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William Boyd

William Boyd

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Lawrence Boyd (June 5, 1895 – September 12, 1972) was an American film actor who is best known for portraying the cowboy hero Hopalong Cassidy. Boyd was born in Hendrysburg, Ohio, and reared in Cambridge, Ohio and Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the son of a day laborer, Charles William Boyd, and his wife, the former Lida Wilkens (aka Lyda). Following his father's death, he moved to California and worked as an orange picker, surveyor, tool dresser and auto salesman.

In Hollywood, he found work as an extra in Why Change Your Wife? and other films. During World War I, he enlisted in the army but was exempt from military service because of a "weak heart". More prominent film roles followed, including his breakout role as Jack Moreland in Cecil B. DeMille's The Road to Yesterday (1925) which starred also Joseph Schildkraut, Jetta Goudal, and Vera Reynolds. Boyd's performance in the film was praised by critics, while movie-goers were equally impressed by his easy charm, charisma, and intense good-looks. Due to Boyd's growing popularity, DeMille soon cast him as the leading man in the highly acclaimed silent drama film, The Volga Boatman. Boyd's role as Feodor blew critics away, and with Boyd now firmly established as a matinee idol and romantic leading man, he began earning an annual salary of $100,000. He acted in DeMille's extravaganza The King of Kings (in which he played Simon of Cyrene, helping Jesus carry the cross) and DeMille's Skyscraper (1928). He then appeared in D.W. Griffith's Lady of the Pavements (1929).

Radio Pictures ended Boyd's contract in 1931 when his picture was mistakenly run in a newspaper story about the arrest of another actor, William "Stage" Boyd, on gambling and liquor charges. Although the newspaper apologized, explaining the mistake in the following day's newspaper, Boyd said, "The damage was already done." William "Stage" Boyd died in 1935, the same year William L. Boyd became Hopalong Cassidy, the role that led to his enduring fame. But at the time in 1931, Boyd was virtually broke and without a job, and for a few years he was credited in films as "Bill Boyd" to prevent being mistaken for the other William Boyd.

See more:
Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

2000

as (archive footage)

Television: The First Fifty Years

Television: The First Fifty Years

1999

as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)

Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

1991

as Self (archive footage)

Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984

as (archive footage)

Western von gestern

Western von gestern

1978

as Bill Holbrook (archive footage)

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

1976

as (archive footage)

It's Showtime

It's Showtime

1976

as Self (archive footage)

The Movie Orgy

The Movie Orgy

1968

as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)

Little Smokey

Little Smokey

1953

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hopalong Cassidy

Hopalong Cassidy

1952

as Hopalong Cassidy

The Greatest Show on Earth

The Greatest Show on Earth

1952

as Hopalong Cassidy (uncredited)

Strange Gamble

Strange Gamble

1948

as Hopalong Cassidy

False Paradise

False Paradise

1948

as William "Hopalong" Cassidy

Borrowed Trouble

Borrowed Trouble

1948

as Hopalong Cassidy

Sinister Journey

Sinister Journey

1948

as Hopalong Cassidy

The Dead Don't Dream

The Dead Don't Dream

1948

as Hopalong Cassidy

Silent Conflict

Silent Conflict

1948

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hoppy's Holiday

Hoppy's Holiday

1947

as Hopalong Cassidy

The Marauders

The Marauders

1947

as Hopalong Cassidy

Dangerous Venture

Dangerous Venture

1947

as Hopalong Cassidy

Unexpected Guest

Unexpected Guest

1947

as Hopalong Cassidy

The Devil's Playground

The Devil's Playground

1946

as Hopalong Cassidy

Fool's Gold

Fool's Gold

1946

as Hopalong Cassidy

Forty Thieves

Forty Thieves

1944

as Hopalong Cassidy

Mystery Man

Mystery Man

1944

as Hopalong Cassidy

Lumberjack

Lumberjack

1944

as Hopalong Cassidy

Texas Masquerade

Texas Masquerade

1944

as Hopalong Cassidy

Riders of the Deadline

Riders of the Deadline

1943

as Ranger William "Hopalong" Cassidy

False Colors

False Colors

1943

as Hopalong Cassidy

Bar 20

Bar 20

1943

as Hopalong Cassidy

Colt Comrades

Colt Comrades

1943

as Hopalong Cassidy

Leather Burners

Leather Burners

1943

as Hopalong Cassidy

Border Patrol

Border Patrol

1943

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hoppy Serves a Writ

Hoppy Serves a Writ

1943

as Hopalong Cassidy

Lost Canyon

Lost Canyon

1942

as Hopalong Cassidy

Undercover Man

Undercover Man

1942

as Hopalong Cassidy

Secret of the Wastelands

Secret of the Wastelands

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Outlaws of the Desert

Outlaws of the Desert

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Twilight on the Trail

Twilight on the Trail

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Riders of the Timberline

Riders of the Timberline

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Stick to Your Guns

Stick to Your Guns

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Wide Open Town

Wide Open Town

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Pirates on Horseback

Pirates on Horseback

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Border Vigilantes

Border Vigilantes

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

In Old Colorado

In Old Colorado

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Doomed Caravan

Doomed Caravan

1941

as Hopalong Cassidy

Three Men from Texas

Three Men from Texas

1940

as Hopalong Cassidy

Stagecoach War

Stagecoach War

1940

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hidden Gold

Hidden Gold

1940

as Hopalong Cassidy

The Showdown

The Showdown

1940

as Hopalong Cassidy

Santa Fe Marshal

Santa Fe Marshal

1940

as Hopalong Cassidy

Law of the Pampas

Law of the Pampas

1939

as Hopalong Cassidy

Range War

Range War

1939

as Hopalong Cassidy

Renegade Trail

Renegade Trail

1939

as Hopalong Cassidy

Land of Liberty

Land of Liberty

1939

as (archive footage)

Silver on the Sage

Silver on the Sage

1939

as Hopalong Cassidy

Sunset Trail

Sunset Trail

1939

as Hopalong Cassidy

The Frontiersmen

The Frontiersmen

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

In Old Mexico

In Old Mexico

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

Pride of the West

Pride of the West

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

Bar 20 Justice

Bar 20 Justice

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

Heart of Arizona

Heart of Arizona

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

Cassidy of Bar 20

Cassidy of Bar 20

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

Partners of the Plains

Partners of the Plains

1938

as Hopalong Cassidy

Texas Trail

Texas Trail

1937

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hopalong Rides Again

Hopalong Rides Again

1937

as Hopalong Cassidy

Rustlers' Valley

Rustlers' Valley

1937

as Hopalong Cassidy

North of the Rio Grande

North of the Rio Grande

1937

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hills of Old Wyoming

Hills of Old Wyoming

1937

as Hopalong Cassidy

Borderland

Borderland

1937

as Hopalong Cassidy

Trail Dust

Trail Dust

1936

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hopalong Cassidy Returns

Hopalong Cassidy Returns

1936

as Hopalong Cassidy

Go-Get-'Em, Haines

Go-Get-'Em, Haines

1936

as Steve Haines

Burning Gold

Burning Gold

1936

as Jim Thornton

Three on the Trail

Three on the Trail

1936

as Hopalong Cassidy

Federal Agent

Federal Agent

1936

as Bob Woods

Call of the Prairie

Call of the Prairie

1936

as Hopalong Cassidy

Heart of the West

Heart of the West

1936

as Hopalong Cassidy

Bar 20 Rides Again

Bar 20 Rides Again

1935

as Hopalong Cassidy

Racing Luck

Racing Luck

1935

as Dan Morgan

The Eagle's Brood

The Eagle's Brood

1935

as Hopalong Cassidy

Hop-a-long Cassidy

Hop-a-long Cassidy

1935

as Hopalong Cassidy

Port of Lost Dreams

Port of Lost Dreams

1934

as Lars Christensen

Cheaters

Cheaters

1934

as Steve Morris

Emergency Call

Emergency Call

1933

as Joe Bradley

Lucky Devils

Lucky Devils

1933

as Skipper Clark

Men Of America

Men Of America

1932

as Jim Parker

Flaming Gold

Flaming Gold

1932

as Dan Manton

Carnival Boat

Carnival Boat

1932

as Buck Gannon

Suicide Fleet

Suicide Fleet

1931

as Baltimore

The Big Gamble

The Big Gamble

1931

as Alan Beckwith

Beyond Victory

Beyond Victory

1931

as Bill Thatcher

The Painted Desert

The Painted Desert

1931

as Bill Holbrook

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 5

Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 5

1930

as William Boyd

Officer O'Brien

Officer O'Brien

1930

as Bill O'Brien

His First Command

His First Command

1929

as Terry Culver

The Flying Fool

The Flying Fool

1929

as Bill Taylor

High Voltage

High Voltage

1929

as Bill

The Leatherneck

The Leatherneck

1929

as William Calhoun

Lady of the Pavements

Lady of the Pavements

1929

as Karl Von Arnim

Power

Power

1928

as Husky

The Cop

The Cop

1928

as Pete Smith

Skyscraper

Skyscraper

1928

as Blondy

The Night Flyer

The Night Flyer

1928

as Jimmy Bradley

Dress Parade

Dress Parade

1927

as Vic Donovan

Two Arabian Knights

Two Arabian Knights

1927

as Daingerfield Phelps

The Yankee Clipper

The Yankee Clipper

1927

as Hal Winslow

The King of Kings

The King of Kings

1927

as Simon Of Cyrene

Her Man o' War

Her Man o' War

1926

as Jim Sanderson

The Volga Boatman

The Volga Boatman

1926

as Feodor

Eve's Leaves

Eve's Leaves

1926

as Bill Stanley

The Road to Yesterday

The Road to Yesterday

1925

as Jack Moreland

The Midshipman

The Midshipman

1925

as Spud

New Lives for Old

New Lives for Old

1925

as Soldier (uncredited)

Forty Winks

Forty Winks

1925

as Lt. Gerald Hugh Butterworth

Feet of Clay

Feet of Clay

1924

as Young Society Man (uncredited)

Tarnish

Tarnish

1924

as Bill

Changing Husbands

Changing Husbands

1924

as Conrad Bardshaw

Enemies of Children

Enemies of Children

1923

as Sidney Godfrey

The Temple of Venus

The Temple of Venus

1923

as Stanley Dale

Hollywood

Hollywood

1923

as William Boyd

Michael O'Halloran

Michael O'Halloran

1923

as Douglas Bruce

The Young Rajah

The Young Rajah

1922

as Stephen Van Kovert

Manslaughter

Manslaughter

1922

as (uncredited)

On the High Seas

On the High Seas

1922

as Dick Deveraux

Nice People

Nice People

1922

as Oliver Comstock

Moran of the Lady Letty

Moran of the Lady Letty

1922

as Ramon's Friend at Homecoming

Saturday Night

Saturday Night

1922

as Party Guest

Bobbed Hair

Bobbed Hair

1922

as Dick Barton

After the Show

After the Show

1921

as (uncredited)

The Affairs of Anatol

The Affairs of Anatol

1921

as Guest

A Wise Fool

A Wise Fool

1921

as Gerard Fynes

Brewster's Millions

Brewster's Millions

1921

as Harrison

Forbidden Fruit

Forbidden Fruit

1921

as Billiards Player

A City Sparrow

A City Sparrow

1920

as Hughie Ray

Something to Think About

Something to Think About

1920

as (uncredited)

The Six Best Cellars

The Six Best Cellars

1920

as Holsappel (uncredited)

Old Wives for New

Old Wives for New

1918

as (uncredited)