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.
Filmography
Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs
as (archive footage)
Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs
as (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)
Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star
as Self (archive footage)
Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star
as Self (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
as (archive footage)
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
as (archive footage)
It's Showtime
as Self (archive footage)
It's Showtime
as Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)
Little Smokey
as Hopalong Cassidy
Little Smokey
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Greatest Show on Earth
as Hopalong Cassidy (uncredited)
The Greatest Show on Earth
as Hopalong Cassidy (uncredited)
Strange Gamble
as Hopalong Cassidy
Strange Gamble
as Hopalong Cassidy
False Paradise
as William "Hopalong" Cassidy
False Paradise
as William "Hopalong" Cassidy
Borrowed Trouble
as Hopalong Cassidy
Borrowed Trouble
as Hopalong Cassidy
Sinister Journey
as Hopalong Cassidy
Sinister Journey
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Dead Don't Dream
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Dead Don't Dream
as Hopalong Cassidy
Silent Conflict
as Hopalong Cassidy
Silent Conflict
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hoppy's Holiday
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hoppy's Holiday
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Marauders
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Marauders
as Hopalong Cassidy
Dangerous Venture
as Hopalong Cassidy
Dangerous Venture
as Hopalong Cassidy
Unexpected Guest
as Hopalong Cassidy
Unexpected Guest
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Devil's Playground
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Devil's Playground
as Hopalong Cassidy
Fool's Gold
as Hopalong Cassidy
Fool's Gold
as Hopalong Cassidy
Forty Thieves
as Hopalong Cassidy
Forty Thieves
as Hopalong Cassidy
Mystery Man
as Hopalong Cassidy
Mystery Man
as Hopalong Cassidy
Lumberjack
as Hopalong Cassidy
Lumberjack
as Hopalong Cassidy
Texas Masquerade
as Hopalong Cassidy
Texas Masquerade
as Hopalong Cassidy
Riders of the Deadline
as Ranger William "Hopalong" Cassidy
Riders of the Deadline
as Ranger William "Hopalong" Cassidy
False Colors
as Hopalong Cassidy
False Colors
as Hopalong Cassidy
Bar 20
as Hopalong Cassidy
Bar 20
as Hopalong Cassidy
Colt Comrades
as Hopalong Cassidy
Colt Comrades
as Hopalong Cassidy
Leather Burners
as Hopalong Cassidy
Leather Burners
as Hopalong Cassidy
Border Patrol
as Hopalong Cassidy
Border Patrol
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hoppy Serves a Writ
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hoppy Serves a Writ
as Hopalong Cassidy
Lost Canyon
as Hopalong Cassidy
Lost Canyon
as Hopalong Cassidy
Undercover Man
as Hopalong Cassidy
Undercover Man
as Hopalong Cassidy
Secret of the Wastelands
as Hopalong Cassidy
Secret of the Wastelands
as Hopalong Cassidy
Twilight on the Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Twilight on the Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Riders of the Timberline
as Hopalong Cassidy
Riders of the Timberline
as Hopalong Cassidy
Stick to Your Guns
as Hopalong Cassidy
Stick to Your Guns
as Hopalong Cassidy
Wide Open Town
as Hopalong Cassidy
Wide Open Town
as Hopalong Cassidy
Pirates on Horseback
as Hopalong Cassidy
Pirates on Horseback
as Hopalong Cassidy
Border Vigilantes
as Hopalong Cassidy
Border Vigilantes
as Hopalong Cassidy
In Old Colorado
as Hopalong Cassidy
In Old Colorado
as Hopalong Cassidy
Doomed Caravan
as Hopalong Cassidy
Doomed Caravan
as Hopalong Cassidy
Three Men from Texas
as Hopalong Cassidy
Three Men from Texas
as Hopalong Cassidy
Stagecoach War
as Hopalong Cassidy
Stagecoach War
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hidden Gold
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hidden Gold
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Showdown
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Showdown
as Hopalong Cassidy
Santa Fe Marshal
as Hopalong Cassidy
Santa Fe Marshal
as Hopalong Cassidy
Law of the Pampas
as Hopalong Cassidy
Law of the Pampas
as Hopalong Cassidy
Range War
as Hopalong Cassidy
Range War
as Hopalong Cassidy
Renegade Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Renegade Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Land of Liberty
as (archive footage)
Land of Liberty
as (archive footage)
Silver on the Sage
as Hopalong Cassidy
Silver on the Sage
as Hopalong Cassidy
Sunset Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Sunset Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Frontiersmen
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Frontiersmen
as Hopalong Cassidy
In Old Mexico
as Hopalong Cassidy
In Old Mexico
as Hopalong Cassidy
Pride of the West
as Hopalong Cassidy
Pride of the West
as Hopalong Cassidy
Bar 20 Justice
as Hopalong Cassidy
Bar 20 Justice
as Hopalong Cassidy
Heart of Arizona
as Hopalong Cassidy
Heart of Arizona
as Hopalong Cassidy
Cassidy of Bar 20
as Hopalong Cassidy
Cassidy of Bar 20
as Hopalong Cassidy
Partners of the Plains
as Hopalong Cassidy
Partners of the Plains
as Hopalong Cassidy
Texas Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Texas Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Rides Again
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Rides Again
as Hopalong Cassidy
Rustlers' Valley
as Hopalong Cassidy
Rustlers' Valley
as Hopalong Cassidy
North of the Rio Grande
as Hopalong Cassidy
North of the Rio Grande
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hills of Old Wyoming
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hills of Old Wyoming
as Hopalong Cassidy
Borderland
as Hopalong Cassidy
Borderland
as Hopalong Cassidy
Trail Dust
as Hopalong Cassidy
Trail Dust
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Cassidy Returns
as Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Cassidy Returns
as Hopalong Cassidy
Go-Get-'Em, Haines
as Steve Haines
Go-Get-'Em, Haines
as Steve Haines
Burning Gold
as Jim Thornton
Burning Gold
as Jim Thornton
Three on the Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Three on the Trail
as Hopalong Cassidy
Federal Agent
as Bob Woods
Federal Agent
as Bob Woods
Call of the Prairie
as Hopalong Cassidy
Call of the Prairie
as Hopalong Cassidy
Heart of the West
as Hopalong Cassidy
Heart of the West
as Hopalong Cassidy
Bar 20 Rides Again
as Hopalong Cassidy
Bar 20 Rides Again
as Hopalong Cassidy
Racing Luck
as Dan Morgan
Racing Luck
as Dan Morgan
The Eagle's Brood
as Hopalong Cassidy
The Eagle's Brood
as Hopalong Cassidy
Port of Lost Dreams
as Lars Christensen
Port of Lost Dreams
as Lars Christensen
Cheaters
as Steve Morris
Cheaters
as Steve Morris
Emergency Call
as Joe Bradley
Emergency Call
as Joe Bradley
Lucky Devils
as Skipper Clark
Lucky Devils
as Skipper Clark
Men Of America
as Jim Parker
Men Of America
as Jim Parker
Flaming Gold
as Dan Manton
Flaming Gold
as Dan Manton
Suicide Fleet
as Baltimore
Suicide Fleet
as Baltimore
The Big Gamble
as Alan Beckwith
The Big Gamble
as Alan Beckwith
Beyond Victory
as Bill Thatcher
Beyond Victory
as Bill Thatcher
The Painted Desert
as Bill Holbrook
The Painted Desert
as Bill Holbrook
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 5
as William Boyd
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 5
as William Boyd
Officer O'Brien
as Bill O'Brien
Officer O'Brien
as Bill O'Brien
His First Command
as Terry Culver
His First Command
as Terry Culver
The Flying Fool
as Bill Taylor
The Flying Fool
as Bill Taylor
High Voltage
as Bill
High Voltage
as Bill
The Leatherneck
as William Calhoun
The Leatherneck
as William Calhoun
Lady of the Pavements
as Karl Von Arnim
Lady of the Pavements
as Karl Von Arnim
The Cop
as Pete Smith
The Cop
as Pete Smith
Skyscraper
as Blondy
Skyscraper
as Blondy
The Night Flyer
as Jimmy Bradley
The Night Flyer
as Jimmy Bradley
Dress Parade
as Vic Donovan
Dress Parade
as Vic Donovan
The Yankee Clipper
as Hal Winslow
The Yankee Clipper
as Hal Winslow
The King of Kings
as Simon Of Cyrene
The King of Kings
as Simon Of Cyrene
The Last Frontier
as Tom Kirby
The Last Frontier
as Tom Kirby
The Volga Boatman
as Feodor
The Volga Boatman
as Feodor
Forty Winks
as Lt. Gerald Hugh Butterworth
Forty Winks
as Lt. Gerald Hugh Butterworth
Feet of Clay
as Young Society Man (uncredited)
Feet of Clay
as Young Society Man (uncredited)
Tarnish
as Bill
Tarnish
as Bill
Changing Husbands
as Conrad Bardshaw
Changing Husbands
as Conrad Bardshaw
Enemies of Children
as Sidney Godfrey
Enemies of Children
as Sidney Godfrey
The Temple of Venus
as Stanley Dale
The Temple of Venus
as Stanley Dale
Hollywood
as William Boyd
Hollywood
as William Boyd
Michael O'Halloran
as Douglas Bruce
Michael O'Halloran
as Douglas Bruce
Manslaughter
as (uncredited)
Manslaughter
as (uncredited)
On the High Seas
as Dick Deveraux
On the High Seas
as Dick Deveraux
Nice People
as Oliver Comstock
Nice People
as Oliver Comstock
Moran of the Lady Letty
as Ramon's Friend at Homecoming
Moran of the Lady Letty
as Ramon's Friend at Homecoming
After the Show
as (uncredited)
After the Show
as (uncredited)
The Affairs of Anatol
as Guest
The Affairs of Anatol
as Guest
Forbidden Fruit
as Billiards Player
Forbidden Fruit
as Billiards Player
A City Sparrow
as Hughie Ray
A City Sparrow
as Hughie Ray
Something to Think About
as (uncredited)
Something to Think About
as (uncredited)
The City of Masks
as Carpenter
The City of Masks
as Carpenter
The Six Best Cellars
as Holsappel (uncredited)
The Six Best Cellars
as Holsappel (uncredited)