Billy West (September 22, 1892 - July 21, 1975) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
directorA film director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making or production of a film. Some also consider a film producer to be a filmmaker....
of the
silent filmA silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially spoken dialogue. The idea of combining motion pictures with recorded sound is nearly as old as film itself, but because of the technical challenges involved, synchronized dialogue was only made practical in the late 1920s with...
era.
Born
Roy B. Weissburg in
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, West adopted his professional name some time after emigrating to America. He appeared in many short films, first in
Apartment No. 13 in 1912, however he was to become best known as a
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer Chaplin, KBE was an English comedic actor and film director. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker, composer and musician in the early to mid Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.Chaplin acted in, directed, scripted, produced and...
imitator, despite Chaplin not making his first film appearance until 1914.
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Billy West (September 22, 1892 - July 21, 1975) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
directorA film director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making or production of a film. Some also consider a film producer to be a filmmaker....
of the
silent filmA silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially spoken dialogue. The idea of combining motion pictures with recorded sound is nearly as old as film itself, but because of the technical challenges involved, synchronized dialogue was only made practical in the late 1920s with...
era.
Born
Roy B. Weissburg in
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, West adopted his professional name some time after emigrating to America. He appeared in many short films, first in
Apartment No. 13 in 1912, however he was to become best known as a
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer Chaplin, KBE was an English comedic actor and film director. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker, composer and musician in the early to mid Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.Chaplin acted in, directed, scripted, produced and...
imitator, despite Chaplin not making his first film appearance until 1914.
Oliver HardyOliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted over 31 years, from 1926 to 1957...
often appeared as his antagonist in a role reminiscent of those of
Eric CampbellEric Campbell may refer to:* Eric Campbell , silent film star* Eric Campbell , baseball player* The leader of the New Guard* Eric Campbell , Australian foreign correspondent* Eric Campbell Geddes, British Conservative politician...
's in Chaplin's shorts with Mutual Films.
He later moved in to Directing/Producing, first himself and occasionally his wife Ethelyn Gibson (famous for her early film verions of
Winnie WinkleWinnie Winkle was an American comic strip which appeared over a 76-year span from 1920 to 1996. Created by Martin Branner, who wrote the strip for over 40 years, Winnie Winkle was one of the first comic strips about working women...
).
Selected filmography
- Apartment No. 13 (1912)
- Back Stage
Back Stage is a 1917 short comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Billy West - Props* Ethel Marie Burton - Ethel * Polly Bailey - * Joe Cohen* Ethelyn Gibson -...
(1917)
- The Hero
-Cast:* Billy West - The Hero* Oliver Hardy - The Hero's Rival * Ethel Marie Burton - A Society Girl * Leo White - The Count* Bud Ross - The Butler * Polly Bailey - The Mother...
(1917)
- Dough Nuts
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy, the New Baker* Ethel Marie Burton - Ethel, the Cashier * Oliver Hardy - Babe, the chef * Leo White - Camembert, the Proprietor* Bud Ross - Boob, the Assistant...
(1917)
- Cupid's Rival
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy* Oliver Hardy - * Ethel Marie Burton - * Leo White* Bud Ross* Joe Cohen* Ethelyn Gibson - A Model * Florence McLaughlin...
(1917)
- The Villain
The Villain is a 1917 film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Billy West - Billy* Oliver Hardy - Babe * Florence McLaughlin - Florence * Bud Ross - Budd * Ethelyn Gibson* Leo White* Joe Cohen...
(1917)
- The Millionaire
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy* Oliver Hardy - The mother-in-law * Ethel Marie Burton - Ethel * Joe Cohen* Florence McLaughlin - * Polly Bailey - * Ethelyn Gibson - * Leo White...
(1917)
- The Goat
The Goat is a 1917 film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Billy West - An Inventor* Oliver Hardy - His Neighbor * Bud Ross* Leo White* Florence McLaughlin* Polly Bailey* Joe Cohen* Ethelyn Gibson* Agnes Neilson...
(1917)
- The Fly Cop
-Cast:* Billy West - The Fly Cop* Oliver Hardy - Proprietor * Bud Ross - Handyman * Leo White - The Mayor* Ellen Burford - Forelady* Charles Slattery - Chief of Police* Ethelyn Gibson - A Chicken...
(1917)
- The Chief Cook
-Cast:* Billy West - The Star Boarder* Bud Ross - Boggs * Oliver Hardy - Babe * Ellen Burford - Dolly* Joe Cohen* Leo White - Ham* Blanche White - Maggie* Polly Bailey* Ethelyn Gibson - The soubrette...
(1917)
- The Candy Kid
-Cast:* Billy West* Ethel Cassity* Oliver Hardy - * Leo White* Bud Ross* Leatrice Joy* Gladys Varden* Ellen Burford* Martha Dean* Ethelyn Gibson* Naomi Burstein...
(1917)
- The Hobo
-Cast:* Billy West - The Hobo* Oliver Hardy - Harold * Leo White - Mr. Fox* Bud Ross* Virginia Clark - Dolly...
(1917)
- The Pest
The Pest is a 1917 film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Billy West - The Pest* Oliver Hardy - * Ethelyn Gibson* Bud Ross - The Bellboy * Leo White - The Count...
(1917)
- The Band Master
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy, bandleader* Oliver Hardy -...
(1917)
- The Slave
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy, the slave* Oliver Hardy - The Sultan of Bacteria* Leo White - The Vizier* Bud Ross - Haratius Crabbe, the collector * Leatrice Joy - Susie, his daughter* Gladys Varden - The Sultan's favorite* Ethel Cassity...
(1917)
- The Stranger
-Cast:* Billy West - The Prospector* Leatrice Joy - Susie* Bud Ross - Susie's Father * Oliver Hardy - Oliver, the saloonkeeper* Leo White - The Greaser...
(1918The year 1918 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Following litigation for anti-trust activities, the US Supreme Court orders the Motion Picture Patents Company to disband....
)
- Bright and Early
-Cast:* Billy West - A Bellboy* Oliver Hardy - The Boss * Rosemary Theby - His daughter* Leo White - An honest crook* Bud Ross - Old man* Fay Holderness - A Maid* Ethelyn Gibson...
(1918)
- The Rogue
The Rogue is a 1918 film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Billy West - Billy* Oliver Hardy - Cafe Owner * Ethel Marie Burton - The Girl* Leo White - The Count* Rosemary Theby - The Sister* Joe Bordeaux* Bud Ross* Don Likes...
(1918)
- His Day Out
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy* Leatrice Joy - Joy* Oliver Hardy - Oliver* Leo White* Joe Bordeaux* Ethel Marie Burton* Bud Ross - The Father * Slim Cole* Don Likes - A Customer* Billy Quirk...
(1918)
- The Orderly
The Orderly is a 1918 film featuring Oliver Hardy. -Cast:* Billy West - Sanitarium orderly* Oliver Hardy - * Leatrice Joy* Ethel Marie Burton* Leo White* Joe Bordeaux* Bud Ross...
(1918)
- The Scholar
-Cast:* Billy West - A Student* Oliver Hardy - * Ethel Marie Burton - The Teacher * Leatrice Joy* Leo White* Joe Bordeaux...
(1918)
- The Messenger (1918)
- The Handy Man
-Cast:* Billy West* Leatrice Joy* Oliver Hardy - * Ethel Marie Burton* Leo White* Joe Bordeaux...
(1918)
- The Straight and Narrow
-Cast:* Billy West - Ex-convict* Oliver Hardy - His former cellmate * Leo White - Safecracker* Ethel Marie Burton* Rosemary Theby* Myrtle Lind...
(1918)
- Playmates
-Cast:* Billy West - Kid* Oliver Hardy - Kid * Bud Ross* Fay Holderness* Ethelyn Gibson* Ethel Marie Burton* Myrtle Lind* Charley Chase - Dope fiend...
(1918)
- Beauties in Distress (1918)
- Stick Around
-Cast:* Bobby Ray - Paperhanger's Helper* Oliver Hardy - Paperhanger * Hazel Newman - Nurse Zenia Zane* Harry McCoy - Dr. Brown...
(1925 - produced)
- Hey, Taxi! (1925 - produced)
- Rivals
-Cast:* Billy West - Billy* Oliver Hardy - The Rival* Ethelyn Gibson - Ethlyn * Ernie Young - Henry, the butler...
(1925)
- Hop to It!
-Cast:* Bobby Ray - A bellhop* Oliver Hardy - A bellhop * Janet Dawn - Saleswoman* Frank Alexander - Hotel guest...
(1925 - produced)
- The Joke's on You
-Cast:* Billy West - Hubby* Oliver Hardy - Wilbert Perkins * Ethelyn Gibson - Wifey...
(1925)
- They All Fall (1925 - produced)
- Hard Boiled Yeggs (1926)