King Baggot
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- November 6, 1879
- Died
- July 11, 1948 (aged 68)
- Birthplace
- Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
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
Photos
Filmography
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
Movie · as Himself (archive footage)
My Brother Talks to Horses
Movie · as Bank Employee (uncredited)
Merton of the Movies
Movie · as Man in Audience (uncredited)
The Secret Heart
Movie · as Man at Graduation Ceremony
The Postman Always Rings Twice
Movie · as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Holiday in Mexico
Movie
Dangerous Partners
Movie · as Lunch Room Customer (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Movie · as Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
Swing Fever
Movie · as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Her Cardboard Lover
Movie · as Police Officer in Courtroom (uncredited)
Jackass Mail
Movie · as Old Miner
Fingers at the Window
Movie · as Psychiatrist at Lecture (uncredited)
Rio Rita
Movie · as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Come Live with Me
Movie · as Doorman
The Big Store
Movie · as Store Employee (uncredited)
Honky Tonk
Movie · as Townsman (uncredited)
Ziegfeld Girl
Movie · as Man in Audience (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
Movie · as Man in Subway (uncredited)
Gallant Sons
Movie · as Man on Street / Man in Audience (uncredited)
The Philadelphia Story
Movie · as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Bitter Sweet
Movie · as Cafe Patron (uncredited)
The Ghost Comes Home
Movie · as Townsman at Banquet (uncredited)
Stronger Than Desire
Movie · as Juror (uncredited)
Dancing Co-Ed
Movie · as Man in Casting Office (uncredited)
The Ice Follies of 1939
Movie · as Man in Audience (uncredited)
Think It Over
Movie
Snow Gets in Your Eyes
Movie · as Department Store Customer (uncredited)
That Mothers Might Live
Movie · as Passerby (uncredited)
Arsène Lupin Returns
Movie · as Detective (uncredited)
Stablemates
Movie · as Bettor
Opening Day
Movie · as Baseball Fan
Boys Town
Movie · as Derelict in Mission (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette
Movie · as Nobleman at Court (uncredited)
Too Hot to Handle
Movie · as Reporter (uncredited)
The Emperor's Candlesticks
Movie · as Customs Official (uncredited)
It May Happen to You
Movie · as Man in Hospital (uncredited)
A Night at the Movies
Movie · as Movie Patron (uncredited)
Torture Money
Movie · as False Accident Witness (uncredited)
Parnell
Movie · as Man in Office
The Devil-Doll
Movie · as Detective Pierre (uncredited)
Sworn Enemy
Movie · as Accident Witness (uncredited)
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
Movie · as Chemistry Professor
San Francisco
Movie · as Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
Mad Holiday
Movie · as Film Director (uncredited)
A Night at the Opera
Movie · as Dignitary (uncredited)
A Notorious Gentleman
Movie · as Police Sergeant
Mississippi
Movie · as Gambler (uncredited)
The Call of the Savage
Movie · as Dr. Pierce
Chinatown Squad
Movie · as Patrol Wagon Guard
3 Kids and a Queen
Movie · as Druggist
Sweepstake Annie
Movie · as Motion Picture Studio Executive (uncredited)
The Red Rider
Movie · as Townsman
Romance in the Rain
Movie · as Milton McGillicuddy
Beloved
Movie · as Second Doctor
Father Brown, Detective
Movie · as Priest (uncredited)
Cheating Cheaters
Movie · as Official (uncredited)
I Loved a Woman
Movie · as Banker (uncredited)
Girl of the Rio
Movie · as Maitre d'hotel, Purple Pigeon Cafe
The Big Flash
Movie · as Hinkle
Police Court
Movie · as Harry Field
Afraid to Talk
Movie · as Police Officer (uncredited)
What Price Hollywood?
Movie · as Department Head (uncredited)
The Death Kiss
Movie · as Al Payne
Sweepstakes
Movie · as Mike - Weber's Trainer
The Bad Sister
Movie · as Policeman on Street (uncredited)
Graft
Movie · as Ship's Captain
Once a Gentleman
Movie · as Van Warner
The Czar of Broadway
Movie
The Thrill Chaser
Movie · as Himself - Cameo
The Girl in the Taxi
Movie · as Maj. Frederick Smith
The Butterfly Girl
Movie · as H.H. Van Horn
The Cheater
Movie · as Lord Asgarby
Life's Twist
Movie · as Jim Sargent
The Forbidden Thing
Movie · as Dave
The Dwelling Place of Light
Movie · as Brooks Insall
The Shadow of Lightning Ridge
Movie
The Hawk's Trail
Movie · as Sheldon Steele/The Hawk
The Man Who Stayed at Home
Movie · as Christopher Brent
Mission of the War Chest
Movie · as Self
The Eagle's Eye
Movie · as Harrison Grant
Building for Democracy
Movie · as The Husband
Kildare of Storm
Movie · as Basil Kildare
The Silent Stranger
Movie · as The Silent Stranger
Half a Rogue
Movie · as Richard Warrington
The Man from Nowhere
Movie · as James Herron
The Marble Heart
Movie · as Raphael / Phidias
The Suburban
Movie · as Donald Gordon
Absinthe
Movie · as Jean Dumas
The Great Universal Mystery
Movie · as Himself
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Movie · as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
The Wanderer
Movie · as The Shepherd
Ivanhoe
Movie · as Wilfred of Ivanhoe
Shamus O'Brien
Movie · as Shamus O'Brien
A Cave Man Wooing
Movie · as George - the 'Sissy' Hero
Up Against It
Movie · as Amos Bentley
The Temptress
Movie · as Gilbert Irving
Sweet Memories
Movie · as Edward Jackson
The Mirror
Movie
The Scarlet Letter
Movie · as Reverend Dimmesdale
The Wife’s Awakening
Movie · as Enoch Harrington
The Master and the Man
Movie · as Basil King
For the Queen's Honor
Movie · as The King
In the Sultan's Garden
Movie · as Lt. Robbins
At a Quarter of Two
Movie · as Dan Nolan - the Burglar
Science
Movie · as Dr. Crawford
Pictureland
Movie · as Pablo
The Secret of the Palm
Movie · as Cecil Abbott
Tracked
Movie · as Roger Densmore
While There is hope, There is Life
Movie · as Alfred King
Second Sight
Movie · as Tom Mooreland
The Call of the Song
Movie · as Hugh Norton
The Fair Dentist
Movie · as Dental Patient
The Better Way
Movie · as Louis Perry - a Reformed Crook
The Rose's Story
Movie · as Gerald Kinney
Over the Hills
Movie · as Wayne Holland
At the Duke's Command
Movie · as Edward, the Duke's Nephew
A Game of Deception
Movie
The Call of the Circus
Movie
Debt
Movie
Jane and the Stranger
Movie · as The Stranger
The Count of Montebello
Movie · as Percy
A Game for Two
Movie · as Clark, the Best Friend
His Second Wife
Movie
Irony of Fate
Movie
The Eternal Triangle
Movie · as The Dashing Young Count
The Blind Man’s Tact
Movie
Bear Ye One Another’s Burdens
Movie · as George Rand
The Taming of Jane
Movie
The Maelstrom
Movie
The Miser’s Daughter
Movie
Old Heads and Young Hearts
Movie
The Right of Love
Movie
Once Upon a Time
Movie
Pressed Roses
Movie
A Reno Romance
Movie · as Jack
The New Shawl
Movie · as Jacques
Two Men
Movie · as The Tenderfoot
The Winning Punch
Movie
Transfusion
Movie
The Doctor's Perfidy
Movie
All the World’s a Stage
Movie
The Time-Lock Safe
Movie · as The Father
Justice in the Far North
Movie · as King
Mother Love
Movie
The Tide of Fortune
Movie
The Governor’s Pardon
Movie · as The Man
The Stage Note
Movie
The Rosary
Movie
The Broken Oath
Movie
The Double
Movie · as Robert King / Joseph Dansby
The Awakening of Bess
Movie · as Bess' Sweetheart
Love's Stratagem
Movie · as The Boy