William Austin

Born: 1884-06-10

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Austin  (12 June 1884 – 15 June 1975) was a British character actor who was born on a sugar plantation in Georgetown in British Guiana (now Guyana). On the death of his father he was brought to England to complete his education. He later filled a business post in Shanghai and on being sent to San Francisco by the company he worked for, he decided to stay in America and take up acting on the stage and later in films. He appeared in many American films and serials between the 1920s and the 1940s, though the vast majority of his roles were small and uncredited. He was the brother of actor Albert Austin. He died in Newport Beach, California. Of the numerous silent films Austin appeared in, he is best remembered as the sidekick friend of Clara Bow in Bow's best known film It (1927). Mr. Austin's portrayal in the 1943 Batman serial of Batman's butler Alfred is the iconic portrayal still used in the comics. Previous to being played by Mr. Austin, the character was fat and had no facial hair. Performed by Mr. Austin, the character was thin with a mustache. Shortly after the serial was released, Alfred in the comics was changed to match the look of the serial; this representation of the character has for the most part continued to this day except for the live action films, the Birds of Prey series, and the Deadshot short in Batman: Gotham Knight where he has no moustache. Description above from the Wikipedia article William Austin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia


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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

as Inquisitive Stranger
Released: 1939-09-01

Having once again avoided criminal conviction, Professor Moriarity develops a murderous plan to...

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Alice in Wonderland

as Gryphon
Released: 1933-12-18

In Victorian England, a bored young girl dreams that she has entered a fantasy world called...

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Batman

as Alfred
Released: 1943-07-16

Japanese master spy Daka operates a covert espionage-sabotage organization located in Gotham...

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The Gay Divorcee

as Cyril Glossop
Released: 1934-10-12

Seeking a divorce from her absentee husband, Mimi Glossop travels to an English seaside resort....

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The Return of the Vampire

as Detective Gannett
Released: 1943-11-11

In 1918, an English family is terrorized by a vampire, until they learn how to deal with it....

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The Private Life of Henry VIII

as Duke of Cleves
Released: 1933-08-17

Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII goes through a series of wives during his rule. With...

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Imitation of Life

as Englishman at Party (uncredited)
Released: 1934-11-23

A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter....

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National Velvet

as Reporter (uncredited)
Released: 1945-01-26

Mi Taylor is a young wanderer and opportunist who finds himself in the quiet English countryside...

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Alias Mr. Twilight

as Forbes (uncredited)
Released: 1946-12-24

Geoffrey Holden (Lloyd Corrigan) is an elderly con-man who is a lovable old man when providing...

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County Hospital

as Ollie's Hospital Roommate
Released: 1932-06-25

Ollie is in the hospital with a broken leg. When Stan comes to visit him, total chaos ensues.

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The Garden of Weeds

as Archie
Released: 1924-11-02

The title refers to the estate owned by Flagg, a man of great wealth and few morals. He installs...

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Redheads on Parade

as Trelawney Redfern
Released: 1935-09-07

A film star finds herself in trouble with her co-star when she has to flirt with the backer to...

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It

as Monty Montgomery
Released: 1927-02-05

A flapper shopgirl woos her rich boss with animal magnetism, otherwise known as "it."

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Three Men in a Boat

as Harris
Released: 1933-04-30

An adaptation of Jerome K. Jerome’s classic story charting the comic misadventures of three...

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What Happened to Jones

as Henry Fuller
Released: 1926-02-08

On the night before his wedding, a young man plays poker with friends. When the game is raided...

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Red Hair

as Dr. Eustace Gill
Released: 1928-03-10

A free-spirited young girl has three middle-aged admirers, each of whom sees her from a...

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Live, Love and Learn

as Bob's Butler (uncredited)
Released: 1937-10-29

A starving, uncompromising artist and an heiress fall in love on first sight and immediately get...

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The Ghost Goes Wild

as Barnaby
Released: 1947-08-08

Young artist Monte Crandell is being sued for an unauthorized caricature. To escape arrest, he...

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Ruggles of Red Gap

as Mr. Belknap-Jackson
Released: 1923-10-07

An English valet brought to the American west assimilates into the American way of life.

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The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu

as Sylvester Wadsworth
Released: 1929-08-10

A Chinese doctor vows revenge against the allied troops who killed his wife and child during the...

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$1,000 a Minute

as Salesman
Released: 1935-10-21

Two rich and wealthy millionaires who have a lot of money bet that reporter Wally Jones can't...

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Swingin' on a Rainbow

as Musician (uncredited)
Released: 1945-09-01

A young girl goes to New York to find a band leader who has stolen all the songs she wrote and...

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What a Night!

as Percy Penfield
Released: 1928-12-22

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A Tailor-Made Man

as Jellicott
Released: 1931-03-28

John Paul Bart is just a pants-presser in a tailor's shop, but he has big ambitions. One night,...

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The Night Club

as Gerly - The Valet
Released: 1925-04-26

After having been stood up at his own wedding, a young man vows that he will have nothing more...

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The Best People

as Arthur Rockmere
Released: 1925-11-09

Bertie and Marian Lenox are children of a wealthy family, and their mother intends that they...

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Along Came Youth

as Lord Eustace
Released: 1930-12-20

An American sportsman stranded in London poses as a cook to remain near the aristocratic lady he...

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Charley's Aunt

as Spectator
Released: 1941-08-01

In 1890, two students at Oxford force their rascally friend and fellow student to pose as an...

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Oil for the Lamps of China

as Clerk in Chase's office
Released: 1935-06-08

An American oil company representative almost sacrifices his marriage for his career.

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The World At Her Feet

as Det. Hall
Released: 1927-05-14

In a reversal of the usual situation, it is the wife, not the husband, who is the neglectful...

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Drums of Love

as Raymond of Boston
Released: 1928-01-24

A princess is betrothed to a deformed monarch, but falls hard for his handsome brother.

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The Garden Murder Case

as Sneed, Hammle's Butler (Uncredited)
Released: 1936-02-21

Detective Philo Vance is in charge of the investigation of several mysterious murders. Things...

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The Reckless Age

as Lord Allan Harrowby
Released: 1924-08-16

Lord Harrowby takes out an $100,000 insurance policy to be paid if his wedding to Cecilia...

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The Marriage Playground

as Lord Wrench
Released: 1929-12-12

A delightful pre-code cocktail recipe. Take three couples (add gin and tonic), their several...

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The Flaming Forest

as Alfred Wimbledon
Released: 1926-11-21

Based on a James Oliver Curwood yarn, the outsized Northwest Mountie adventure The Flaming...

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Fig Leaves

as Andre's Assistant
Released: 1926-08-22

Adam, a plumber, is happily married to Eve, a wardrobe-obsessed housewife, until she...

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Duck Soup

as Lord Tarbotham
Released: 1927-03-13

Fleeing a group of forest rangers, who are rounding up tramps to serve as firefighters, they...

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Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

as Constable Holly
Released: 1937-09-29

Counterfeit bills are being printed in Canada and shipped across the border hidden in blocks of...

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The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu

as Sylvester Wadsworth
Released: 1930-05-02

The sinister Dr. Fu Manchu returns to destroy the people he holds responsible for the death of...

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Doctor Rhythm

as Mr. Martingale
Released: 1938-05-06

Dr. Bill Remsen pretends to be a policeman, and ends up being assigned to guard Judy Marlowe....

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The Cowboy King

as Wilbur
Released: 1922-05-01

"Hadley, owner of a nearby ranch, had fenced off a water hole belonging to Miss Dunlap, thus...

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Sweetie

as Prof. Percy Willow
Released: 1929-10-25

Chorus girl Barbara Pell (Nancy Carroll) inherits a school for boys, and uses her position to...

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Just Married

as Percy Jones
Released: 1928-08-18

After many outrageous moments, a young girl marries her former acquaintance, not with her fiancee.

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Corsair

as Richard Bentinck
Released: 1931-11-28

A stock market broker plans to liven up his boring life by taking up piracy on the high seas.

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Let's Go Native

as Basil Pistol
Released: 1930-08-15

The company of a musical comedy gets shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by a "king" from...

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Illusion

as Mr. Z
Released: 1929-09-21

A vaudeville magician team is broken up when Carlee, an ex--circus performer, becomes infatuated...

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The Goose and the Gander

as Arthur Summers
Released: 1935-09-21

When Georgiana Summers learns that the woman who stole and married her husband is planning a...

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The Flirting Widow

as James Raleigh
Released: 1930-05-11

An older daughter invents a fiancé so that her father will allow her younger sister to marry....

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Embarrassing Moments

as Jasper Hickson
Released: 1930-01-17

A couple meet, fall in love and get married in a 24-hour period.

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Handle with Care

as Peter Carter
Released: 1922-01-22

Handle with Care is a 1922 silent comedy.

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Head Winds

as Theodore Van Felt
Released: 1925-03-29

Peter kidnaps Patricia to prevent her from marrying the wrong man.

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Common Sense

as Reggie Barrett
Released: 1920-06-01

Dan Bowers, embittered and disillusioned by an unhappy marriage, seeks solitude in the Maine...

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The Man from Blankley's

as Mr. Poffley
Released: 1930-03-28

When a nobleman loses his way in the fog and enters a house where there's a party going on, he's...

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