Occupation Film producer Movies The Last Wagon Role Film producer | Name William Hawks Years active 1930–1958 | |
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Full Name William Bellinger Hawks Born January 29, 1901 ( 1901-01-29 ) Neenah, Wisconsin Relatives Howard Hawks (brother)
Kenneth Hawks (brother) Died January 10, 1969, Santa Monica, California, United States Spouse Virginia Walker (m. 1938–1942), Bessie Love (m. 1929–1936) Children Patricia Hawks, William Hawks Siblings Howard Hawks, Kenneth Hawks, Helen Bernice Hawks, Grace Louise Hawks Similar People Howard Hawks, Kenneth Hawks, Bessie Love, Athole Shearer, Virginia Walker | ||
William Bellinger Hawks (January 29, 1901 – January 10, 1969) was an American film producer.
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Career
By the early 1930s, William Hawks was a Hollywood theatrical agent and as such brought novelist William Faulkner to his brother Howard Hawks' attention in 1932, becoming Faulkner's Hollywood agent.
He created United Producers Corporation in 1940 with Charles Boyer, Ronald Colman, Irene Dunne, Anatole Litvak, and Lewis Milestone. They intended to produce ten movies for RKO Pictures. My Life with Caroline was the first of the intended series, thus Hawks became a film producer.
He was a member of the United States Croquet Association and was inducted into their Croquet Hall of Fame in 1981 as was brother Howard in 1980. He often played with actor George Sanders also a 1980 inductee. Hawks most often played with a Jaques mallet as did Sanders.
Personal life
Hawks married actress Bessie Love (September 10, 1898 Midland, Texas – April 26, 1986 London, UK) at St. James Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, on December 27, 1929. Mary Astor, Carmel Myers, and Norma Shearer were her bridesmaids, and Howard Hawks and Irving Thalberg ushered. Mary Astor was William's sister-in-law, married to brother Kenneth Hawks.
William and Bessie then lived at the Havenhurst Apartments in Hollywood. They had daughter, Patricia Hawks (February 19, 1932, Los Angeles), who had some bit parts in 1952 movies. They divorced in 1935.
He married actress Virginia Walker (July 31, 1916 Boston, Massachusetts – December 23, 1946 Los Angeles) in late June 1938 in Mexico. She had played Miss Alice Swallow in the 1938 comedy film Bringing Up Baby, her first film role.
He was married to Boston socialite Frances Koshland (1916 – ?) on October 3, 1951, in West Los Angeles by Municipal Judge Louis Kaufmann. It was his third marriage and her fourth.