William Jonathan Humphrey (January 2, 1875 – October 4, 1942) was an American

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and film director. Born in

Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts Chicopee ( ) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 55,560, making it the second-largest city in Western Massachusetts after Springfield. ...

, William Humphrey was a well-known member of the early stock company of

Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...

. Without the romantic looks to become a real star, he nevertheless played leads in

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

and other important studio productions of the day. He also directed or co-directed eighty films between 1911 and 1927, including comedian Mabel Normand in the 1918 propaganda drama entitled ''

Joan of Plattsburg ''Joan of Plattsburg'' is a 1918 American propaganda comedy-drama film co-directed by William Humphrey and George Loane Tucker, written by Tucker from a story by Porter Emerson Browne, photographed by Oliver T. Marsh, released by the Goldwyn Pict ...

''. In the late silent era, Humphrey, with other original Vitagraph actors such as Florence Turner, Maurice Costello, and

Flora Finch Flora Finch (17 June 1867 – 4 January 1940) was an English-born vaudevillian, stage and film actress who starred in over 300 silent films, including over 200 for the Vitagraph Studios film company. The vast majority of her films from the sil ...

, was kept on the

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

payroll for expert playing of character roles. For MGM, he had roles in ''

One Night in Rome ''One Night in Rome'' is a 1924 American silent drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qua ...

'' (1924) starring Laurette Taylor and ''

The Actress ''The Actress'' is a 1953 American comedy-drama film based on Ruth Gordon's autobiographical play ''Years Ago''. Gordon herself wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by George Cukor and stars Jean Simmons, Spencer Tracy, and Teresa Wrigh ...

'' (1928) starring

Norma Shearer Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O'N ...

. He acted in 138 films altogether and continued until 1937. On October 4, 1942, Humphrey died of a coronary thrombosis in Hollywood, California.

Selected filmography

*''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' (1910)*short *'' The Military Air-Scout'' (1911)*short *'' Hearts of the First Empire'' (1913)*short * ''

The Man That Might Have Been ''The Man That Might Have Been'' is a 1914 American short drama silent black and white film directed by William J. Humphrey. It is produced by Vitagraph Company of America. Cast * William J. Humphrey as William Rudd * Leah Baird as Mrs. Wi ...

'' (1914) as William Rudd *''

The Unchastened Woman ''The Unchastened Woman'' is a 1925 American silent drama film starring vamp Theda Bara, directed by James Young, the former husband of Clara Kimball Young, and released by start-up studio Chadwick Pictures. The film is based on a 1915 Broadwa ...

'' (1918) *'' The Way of a Woman'' (1919) * ''

Atonement Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Black Spider ''The Black Spider'' is a novella by the Swiss writer Jeremias Gotthelf written in 1842. Set in an idyllic frame story, old legends are worked into a Christian-humanist allegory about ideas of good and evil. Though the novel is initially divide ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Strangers' Banquet ''The Strangers' Banquet'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Marshall Neilan and starring Hobart Bosworth, Claire Windsor, and Rockliffe Fellowes.Connelly p. 272 It is based on the 1919 novel of the same title by Brian Oswald Donn- ...

'' (1922) *'' The Social Code'' (1923) *''

The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln ''The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln'' is a 1924 American feature film directed by Phil Rosen and written by Frances Marion. By the date of release, the film's title was shortened to ''Abraham Lincoln'', since the previous title was regarded ...

'' (1924) as

Stephen A. Douglas Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. A senator, he was one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party for president in the 1860 presidential election, which wa ...

*'' Arizona Express'' (1924) *'' Beau Brummel'' (1924) *''

The Unholy Three The Unholy Three can refer to the following: * ''The Unholy Three'', a 1917 novel by Tod Robbins * ''The Unholy Three'' (1925 film), directed by Tod Browning * ''The Unholy Three'' (1930 film), a remake of the 1925 film directed by Jack Conway * ...

'' (1925) *''

Drusilla with a Million ''Drusilla with a Million'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by F. Harmon Weight and written by Lois Zellner. It is based on the 1916 novel ''Drusilla With a Million'' by Elizabeth Cooper. The film stars Mary Carr, Priscilla Bonne ...

'' (1925) * ''

Life's Crossroads ''Life's Crossroads'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Edgar Lewis and starring Gladys Hulette, Mahlon Hamilton and William Conklin.Munden p.432 It is also known by the alternative title of ''The Silken Lady''. A man and a woman ...

'' (1928) *''

Devil-May-Care Devil May Care may refer to: Music * ''Devil May Care'', an album by Bob Dorough, 1956 ** "Devil May Care", the title song, covered by Jamie Cullum on '' Pointless Nostalgic'', 2002 * ''Devil May Care'' (album), by Teri Thornton, 1961 * ''Devil M ...

'' (1929) *'' Murder at Midnight'' (1931) *''

Find the Witness ''Find the Witness'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by David Selman and starring Charles Quigley, Henry Mollison and Rosalind Keith.Langman & Finn p.86 Cast * Charles Quigley as Larry McGill * Henry Mollison as Rudolph Mordini * Rosa ...

'' (1937)

References

External links

* * 1875 births 1942 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors People from Chicopee, Massachusetts Male actors from Massachusetts 20th-century American male actors Articles containing video clips Film directors from Massachusetts American male stage actors {{US-film-director-1870s-stub