St. Louis in 1909, he was cast as supporting player in the Schubert touring production of The Wishing Ring. When The Wishing Ring closed in Chicago, Baggot returned to New York to join another company. Upon a chance meeting with Harry Solter, who was directing movies for Carl Laemmle at Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP), he was persuaded to go with Solter to the studio. Baggot became interested in the fledgling industry and decided to turn picture player. His first film was the romance short The Awakening of Bess (1909) opposite Florence Lawrence. It was directed by Harry Solter, her husband, at IMP in Fort Lee, New Jersey. At a time when screen actors worked anonymously, Baggot and Lawrence became the first "movie stars" to be given billing, a marquee, and promotion in advertising. Baggot starred in at least 42 movies opposite Lawrence from 1909 to 1911. In the latter year, he starred in at least 16 movies with Mary Pickford. He also began writing screenplays and directing, all the while becoming a major star internationally. When he appeared "in person" at theatres he was mobbed at stage doors. By 1912, he was so famous that when he took the leading part in forming the prestigious Screen Club in New York, the first organization of its kind strictly for movie people, he was the natural choice for its first president. King Baggot died in Los Angeles, California in 1948, age 68. For his contributions to the film industry, Baggot received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. His star is located at 6312 Hollywood Boulevard.
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Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films | Himself (archive footage) | 2011-04-03 |
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Merton of the Movies | Man in Audience (uncredited) | 1947-10-11 |
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My Brother Talks to Horses | Bank Employee (uncredited) | 1947-02-04 |
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The Postman Always Rings Twice | Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) | 1946-05-02 |
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Holiday in Mexico | 1946-08-15 | |
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The Secret Heart | Man at Graduation Ceremony | 1946-12-25 |
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Dangerous Partners | Lunch Room Customer (uncredited) | 1945-06-07 |
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Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood | Barbershop Patron (uncredited) | 1945-10-05 |
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Swing Fever | Nightclub Patron (uncredited) | 1943-11-01 |
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Jackass Mail | Old Miner | 1942-07-01 |
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Her Cardboard Lover | Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited) | 1942-07-16 |
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Rio Rita | Hotel Guest (uncredited) | 1942-03-11 |
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Fingers at the Window | Psychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited) | 1942-04-22 |
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The Big Store | Store Employee (uncredited) | 1941-06-20 |
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Honky Tonk | Townsman (uncredited) | 1941-10-01 |
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Ziegfeld Girl | Man in Audience (uncredited) | 1941-04-25 |
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Come Live with Me | Doorman | 1941-01-31 |
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I Take This Woman | Man in Subway (uncredited) | 1940-02-02 |
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Gallant Sons | Man on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited) | 1940-11-15 |
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Bitter Sweet | Cafe Patron (uncredited) | 1940-11-08 |
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The Ghost Comes Home | Townsman at Banquet (uncredited) | 1940-03-08 |
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The Philadelphia Story | Wedding Guest (uncredited) | 1940-12-05 |
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The Ice Follies of 1939 | Man in Audience (uncredited) | 1939-03-10 |
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Stronger Than Desire | Juror (uncredited) | 1939-06-30 |
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Dancing Co-Ed | Man in Casting Office (uncredited) | 1939-09-29 |
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Too Hot to Handle | Reporter (uncredited) | 1938-09-16 |
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That Mothers Might Live | Passerby (uncredited) | 1938-04-30 |
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Stablemates | Bettor | 1938-10-07 |
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Arsène Lupin Returns | Detective (uncredited) | 1938-02-25 |
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Marie Antoinette | Nobleman at Court (uncredited) | 1938-08-26 |
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Snow Gets in Your Eyes | Department Store Customer (uncredited) | 1938-05-14 |
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Opening Day | Baseball Fan | 1938-11-12 |
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Think It Over | 1938-07-24 | |
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Boys Town | Derelict in Mission (uncredited) | 1938-09-08 |
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It May Happen to You | Man in Hospital (uncredited) | 1937-06-05 |
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Torture Money | False Accident Witness (uncredited) | 1937-01-02 |
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The Emperor's Candlesticks | Customs Official (uncredited) | 1937-07-02 |
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Parnell | Man in Office | 1937-06-04 |
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A Night at the Movies | Movie Patron (uncredited) | 1937-11-06 |
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Sworn Enemy | Accident Witness (uncredited) | 1936-09-11 |
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Mad Holiday | Film Director (uncredited) | 1936-11-13 |
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The Adventures of Frank Merriwell | Chemistry Professor | 1936-01-13 |
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The Devil-Doll | Detective Pierre (uncredited) | 1936-07-10 |
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San Francisco | Earthquake Survivor (uncredited) | 1936-06-26 |
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Mississippi | Gambler (uncredited) | 1935-03-22 |
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The Call of the Savage | Dr. Pierce | 1935-04-14 |
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A Notorious Gentleman | Police Sergeant | 1935-01-21 |
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Chinatown Squad | Patrol Wagon Guard | 1935-05-31 |
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Sweepstake Annie | Motion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited) | 1935-01-29 |
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A Night at the Opera | Dignitary (uncredited) | 1935-11-15 |
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3 Kids and a Queen | Druggist | 1935-10-21 |
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Beloved | Second Doctor | 1934-01-22 |
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Father Brown, Detective | Priest (uncredited) | 1934-12-14 |
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Cheating Cheaters | Official (uncredited) | 1934-11-05 |
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Romance in the Rain | Milton McGillicuddy | 1934-08-13 |
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The Red Rider | Townsman | 1934-07-16 |
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I Loved a Woman | Banker (uncredited) | 1933-09-23 |
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Police Court | Harry Field | 1932-02-19 |
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Girl of the Rio | Maitre d'hotel, Purple Pigeon Cafe | 1932-01-15 |
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The Big Flash | Hinkle | 1932-11-05 |
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Afraid to Talk | Police Officer (uncredited) | 1932-11-17 |
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The Death Kiss | Al Payne | 1932-12-05 |
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What Price Hollywood? | Department Head (uncredited) | 1932-06-24 |
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Sweepstakes | Mike - Weber's Trainer | 1931-07-10 |
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Graft | Ship's Captain | 1931-09-21 |
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The Bad Sister | Policeman on Street (uncredited) | 1931-03-29 |
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The Czar of Broadway | 1930-05-25 | |
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Once a Gentleman | Van Warner | 1930-09-01 |
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The Thrill Chaser | Himself - Cameo | 1923-11-26 |
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The Butterfly Girl | H.H. Van Horn | 1921-06-12 |
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The Girl in the Taxi | Maj. Frederick Smith | 1921-04-01 |
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The Forbidden Thing | Dave | 1920-11-01 |
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The Cheater | Lord Asgarby | 1920-06-07 |
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The Shadow of Lightning Ridge | 1920-04-03 | |
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Life's Twist | Jim Sargent | 1920-08-11 |
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The Dwelling Place of Light | Brooks Insall | 1920-09-12 |
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The Hawk's Trail | Sheldon Steele/The Hawk | 1919-12-13 |
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The Man Who Stayed at Home | Christopher Brent | 1919-07-06 |
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Kildare of Storm | Basil Kildare | 1918-09-16 |
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The Eagle's Eye | Harrison Grant | 1918-03-27 |
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Mission of the War Chest | Self | 1918-01-01 |
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Building for Democracy | The Husband | 1918-10-01 |
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The Silent Stranger | The Silent Stranger | 1916-08-10 |
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Half a Rogue | Richard Warrington | 1916-05-22 |
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The Man from Nowhere | James Herron | 1916-06-19 |
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The Suburban | Donald Gordon | 1915-09-17 |
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The Marble Heart | Raphael / Phidias | 1915-07-02 |
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The Great Universal Mystery | Himself | 1914-07-10 |
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Absinthe | Jean Dumas | 1914-01-22 |
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Ivanhoe | Wilfred of Ivanhoe | 1913-09-22 |
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde | 1913-03-06 |
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The Wanderer | The Shepherd | 1913-04-07 |
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Shamus O'Brien | Shamus O'Brien | 1912-03-14 |
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Up Against It | Amos Bentley | 1912-05-31 |
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A Cave Man Wooing | George - the 'Sissy' Hero | 1912-05-19 |
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A Game of Deception | 1911-06-01 | |
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The Call of the Song | Hugh Norton | 1911-08-13 |
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Sweet Memories | Edward Jackson | 1911-03-27 |
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Tracked | Roger Densmore | 1911-03-06 |
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The Secret of the Palm | Cecil Abbott | 1911-03-13 |
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Pictureland | Pablo | 1911-02-20 |
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Science | Dr. Crawford | 1911-07-24 |
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At a Quarter of Two | Dan Nolan - the Burglar | 1911-07-13 |
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While There is hope, There is Life | Alfred King | 1911-04-24 |
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Second Sight | Tom Mooreland | 1911-05-01 |
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The Fair Dentist | Dental Patient | 1911-05-08 |
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The Rose's Story | Gerald Kinney | 1911-10-02 |
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The Better Way | Louis Perry - a Reformed Crook | 1911-10-12 |
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The Temptress | Gilbert Irving | 1911-05-04 |
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For the Queen's Honor | The King | 1911-07-06 |
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In the Sultan's Garden | Lt. Robbins | 1911-07-03 |
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At the Duke's Command | Edward, the Duke's Nephew | 1911-02-16 |
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The Mirror | 1911-02-09 | |
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Over the Hills | Wayne Holland | 1911-11-30 |
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The Scarlet Letter | Reverend Dimmesdale | 1911-04-27 |
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The Master and the Man | Basil King | 1911-05-15 |
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The Wife’s Awakening | Enoch Harrington | 1911-04-03 |
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The Governor’s Pardon | The Man | 1910-02-28 |
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The Rosary | 1910-04-11 | |
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The Tide of Fortune | 1910-01-17 | |
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The Stage Note | 1910-03-24 | |
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Mother Love | 1910-03-07 | |
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The Broken Oath | 1910-03-14 | |
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Justice in the Far North | King | 1910-02-07 |
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The Time-Lock Safe | The Father | 1910-07-08 |
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The Miser’s Daughter | 1910-04-04 | |
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Jane and the Stranger | The Stranger | 1910-02-21 |
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The Irony of Fate | 1910-08-01 | |
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Bear Ye One Another’s Burdens | George Rand | 1910-07-28 |
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The Blind Man’s Tact | 1910-02-14 | |
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The Maelstrom | 1910-04-21 | |
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His Second Wife | 1910-04-07 | |
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A Game for Two | Clark, the Best Friend | 1910-06-30 |
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The Call of the Circus | 1910-07-07 | |
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The Count of Montebello | Percy | 1910-10-24 |
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Debt | 1910-09-19 | |
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The Eternal Triangle | The Dashing Young Count | 1910-05-23 |
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All the World’s a Stage | 1910-10-03 | |
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The New Shawl | Jacques | 1910-04-28 |
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Transfusion | 1910-03-28 | |
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Two Men | The Tenderfoot | 1910-05-02 |
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The Winning Punch | 1910-01-03 | |
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The Doctor's Perfidy | 1910-05-16 | |
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Old Heads and Young Hearts | 1910-07-11 | |
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The Taming of Jane | 1910-08-21 | |
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Once Upon a Time | 1910-08-08 | |
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The Right of Love | 1910-01-10 | |
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Pressed Roses | 1910-09-26 | |
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A Reno Romance | Jack | 1910-05-30 |
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The Awakening of Bess | Bess' Sweetheart | 1909-12-27 |
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Love's Stratagem | The Boy | 1909-11-01 |
