Occupation Actor Name William Russell | Years active c. 1892 to 1929 | |
Full Name William Francis Lerche Born April 12, 1884 ( 1884-04-12 ) New York City, New York, USA Died February 18, 1929(1929-02-18) (aged 44)
Los Angeles, California, USA Spouse(s) Charlotte Burton (1917–1921) (divorce)
Helen Ferguson (1925–1929) (his death) | ||
William Russell (April 12, 1884 – February 18, 1929), born William Francis Lerche, was an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He appeared in over two hundred silent era motion pictures between 1910 and 1929, directing five of them in 1916 and producing two through his own production company in 1918 and 1925.
Contents
Early life and career
Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Russell began his acting career on the stage when he was eight years old. He appeared with such notables as Ethel Barrymore, Chauncey Olcott, Blanche Bates, Maude Adams and others.
His career came to a stop at age 16, however, when he became an invalid. Through rigorous physical therapy, he became well again six years later. He then became an amateur boxing champion.
Motion pictures
Russell began his screen career in New York with the Biograph Company, where he worked for nine months before signing with the Thanhouser Company. He was also part of the company of players for the American Film Manufacturing Company and their Flying "A" Studios in Santa Barbara.
In 1917, he and actress Charlotte Burton were married. They divorced in 1921. He and actress Helen Ferguson were married on June 21, 1925, at the Wilshire Boulevard Congregational Church, after a six-year romance.
William Russell died at age 44 from pneumonia at Hollywood Hospital in Los Angeles. He is entombed in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Love, at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale. His brother, director Albert Russell, died two weeks later from pneumonia.
Director
Producer
Screenwriter
Filmography
Actor
1929
Madonna of Avenue A as
Bit Part (uncredited)
1929
Girls Gone Wild as
Dan Brown
1928
The Midnight Taxi as
Joseph Brant
1928
State Street Sadie as
The Bat
1928
Danger Patrol as
Sgt. John Daley
1928
The Escape as
Jerry Magee
1928
The Head of the Family as
The Plumber
1928
Woman Wise as
Ne'er-Do-Well
1927
Brass Knuckles as
'Brass Knuckles' Lamont
1927
The Girl from Chicago as
Big Steve Drummond
1927
The Desired Woman as
Captain Maxwell
1926
Wings of the Storm as
Bill Martin
1926
The Blue Eagle as
Big Tim Ryan
1926
The Still Alarm as
Richard Fay
1925
Big Pal (Short) as
Dan Williams
1925
Before Midnight as
Tom Galloway
1925
My Neighbor's Wife as
Eric von Greed
1925
The Way of a Girl as
Brand
1925
On Thin Ice as
Dapper Crawford
1924
The Beloved Brute as
David Hinges
1923
Anna Christie as
Matt Burke
1923
When Odds Are Even as
Jack Arnold
1923
High Gear Jeffrey as
Jeffrey Claiborne
1923
Times Have Changed as
Mark O'Rell
1923
Alias the Night Wind as
Bing Howard
1923
Boston Blackie as
Boston Blackie
1923
Goodbye Girls as
Vance McPhee
1923
Man's Size as
Tom Morse
1922
The Great Night as
Larry Gilmore
1922
Mixed Faces as
Judge J. Woodworth Granger / Jimmy Gallop
1922
The Crusader as
Peter Brent
1922
A Self-Made Man as
Jack Spurlock
1922
The Men of Zanzibar as
Hugh Hemingway
1922
Money to Burn as
Lucky Garrity
1922
Strength of the Pines as
Bruce Duncan
1921
The Roof Tree as
Ken Thornton
1921
Desert Blossoms as
Stephen Brent
1921
The Lady from Longacre as
Lord Anthony Conway
1921
Children of the Night as
Jerrold Jarvis Jones
1921
Colorado Pluck as
Colorado Jim
1921
Bare Knuckles as
Tim McGuire
1921
The Cheater Reformed as
Jordan McCall / Dr. Luther McCall
1920
Singing River as
Long Rush
1920
The Iron Rider as
Larry Lannigan
1920
The Challenge of the Law as
Captain Bruce Cavanaugh
1920
The Man Who Dared as
Big Jim Kane
1920
Twins of Suffering Creek as
Bill Lark
1920
Leave It to Me as
Dick Derrickson
1920
Shod with Fire as
Bruce Bayard
1920
The Valley of Tomorrow as
Dabney Morgan
1919
The Lincoln Highwayman as
Jimmy Clunder
1919
Eastward Ho! as
Buck Lindsay
1919
Sacred Silence as
Capt. James Craig
1919
Six Feet Four as
Buck Thornton
1919
This Hero Stuff as
Captain November Jones
1919
A Sporting Chance as
John Stonehouse
1919
Some Liar as
Robert Winchester McTabb
1919
Brass Buttons as
Kingdon Hollister
1919
Where the West Begins as
Cliff Redfern
1919
When a Man Rides Alone as
William Sykes
1918
All the World to Nothing as
Richard Chester
1918
Hobbs in a Hurry as
J. Warren Hobbs, Jr.
1918
Up Romance Road as
Gregory Thorne
1918
Hearts or Diamonds? as
Larry Hanrahan
1918
The Midnight Trail as
Jack Woodford
1918
In Bad as
Monty Miles
1917
A Rough Shod Fighter
1917
New York Luck as
Nick Fowler
1917
Snap Judgment as
James Page / 'Arizona' Pete Rawley
1917
The Sea Master as
Bull Dorgan
1917
Sands of Sacrifice as
Big Bill Darcey
1917
Pride and the Man as
Jack Hastings
1917
The Masked Heart as
Philip Greycourt
1917
The Shackles of Truth as
Gerard Hale
1917
The Frame-Up as
Jeffrey Claiborne
1917
High Play as
John Sevier
1917
My Fighting Gentleman as
Frank Carlisle
1916
The Twinkler as
Bob Stephany, the Twinkler
1916
Sequel to the Diamond from the Sky as
Arthur Stanley / Blair Stanley
1916
Lone Star as
Lone Star
1916
The Love Hermit as
Tom Weston
1916
The Torch Bearer as
John Huntley-Knox Sr. / John Huntley-Knox Jr.
1916
The Man Who Would Not Die as
Clyde Kingsley / Ward Kingsley
1916
The Strength of Donald McKenzie as
Donald McKenzie
1916
The Highest Bid as
Oliver Strong
1916
Soul Mates as
Lowell Sherman
1916
Madelaine Morel (Short) as
Frederick von Armen
1916
The Bruiser as
'Big Bill' Brawley
1916
The Craving as
Foster Calhoun
1916
Pique (Short) as
Arthur Standish
1916
The Smugglers of Santa Cruz (Short) as
Robert Langdon
1916
The Thoroughbred as
Kelso Hamilton
1915
Curly (Short) as
Arthur Brewster
1915
Dora Thorne (Short) as
Ronald
1915
Garden of Lies as
Dennis Mallory
1915
The Diamond from the Sky as
Blair Stanley
1915
The Dancing Girl as
John Christison
1914
Under the Gaslight as
Ray Trafford
1914
The Straight Road as
Bill Hubbell
1914
The Power of the Press (Short) as
Turner Morgan
1914
The Cricket on the Hearth (Short) as
Tackleton
1914
Her Primitive Model (Short) as
The Brute
1914
The Science of Crime (Short) as
Henry Jameston
1914
Her Big Scoop (Short) as
The Senator
1914
The Bondage of Fear (Short)
1914
The Dilemma (Short) as
The Governor
1914
His Fireman's Conscience (Short) as
The Railroad Fireman
1913
The Bush Leaguer's Dream (Short) as
The Baseball Hero
1913
Peggy's Invitation (Short) as
Henry Farland, a Young Banker
1913
The Problem Love Solved (Short) as
Tom Burleigh, a Cashier
1913
Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight (Short) as
Basil Underwood - a Cavalier (as Mr. Russell)
1913
Little Brother (Short) as
The Lover
1913
The Water Cure (Short) as
One of Bella's Admirers
1913
A Twentieth Century Farmer (Short) as
The Farmer
1913
The Mystery of the Haunted Hotel (Short) as
The Hotelkeeper
1913
A Peaceful Victory (Short) as
Mr. Fairly, the Father
1913
A Deep Sea Liar (Short)
1913
Moths as
Prince Zouroff
1913
Robin Hood as
Robin Hood
1913
The Missing Witness (Short) as
Prosecuting District Attorney
1913
Oh! Such a Beautiful Ocean (Short) as
The Clubman
1913
In the Nick of Time (Short) as
The Husband
1913
Little Dorrit (Short) as
Arthur Clennam
1913
Brethren of the Sacred Fish (Short)
1913
Tannhäuser (Short) as
Wolfram
1913
King René's Daughter (Short) as
Pierre, Captain of the Guards
1913
A Modern Lochinvar (Short) as
Percy Lochinvar
1913
While Baby Slept (Short) as
The Husband
1913
The Caged Bird (Short) as
The Farmer
1913
Carmen (Short) as
Escamillo the Toreador
1913
The Marble Heart (Short) as
The Editor
1913
Rosie's Revenge (Short) as
Rosie's Office Boss
1913
Retribution (Short) as
The Husband
1913
Cymbeline (Short) as
King Cymbeline
1913
For Her Boy's Sake (Short)
1913
Won at the Rodeo (Short) as
The Cowboy
1913
An Honest Young Man (Short)
1913
The Way to a Man's Heart (Short)
1913
Some Fools There Were (Short) as
Second Unsuspecting Bachelor
1912
The Star of Bethlehem (Short) as
Herod
1912
The Repeater (Short) as
The Political Reformer
1912
A Will and a Way (Short) as
The Lawyer
1912
The Forest Rose (Short) as
Captain Maywood
1912
In Time of Peril (Short) as
The Young Farmer
1912
Through the Flames (Short) as
The Salesman
1912
The Little Girl Next Door (Short) as
The Other Father
1912
Put Yourself in His Place (Short) as
Squire Raby
1912
For the Mikado (Short) as
The Russian Traitor
1912
When Mercy Tempers Justice (Short) as
The Judge
1912
Miss Robinson Crusoe (Short)
1912
Undine (Short) as
Spirit of the Brook
1912
Orator, Knight and Cow Charmer (Short) as
Congressman Casey
1912
A Star Reborn (Short) as
A Millionaire
1912
Lucile (Short) as
Duc de Luvois
1912
The Wrecked Taxi (Short) as
The Husband
1912
The Merchant of Venice (Short) as
Antonio
1912
The Portrait of the Lady Anne (Short) as
Lady Anne's Rejected Suitor
1912
Pa's Medicine (Short) as
Willie's Father
1912
Under Two Flags (Short) as
The Colonel
1912
The Night Clerk's Nightmare (Short) as
The Hotel Clerk
1912
On the Stroke of Five (Short)
1912
The Ring of a Spanish Grandee (Short) as
Don Rodrigo
1912
Jess as
Frank Muller, the Treacherous Boer
1912
The Little Shut-in (Short) as
Manly Feet
1912
Jilted (Short) as
The Suitor
1912
The Saleslady (Short)
1912
The Cry of the Children (Short) as
The factory owner
1912
Rejuvenation (Short) as
The Lighthouse Keeper
1912
Into the Desert (Short) as
The American Girl's Fiancé
1912
A Love of Long Ago (Short) as
The Commandant
1912
The Girl of the Grove (Short) as
The Doctor
1912
For Sale -- A Life (Short) as
The Card Player
1912
Flying to Fortune (Short) as
The Doctor
1912
Extravagance (Short) as
The Sweetheart
1912
The Arab's Bride (Short) as
The Young Arab
1912
The Guilty Baby (Short) as
The Plumber (unconfirmed)
1912
A Message from Niagara (Short)
1912
The Silent Witness (Short) as
The Young Husband
1912
The Trouble Maker (Short) as
The Husband
1912
East Lynne (Short) as
Francis Levison
1912
A Niagara Honeymoon (Short) as
The Groom
1912
The Twelfth Juror (Short) as
The Twelfth Juror
1911
The Lady from the Sea (Short) as
Alfred, the Sailor
1911
The Last of the Mohicans (Short)
1911
Their Burglar (Short)
1911
David Copperfield (Short) as
Ham Peggotty (in part two)
1911
The Higher Law (Short)
1911
Young Lochinvar (Short) as
Young Lochinvar
1911
The Lie (Short) as
The Broker
1911
The Cross (Short) as
First Mate
1911
The Train Despatcher (Short) as
The Railroad Manager
1911
A Doll's House (Short) as
The Loan Agent
1911
Lorna Doone (Short)
1911
The Stepmother (Short)
1911
Get Rich Quick (Short) as
Bunco artist
1911
The Colonel and the King (Short)
1911
The Railroad Builder (Short)
1911
The Sinner (Short)
1911
The Charity of the Poor (Short)
1911
His Younger Brother (Short)
1911
Bertie's Brainstorm (Short) as
Bertie Fawcett
1911
The Pasha's Daughter (Short)
1910
Hypnotized (Short)
1910
The Vicar of Wakefield (Short)
1910
Looking Forward (Short)
1910
John Halifax, Gentleman (Short)
1910
Under Western Skies (Short) as
A Marriage Witness
Director
1916
The Torch Bearer
1916
The Man Who Would Not Die
1916
The Strength of Donald McKenzie
1916
The Highest Bid
1916
Soul Mates
Producer
1925
Big Pal (Short) (producer)
1923
Man's Size (producer)
1919
When a Man Rides Alone (producer)
1918
Hearts or Diamonds? (producer)
Writer
1917
Pride and the Man (scenario)
Self
1923
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 17 (Documentary short) as
Self
1922
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 13 (Documentary short) as
Self
Archive Footage
1934
Movie Memories #2 (Documentary short) as
Self
References
William Russell (American actor) Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA