William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American

silent film 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, when ...

actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integrity." During the late 1910s and early 1920s, he was one of the most consistently popular movie stars, frequently ranking high among male actors in popularity contests held by movie

fan magazine A fan magazine is a commercially written and published magazine intended for the amusement of fans of the popular culture subject matter which it covers. It is distinguished from a scholarly, literary or trade magazine on the one hand, by the targ ...

Early life

Hart was born in Newburgh, New York, to Nicholas Hart ( 1834–1895) and Rosanna Hart ( 1839–1909). William had two brothers, who died very young, and four sisters. His father was born in England, and his mother was born in Ireland. He was a distant cousin of the western star

Neal Hart Neal Hart (April 7, 1879 – April 2, 1949) was an American actor and director of the silent era. Biography Hart was born in Staten Island, New York. Before he began working in films, he was a city marshal, cowboy, and stage driver. He wo ...

. He began his acting career on stage in his 20s, with his 1888 debut performance as a member of a company headed by

Daniel E. Bandmann Daniel E. Bandmann (November 1, 1837 – November 23, 1905) was an internationally known German-American Shakespearean actor who after retiring from the stage became a noted Montana rancher. In 1885 Bandmann published ''An Actor's Tour: or, Sevent ...

. The following year he joined

Lawrence Barrett Lawrence Barrett (April 4, 1838 – March 20, 1891) was an American stage actor. Biography A native of Paterson, New Jersey, Barrett was born in 1838 to Mary Agnes (née Read) Barrett and tailor Thomas Barrett, Irish immigrants who had settle ...

's company in New York and later spent several seasons with Mlle. Hortense Rhéa's traveling company. He toured and traveled extensively while trying to make a name for himself as an actor, and for a time directed shows at the Asheville Opera House in North Carolina, around the year 1900. He had some success as a

Shakespearean 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 nation ...

actor on Broadway, working with

Margaret Mather Margaret Mather (1859–1898) was a Canadian actress. Biography She was born in poverty in Tilbury, Ontario, as Margaret Finlayson, daughter of John Finlayson, a farmer and mechanic, and Ann Mather. She was one of the most famous Shakespearean ac ...

and other stars; he appeared in the original 1899 stage production of ''

Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to: Fiction *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace ** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899 ** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...

.'' His family had moved to Asheville but, after his youngest sister Lotta died of typhoid fever in 1901, they all left together for

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

until William went back on tour.

Film career

Hart went on to become one of the first great stars of the motion picture Western. Fascinated by the Old West, he acquired Billy the Kid's "six shooters" and was a friend of legendary lawmen

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp took part in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which law ...

and Bat Masterson. He entered films in 1914, and after playing supporting roles in two short films, he achieved stardom the same year as the lead in the feature '' The Bargain''. Hart was particularly interested in making realistic Western films. His films are noted for their authentic costumes and

props A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

, as well as Hart's acting ability, honed on Shakespearean theater stages in the United States and England. Beginning in 1915, Hart starred in his own series of two-reel Western short subjects for producer

Thomas Ince Thomas Harper Ince (November 16, 1880 – November 19, 1924) was an American silent film - era filmmaker and media proprietor. Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and was responsible for making over 800 films. He revolutionized the mot ...

, which were so popular that they were supplanted by a series of feature films. Many of Hart's early films continued to play in theaters, under new titles, for another decade. In 1915 and 1916 exhibitors voted him the biggest money making star in the United States. In 1917 Hart accepted a lucrative offer from

Adolph Zukor Adolph Zukor (; hu, Zukor Adolf; January 7, 1873 – June 10, 1976) was a Hungarian-American film producer best known as one of the three founders of Paramount Pictures.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'' (June 16, 1976), p. 76. He produ ...

to join

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and t ...

, which merged into

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. In the films Hart began to ride a brown and white

pinto Pinto is a Portuguese language, Portuguese, Spanish language, Spanish, Sephardi Jews, Jewish (Sephardic), and Italian language, Italian surname. It is a high-frequency surname in all List of countries and territories where Portuguese is an officia ...

he called ''Fritz''. Fritz was the forerunner of later famous movie horses known by their own name, e.g., horses like Tom Mix's ''Tony'', Roy Rogers's ''

Trigger Trigger may refer to: Notable animals and people ;Mononym * Trigger (horse), owned by cowboy star Roy Rogers ;Nickname * Trigger Alpert (1916–2013), American jazz bassist * "Trigger Mike" Coppola (1900–1966), American gangster ;Surname * Bru ...

'' and Clayton Moore's ''

Silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

''. In 1917, to signify "his patriotism and loyalty to Uncle Sam" it was announced to "change the name of his favorite horse from Fritz to one more truly American." He also volunteered from 1917 to 1918 with the Four Minute Men program to give short pro-war speeches across the country. Hart was now making feature films exclusively, and films like ''Square Deal Sanderson'' and ''The Toll Gate'' were popular with fans. In 1919 Hart's ''

John Petticoats ''John Petticoats'' is a 1919 American silent action film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars William S. Hart, Walt Whitman, George Webb, Winifred Westover, Ethel Shannon, and Andrew Arbuckle. The film ...

'' costar was a young actress named Winifred Westover. The film was made in New Orleans, and was a departure from Hart's usual roles, as he played a lumberman who was informed he'd inherited a shop selling ladies clothing. Motion Picture, June 1917

In 1921, Hollywood comic actor

Roscoe Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked ...

was charged with rape and manslaughter in the death of aspiring actress Virginia Rappe. Amid the controversy, many of Arbuckle's fellow actors declined public comment on the case. However, Hart, who had never worked with Arbuckle or even met him, made a number of damaging public statements in which he presumed the actor's guilt. Arbuckle, who was eventually acquitted but saw his career ruined, later wrote a premise for a film parodying Hart as a thief, bully and wife beater, and it was bought by

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

. The following year, Keaton co-wrote, directed and starred in the 1922 comedy film '' The Frozen North''. As a result, Hart refused to speak to Keaton for many years. By the early 1920s, Hart's brand of gritty, rugged Westerns with drab costumes and moralistic themes gradually fell out of fashion. The public became attracted by a new kind of movie cowboy, epitomized by Tom Mix, who wore flashier costumes and was involved in more action scenes. Paramount dropped Hart, who then made one last bid for his kind of Western. He produced ''

Tumbleweeds A tumbleweed is a kind of plant habit or structure. Tumbleweed, tumble-weed or tumble weed may also refer to: Films * ''Tumbleweeds'' (1925 film), William S. Hart film * ''Tumbling Tumbleweeds'' (1935 film), Gene Autry film * ''Tumbleweed'' (1 ...

'' (1925) with his own money, arranging to release it independently through

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the studi ...

. The film turned out well, with an epic land-rush sequence, but did only fair business at the box office. Hart was angered by United Artists' failure to promote his film properly and sued the studio. The legal proceedings dragged on for years, and the courts finally ruled in Hart's favor, in 1940. After ''Tumbleweeds'', Hart retired to his Newhall, California, ranch home, "La Loma de los Vientos", which was designed by architect Arthur R. Kelly. In 1939 he appeared in his only sound film, a spoken prologue for a reissue of ''Tumbleweeds''. In this segment, filmed at his ranch, the 74-year-old Hart reflected on the Old West and fondly recalled his silent movie heyday. The speech turned out to be his farewell to the screen. Most prints and video versions of ''Tumbleweeds'' circulating today include the speech.

Personal life

Hart was always close to his sister Mary, and when he moved to California she came with him. In his autobiography ''My Life East and West'', he called Mary “my constant advisor,” and stated that she took care of his fan mail. Mary is listed as cowriter for two of his published books, ''Pinto Ben and Other Stories'' (1919), and ''And All Points West'' (1940). John Petticoats (1919) - 1

When Winifred Westover, Hart's ''

'' costar, was working in New York City Hart came to see her, and escorted her to dinner and shows. She was about to sign a five-year film contract with Lewis J. Selznick when Hart sent her a telegram, telling her not to sign anything until she'd received a letter he was mailing to her. The letter contained a marriage proposal. She telegraphed her acceptance.Davis, Ronald L., ''William S. Hart'', pages 166-171, University of Oklahoma Press, 2003 On December 7, 1921, Hart married Westover in Los Angeles. She was 22-years-old, and Hart was 57. The only guests were the bride's mother, Hart's sister Mary, and his attorney. On the day of her wedding Westover signed an agreement to retire from acting.Hart’s Divorced Wife Returns to the Screen
/ref> Westover moved into the house shared by Hart and his sister, Mary. Six months into the marriage Hart told his pregnant wife to leave his home, and she went to live with her mother in Santa Monica. During the divorce hearing Westover testified that Hart's sister was the reason for the separation, and that her husband had insisted on keeping open the door that separated their bedroom from his sister's room. The couple's son, William S. Hart, Jr., was born on September 22, 1922. On February 11, 1927, Westover was granted a divorce in Reno, Nevada. She received $100,000, with the understanding she would not return to acting or have her photograph published. A trust fund of $100,000 was established for William S. Hart, Jr., to be used for his support and education. Hart's son lived with his mother, and spent little time with his father, but when Hart's sister Mary died in 1943 it was reported that the "tall, erect cowboy" entered the funeral service "leaning on the arm of his son, William S. Hart, Jr."

Death

Hart died on June 23, 1946 in Newhall, California at the age of 81. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. His Last Will and Testment stated: "I have made no provision in this will for my son for the reason that I have amply provided for him during my lifetime."

Dedications

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, William S. Hart has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

at 6363 Hollywood Blvd. In 1975, he was inducted into the

Western Performers Hall of Fame The Hall of Great Western Performers is a Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and sometimes referred to as the "Western Performers Hall of Fame". It is a presentation that explo ...

at the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 American West, Western and Native Americans in the United States, American Indian art works and Artifact (archaeology), ar ...

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

. As part of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California, Hart's former home and 260-acre (1.1 km²) ranch in Newhall is now William S. Hart Park. The

William S. Hart High School District The William S. Hart Union High School District (commonly referred to simply as the Hart District) is a school district in the Santa Clarita Valley of Los Angeles County, California. It serves all of the valley's high school students (grades 9– ...

as well as William S. Hart Senior High School, both located in the Santa Clarita Valley in the northern part of Los Angeles County, were named in his honor. A Santa Clarita baseball field complex is named in his honor. The "Range Rider of the Yellowstone," a statue commissioned by Hart and modeled from life, stands on the Rimrocks in front of the airport at Billings, Montana. Hart donated it to the city in 1927, where it remains a memorial to his memory

On November 10, 1962, Hart was honored posthumously in an episode of '' The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show'', a short-lived western variety program on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

Published books

Bill Hart - The Photo-Play Journal, June 1916

After Hart retired from film making he began writing short stories and book-length manuscripts. His published books are: * ''Pinto Ben and Other Stories'' (written with Mary Hart), 1919, Britton Publishing Company * ''The Golden West Boys, Injun and Whitey'', 1920, Grosset & Dunlap * ''Injun and Whitey Strike Out for Themselves'', 1921, Grosset & Dunlap * ''Injun and Whitey to the Rescue'', 1922, Grosset & Dunlap * ''Told Under a White Oak Tree'' (credited as by "Bill Hart's Pinto Pony"), 1922, Houghton Mifflin Co. * ''A Lighter of Flames'', 1923, Thomas Y. Crowell * ''The Order of Chanta Sutas'', 1925, unknown publisher * ''My Life East and West'', 1929, Houghton Mifflin Co. * ''Hoofbeats'', 1933, Dial Press * ''Law on Horseback and Other Stories'', 1935, self-published * ''And All Points West'' (written with Mary Hart), 1940, Lacotah Press

Selected filmography

* ''His Hour of Manhood'' (1914, Short) - Pete Larson * ''Jim Cameron's Wife'' (1914, Short) - Andy Stiles * '' The Bargain'' (1914) - Jim Stokes * ''Two-Gun Hicks'' (1914, Short) - Two-Gun Hicks * ''In the Sage Brush Country'' (1914, Short) - Jim Brandon * ''The Bad Buck of Santa Ynez'' (1914, extant; Library of Congress) * ''The Gringo'' (1914, *unconfirmed) * '' The Scourge of the Desert'' (1915, Short) - Bill Evers * ''Mr. 'Silent' Haskins'' (1915, Short) - Lon Haskins * ''The Grudge'' (1915, Short) - Rio Ed * ''The Sheriff's Streak of Yellow'' (1915, Short) - Sheriff Hale * ''The Roughneck'' (1915, Short, ?; Library of Congress) - Dave Page * ''

On the Night Stage ''On the Night Stage'' is a 1915 American silent Western film directed by Reginald Barker and starring William S. Hart and Rhea Mitchell. The film is based upon a story by C. Gardner Sullivan with the scenario written by Thomas H. Ince. A c ...

'' (1915) - Texas * ''The Taking of Luke McVane'' (1915, Short) - Luke McVane * ''The Man from Nowhere'' (1915, Short) - Buck Varley - the Man from Nowhere * Bad Buck' of Santa Ynez'' (1915, Short, extant; Library of Congress) - Bad Buck Peters * ''The Darkening Trail'' (1915) - Yukon Ed * ''The Conversion of Frosty Blake'' (1915, Short) - Frosty Blake * ''Tools of Providence'' (1915, Short) - Steve Blake * ''The Ruse'' (1915, Short, extant; Library of Congress) - 'Bat' Peters * ''Cash Parrish's Pal'' (1915, Short) - Cash Parrish * '' Knight of the Trail'' (1915, Short) - Jim Treen * '' Pinto Ben'' (1915, Short) - Pinto Ben - Boss Rider * ''Keno Bates, Liar'' (1915, Short) - Keno Bates * ''The Disciple'' (1915) - Jim Houston * ''Between Men'' (1915, extant; Library of Congress) - Bob White * ''Grit'' (1915, Short) * ''

Hell's Hinges ''Hell's Hinges'' is a 1916 American silent Western film starring William S. Hart and Clara Williams. Directed by Charles Swickard, William S. Hart and Clifford Smith, and produced by Thomas H. Ince, the screenplay was written by C. Gardne ...

'' (1916, extant; Library of Congress) - Blaze Tracy * ''

The Aryan ''The Aryan'' is a 1916 American silent Western film starring William S. Hart, Gertrude Claire, Charles K. French, Louise Glaum, and Bessie Love. Directed by William S. Hart and produced by Thomas H. Ince, the screenplay was written by C. ...

'' (1916, extant; Library of Congress) - Steve Denton * ''

The Primal Lure ''The Primal Lure'' is a mostly lost 1916 silent film western directed by and starring William S. Hart. Footage surfaced in 2023 on YouTube. Cast * William S. Hart as Angus McConnell * Margery Wilson as Lois Le Moyne * Robert McKim as Richard ...

'' (1916) - Angus McConnell * ''

The Apostle of Vengeance ''The Apostle of Vengeance'' is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Clifford Smith and starring William S. Hart, Nona Thomas, and John Gilbert. A Kentucky-born preacher returns home from Vermont in order to settle a feud between two w ...

'' (1916) - David Hudson * ''The Captive God'' (1916) - Chiapa * ''The Patriot'' (1916) - Bob Wiley * ''

The Dawn Maker ''The Dawn Maker'' is a lost 1916 silent film western directed by and starring William S. Hart and produced by Thomas H. Ince. Triangle Pictures distributed. Cast * William S. Hart William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) wa ...

'' (1916) - Joe Elk * ''

The Return of Draw Egan ''The Return of Draw Egan'' is a 1916 American silent Western film starring William S. Hart, Louise Glaum, Margery Wilson, Robert McKim, and J.P. Lockney. Directed by William S. Hart and produced by Thomas H. Ince for Kay-Bee Pictures and th ...

'' (1916, extant;DVD) - Draw Egan aka William Blake * ''

The Devil's Double ''The Devil's Double'' is a 2011 English-language Belgian–Dutch film directed by Lee Tamahori, written by Michael Thomas, and starring Dominic Cooper in the dual role of Uday Hussein and Latif Yahia. It was released on 22 January 2011 at the 201 ...

'' (1916) - 'Bowie' Blake * '' Truthful Tulliver'' (1917) - Truthful Tulliver * ''

The Gunfighter ''The Gunfighter'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Henry King and starring Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell and Karl Malden. It was written by screenwriters William Bowers and William Sellers, with an uncredited rewr ...

'' (1917) - Cliff Hudspeth * '' The Desert Man'' (1917) - Jim Alton * ''The Square Deal Man'' (1917) - Jack O'Diamonds * '' Wolf Lowry'' (1917) - Tom 'Wolf' Lowery * '' The Cold Deck'' (1917) - Jefferson 'On-the-Level' Leigh * ''All Star Liberty Loan Drive Special for War Effort'' (1917) * '' The Silent Man'' (1917) - 'Silent' Budd Marr * ''

The Narrow Trail ''The Narrow Trail'' is a 1917 American silent Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and William S. Hart and written by William S. Hart and Harvey F. Thew. The film stars William S. Hart, Sylvia Breamer, Milton Ross, and Bob Kortman. The fi ...

'' (1917) - Ice Harding * ''

Wolves of the Rail ''Wolves of the Rail'' is a 1918 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film produced, directed by, and starring William S. Hart. Thomas H. Ince assisted Hart in supervising the production. Plot As described in a film magazine, " ...

'' (1918) - 'Buck' Andrade * ''

'Blue Blazes' Rawden ''Blue Blazes' Rawden'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by William S. Hart and written by J.G. Hawks. The film stars William S. Hart, Maude George, Robert McKim, Gertrude Claire, Robert Gordon, and Jack Hoxie. The film was releas ...

'' (1918) - Blue Blazes Rawden * ''

The Tiger Man ''The Tiger Man'' is a 1918 American Western silent film directed by William S. Hart, written by J.G. Hawks, and starring William S. Hart, Jane Novak, Milton Ross, Robert Lawrence, Charles K. French, and J. P. Lockney. It was released on April ...

'' (1918) - Hawk Parsons * ''

Selfish Yates ''Selfish Yates'' is a 1918 American silent Western film starring William S. Hart. It was directed by and co-produced by Hart along with Thomas H. Ince. Paramount Pictures handled distribution. This is a surviving Hart western at the Museum of ...

'' (1918) - 'Selfish' Yates * ''

Shark Monroe ''Shark Monroe'' is a 1918 American silent adventure film directed by William S. Hart and written by C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars William S. Hart, Katherine MacDonald, Joseph Singleton, George A. McDaniel, and Bert Sprotte. The film was re ...

'' (1918) - Shark Monroe * ''

Riddle Gawne A riddle is a statement, question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. Riddles are of two types: ''enigmas'', which are problems generally expressed in metaphorical or allegorical language that requir ...

'' (1918) - Jefferson 'Riddle' Gawne * ''

The Border Wireless ''The Border Wireless'' is a lost 1918 American silent Western film produced and directed by William S. Hart and distributed by Artcraft Pictures, an affiliate of Famous Players-Lasky and Paramount Pictures. Hart stars in the film along with Wan ...

'' (1918) - Steve Ransom * '' Branding Broadway'' (1918) - Robert Sands * ''The Lion of the Hills'' (1918) * ''Staking His Life'' (1918) - Bud Randall * ''

Breed of Men ''Breed of Men'' is a 1919 American Western (genre), Western silent film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by J.G. Hawks. The film stars William S. Hart, Seena Owen, Bert Sprotte and Buster Irving. The film was released on February 2, 1919 ...

'' (1919) - Careless Carmody * ''

The Poppy Girl's Husband ''The Poppy Girl's Husband'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by William S. Hart and Lambert Hillyer and written by Jules Boyle and C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars William S. Hart, Juanita Hansen, Walter Long, Fred Starr, Davi ...

'' (1919) - Hairpin Harry Dutton * '' The Money Corral'' (1919) - Lem Beason * '' Square Deal Sanderson'' (1919) - Square Deal Sanderson * ''

Wagon Tracks ''Wagon Tracks'' is a 1919 American silent Western film written by C. Gardner Sullivan, produced by Thomas H. Ince and William S. Hart, and directed by Lambert Hillyer. Upon its release, the ''Los Angeles Times'' described it as Hollywood's g ...

'' (1919, extant; Library of Congress) - Buckskin Hamilton * ''

'' (1919, extant; Library of Congress) - 'Hardwood' John Haynes * ''

The Toll Gate ''The Toll Gate'' is a 1920 American silent Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer, written by Lambert Hillyer and William S. Hart, and starring William S. Hart, Anna Q. Nilsson, Joseph Singleton, Jack Richardson, and Richard Headrick. It wa ...

'' (1920, extant; Library of Congress) - Black Deering * ''

Sand! ''Sand!'' is a 1920 American silent Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Lambert Hillyer based upon the Russell A. Boggs short story "Dan Kurrie’s Inning."

'' (1920, extant, DVD) - Dan Kurrie * ''

The Cradle of Courage ''The Cradle of Courage'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Frederick Bradbury and Lambert Hillyer. The film stars William S. Hart, Ann Little, Tom Santschi, Gertrude Claire, Frank Thorwald, and Ge ...

'' (1920) - 'Square' Kelly * ''

The Testing Block ''The Testing Block'' is a 1920 American silent Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring William S. Hart, Eva Novak, J. Gordon Russell, Florence Carpenter, Richard Headrick, and Ira McFadden. It was written by Lambert Hillyer an ...

'' (1920) - 'Sierra' Bill * '' O'Malley of the Mounted'' (1921) - Sergeant O'Malley * ''

The Whistle A whistle is a single-note woodwind instrument, in the percussion section of the orchestra, and with many other applications in sport and other fields. Whistle may also refer to: Music * Whistle (band), a 1980s hip-hop band Songs * "Whistle" ...

'' (1921, extant; Library of Congress) - Robert Evans * '' Three Word Brand'' (1921) - Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego * '' White Oak'' (1921, extant; Library of Congress) - Oak Miller - A Gambling Man * '' Travelin' On'' (1922, extant; Library of Congress) - J.B., The Stranger * ''Hollywood'' (1923) - Himself * '' Wild Bill Hickok'' (1923) - Wild Bill Hickok * ''

Singer Jim McKee ''Singer Jim McKee'' is a 1924 American silent Western film directed by Clifford Smith and written by William S. Hart and J.G. Hawks. Starring William S. Hart, Phyllis Haver, J. Gordon Russell, Bert Sprotte, Patsy Ruth Miller, and Edward Coxe ...

'' (1924, extant; Library of Congress) - 'Singer' Jim McKee * '' Hello, 'Frisco'' (1924, Short) - Himself * ''

'' (1925, extant; Library of Congress, others) - Don Carver * '' Show People'' (1928, *cameo at studio luncheon) - Himself (uncredited) * ''Tumbleweeds'' (1940/rerelease, *filmed talkie prologue to accompany 1925 silent) The Dawn-Maker.jpg, ''The Dawn-Maker'' (1916) 'The Return of Draw Egan'.jpg, ''The Return of Draw Egan'' (1916) The Square Deal Man.jpg, ''The Square Deal Man'' (1917) The Money Corral.jpg, ''The Money Corral'' (1919) The Whistle - Exhibitors Herald, June 25, 1921.jpg, ''The Whistle'' (1921) William S. Hart in White Oak.jpg, ''White Oak'' (1921)

William S. Hart Ranch and Museum

When Hart died, he bequeathed his home to Los Angeles County so that it could be converted into a park and museum. His former home in Newhall, Santa Clarita, California has become a satellite of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and remains free and open to the public to this day. The home is a Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion and contains many of the movie star's possessions including Native American artifacts and works by artists Charles Marion Russell,

James Montgomery Flagg James Montgomery Flagg (June 18, 1877 – May 27, 1960) was an American artist, comics artist and illustrator. He worked in media ranging from fine art painting to cartooning, but is best remembered for his political posters, particularly his 1 ...

, and Joe de Yong. The Museum is an important part of Hart's legacy as he said before he died: "When I was making pictures, the people gave me their nickels, dimes, and quarters. When I am gone, I want them to have my home." The surrounding 265-acre William S. Hart Park includes the mansion, trails, an animal area with farm animals, bison, and a picnic area. Hart Park and Museum is located at 24151 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA 91321. Since 2015, the park has been home to the

Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival is an annual event held at the William S. Hart Park in Old Town Newhall, Santa Clarita, California. Each year, over 10,000 global visitors attend lectures and performances on multiple stages by famous poets, author ...

and Annual Hart of the West

Powwow A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today allow Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or pu ...

. The former was previously held at Melody Ranch.

References

External links

* *
In Loving Memory of William S. Hart

William S. Hart Ranch and Museum
* (Photos & text)

The Haunted Hart Ghost Site

William S. Hart Union High School District, Santa Clarita Valley, California

William S. Hart High School, Newhall, California

Photographs of William S. Hart
* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, William S. 1864 births 1946 deaths 19th-century American male actors American male stage actors 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male silent film actors American male screenwriters Film producers from California Male Western (genre) film actors Western (genre) film directors American people of English descent American people of Irish descent Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery People from Newburgh, New York People from Aurora, Illinois Male actors from Santa Clarita, California Film directors from California Film directors from New York (state) People from Newhall, Santa Clarita, California Screenwriters from New York (state) Screenwriters from California Screenwriters from Illinois 20th-century American male writers Film directors from Illinois Film producers from New York (state) Film producers from Illinois 20th-century American screenwriters Members of The Lambs Club