William James Craft (1886 – 30 June 1931)''Los Angeles Evening Express''
/ref>VIAF
/ref> was a Canadian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

. He directed more than 60 films between 1910 and 1931. He is also credited with writing for 12 films between 1920 and 1928. Craft was born in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

and died from injuries received in an auto accident.

Partial filmography

* ''

Who Was the Man? ''Who Was the Man?'' is a 1921 American short silent Western film directed by Lee Kohlmar, released by Universal Film Mfg. Co. and featuring Hoot Gibson. Plot Cast * Hoot Gibson * Charles Newton * Jacques Jaccard * Marcella Pershing * B ...

'' (1921) * ''

Crossed Clues ''Crossed Clues'' is a 1921 American short silent Western film directed by William James Craft and featuring Hoot Gibson. Cast * Hoot Gibson * Jacques Jaccard * John Judd * Dorothy Oliver * Marcella Pershing * William Welsh See also * Li ...

'' (1921) * ''

Cameron of the Royal Mounted ''Cameron of the Royal Mounted'' is a 1921 Canadian silent action film directed by Henry MacRae and starring Gaston Glass, Irving Cummings and Vivienne Osborne.Langman p.531 Part of the tradition of Northerns, it is based on the story ''Corporal ...

'' (1921) * '' Double Crossers'' (1921) * '' God's Crucible'' (1921) (writer) * ''

With Stanley in Africa ''With Stanley in Africa'' is a 1922 American adventure film serial directed by William James Craft and Edward A. Kull and released by Universal Film Manufacturing Co. This serial is considered to be a lost film. Plot Cast * George Walsh as ...

'' (1922) * '' Another Man's Boots'' (1922) * ''

Headin' West ''Headin' West'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by William James Craft and featuring Hoot Gibson. It is not known if the film survives. Plot As described in a film magazine, Bill Perkins (Gibson), a stowaway on a mail plane, e ...

'' (1922) * '' In the Days of Daniel Boone'' (1923) * '' Beasts of Paradise'' (1923) * ''

The Riddle Rider ''The Riddle Rider'' is a 1924 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film serial directed by William James Craft starring William Desmond (actor), William Desmond and Eileen Sedgwick. The film is considered to be lost film, lost. ...

'' (1924) * ''

South of the Equator ''South of the Equator'' is a 1924 American silent comedy adventure film directed by William James Craft and starring Kenneth MacDonald, Virginia Warwick and Gino Corrado.Connelly p.413 Synopsis The daughter of the democratically elected presi ...

'' (1924) * '' Reckless Speed'' (1924) * ''

Battling Mason ''Battling Mason'' is a 1924 American silent comedy drama film directed by William James Craft and Jack Nelson and starring Frank Merrill, Eva Novak and Joseph W. Girard.Munden p.42 Synopsis Mason a young New Yorker, who loves a fight, runs fo ...

'' (1924) * ''

Galloping Vengeance ''Galloping Vengeance'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by William James Craft and starring Bob Custer, Mary Beth Milford, and Ralph McCullough. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Texas Ranger Tom Hardy is assigned ...

'' (1925) * ''

That Man Jack! ''That Man Jack!'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by William James Craft and starring Bob Custer, Mary Beth Milford, and Hayford Hobbs. Plot As described in a film magazine reviews, when Anita Leland’s team runs away from ...

'' (1925) * '' The Bloodhound'' (1925) * ''

The Radio Detective ''The Radio Detective'' is a 1926 American adventure film serial directed by William James Craft and William A. Crinley and released by Universal Pictures. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Jack Dougherty as Easton Evans (as Jack Daugh ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Silent Flyer ''The Silent Flyer'' is a 1926 10-episode (chapter) American adventure film serial directed by William James Craft. The film serial was sold to Universal Pictures for $75,000 with the resulting funds used in the founding of Mascot Pictures.Tuska ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Galloping Cowboy ''The Galloping Cowboy'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by William James Craft and starring Bill Cody and Edmund Cobb.Darby p.404 Cast * Bill Cody as Bill Crane * Alex Hart as Pete Perry (Bill's Uncle) * Edmund Cobb Edm ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Power of the Weak ''The Power of the Weak'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by William James Craft and starring Alice Calhoun, Carl Miller, and Spottiswoode Aitken.

'' (1926) * ''

King of the Saddle ''King of the Saddle'' is a 1926 American silent Western comedy film directed by William James Craft and starring Bill Cody, Joan Meredith and Billy Franey. Cast * Bill Cody as Billy * Joan Meredith as Mary * Billy Franey William Gerald F ...

'' (1926) * '' The Wreck'' (1927) * ''

Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Arizona Whirlwind ''The Arizona Whirlwind'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by William James Craft and starring Bill Cody, Margaret Hampton and David Dunbar. Cast * Bill Cody as Bill Farley * Margaret Hampton as Helen Dykeman * David Dunba ...

'' (1927) * ''

Poor Girls ''Poor Girls'' is a 1927 silent film drama directed by William James Craft and starring Dorothy Revier. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film is preserved in the Library of Congress collections. Cast *Dorothy Revier - P ...

'' (1927) * '' The Clown'' (1927) * ''

Hot Heels ''Hot Heels'' is a lost 1928 American silent comedy film directed by William James Craft and starring Glenn Tryon and Patsy Ruth Miller. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. A trailer for the film survives.''Catalog of Holdin ...

'' (1927) * ''

A Hero for a Night ''A Hero for a Night'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by William James Craft and produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, cashing in on the "Lindy craze", generated by Charles Lindbergh's famous ocean crossing flight. The f ...

'' (1927) * '' How to Handle Women'' (1928) * '' The Gate Crasher'' (1928) * ''

The Kid's Clever ''The Kid's Clever'' is a 1929 American comedy film directed by William James Craft and written by Jack Foley, Ernest Pagano and Albert DeMond. The film stars Glenn Tryon, Kathryn Crawford, Russell Simpson, Lloyd Whitlock, George Chandler and ...

'' (1929) * ''

One Hysterical Night ''One Hysterical Night'' is a 1929 American pre-Code comedy film directed by William James Craft and starring Reginald Denny, Nora Lane, Walter Brennan and Peter Gawthorne. Plot summary A wealthy man dresses up as Napoleon for a fancy dress ...

'' (1929) * '' Skinner Steps Out'' (1929) * '' The Cohens and the Kellys in Atlantic City'' (1929) * '' Embarrassing Moments'' (1930) * ''

Dames Ahoy! ''Dames Ahoy!'' is a 1930 American comedy film directed by William James Craft and starring Glenn Tryon, Otis Harlan and Gertrude Astor. Produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, it was also released in a silent version. Synopsis Three sa ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Cohens and the Kellys in Scotland ''The Cohens and the Kellys in Scotland'' is a 1930 American comedy film. It is one of '' The Cohens and Kellys'' series, and is also the series' first sound film. It was directed by William James Craft and produced and released by Universal Pic ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Czar of Broadway ''The Czar of Broadway'' is a 1930 American pre-Code crime film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, directed by William James Craft and starring John Wray, Betty Compson, John Harron and Claud Allister. Synopsis A young reporter ...

'' (1930) * ''

See America Thirst ''See America Thirst'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures and directed by William James Craft. Silent comics Harry Langdon and Slim Summerville star along with Bessie Love. Though released late ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Little Accident ''The Little Accident'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by William James Craft and written by Gladys Lehman and Gene Towne, based on the 1927 novel ''An Unmarried Father'' by Floyd Dell and the 1928 play ''Little Accident'' by ...

'' (1930) * '' Honeymoon Lane'' (1931) * '' The Runaround'' (1931)

References

External links

* 1886 births 1931 deaths Canadian male screenwriters People from Old Toronto Road incident deaths in California 20th-century Canadian screenwriters Canadian emigrants to the United States {{Canada-film-director-stub