William Desmond Movies
Long before there was a Hollywood, William Desmond was well known in Los Angeles theatrical circles. Desmond spent five years appearing with the west-coast Morosco Stock Company, the Burbank Theatre, and the Los Angeles Opera House. With his own stock company, he toured Australia and Canada. Desmond's theatrical credits included Ben Hur, Bird of Paradise, Alias Jimmy Valentine, If I Were King, Raffles, Sign of the Cross, and Romeo and Juliet; he also appeared in dramatic sketches in vaudeville. He made his film debut opposite Billie Burke in 1915's Peggy. Desmond later became a popular action star in films; he did his own stunts, and hardly a week went by in the 1920s that Desmond didn't give the newspapers a story about how he'd once again cheated death in the line of duty. In talkies, Desmond showed up in supporting roles in bits, chiefly in westerns, at Universal studios. William Desmond was the husband of former William S. Hart leading lady Mary McIvor, whom he outlived by eight years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 1925
Four major serial stars -- William Desmond, Helen Holmes, Grace Cunard, and J.P. McGowan -- were featured in this minor crime melodrama produced by Jesse J. Goldburg for the Independent Pictures outfit. After being captured by T-Man Jack Blaisdell (Desmond) and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor on a counterfeiting rap, Tiger McGuire (McGowan) is sprung from jail by his old gang. Vowing to get even with Jack, Tiger kidnaps the young man's fiancée, Helen (Holmes), bringing the girl to his hideout, a fancy yacht owned by Lucy Carlisle (Cunard). Jack, who has been given 24 hours to catch McGuire by Helen's father (lec Francis), the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, discovers the whereabouts of the yacht and manages to rescue Helen in the nick of time. Holmes and writer-director McGowan were husband-and-wife at the time. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Grace Cunard, Alec B. Francis, (more)
- 1925
The oft-filmed Oklahoma land rush took center stage once again in this lavish 15-chapter Universal Western serial starring the veteran William Desmond. Desmond played Dan Harvey, a prairie sleuth attempting to locate a gang of crooks who are terrorizing the settlers and whose calling card is "The Ace of Spades." Universal's chief serial ace Henry McRae directed Isadore Bernstein and William Lord Wright's colorful screenplay, which incorporated such historical personages as Napoleon Bonaparte (William P. De Vaull), Thomas Jefferson (John Herdman), Talleyrand (John Shanks), and James Monroe (Bert Sprotte). The Oklahoma land rush was a popular theme in 1925, which also saw an even more spectacular reenactment of the race in the William S. Hart's epic Tumbleweeds. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Desmond, Mary McAllister, (more)
- 1925
Smiling Bill Flannigan (William Desmond), a once-renowned prizefighter, escapes West after accidentally killing an opponent in the ring in this muscular Universal western. The ex-boxer obtains the job of ranch cook and gets involved with the ubiquitous war between ranchers and sheep men. Hailing from Scotland and out of a long line of entertainers, brawny Desmond began his 25-year screen career playing the parson opposite stage star Cyril Maude in Peer Gynt (1915). A heavily dramatic beginning for an actor who would later star in robust serials such as Perils of the Yukon (1922), The Riddle Rider and The Vanishing Rider (1928), all for Universal. Desmond's leading lady in The Burning Trail, Mary McIvor, was also his off-screen wife. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Desmond, Mary McIvor, (more)
- 1927
Mae Busch's career was at its nadir when she starred in this low-budget political drama. Helen Hanby (Busch) weds governor John Rhodes (William Desmond) while he is in the midst of running for reelection. In his suitcase, Helen finds a portrait of her sister, who killed herself after being betrayed by a man in Europe. Helen immediately assumes that Rhodes is the guilty party and turns against him. She gives money to Rhodes' opponent and tries to wreck her husband's social standing. Finally, Rhodes' brother, Jimmy (Ray Hallor), finds out why Helen has turned into such a harpy and confesses that he was the one who had wronged her sister. Helen is devastated when she finds out that she has practically ruined the career of an innocent man whom she loves. Rhodes, however, understands her rash behavior and reveals that he still loves her and is willing to forgive. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Desmond, Mae Busch, (more)
- 1927
Hardly an important film, Finger Prints pleased the crowd with its heady combination of slapstick comedy and old-dark-house melodrama. A professional crook is collared by the law, but not before squirreling away a fortune in hidden money in a crumbling country mansion. The crook's sister is kidnapped by his accomplices, who take the girl to the mansion, hoping to force her to reveal the whereabouts of the loot. What they don't know is that the house has been fitted with all sorts of modern, push-button devices, which thoroughly flummox the bad guys while delighting their unterrified captive. The day is saved by the timely intervention of comic-relief servant Louise Fazenda (who certainly deserves the top billing bestowed upon her). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Louise Fazenda, Warner P. Richmond, (more)
- 1927
Directed by one of "Uncle" Carl Laemmle's many relatives, this Universal "Blue Streak Western" sat on the shelf for two years before being released to a mostly indifferent reception in 1927. The reason for the film's delay could have been aged leading man William Desmond's waning popularity, or its subject matter -- the bad treatment of Native American recruits in the past war -- might have worried a rather matter-of-fact studio such as Universal, despite the success of Paramount's The Vanishing American (1925). Desmond played Chief John Nisheto who, during the campaign in France, saves the life of Jack Burr (Albert J. Smith), the son of a United States senator (Byron Douglas) favorable to Native Americans. After the Armistice, Chief Nisheto starts dating Jack's sister Agnes (Marceline Day), to the dismay of the racist Jack, who doesn't realize that the chief is the man who once saved his life. Nisheto is later mortally wounded and Jack repents his prejudice on his rescuer's deathbed. Despite the film's honorable intentions, Red Clay suffered under Hollywood's stringent miscegenation policy. Desmond (a white actor, of course) had to die for Red Clay to reach an acceptable conclusion. This and several other melodramatic treatments of Native Americans were inspired by pro-Indian legislation enacted by real-life senator John Collier. The subject matter, however, was much better served in the early silent era, where Native Americans were more a subject of benign curiosity than the condescending praise typified by films such as Red Clay and The Vanishing American. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ynez Seabury, Marceline Day, (more)
- 1928
Belle Bennett and William V. Mong play a pair of veteran crooks who decide to "go straight" when their daughter is born. When the girl reaches maturity, however, Mong tries to indoctrinate his daughter (played as an adult by Marion Douglas) into a life of crime. Bennett reluctantly goes along with the scheme, though to save her baby from arrest she busily rushes around returning the items that the father and daughter have stolen. Meanwhile, the daughter begins to stray from the "family business" when she falls in love with the son (William Bakewell) of a wealthy manufacturer. Surprisingly, the story never comes to a genuine resolution and merely stops after 7 reels. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Belle Bennett, William V. Mong, (more)
- 1929
Although his popularity eroded with each successive talkie appearance, silent-film favorite Monte Blue fulfilled his Warner Bros. contract to the letter in such trifling vehicles as No Defense. In this one, Blue is cast as Monte Collins, foreman of a bridge construction crew. Monte's romance with wealthy engineer's daughter Ruth Harper (May McAvoy, in her final starring appearance) is endangered when the bridge collapses and Monte is held responsible. The actual culprit was Ruth's no-good brother John (William Desmond), who clears our hero's name in the final reel. A "part-talkie," No Defense's 60 minutes were evenly divided between silent scenes and dialogue passages. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- William H. Tooker, William Desmond, (more)
- 1930
In this crime drama, a down-on-his-luck attorney with connections to a diamond thief is framed for the thief's murder by the owner of the night club whose roof the body was found on. The attorney's daughter sets out to prove her father's innocence and gets a job singing at the club, becoming a local celebrity. With the help of an undercover reporter masquerading as a drunk, she proves that the night club owner was the real murderer, and he is killed in the end. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dorothy Revier, Raymond Hatton, (more)
"Suggested" by the book The West That Was by legendary showman William F. Cody, this 12 chapter Universal serial was merely another slam-bang affair in which Cody (Tom Tyler) and his younger sidekick, Dave Archer (Rex Bell), battle a nasty claim jumper, Jim Rodney (Francis Ford), and his gang. Resenting the interference in his plans, Rodney not only incites the local Indian tribe to attack the town but also blackmails the local community to elect him sheriff. Not one of the era's better serials, Battling with Buffalo Bill still manages to engage no less than 10 former silent cowboy stars in the cast, somewhat of a record. Of course, most of the gentlemen in question were finding the new audible Hollywood an inhospitable place and were just happy to be working, even for the lousy wages offered by Universal producer Henry MacRae. Leading man Tom Tyler, who had replaced Tim McCoy, would become a regular serial hero in the sound era, bringing such comic book heroes as "Captain Marvel" (1940) and The Phantom (1943) to life. A former Fox star, second-billed Rex Bell was the husband of Clara Bow and a future lieutenant governor of Nevada. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1931
Filmed at Newhall, CA, with exteriors shot at Universal City, Mascot Pictures' The Vanishing Legion became the little company's signature serial. Producer Nat Levine had managed to sign veteran cowboy star Harry Carey, blonde starlet Edwina Booth, and Olive Fuller Golden, Carey's wife, all of whom had recently just barely survived the travails of filming MGM's Trader Horn (1930) under extremely difficult conditions in what was then termed Darkest Africa. Now they were employed in a typical serial story of young Jimmy Williams (Frankie Darro) and his wild stallion (the famously intemperate Rex, King of the Wild Horses), both searching for the mysterious gang that framed Jimmy's father (Edward Hearn) in a murder scheme. The two get assistance from leathery old Happy Hardigan (Carey), who has discovered a plot by the lawless Vanishing Legion to sabotage Caroline Hall's (Booth) ancestral oil company. Behind the shenanigans is a master criminal, heard but never seen and known only as "The Voice." The identity of the villain is revealed only in the 12th and final chapter, "The Hoofs of Horror." Said identity, which of course shall not be revealed here either, was that of a venerable, old character actor who usually played kindly fathers. Of course, Mascot engaged in a bit of skullduggery themselves by having Boris Karloff as a "voice double." Also released in a re-edited feature version, The Vanishing Legion has become synonymous with Mascot Pictures and is the title of a groundbreaking biography of the little studio by Jon Tuska. Sadly, the serial proved the final film for silent screen cowboy Dick Hatton, who was killed in a car accident later in the year. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Harry Carey, Frankie Darro, (more)
- 1931
A cast of silent-film veterans distinguishes the pedestrian crime drama First Aid. Grant Withers stars as a doctor who is forced to operate on a wounded gangster. As if this wasn't enough of a headache, the gangster's rivals converge upon the doc's office, hoping to find out where the patient has hidden a cache of stolen jewels. Unable to contact the police, the crafty hero manages to write a coded plea for help in a drugstore prescription. Things turn out for the best when the doctor falls in love with the gangster's sweet sister. Two-reel comedy stalwarts Marjorie Beebe and Billy Gilbert provide the laughs, while Wheeler Oakman, William Desmond, Paul Panzer and other battle-scarred veterans of the silent era go through their customary paces. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wheeler Oakman, Grant Withers, (more)
- 1931
- Add The Phantom of the West [Serial] to Queue Add The Phantom of the West [Serial] to top of Queue
Mascot Pictures' second all-talkie sound serial, Phantom of the West starred Tom Tyler as Jim Lester, a young man attempting to prove the innocence of the father of Mona Cortez (Dorothy Gulliver) in the murder of his own paterfamilias. Cortez (Frank Lanning) escapes from prison but leaves a note for Jim proclaiming his innocence and pointing to seven men in town who can reveal the identity of the real culprit, a villain known only as the Phantom. Every time Jim gets close to the truth, the mystery killer's notorious League of the Lawless swoops in to silence whomever is about to spill the beans. The true identity of the killer is revealed in the tenth and final chapter, his identity being a surprise only to new viewers of Mascot serials. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Tyler, Dorothy Gulliver, (more)
- 1931
In this western, the Indians are chasing a cowboy whom they blame for a young woman's suicide. They believe the white guy seduced her on her wedding day and chase him all the way to Massachusetts where he ends up helping a woman get the estate that is rightfully hers. His Indian companion the talks to his pursuers and convinces them that the cowboy is innocent of the crime. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Cody, Andy Shuford, (more)
- 1931
Charles Delaney, an all-purpose actor who appeared in several Poverty Row productions of the early 1930s, assumes the role of a newspaper reporter in Hell Bent for Frisco. Delaney intends to prove that the deceptively charming Carroll Nye was the murderer of the brother of heroine Vera Reynolds. Meanwhile, tough city editor William Desmond runs the gamut of newspaper-movie cliches, from "Stop the Presses!" to "This story will tear this town wide open!" If villain Carroll Nye looks familiar, it's because he played Scarlett O'Hara's second husband Frank Kennedy in Gone with the Wind. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charles Delaney, Vera Reynolds, (more)
Ken Maynard searches for a wayward youngster in this average Western from his days with low-budget KBS Productions. A rancher turned miner, Ken promises lovely Helen Clark (Helen Mack) to be on the lookout for her rebellious brother Morton (Paul Fix), who has gone missing since heading west from Kansas City. Catching up with the youngster, Ken hires him to work on his mine and later assigns him to trade in their gold for cash. But after losing the earnings in a crooked poker game, Morton is blackmailed by nasty Sam Goss (Roy Stewart) into robbing the Fargo Express stagecoach. Ken attempts to cover for him but Morton is apprehended by the sheriff (William Desmond) and thrown in jail. Fearing that Morton will name him as an accomplice, Goss springs the young man from jail, intending to silence him after recovering the stolen money. Ken, meanwhile, convinces the sheriff that Morton was forced into a life of crime, and after a climactic fight, Goss is handed over to the posse. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helen Mack, Roy Stewart, (more)
A serial remake of a 1926 Western feature starring William Boyd, The Last Frontier became an early opportunity for young Lon Chaney, Jr. -- still billed Creighton Chaney -- to prove himself worthy of the Chaney name. But young Creighton, handicapped as he was by stilted dialogue and sub-par action sequences -- did not quite live up to the task and would be reduced to supporting roles until his true breakthrough as Lennie in Of Mice and Men (1939). In The Last Frontier, Chaney played Tom Kirby, a crusading newspaper editor opposed to "Tiger" Morris (Richard Neill, an outlaw whose reign of terror is meant to drive the settlers off their valuable land. Kirby dons the disguise of a masked avenger and together with such noted historical personages as General Custer (William Desmond) and Wild Bill Hickock (Yakima Canutt), the crusading reporter manages to curtail Morris' evil schemes. Dorothy Gulliver, of the silent screen, and Judith Barrie were added to the cast to lend a bit of feminine appeal under Spencer Gordon Bennet and Thomas Storey's direction. The Last Frontier was an independent serial produced by Van Buren for RKO release. The 1948 Sam Katzman serial Tex Granger was a very unofficial remake. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1933
Rustler's Roundup was western star Tom Mix's final feature film; only the 1935 serial Mystery Rider remained before Mix bid adios to the movies. Our Tom comes to the aid of heroine Diane Sinclair, who is being victimized by swarthy Noah Beery Jr. Sinclair's dad has been murdered, and Beery Jr., perpetrator of the deed, now wants to get his dirty mitts on her ranch. You can bet that ranch that Mix won't let that happen! Walter Brennan, three years away from stardom, has a bit role. While filming Rustlers' Roundup, Tom Mix suffered an injury which kept the 53-year-old star off-camera for nearly two years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
At first concentrating exclusively on westerns and serials, up-and-coming Mascot Pictures began branching out in the early 1930s with such lavish star vehicles as Laughing at Life. Victor McLaglen is in his element as a devil-may-care globetrotting adventurer named McHale. After risking his neck in WWI, the restless McHale heads to Mexico for more action. Before the film is half over, our hero is overseeing a South American revolution, and in this capacity comes face-to-face with his long-estranged son -- who, like his dad, is a thrillseeker travelling under an assumed name. The star-studded cast includes William "Stage" Boyd, Regis Toomey, Frankie Darro, Henry B. Walthall, Noah Beery Jr., J. Farrell McDonald and Lois Wilson -- many appearing in one scene each, indicating that the ever-economical Mascot studios hired these talented thespians by the day rather than the week. Also showing up uncredited is ace stuntman Yakima Canutt, doubling for Victor McLaglen in the more strenuous action scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Victor McLaglen, Conchita Montenegro, (more)
Adapted from Alexander Dumas's novel, this adventure is about a trio of Foreign Legion friends who confront the Devil of the Desert. Three Musketeers is the last of actor John Wayne's three serials for Mascot Studios. It was later edited down to just below feature length and released as the 1946 Desert Command. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- 1933
The strapping Tom Tyler, in his fourth and last serial for Universal, played a daredevil pilot coming to the aid of a beleaguered scientist (William Desmond). In between romancing the professor's lovely daughter (Gloria Shea), Tyler battles a series of villains out to steal the "Contragrav," an anti-gravity device. The always suspicious-looking Leroy Mason is the head of a gang of smugglers that include such well-known blackhearts as Edmund Cobb, Bud Osborne, and Wheeler Oakman. A youngish Walter Brennan offers mild comedy relief, while Hugh Enfield played one of Tyler's pilot friends. Enfield later briefly changed his billing to "Robert Allen" before settling permanently on the moniker Craig Reynolds. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1933
The first of five Western serials Buck Jones was to make for Universal, this film was based on a story by Peter B. Kyne, Oh, Promise Me!. Jones, who was doubled in this serial by Cliff Lyons, is hired to look into a series of cattle rustlings, quickly discovering that the leader of the rustlers is the Mulford ranch foreman Rance Radigan (Walter Miller) and that the gang uses the notorious Ghost City as their hideout. Unfortunately, Mary Gray (Madge Bellamy) and her grandfather (Tom Rícketts), a prospector, have discovered a secret gold strike underneath one of the town's empty stores. If that didn't complicate matters enough, a mysterious gun man suddenly appears, threatening both Buck and the outlaws. A major Fox star of the '20s, Madge Bellamy found her career plummeting at the changeover to sound. Spending the remainder of her screen career at dreaded Poverty Row, Bellamy is today best remembered for co-starring with Bela Lugosi in the ultra-cheap White Zombie (1932). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1933
Curley Fletcher's famous lament "The Strawberry Roan became Ken Maynard's favorite Western and went a long way to popularize the Singing Cowboy trend. Ranch owner Big Jim Edwards (James Marcus) promises a job to anyone who can round up the Strawberry Roan, a wild stallion that has been rustling his mares. A neighbor, Colonel Brownlee (William Desmond), sweetens the pot by actually promising his cattle ranch to whomever can ride the dangerous animal. Ken Masters (Maynard) takes up both challenges but is defeated every step of the way by nasty foreman Bart Hawkins (Harold Goodwin), who is jealous of the newcomer's rapport with Big Jim's pretty daughter, Alice (Ruth Hall). The rustlings continue and Alice almost perishes in a stampede but Ken ultimately proves that Bart has been forcing the roan into committing the crimes. Filmed at scenic Lone Pine, CA, The Strawberry Roan was renamed Flying Fury in the UK. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Frank Yaconelli, James Marcus, (more)
- 1934
His dramatic fall broken by sacks of flour, Dick (Richard Talmadge) once again emerges unharmed and the voyage to the Caribbean island can begin. En route, Dorothy (Lucille Lund) accidentally discovers the group of gang members hiding in the hold of the Lottie Carson. Unaware that he is the secret leader of the gang, she appeals to Stanley Brasset (Walter Miller) for help and he secretly orders his men to take over the ship. A carelessly tossed cigarette starts a fire in the hold and Dick fearlessly enters the ship's cargo room. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Talmadge, Lucille Lund, (more)
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.