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King Baggot

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
151

Gender
Male

Birthday
November 6, 1879 (146 years old)

Place of Birth
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

King Baggot

Biography

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.

Known For

Acting

2011Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Filmsas Himself (archive footage)
1947Merton of the Moviesas Man in Audience (uncredited)
1947My Brother Talks to Horsesas Bank Employee (uncredited)
1946The Secret Heartas Man at Graduation Ceremony
1946Holiday in Mexicoas
1946The Postman Always Rings Twiceas Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
1945Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywoodas Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
1945Dangerous Partnersas Lunch Room Customer (uncredited)
1943Swing Feveras Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1942Her Cardboard Loveras Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
1942Jackass Mailas Old Miner
1942Fingers at the Windowas Psychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited)
1942Rio Ritaas Hotel Guest (uncredited)
1941Honky Tonkas Townsman (uncredited)
1941The Big Storeas Store Employee (uncredited)
1941Ziegfeld Girlas Man in Audience (uncredited)
1941Come Live with Meas Doorman
1940The Philadelphia Storyas Wedding Guest (uncredited)
1940Gallant Sonsas Man on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited)
1940Bitter Sweetas Cafe Patron (uncredited)
1940The Ghost Comes Homeas Townsman at Banquet (uncredited)
1940I Take This Womanas Man in Subway (uncredited)
1939Dancing Co-Edas Man in Casting Office (uncredited)
1939Stronger Than Desireas Juror (uncredited)
1939The Ice Follies of 1939as Man in Audience (uncredited)
1938Opening Dayas Baseball Fan
1938Stablematesas Bettor
1938Too Hot to Handleas Reporter (uncredited)
1938Boys Townas Derelict in Mission (uncredited)
1938Marie Antoinetteas Nobleman at Court (uncredited)
1938Think It Overas
1938Snow Gets in Your Eyesas Department Store Customer (uncredited)
1938That Mothers Might Liveas Passerby (uncredited)
1938Arsène Lupin Returnsas Detective (uncredited)
1937A Night at the Moviesas Movie Patron (uncredited)
1937The Emperor's Candlesticksas Customs Official (uncredited)
1937It May Happen to Youas Man in Hospital (uncredited)
1937Parnellas Man in Office
1937Torture Moneyas False Accident Witness (uncredited)
1936Mad Holidayas Film Director (uncredited)
1936Sworn Enemyas Accident Witness (uncredited)
1936The Devil-Dollas Detective Pierre (uncredited)
1936San Franciscoas Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
1936The Adventures of Frank Merriwellas Chemistry Professor
1935A Night at the Operaas Dignitary (uncredited)
19353 Kids and a Queenas Druggist
1935Chinatown Squadas Patrol Wagon Guard
1935The Call of the Savageas Dr. Pierce
1935Mississippias Gambler (uncredited)
1935Sweepstake Annieas Motion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited)
1935A Notorious Gentlemanas Police Sergeant
1934Father Brown, Detectiveas Priest (uncredited)
1934Cheating Cheatersas Official (uncredited)
1934Romance in the Rainas Milton McGillicuddy
1934The Red Rideras Townsman
1934Belovedas Second Doctor
1933I Loved a Womanas Banker (uncredited)
1932The Death Kissas Al Payne
1932Afraid to Talkas Police Officer (uncredited)
1932The Big Flashas Hinkle
1932What Price Hollywood?as Department Head (uncredited)
1932Police Courtas Harry Field
1932Girl of the Rioas Maitre d'hotel, Purple Pigeon Cafe
1931Graftas Ship's Captain
1931Sweepstakesas Mike - Weber's Trainer
1931The Bad Sisteras Policeman on Street (uncredited)
1930Once a Gentlemanas Van Warner
1930The Czar of Broadwayas
1923The Thrill Chaseras Himself - Cameo
1921The Butterfly Girlas H.H. Van Horn
1921The Girl in the Taxias Maj. Frederick Smith
1920The Forbidden Thingas Dave
1920The Dwelling Place of Lightas Brooks Insall
1920Life's Twistas Jim Sargent
1920The Cheateras Lord Asgarby
1920The Shadow of Lightning Ridgeas
1919The Hawk's Trailas Sheldon Steele/The Hawk
1919The Man Who Stayed at Homeas Christopher Brent
1918Building for Democracyas The Husband
1918Kildare of Stormas Basil Kildare
1918The Eagle's Eyeas Harrison Grant
1918Mission of the War Chestas Self
1916The Silent Strangeras The Silent Stranger
1916The Man from Nowhereas James Herron
1916Half a Rogueas Richard Warrington
1915The Suburbanas Donald Gordon
1915The Marble Heartas Raphael / Phidias
1914The Great Universal Mysteryas Himself
1914Absintheas Jean Dumas
1913Ivanhoeas Wilfred of Ivanhoe
1913The Wandereras The Shepherd
1913Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydeas Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
1912Up Against Itas Amos Bentley
1912A Cave Man Wooingas George - the 'Sissy' Hero
1912Shamus O'Brienas Shamus O'Brien
1911Over the Hillsas Wayne Holland
1911The Better Wayas Louis Perry - a Reformed Crook
1911The Rose's Storyas Gerald Kinney
1911The Call of the Songas Hugh Norton
1911Scienceas Dr. Crawford
1911At a Quarter of Twoas Dan Nolan - the Burglar
1911For the Queen's Honoras The King
1911In the Sultan's Gardenas Lt. Robbins
1911A Game of Deceptionas
1911The Master and the Manas Basil King
1911The Fair Dentistas Dental Patient
1911The Temptressas Gilbert Irving
1911Second Sightas Tom Mooreland
1911The Scarlet Letteras Reverend Dimmesdale
1911While There is hope, There is Lifeas Alfred King
1911The Wife’s Awakeningas Enoch Harrington
1911Sweet Memoriesas Edward Jackson
1911The Secret of the Palmas Cecil Abbott
1911Trackedas Roger Densmore
1911Picturelandas Pablo
1911At the Duke's Commandas Edward, the Duke's Nephew
1911The Mirroras
1910The Count of Montebelloas Percy
1910All the World’s a Stageas
1910Pressed Rosesas
1910Debtas
1910The Taming of Janeas
1910Once Upon a Timeas
1910The Irony of Fateas
1910Bear Ye One Another’s Burdensas George Rand
1910Old Heads and Young Heartsas
1910The Time-Lock Safeas The Father
1910The Call of the Circusas
1910A Game for Twoas Clark, the Best Friend
1910A Reno Romanceas Jack
1910The Eternal Triangleas The Dashing Young Count
1910The Doctor's Perfidyas
1910Two Menas The Tenderfoot
1910The New Shawlas Jacques
1910The Maelstromas
1910The Rosaryas
1910His Second Wifeas
1910The Miser’s Daughteras
1910Transfusionas
1910The Stage Noteas
1910The Broken Oathas
1910Mother Loveas
1910The Governor’s Pardonas The Man
1910Jane and the Strangeras The Stranger
1910The Blind Man’s Tactas
1910Justice in the Far Northas King
1910The Tide of Fortuneas
1910The Right of Loveas
1910The Winning Punchas
1909The Awakening of Bessas Bess' Sweetheart
1909Love's Stratagemas The Boy

Production

1981Beatlemania...Director of Photography
1931Sporting Chance...Story
1928Romance of a Rogue...Director
1928The House of Scandal...Director
1927Down the Stretch...Director
1927The Notorious Lady...Director
1927Perch of the Devil...Director
1926Lovey Mary...Director
1925Tumbleweeds...Director
1925The Home Maker...Director
1925Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman...Director
1925The Tornado...Director
1924The Gaiety Girl...Director
1924The Whispered Name...Director
1923The Darling of New York...Director
1923The Darling of New York...Story
1923Crossed Wires...Director
1923Crossed Wires...Story
1923The Town Scandal...Director
1923Gossip...Director
1923The Love Letter...Director
1922A Dangerous Game...Director
1922The Kentucky Derby...Director
1922The Lavender Bath Lady...Director
1922Human Hearts...Director
1922Kissed...Director
1921Nobody's Fool...Director
1921Moonlight Follies...Director
1921Luring Lips...Director
1921Cheated Love...Director
1916The Silent Stranger...Director
1911The Rose's Story...Scenario Writer