William Collier Jr. (born Charles F. Gall Jr.; February 12, 1902 – February 5, 1987) was an American stage performer, producer, and a film actor who in the silent and sound eras was cast in no less than 89 motion pictures.
Biography
William Collier (nicknamed “Buster”) was born in New York City. When his parents divorced, his mother, the actress Paula Marr, remarried the actor William Collier Sr. who adopted Charles (the two did share a resemblance) and gave the boy the new name William Collier Jr. Collier’s acting experience in childhood, having first appeared on stage at age seven, helped him get his first movie role at age 14 in The Bugle Call (1916).
He later became a popular leading man in the 1920s and successfully made the transition from silent into sound film. Nevertheless, he retired from acting in 1935, and in 1937 traveled to England to work as a movie producer. He returned to the United States in the late 1940s and began producing drama series for television. In February 1960, in recognition of his contributions to the entertainment industry, Collier received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Collier died in San Francisco on February 5, 1987, just a week before his 85th birthday.
Selected filmography as an actor
The Bugle Call (1916) – Billy Andrews
Never Again (1916, Short)
Back Stage (1919, Short) – Minor Role (uncredited)
The Servant Question (1920) – Jack Merrick
The Soul of Youth (1920) – Dick Armstrong
Everybody’s Sweetheart (1920) – John
The Heart of Maryland (1921) – Lloyd Calvert
The Girl from Porcupine (1921) – Jim McTvish
At the Stage Door (1921) – Arthur Bates
Cardigan (1922) – Michael Cardigan
The Good Provider (1922) – Izzy Binswanger
The Secrets of Paris (1922) – François
Enemies of Women (1923) – Gaston
Sinner or Saint (1923) – Young Artist
Loyal Lives (1923) – Terrence
The Age of Desire (1923) – Ranny – Age 21
Pleasure Mad (1923) – Howard Benton
Leave It to Gerry (1924) – Dan Forbes
Fools Highway (1924) – Max Davidson
The Sea Hawk (1924) – Marsak
Wine of Youth (1924) – Max Cooper
The Mine with the Iron Door (1924) – Chico
Great Diamond Mystery (1924) – Perry Standish
The Lighthouse by the Sea (1924) – Bob Dorn
The Devil’s Cargo (1925) – John Joyce
The Reckless Sex (1925) – Juan
Eve’s Secret (1925) – Pierre
The Verdict (1925) – Jimmy Mason
Playing with Souls (1925) – Matthew Dale Jr.
The Wanderer (1925) – Jether
The Lucky Lady (1926) – Clarke
The Rainmaker (1926) – Bobby Robertson
The Lady of the Harem (1926) – Rafi
God Gave Me Twenty Cents (1926) – Barney Tapman
Just Another Blonde (1926) – Scotty
The Broken Gate (1927) – Don Lane
Backstage (1927) – Owen Mackay
Convoy (1927) – John Dodge
The Sunset Derby (1927) – Jimmy Burke
Dearie (1927) – Stephen Darling
Stranded (1927) – Johnny Nash
The Desired Woman (1927) – Lieutenant Larry Trent
The College Widow (1927) – Billy Bolton
So This Is Love? (1928) – Jerry McGuire
Tragedy of Youth (1928) – Dick Wayne
A Night of Mystery (1928) – Jérôme D’Egremont
The Lion and the Mouse (1928) – Jefferson Ryder
Women They Talk About (1928) – Steve Harrison
Beware of Bachelors (1928) – Ed
The Floating College (1928) – George Dewey
The Red Sword (1929) – Paul
One Stolen Night (1929) – Bob
Tide of Empire (1929) – Romauldo Guerrero
Hardboiled Rose (1929) – Edward Malo
The Donovan Affair (1929) – Cornish
The Bachelor Girl (1929) – Jimmy
New Orleans (1929) – Billy Slade
Two Men and a Maid (1929) – Jim Oxford
The College Coquette (1929) – Tom Marion
The Show of Shows (1929) – Performer in ‘Bicycle Built for Two’ Number
Lummox (1930) – Wally Wallenstein
The Melody Man (1930) – Al Tyler
A Royal Romance (1930) – John Hale
New Movietone Follies of 1930 (1930) – Conrad Sterling
Rain or Shine (1930) – Bud Conway
The March of Time (1930) – Himself
Reducing (1931) – Johnnie Beasley
Little Caesar (1931) – Tony Passa
Cimarron (1931) – The Kid
Broadminded (1931) – Jack Hackett
Bought (1931) – Reporter (uncredited)
Street Scene (1931) – Sam Kaplan
The Big Gamble (1931) – Johnnie Ames
Sporting Chance (1931) – Terry Nolan
Soul of the Slums (1931) – Jerry Harris
The Secret Witness (1931) – Arthur Jones – aka Casey
Dancers in the Dark (1932) – Floyd Stevens
The County Fair (1932) – Jimmie Dolan
The Phantom Express (1932) – Bruce Harrington
Exposed (1932) – Jim Harper
The Fighting Gentleman (1932) – Jack Duncan aka The Fighting Gentleman
Speed Demon (1932) – ‘Speed’ Morrow
Behind Jury Doors (1932) – Steve Mannon
File 113 (1933) – Prosper Botomy
Forgotten (1933) – Joseph Meyers
The Story of Temple Drake (1933) – Toddy Gowan
Her Secret (1933) – Johnny Norton
Public Stenographer (1934) – James ‘Jimmy’ Martin Jr.
The People’s Enemy (1935) – Tony Falcone (final film role)
External Links
Actor William Collier Jr. – Wikipedia
