William Desmond (actor)

American actor (1878–1949)

William Desmond
Desmond in 1915
Born	William Mannion (1878-01-23)January 23, 1878 Salamanca, New York U.S.
Died	November 3, 1949(1949-11-03) (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1915–1949
Spouse	Mary McIvor (m. 1919-1941)
Children	2

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)

References

^ Room, Adrian (2012). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 143. ISBN 9780786457632. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
^ 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.
^ Ellenberger, Allan R. (2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 24. ISBN 9780786409839. Retrieved January 23, 2018.