American actor (1876–1953)
William Farnum (July 4, 1876 – June 5, 1953) was an American actor. He was a star of American silent cinema, and he became one of the highest-paid actors during this time.
Biography Farnum was born on July 4, 1876, in Boston, Massachusetts, but he grew up in Bucksport, Maine.[1]
One of three brothers, Farnum grew up in a family of actors. He made his acting debut at the age of 10 in Richmond, Virginia, in a production of Julius Caesar , with Edwin Booth playing the title character.
He portrayed the title character of Ben-Hur (1900) on Broadway. Later plays Farnum appeared in there included The Prince of India (1906), The White Sister (1909), The Littlest Rebel (1911) co-starring his brother Dustin and Viola Savoy , and Arizona (1913), also with Dustin.[2]
In The Spoilers in 1914, Farnum and Tom Santschi staged a film fight which lasted for a full reel. In 1930, Farnum and Santschi coached Gary Cooper and William Boyd in the fight scene for the 1930 version of The Spoilers . Other actors influenced by the Farnum/Santschi scene were Milton Sills and Noah Beery in 1923 and Randolph Scott and John Wayne in 1942.[3]
From 1915 to 1952, Farnum devoted his life to motion pictures. He became one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, earning $10,000 per week.[citation needed ] Farnum's silent pictures Drag Harlan (1920) and If I Were King (1921) survive from his years contracted to Fox Films . Nearly all of Fox's silent films made before 1932 were destroyed in the1937 Fox vault fire .
Personal life Married three times, Farnum was the father of screenwriter Dorothy Farnum with Mabel Eaton.[4] He had a daughter, named Sara Adele, with Olive White, his second wife. He had three children with Isabelle, his third wife.[5]
Farnum died from uremia and cancer on June 5, 1953, at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital.[6] [7] He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[8]
On February 8, 1960, Farnum received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion-picture industry at 6322 Hollywood Boulevard.[9] [10]
He was the younger brother of film actor Dustin Farnum . He had another brother, Marshall Farnum , who was a silent film director.[citation needed ]
Filmography William Farnum at a piano in 1915 The Man Hunter (1919)
Silent
Sound The Spoilers (1930) as Fight SpectatorDu Barry, Woman of Passion (1930) as Louis XVThe Painted Desert (1931) as Cash HolbrookTen Nights in a Barroom (1931) as Joe MorganA Connecticut Yankee (1931) as King Arthur/InventorThe Pagan Lady (1931) as Malcolm 'Mal' ToddLaw of the Sea (1931) as Captain Len AndrewsThe Drifter (1932) as The DrifterMr. Robinson Crusoe (1932) as William BelmontFlaming Guns (1932) as Henry RamseySupernatural (1933) as Nick 'Nicky' HammondFighting with Kit Carson (1933, Serial) as Elliott (Ch. 1)Another Language (1933) as C. Forrester (uncredited)Marriage on Approval (1933) as Reverend John MacDougallGood Dame (1934) as Judge FlynnSchool for Girls (1934) as Charles WalthamAre We Civilized? (1934) as Paul Franklin, Sr.The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) as Captain LeclereHappy Landing (1934) as Col. CurtisThe Scarlet Letter (1934) as Gov. BellinghamCleopatra (1934) as LepidusThe Brand of Hate (1934) as Joe LarkinsThe Silver Streak (1934) as Barney J. DexterMillion Dollar Haul (1935) as Mr. Mallory, Sheila's DadThe Crusades (1935) as Hugo, Duke of BurgundyPowdersmoke Range (1935) as Sam Oreham - BankerThe Eagle's Brood (1935) as El ToroBetween Men (1935) as John Wellington, aka RandThe Irish Gringo (1935) as Pop WileyThe Fighting Coward (1935) as Jim HortonCuster's Last Stand (1936, Serial) as James FitzpatrickThe Kid Ranger (1936) as Bill MasonThe Clutching Hand (1936, Serial) as Gordon GauntUndersea Kingdom (1936, Serial) as SharadHollywood Boulevard (1936, scenes deleted)The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936, Serial) as Father JoséMaid of Salem (1937) as Crown Justice SewallGit Along Little Dogies (1937) as Mr. MaxwellPublic Cowboy No. 1 (1937) as Sheriff Matt DoniphonThe Lone Ranger (1938, Serial) as Father McKimIf I Were King (1938) as General BarbezierSanta Fe Stampede (1938) as Dave CarsonShine On, Harvest Moon (1938) as Milt BrowerMexicali Rose (1939) as Padre DominicShould Husbands Work? (1939) as FriendColorado Sunset (1939) as Sheriff George GlennRovin' Tumbleweeds (1939) as Senator Timothy NolanSouth of the Border (1939) as PadreConvicted Woman (1940) as Commissioner McNeillAdventures of Red Ryder (1940, Serial) as Colonel Tom Ryder [Ch. 1]Kit Carson (1940) as Don Miguel MurphyHi-Yo Silver (1940) as Father McKim (archive footage)The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940) as VagabondCheers for Miss Bishop (1941) as Judge PetersA Woman's Face (1941) as Court AttendantGangs of Sonora (1941) as Ward BeechamLast of the Duanes (1941) as Texas Ranger Major McNeilThe Corsican Brothers (1941) as PriestToday I Hang (1942) as Warden BurkeThe Lone Star Ranger (1942) as Texas Ranger Major McNeilThe Spoilers (1942) as WheatonMen of Texas (1942) as General Sam HoustonThe Silver Bullet (1942) as Dr. Thad MorganBoss of Hangtown Mesa (1942) as Judge Ezra BinnsTish (1942) as JohnDeep in the Heart of Texas (1942) as Colonel MalloryAmerican Empire (1942) as Louisiana JudgeTennessee Johnson (1942) as Senator HuylerCalaboose (1943) as Checkers PlayerPrairie Chickens (1943) as Cache Lake TownsmanHangmen Also Die! (1943) as ViktorinFrontier Badmen (1943) as Dad CourtwrightThe Mummy's Curse (1944) as SacristanWildfire (1945) as Judge PolsonCaptain Kidd (1945) as Capt. RawsonGod's Country (1946) as Sandy McTavishRolling Home (1946) as Rodeo OfficialMy Dog Shep (1946) as Carter J. LathamThe Perils of Pauline (1947) as Western Saloon Set HeroHeaven Only Knows (1947) as GabrielDaughter of the West (1949) as Father VallejoBride of Vengeance (1949) as Conti PeruzziSamson and Delilah (1949) as TubalGun Cargo (1949) as Board of Inquiry ChairmanTrail of Robin Hood (1950) as Bill FranumHollywood Story (1951) as HimselfLone Star (1952) as Senator Tom CrockettJack and the Beanstalk (1952) as The King
References ^ Lowrey, Carolyn (1920). The First One Hundred Noted Men and Women of the Screen. Moffat, Yard. p. 56. Retrieved October 30, 2019 . ^ "William Farnum". Internet Broadway Database . The Broadway League. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019 . ^ Griffith, Richard, &Arthur Mayer, The Movies (Bonanza Books, 1957), pp. 98-99 ^ The Los Angeles Times; October 17, 1927 ^ "The Times-News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com . Retrieved June 26, 2016 . ^ "The Evening Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com . Retrieved June 26, 2016 . ^ "The Times-News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com . Retrieved June 26, 2016 . ^ Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries ^ "William Farnum | Hollywood Walk of Fame". www.walkoffame.com . Retrieved June 26, 2016 . ^ "William Farnum". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 26, 2016 . ^ Wenzell, Nicolette (April 3, 2016). "1919 movie 'The Lone Star Ranger' shot in Palm Springs". The Desert Sun . Gannett .
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Farnum .
William Farnum at IMDb William Farnum at Find a Grave William Farnum at the Internet Broadway Database William Farnum at Virtual History Bill Farnum at the end of his theater career and start of his movie career(moviecard) portrait of first wife Mabel Eaton Mabel Eaton