WH
William S. Hart
Actor, Director, Producer, Writer, Additional Credits
Died June 23, 1946 (81 years)
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.
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.
Filmography
| 2002 | Decasia · as Cowboy |
| 1963 | Hollywood: The Great Stars · as Blaze Tracy |
| 1962 | The Great Chase · as Cast |
| 1948 | Variety Time · as Texas Tex (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 1931 | The House That Shadows Built · as (archive Footage) |
| 1925 | Tumbleweeds · as Don Carver |
| 1923 | Wild Bill Hickok · as Wild Bill Hickok |
| 1921 | White Oak · as Oak Miller, A Gambling Man |
| 1921 | Three Word Brand · as Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego |
| 1921 | The Whistle · as Robert Evans |
| 1920 | The Cradle of Courage · as 'square' Kelly |
| 1920 | Sand · as Dan Kurrie |
| 1920 | The Toll Gate · as Black Deering |
| 1919 | Wagon Tracks · as Buckskin Hamilton |
| 1919 | Square Deal Sanderson · as Square Deal Sanderson |
| 1918 | Riddle Gawne · as Jefferson 'riddle' Gawne |
| 1918 | 'Blue Blazes' Rawden · as Blue Blazes Rawden |
| 1917 | The Narrow Trail · as Ice Harding |
| 1917 | The Silent Man · as Budd Marr |
| 1917 | Wolf Lowry · as Tom 'wolf' Lowry |
| 1917 | The Square Deal Man · as Jack O'diamonds |
| 1916 | The Return of Draw Egan · as 'draw' Egan Aka William Blake |
| 1916 | The Apostle of Vengeance · as David Hudson |
| 1916 | The Aryan · as Steve Denton |
| 1916 | Hell's Hinges · as Blaze Tracy |
| 1915 | On the Night Stage · as Texas |
| 1914 | The Bargain · as Jim Stokes |
| 1907 | Ben Hur · as Messala |