Willard Robertson
Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Willard Robertson (January 1, 1886 – April 5, 1948) was an American actor and writer. He appeared in 147 films between 1924 and 1948. He was born in Runnels, Texas and died in Hollywood, California. Willard Robertson first worked as a lawyer in Texas, but he left his profession for a sudden interest in acting. He appeared on Broadway in 16 plays between 1907 and 1930. Robertson played supporting roles in many Hollywood films from 1930 until the year he died, typically portraying men of authority such as doctors, elected officials, military officers, and also lawyers. He played Jackie Cooper's stern but loving father in the oscar-winning drama Skippy (1931) and its sequel Sooky (1931). Robertson also portrayed a flamboyant lawyer in Remember the Night (1940) and the straight sheriff in The Ox-Bow Incident (1943). Willard Robertson was also a notable writer of numerous plays, two of them were adapted into films. He also wrote the novel Moon Tide (1940) which was turned into Archie Mayo's drama thriller Moontide (1942) starring Jean Gabin and Ida Lupino.
Born: December 31, 1885
Place of Birth: Runnels, Texas, USA
Known For
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
A World War I veteran’s dreams of becoming a master architect evaporate in the cold light of economic realities. Things get even worse when he’s falsely convicted of a crime and sent to work on a chain gang.
The Ox-Bow Incident
A posse discovers a trio of men they suspect of murder and cow theft and are split between handing them over to the law or lynching them on the spot.
Silence
A gray-haired convict, within the shadows of the gallows, tells his story to the prison chaplain beginning twenty years earlier when he was sent to prison for a crime he did not commit.
Oil for the Lamps of China
An American oil company representative risks sacrificing his marriage for his career in the rural lands of China.
This Is My Affair
President McKinley asks Lt. Richard L. Perry to go underground to identify some obviously very well briefed Mid-Western bank robbers based in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Remember the Night
Unexpected love blossoms when an assistant district attorney agrees to take a recidivist shoplifter home so she doesn't have to spend Christmas alone in jail.
Housewife
Nan Reynolds encourages her copywriter husband Bill to open his own agency. Nearly out of business, he finally gets a client. Former girlfriend Patricia Berkeley writes a very successful commercial for the client and neats up their old romance. Wife and girlfriend struggle over Bill.
Sitting Pretty
Tacey and Harry King are a suburban couple with three sons and a serious need of a babysitter. Tacey puts an ad in the paper for a live-in babysitter, and the ad is answered by Lynn Belvedere. But when she arrives, she turns out to be a man. And not just any man, but a most eccentric, outrageously forthright genius with seemingly a million careers and experiences behind him.
Tugboat Annie
Tugboat, the Narcissus, is owned and captained by Annie Brennan, and among her crew are her alcoholic but good-natured husband, Terry, and her conscientious son, Alec. Annie continually loses business because of Terry's drunken mistakes. Alec wants to quit school to work on the tug full time, but Annie will not sacrifice her son's education. A grown Alec has followed in his mother's footsteps and becomes a mariner, but a more upscale one as the captain of a luxury liner. Alec returns home with his fiancée, Pat - the boss' daughter - with a grand plan to save Annie from the life that drunkard Terry has provided her. But ultimately, it's Annie and Terry that need to be Alec's savior, and by their move show him the meaning of true commitment.
Have a Heart
Sally (Jean Parker) is engaged to be married, loves dancing and kids. But her life is ruined when an accident cripples her and her betrothed magnanimously offers to not back out of the marriage. After rejecting his offer she starts a doll shop and tries to save for an operation. From her doll shop window she watches children and talks to Jimmie (James Dunn) the ice cream man. She wants to know Jimmie better, but is terrified of rejection.
Filmography
as Gen. Leads
as Mr. Ashcroft
as Sheriff Akers
as Prison Warden
as Zachary Montgomery
as Nathan Brockway
as Graeme
as Dr. Hunt
as Luke Packard
as Capt. Brooks
as 'Mac' McNamara
as Construction Company President (uncredited)
as Colonel at Hickam Field
as Sheriff Risley
as Mister Just
as Inspector Donegan
as Rancher Wilson
as Tim MacGregor
as Judge Advocate
as Lieutenant Strickland
as Supt. Harrington
as Heber Kimball
as Judge McQuade
as Ragan
as Uncle John
as Francis X. O'Leary
as John Ralston
as Clayton
as Buck Collins
as Lang
as Henchman Nebraska
as Oakes Ames
as Clarke
as Bob Slocum
as Charles Gilbert
as Col. Hadley
as Dayton
as Inspector Sullivan
as Walter Rhodes
as Dr. Enfield
as Mr. Franklin
as Harrigan
as George Andrews
as Matt Peasely
as Ben Morton
as Man
as Inspector 'Mac' McDonald
as Immigration Officer (uncredited)
as Walter Davies
as Policeman in the Square
as Logan
as Secretary Ingham
as Captain Winthrop
as Guy Pollock
as Dr. Clarke
as Reverend McLane
as Bill MacKeechie
as Martin Byrd
as Uncle Jed
as J.J. Trent
as Dan Hastings
as Inspector Harris
as Speaker
as District Attorney
as Mr. John Stanton
as Ed Goring
as Grigsby, the Process Server
as Representative Grosvenor
as Thomas
as Ranch Foreman
as Cato
as Mr. Schauber
as Judge Edwin A. Matthews
as Executive Officer
as Hanks
as Police Captain
as Captain Channing
as Dr. Preston
as Wells Deveroux
as Police Captain Reynolds
as Hardwick
as Morrison
as District Attorney
as Everett Marshall
as Bill 'Billy' Fallen
as George Marshall
as Detective Conroy
as Dr. Morgan
as Warren Finley Cooper
as Department Head (Uncredited)
as Kennel Caretaker
as Captain of Detectives
as Red Severn
as Harry Hallam
as Prison Warden
as Havana Airport Manager
as Joe Shano
as Police Capt. Tom
as Pete Springer
as Fred - Glidden Associate (uncredited)
as Prison Board Chairman
as Red Pete
as Detective MacKenzie
as Bit Role
as Police Sgt. Alcock
as Detective O'Halloran
as Capt. White
as Millard Keefe
as Bill Joyce
as Sheriff
as Sylvester Cross
as Pop Henley
as Capt. E.J. Hawkes
as Major Lawrence Blount
as Herbert Skinner
as Enos Hankins
as E. T. Scudder
as Newman
as Phil Powers
as Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
as Herbert Skinner
as Tex Calder
as Texas Ranger Captain
as Prof. Woodbury