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
1911
asGilbert Irving
1930
asVan Warner
1938
as
1941
asDoorman
1912
asShamus O'Brien
1920
asLord Asgarby
1913
asDr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
1915
asRaphael / Phidias
1918
asSelf
1933
asBanker (uncredited)
1935
asDignitary (uncredited)
1947
asBank Employee (uncredited)
1920
asJim Sargent
1937
asCustoms Official (uncredited)
1937
asMan in Hospital (uncredited)
1913
asThe Shepherd
1919
asSheldon Steele/The Hawk
1920
asDave
1932
asMaitre d'hotel, Purple Pigeon Cafe
1911
asEdward Jackson
1935
asPolice Sergeant
1936
asDetective Pierre (uncredited)
1911
as
2011
asHimself (archive footage)
1932
asHinkle
1931
asMike - Weber's Trainer
1941
asStore Employee (uncredited)
1937
asMovie Patron (uncredited)
1939
asJuror (uncredited)
1936
asAccident Witness (uncredited)
1938
asDepartment Store Customer (uncredited)
1935
asGambler (uncredited)
1938
asPasserby (uncredited)
1935
asDr. Pierce
1939
asMan in Casting Office (uncredited)
1938
asDetective (uncredited)
1934
asTownsman
1936
asChemistry Professor
1916
asThe Silent Stranger
1940
asMan in Subway (uncredited)
1947
asMan in Audience (uncredited)
1911
asReverend Dimmesdale
1945
asLunch Room Customer (uncredited)
1932
asHarry Field
1913
asWilfred of Ivanhoe
1940
asWedding Guest (uncredited)
1940
asMan on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited)
1940
asCafe Patron (uncredited)
1931
asPoliceman on Street (uncredited)
1912
asGeorge - the 'Sissy' Hero
1912
asAmos Bentley
1931
asShip's Captain
1932
asPolice Officer (uncredited)
1942
asPolice Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
1911
asEnoch Harrington
1935
asPatrol Wagon Guard
1942
asOld Miner
1938
asBettor
1941
asTownsman (uncredited)
1938
asBaseball Fan
1932
asDepartment Head (uncredited)
1911
asBasil King
1911
asLt. Robbins
1911
asThe King
1911
asDr. Crawford
1911
asDan Nolan - the Burglar
1911
asPablo
1911
asRoger Densmore
1911
asCecil Abbott
1911
asTom Mooreland
1911
asAlfred King
1911
asHugh Norton
1911
asDental Patient
1911
asGerald Kinney
1911
asLouis Perry - a Reformed Crook
1921
asMaj. Frederick Smith
1932
asAl Payne
1938
asDerelict in Mission (uncredited)
1923
asHimself - Cameo
1937
asFalse Accident Witness (uncredited)
1918
asHarrison Grant
1934
asMilton McGillicuddy
1930
as
1946
asMan at Graduation Ceremony
1914
asJean Dumas
1942
asPsychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited)
1935
asDruggist
1942
asHotel Guest (uncredited)
1945
asBarbershop Patron (uncredited)
1911
asWayne Holland
1935
asMotion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited)
1911
asEdward, the Duke's Nephew
1939
asMan in Audience (uncredited)
1938
asNobleman at Court (uncredited)
1936
asEarthquake Survivor (uncredited)
1936
asFilm Director (uncredited)
1941
asMan in Audience (uncredited)
1943
asNightclub Patron (uncredited)
1909
asBess' Sweetheart
1910
as1910
as1910
as1910
asPercy
1910
asClark, the Best Friend
1910
asThe Dashing Young Count
1910
as1910
asThe Stranger
1910
asGeorge Rand
1910
as1910
as1910
as1910
asJacques
1910
as1910
as1910
as1910
as1910
as1910
asThe Tenderfoot
1910
as1910
as1910
asJack
1910
as
1909
asThe Boy
1910
as1914
asHimself
1940
asTownsman at Banquet (uncredited)
1934
asSecond Doctor
1916
asRichard Warrington
1946
asCourtroom Spectator (uncredited)
1916
asJames Herron
1915
asDonald Gordon
1937
asMan in Office
1918
asThe Husband
1918
asBasil Kildare
1910
asThe Father
1946
as
1920
asBrooks Insall
1934
asPriest (uncredited)
1934
asOfficial (uncredited)
1938
asReporter (uncredited)
1919
asChristopher Brent
1921
asH.H. Van Horn
1920
as1910
asKing
1910
asProduction
Crew
Directing
1925
as
1922
as
1927
as
1925
as
1928
as
1922
as
1923
as1916
as
1925
as
1922
as
1927
as
1922
as
1924
as
1925
as
1921
as
1921
as
1921
as
1922
as
1926
as
1923
as
1923
as
1923
as
1923
as
1924
as
