William Fairbanks

Born: 1894-05-24

From Wikipedia William Fairbanks (May 24, 1894 – April 1, 1945) was an American actor. He appeared in over 65 silent era motion pictures between 1916 and 1928. His first film role was as Capt. Pierre Thierry in the war drama Somewhere in France (1916) starring Louise Glaum and Howard C. Hickman. He was then living at 20 Horizon Avenue in Venice, California, where he registered to vote. He appeared in five movies released in 1917, including his role as Dillon in the drama The Little Brother starring Enid Bennett and William Garwood. He was then living at 115 Dudley Avenue in Venice, where he registered for the draft of World War I. He went on to serve as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. Appearing in only one movie released in 1918, as Stuart Morley in the comedy/drama The Hired Man starring Charles Ray and Charles K. French, he was then absent from the screen for over a year due to the war. In 1920, he lived at 1309 Ocean Front in Santa Monica, and four of his movies were released that year. He was elevated to star status by independent producers Phil Goldstone and Ben F. Wilson. His screen name, taken from that of Douglas Fairbanks, whose real surname happened to be the same as his, came about with the release of his starring role in Goldstone's western Hearts of the West (1920) opposite Frances Conrad. Although Fairbanks was a busy movie star through the greater part of the 1920s, after playing Long Collins in The Vanishing West (1928), he retired from the screen. In spite of sharing the same last name, William Fairbanks and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. were not related.


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Racing for Life

as Jack Grant
Released: 1924-08-08

Jack Grant agrees to drive in the big race in order to save his brother Carl from being charged...

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Wolf Lowry

as Owen Thorpe
Released: 1917-05-27

William S. Hart was the great solitary Western hero of silent film who rode his horse off to new...

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Spoilers of the West

as Benton
Released: 1927-12-10

A soldier falls in love with a beautiful settler who has refused his order to leave American...

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Flying High

as Roy Cummins
Released: 1926-12-20

While taking a joyride with his sweetie Patricia, daredevil pilot Roy Cummins witnesses the...

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Under the Black Eagle

as Ulrich Muller
Released: 1928-03-24

A German Shepherd Dog and the people he loves are entangled in World War One.

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Fighting Youth

as Dick Covington
Released: 1925-07-01

Dick Covington is a society athlete who is quick with his fists. His fiancée, Jean Manley, hates...

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The Vanishing West

as Long Collins
Released: 1928-10-15

A boy's father is an unjustly accused fugitive, and the boy's scheming uncle plots to become the...

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The Flame of the Yukon

as George Fowler
Released: 1917-07-01

George Fowler arrives at the Mias saloon, and the proprietor, "Blak Jack" Hovey, orders a saloon...

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The Battling Fool

as Mark Jenkins
Released: 1924-08-01

William Fairbanks stars in this fighting feature about a rural rube who enters the ring to earn...

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The Down Grade

as Ted Lanning
Released: 1927-07-25

The Down Grade is a 1927 Action film.

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The Great Sensation

as Jack
Released: 1925-10-01

Jack Ruby (William Fairbanks), the son of a wealthy family, pretends to be a chauffeur and goes...

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The Cowboy and the Flapper

as uncredited
Released: 1924-08-25

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Somewhere in France

as Pierre Thierry
Released: 1916-10-29

Wicked Frenchwoman Marie Chaumontel is the mistress of Captain Henry Ravignac. She steals some...

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The Little Brother

as Dillon
Released: 1917-03-11

Jerry Ross dresses as a boy and sells newspapers to make money on the street corner. As the...

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The Secret Gift

as Larry
Released: 1920-09-20

Jan Saxe and Peter Harlingen, two young men from Holland, arrive in America with little orphan...

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