William Herbert "Bert" Woodruff (April 29, 1856 – June 14, 1934) was an American actor of the
silent era
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...
.
Woodruff was born in
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria ...
, and was the son of Mrs. Hannah Woodruff. He performed on stage before he began acting on film, debuting in 1876 as part of the Woodruff and West song-and-dance act. His performances included blackface comedy and Irish specialties. In 1882, he became part of the Adelphi Theater stock company in Peoria, where he worked for seven years.
In 1898, Woodruff moved into management, opening a vaudeville theater in Peoria and managing it until 1904. From there he went to Redondo Beach, California, where he opened the city's first theater for films. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1916 and 1931.
Woodruff died of
nephritis
Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys and may involve the glomeruli, tubules, or interstitial tissue surrounding the glomeruli and tubules. It is one of several different types of nephropathy.
Types
* Glomerulonephritis is inflammation of th ...
in Hollywood, California, aged 78.
Selected filmography
* ''
Jim Bludso
''Jim Bludso'' is a 1917 American drama film directed by Tod Browning. It was Browning's first feature film as a director.
Contemporary sources are variable on the matter of whether the direction was a joint effort between Browning and the film ...
'' (1917)
* ''
A Love Sublime
''A Love Sublime'' (also known as Orpheus) is a 1917 American drama film directed by Tod Browning.
Cast
* Wilfred Lucas - Philip
* Carmel Myers - Toinette
* F. A. Turner - The Professor (as Fred A. Turner)
* Alice Wilson - The Sculptress (as Al ...
The Delicious Little Devil
''The Delicious Little Devil'' is a 1919 American silent comedy-drama film starring Mae Murray and Rudolph Valentino. A 35 mm print of the film is housed at the EYE Film Instituut Nederland,The Jailbird'' (1920)
* ''
For Those We Love
''For Those We Love'' is a 1921 American silent romantic drama film produced by and starring Betty Compson, and featuring Lon Chaney and Richard Rosson. Written and directed by Arthur Rosson, the film was based on a story by Perley Poore Sheeh ...
'' (1921)
* ''
The Grim Comedian
''The Grim Comedian'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Phoebe Hunt, Jack Holt, and Gloria Hope.Munden p. 316
Plot
As described in a film magazine, an automobile passenger tells an old man a tale, while ...
'' (1921)
* ''
See My Lawyer
''See My Lawyer'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Edmund Hartmann and Stanley Davis. It is based on the 1939 musical ''See My Lawyer'' by Richard Maibaum and Harry Clork. The film stars Ole Olsen, Chi ...
'' (1921)
* ''
Two Minutes to Go
''Two Minutes to Go'' is a 1921 American silent sport comedy-drama film directed by Charles Ray and written by Richard Andres. The film stars Charles Ray, Mary Anderson, Lionel Belmore, Lincoln Stedman, Truman Van Dyke, and Gus Leonard. The f ...
Making a Man
''Making a Man'' is a 1922 American silent drama film produced by Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky, distributed by Paramount Pictures, and directed by Joseph Henabery.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30'' by The Americ ...
The Silent Partner
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1923)
* ''
The Six-Fifty
''The Six-Fifty'' is a lost film, lost 1923 American silent drama film directed by Nat Ross starring Renée Adorée. Based upon the 1921 play of the same name, it was produced then released by Universal Pictures.
Cast
*Renée Adorée as Hester T ...
'' (1923)
* ''
A Noise in Newboro
''A Noise in Newboro'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Viola Dana, David Butler and Eva Novak.MacKinnon p.188
Cast
* Viola Dana as Martha Mason
* David Butler as Ben Colwell
* Eva Novak as An ...
'' (1923)
* ''
Children of Dust
''Children of Dust'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Johnnie Walker, Pauline Garon, and Lloyd Hughes.Munden p. 124.
Cast
* Johnnie Walker as Terwilliger
* Pauline Garon as Helen Raymond
* Lloyd Hu ...
'' (1923)
* ''
The Sea Hawk
''The Sea Hawk'' is a 1915 novel by Rafael Sabatini. The story is set over the years 1588–1593 and concerns a retired Cornish seafaring gentleman, Sir Oliver Tressilian, who is villainously betrayed by a jealous half-brother. After being ...
'' (1924)
* ''
The Siren of Seville
''The Siren of Seville'' is a 1924 American silent adventure film directed by Jerome Storm and Hunt Stromberg
Hunt Stromberg (July 12, 1894 – August 23, 1968) was a film producer during Hollywood's Golden Age. In a prolific 30-year career b ...
Paths to Paradise
''Paths to Paradise'' is a 1925 silent comedy directed by Clarence Badger, produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is based on a 1914 play, ''The Heart of a Thief'', by Paul Armstrong, and stars Raymond ...
'' (1925)
* ''
Some Pun'kins
''Some Pun'kins'' is a 1925 American silent comedy drama film directed by Jerome Storm and starring Charles Ray, Duane Thompson, and George Fawcett. It is also known by the alternative title of ''The Farmer's Boy''.
Plot
As described in a re ...
Driftin' Thru
''Driftin' Thru'' is a 1926 American silent Western film starring Harry Carey.
Cast
* Harry Carey as Daniel Brown
* Stanton Heck as Bull Dunn
* Ruth King as Stella Dunn
* G. Raymond Nye as Joe Walters
* Joseph W. Girard as Sheriff (as Jos ...
'' (1926)
* ''
The Barrier
The Barrier is a lava dam retaining the Garibaldi Lake system in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is over thick and about long where it impounds the lake.
The area below and adjacent to The Barrier is considered hazardous due to the u ...
'' (1926)
* ''
The Fire Brigade
''The Fire Brigade'' (also known as ''Fire!'') is 1926 American silent drama film directed by William Nigh. The film stars May McAvoy and Charles Ray. ''The Fire Brigade'' originally contained sequences shot in two-color Technicolor. A print ...
'' (1926)
* ''
Eyes of the Totem
''Eyes of The Totem'' is a 1927 silent film directed by W.S. Van Dyke. It was one of three films produced by H.C. Weaver Studios in Tacoma, Washington between 1924-1928. Long considered lost, ''Eyes of the Totem'' is the only known survivin ...
'' (1927)
* ''
The Life of Riley
''The Life of Riley'' is an American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book.
Radio
The radio program initially aired on the Blue Network (later kn ...
'' (1927)
* ''
Spring Fever
Spring fever is any of a number of mood, physical, or behavioral changes which may be experienced coinciding with the onset of spring, particularly restlessness, laziness, and amorousness.
Overview
The term ''spring fever'' may refer to an increa ...
'' (1927)
* ''
Lure of the Night Club
''Lure of the Night Club'' is a 1927 American silent film, silent romance film , romantic-drama film, drama directed by Tom Buckingham and starring Viola Dana, Robert Ellis (actor, born 1892), Robert Ellis and Jack Dougherty (actor), Jack Dougher ...
'' (1927)
* ''
The Romantic Age
''The Romantic Age'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by Edmond T. Gréville. The screenplay by Peggy Barwell and Edward Dryhurst is based on the French novel ''Lycee des jeunes filles'' by Serge Véber. The film was retitled ''Naughty A ...
'' (1927)
* ''
Speedy
Speedy refers to something or someone moving at high speed.
Speedy may refer to:
Ships
* HMS ''Speedy'', nine ships of the Royal Navy
* ''Speedy''-class brig, a class of naval ship
* ''Speedy'' (1779), a whaler and convict ship despatched i ...
'' (1928)
* ''
Marked Money
''Marked Money'' is a 1928 American silent action film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring Tom Keene, Tom Kennedy and Virginia Bradford.Munden p.493
The film's sets were designed by the art director Edward C. Jewell.
Cast
* Fran ...
'' (1928)
* ''
The Shopworn Angel
''The Shopworn Angel'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by H. C. Potter and starring James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, and Walter Pidgeon. The MGM release featured the second screen pairing of Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart followi ...
A Song of Kentucky
''A Song of Kentucky'' is a 1929 American lost Pre-Code romantic drama film produced and distributed by the Fox Film Corporation. It is an early sound film with full dialogue. It was directed by Lewis Seiler, and stars Lois Moran and Dorothy Bu ...
'' (1929)
* ''
Laughing Sinners
''Laughing Sinners'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in a story about a cafe entertainer who experiences spiritual redemption. The dialogue by Martin Flavin was based upon the p ...