King Baggot
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.
Filmography
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
as Himself (archive footage)
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
as Himself (archive footage)
Merton of the Movies
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
Merton of the Movies
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
My Brother Talks to Horses
as Bank Employee (uncredited)
My Brother Talks to Horses
as Bank Employee (uncredited)
The Secret Heart
as Man at Graduation Ceremony
The Secret Heart
as Man at Graduation Ceremony
Holiday in Mexico
Holiday in Mexico
The Postman Always Rings Twice
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
The Postman Always Rings Twice
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
as Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
as Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
Dangerous Partners
as Lunch Room Customer (uncredited)
Dangerous Partners
as Lunch Room Customer (uncredited)
Swing Fever
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Swing Fever
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Her Cardboard Lover
as Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
Her Cardboard Lover
as Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
Jackass Mail
as Old Miner
Jackass Mail
as Old Miner
Fingers at the Window
as Psychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited)
Fingers at the Window
as Psychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited)
Rio Rita
as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Rio Rita
as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Honky Tonk
as Townsman (uncredited)
Honky Tonk
as Townsman (uncredited)
The Big Store
as Store Employee (uncredited)
The Big Store
as Store Employee (uncredited)
Ziegfeld Girl
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
Ziegfeld Girl
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
Come Live with Me
as Doorman
Come Live with Me
as Doorman
The Philadelphia Story
as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
The Philadelphia Story
as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Gallant Sons
as Man on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited)
Gallant Sons
as Man on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited)
Bitter Sweet
as Cafe Patron (uncredited)
Bitter Sweet
as Cafe Patron (uncredited)
The Ghost Comes Home
as Townsman at Banquet (uncredited)
The Ghost Comes Home
as Townsman at Banquet (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
as Man in Subway (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
as Man in Subway (uncredited)
Dancing Co-Ed
as Man in Casting Office (uncredited)
Dancing Co-Ed
as Man in Casting Office (uncredited)
Stronger Than Desire
as Juror (uncredited)
Stronger Than Desire
as Juror (uncredited)
The Ice Follies of 1939
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
The Ice Follies of 1939
as Man in Audience (uncredited)
Opening Day
as Baseball Fan
Opening Day
as Baseball Fan
Stablemates
as Bettor
Stablemates
as Bettor
Too Hot to Handle
as Reporter (uncredited)
Too Hot to Handle
as Reporter (uncredited)
Boys Town
as Derelict in Mission (uncredited)
Boys Town
as Derelict in Mission (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette
as Nobleman at Court (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette
as Nobleman at Court (uncredited)
Think It Over
Think It Over
Snow Gets in Your Eyes
as Department Store Customer (uncredited)
Snow Gets in Your Eyes
as Department Store Customer (uncredited)
That Mothers Might Live
as Passerby (uncredited)
That Mothers Might Live
as Passerby (uncredited)
Arsène Lupin Returns
as Detective (uncredited)
Arsène Lupin Returns
as Detective (uncredited)
A Night at the Movies
as Movie Patron (uncredited)
A Night at the Movies
as Movie Patron (uncredited)
The Emperor's Candlesticks
as Customs Official (uncredited)
The Emperor's Candlesticks
as Customs Official (uncredited)
It May Happen to You
as Man in Hospital (uncredited)
It May Happen to You
as Man in Hospital (uncredited)
Parnell
as Man in Office
Parnell
as Man in Office
Torture Money
as False Accident Witness (uncredited)
Torture Money
as False Accident Witness (uncredited)
Mad Holiday
as Film Director (uncredited)
Mad Holiday
as Film Director (uncredited)
Sworn Enemy
as Accident Witness (uncredited)
Sworn Enemy
as Accident Witness (uncredited)
The Devil-Doll
as Detective Pierre (uncredited)
The Devil-Doll
as Detective Pierre (uncredited)
San Francisco
as Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
San Francisco
as Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
as Chemistry Professor
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
as Chemistry Professor
A Night at the Opera
as Dignitary (uncredited)
A Night at the Opera
as Dignitary (uncredited)
3 Kids and a Queen
as Druggist
3 Kids and a Queen
as Druggist
Chinatown Squad
as Patrol Wagon Guard
Chinatown Squad
as Patrol Wagon Guard
The Call of the Savage
as Dr. Pierce
The Call of the Savage
as Dr. Pierce
Mississippi
as Gambler (uncredited)
Mississippi
as Gambler (uncredited)
Sweepstake Annie
as Motion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited)
Sweepstake Annie
as Motion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited)
A Notorious Gentleman
as Police Sergeant
A Notorious Gentleman
as Police Sergeant
Father Brown, Detective
as Priest (uncredited)
Father Brown, Detective
as Priest (uncredited)
Cheating Cheaters
as Official (uncredited)
Cheating Cheaters
as Official (uncredited)
Romance in the Rain
as Milton McGillicuddy
Romance in the Rain
as Milton McGillicuddy
Beloved
as Second Doctor
Beloved
as Second Doctor
I Loved a Woman
as Banker (uncredited)
I Loved a Woman
as Banker (uncredited)
The Death Kiss
as Al Payne
The Death Kiss
as Al Payne
Afraid to Talk
as Police Officer (uncredited)
Afraid to Talk
as Police Officer (uncredited)
The Big Flash
as Hinkle
The Big Flash
as Hinkle
What Price Hollywood?
as Department Head (uncredited)
What Price Hollywood?
as Department Head (uncredited)
Police Court
as Harry Field
Police Court
as Harry Field
Graft
as Ship's Captain
Graft
as Ship's Captain
The Bad Sister
as Policeman on Street (uncredited)
The Bad Sister
as Policeman on Street (uncredited)
The Czar of Broadway
The Czar of Broadway
The Girl in the Taxi
as Maj. Frederick Smith
The Girl in the Taxi
as Maj. Frederick Smith
The Dwelling Place of Light
as Brooks Insall
The Dwelling Place of Light
as Brooks Insall
The Man from Nowhere
as James Herron
The Man from Nowhere
as James Herron
The Marble Heart
as Raphael / Phidias
The Marble Heart
as Raphael / Phidias
Absinthe
as Jean Dumas
Absinthe
as Jean Dumas
Ivanhoe
as Wilfred of Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe
as Wilfred of Ivanhoe
A Cave Man Wooing
as George - the 'Sissy' Hero
A Cave Man Wooing
as George - the 'Sissy' Hero
The Better Way
as Louis Perry - a Reformed Crook
The Better Way
as Louis Perry - a Reformed Crook
For the Queen's Honor
as The King
For the Queen's Honor
as The King
The Master and the Man
as Basil King
The Master and the Man
as Basil King
Second Sight
as Tom Mooreland
Second Sight
as Tom Mooreland
Sweet Memories
as Edward Jackson
Sweet Memories
as Edward Jackson
The Secret of the Palm
as Cecil Abbott
The Secret of the Palm
as Cecil Abbott
At the Duke's Command
as Edward, the Duke's Nephew
At the Duke's Command
as Edward, the Duke's Nephew
Pressed Roses
Pressed Roses
Debt
Debt
The Doctor's Perfidy
The Doctor's Perfidy