William Herbert "Bert" Woodruff (April 29, 1856 – June 14, 1934) was an American actor of the

silent era 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 ...

. Woodruff was born in

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria Metropolitan Area in Ce ...

, and was the son of Mrs. Hannah Woodruff. He performed on stage before he began acting on film, debuting in 1876 as part of the Woodruff and West song-and-dance act. His performances included blackface comedy and Irish specialties. In 1882, he became part of the Adelphi Theater stock company in Peoria, where he worked for seven years. In 1898, Woodruff moved into management, opening a vaudeville theater in Peoria and managing it until 1904. From there he went to Redondo Beach, California, where he opened the city's first theater for films. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1916 and 1931. Woodruff died of

nephritis Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys and may involve the glomeruli, tubules, or interstitial tissue surrounding the glomeruli and tubules. It is one of several different types of nephropathy. Types * Glomerulonephritis is inflammation ...

in Hollywood, California, aged 78.

Selected filmography

* ''

Jim Bludso ''Jim Bludso'' is a 1917 American drama film directed by Tod Browning. It was Browning's first feature film as a director. Contemporary sources are variable on the matter of whether the direction was a joint effort between Browning and the film ...

'' (1917) * '' A Love Sublime'' (1917) * '' Hands Up!'' (1917) * '' The Delicious Little Devil'' (1919) * ''Bill Henry'' (1919) * ''

The Jailbird ''The Jailbird'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film directed by Lloyd Ingraham and written by Julien Josephson. The film stars Douglas MacLean, Doris May, Louis Morrison, William Courtright, Wilbur Higby, and Otto Hoffman. The film was r ...

'' (1920) * ''

For Those We Love ''For Those We Love'' is a 1921 American silent romantic drama film produced by and starring Betty Compson, and featuring Lon Chaney and Richard Rosson. Written and directed by Arthur Rosson, the film was based on a story by Perley Poore Sheehan ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Grim Comedian ''The Grim Comedian'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Phoebe Hunt, Jack Holt, and Gloria Hope.Munden p. 316 Plot As described in a film magazine, an automobile passenger tells an old man a tale, while ...

'' (1921) * ''

See My Lawyer ''See My Lawyer'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Edmund Hartmann and Stanley Davis. It is based on the 1939 musical ''See My Lawyer'' by Richard Maibaum and Harry Clork. The film stars Ole Olsen, Ch ...

'' (1921) * '' Two Minutes to Go'' (1921) * '' Watch Your Step'' (1922) * ''

Making a Man ''Making a Man'' is a 1922 American silent drama film produced by Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky, distributed by Paramount Pictures, and directed by Joseph Henabery.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30'' by The American ...

'' (1922) * '' The Rosary'' (1922) * '' The Isle of Lost Ships'' (1923) * '' The Silent Partner'' (1923) * ''

The Six-Fifty ''The Six-Fifty'' is a lost 1923 American silent drama film directed by Nat Ross starring Renée Adorée. Based upon the 1921 play of the same name, it was produced then released by Universal Pictures. Cast *Renée Adorée as Hester Taylor *Or ...

'' (1923) * '' A Noise in Newboro'' (1923) * '' Children of Dust'' (1923) * ''

The Sea Hawk ''The Sea Hawk'' is a 1915 novel by Rafael Sabatini. The story is set over the years 1588–1593 and concerns a retired Cornish seafaring gentleman, Sir Oliver Tressilian, who is villainously betrayed by a jealous half-brother. After being ...

'' (1924) * '' The Siren of Seville'' (1924) * '' Flowing Gold'' (1924) * '' The Mine with the Iron Door'' (1924) * '' Paths to Paradise'' (1925) * '' Some Pun'kins'' (1925) * '' The Vanishing American'' (1925) * '' The Fighting Heart'' (1925) * ''

Driftin' Thru ''Driftin' Thru'' is a 1926 American silent Western film starring Harry Carey. Cast * Harry Carey as Daniel Brown * Stanton Heck as Bull Dunn * Ruth King as Stella Dunn * G. Raymond Nye as Joe Walters * Joseph W. Girard as Sheriff (as Jos ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Barrier The Barrier is a lava dam retaining the Garibaldi Lake system in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is over thick and about long where it impounds the lake. The area below and adjacent to The Barrier is considered hazardous due to the ...

'' (1926) * '' The Fire Brigade'' (1926) * '' Eyes of the Totem'' (1927) * ''

The Life of Riley ''The Life of Riley'' is an American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. Radio The radio program initially aired on the Blue Network (later kn ...

'' (1927) * '' Spring Fever'' (1927) * '' Lure of the Night Club'' (1927) * '' The Romantic Age'' (1927) * '' Speedy'' (1928) * ''

Marked Money ''Marked Money'' is a 1928 American silent action film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring Tom Keene, Tom Kennedy and Virginia Bradford.Munden p.493 The film's sets were designed by the art director Edward C. Jewell. Cast * Fra ...

'' (1928) * '' The Shopworn Angel'' (1928) * '' The River'' (1929) * '' A Song of Kentucky'' (1929) * ''

Laughing Sinners ''Laughing Sinners'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in a story about a cafe entertainer who experiences spiritual redemption. The dialogue by Martin Flavin was based upon the p ...

'' (1931) as Tink * '' The Texas Ranger'' (1931)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Woodruff, Bert 1856 births 1934 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Actors from Peoria, Illinois 20th-century American male actors Vaudeville performers