William Collier Sr. (November 12, 1864 – January 13, 1944), born William Morenus, was an American writer, director and actor. Collier ran away from home when only 11 years old to join a touring company run by Eddie Foy and in 1879 he appeared as a juvenile in

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, whic ...

. After a notable stage career, he tried motion pictures, under producer

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

. He then went back to the stage for some years but returned to films when the

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

came along. In 1910 he appeared at the

Elitch Theatre The Historic Elitch Theatre is located at the original Elitch Gardens site in northwest Denver, Colorado. Opened in 1890, it was centerpiece of the park that was the first zoo west of Chicago. The theatre was Denver's first professional theatre ...

in Denver, Colorado, while his adopted son, stage named William Collier Jr., was recovering from scarlet fever that was followed by typhoid. His son recovered and was able to join his father in a production of ''The Patriot''. He "once opened ''The Patriot'', one of his own plays, on December 30. On January 2 he advertised with some degree of truthfulness: 'Second Year in New York.'" Willie Collier and son LCCN2014691360 (cropped)

Willie Collier and son LCCN2014691360 (cropped)

He was married to the actress Louise Allen; she died in 1909 and he married Paula Marr the following year, adopting her son Charles, whom he renamed William Collier Jr. Collier died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

in 1944. He was interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Partial filmography

* '' Never Again'' (1916, Short) * '' Better Late Than Never'' (1916, Short) - The Art Student * ''The No-Good Guy'' (1916) - Jimmy Coghlan * '' The Servant Question'' (1920) - Mr. Butler * ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...

'' (1929) - End Man - Minstrel Show * ''

Harmony at Home ''Harmony at Home'' ( ''She Steps Out'') is a 1930 pre-Code domestic-comedy film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. It was produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. It was based on a 1925 Broadway play, ''The Family Upstairs'' by actor, writ ...

'' (1930) - Joe Haller * '' Free and Easy'' (1930) - Himself - Master of Ceremonies at Premiere * ''

High Society Blues ''High Society Blues'' is a 1930 American pre-Code film starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. The movie was written by Howard J. Green from the story by Dana Burnett, and directed by David Butler. Gaynor and Farrell made almost a dozen f ...

'' (1930) - Horace Divine * ''

She's My Weakness ''She's My Weakness'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Melville W. Brown (assisted by Dewey Starkey) and starring Sue Carol and Arthur Lake. The screenplay was written by J. Walter Ruben, based on the Broadway play ...

'' (1930) - David Tuttle * ''

Up the River ''Up the River'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by John Ford, and starring Claire Luce, Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart. The plot concerns escaped convicts, as well as a female convict. It was the feature film debut role of ...

'' (1930) - Pop * '' Seas Beneath'' (1931) - Mugs O'Flaherty (uncredited) * '' Mr. Lemon of Orange'' (1931) - Mr. Blake * ''6 Cylinder Love'' (1931) - Richard Burton * '' Annabelle's Affairs'' (1931) - Wickham * ''

The Brat ''The Brat'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by John Ford, starring Sally O'Neil, and featuring Virginia Cherrill. The film is based on the 1917 play by Maude Fulton. A previous silent film had been made in 1919 with Alla Nazim ...

'' (1931) - Judge Emmett A. O'Flaherty * '' Stepping Sisters'' (1932) - Herbert Ramsey * ''

After Tomorrow ''After Tomorrow'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Charles Farrell, Marian Nixon, Minna Gombell, Josephine Hull and William Collier, Sr. Plot Peter Piper (Charles Farrell) and his girlfriend Sidne ...

'' (1932) - Willie Taylor * ''

The Washington Masquerade ''The Washington Masquerade'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Charles Brabin and written by John Meehan and Samuel Blythe. The film stars Lionel Barrymore, Karen Morley, Diane Sinclair, Nils Asther and Reginald Barlow. The ...

'' (1932) - Babcock * '' Hot Saturday'' (1932) - Mr. Brock * '' Madison Square Garden'' (1932) - Doc Williams * '' All of Me'' (1934) - Jerry Helman * ''

The Crosby Case ''The Crosby Case'' is a 1934 American pre-Code crime film directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Warren B. Duff and Gordon Kahn. The film stars Wynne Gibson, Onslow Stevens, Richard "Skeets" Gallagher, Alan Dinehart, Warren Hymer, William C ...

'' (1934) - The Detective-Police Sgt. Melody * ''

Cheaters Cheater or Cheaters may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Cheaters'' (1930 film), an Australian silent film * ''Cheaters'' (1934 film), an American film directed by Phil Rosent * ''The Cheaters'' (1945 film), directed by Joseph Ka ...

'' (1934) - K.C. Kelly * ''

A Successful Failure ''A Successful Failure'' is a 1934 American film directed by Arthur Lubin. It was Lubin's first film as director. There is no connection between the fictional radio personality "Uncle Dudley" in this film, and the 1935 comedy film ''Your Uncle ...

'' (1934) - Ellery Cushing aka Uncle Dudley * ''

The Murder Man ''The Murder Man'' is a 1935 American crime-drama film starring Spencer Tracy, Virginia Bruce, and Lionel Atwill, and directed by Tim Whelan. The picture was Tracy's first film in what would be a twenty-year career with MGM. Tracy plays an inves ...

'' (1935) - 'Pop' Grey * ''

Annapolis Farewell ''Annapolis Farewell'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Alexander Hall and written by Frank Craven and Jack Wagner. The film stars Guy Standing, Rosalind Keith, Tom Brown, Richard Cromwell, John Howard and Benny Baker. The film was re ...

'' (1935) - Rumboat Charlie * ''

The Bride Comes Home ''The Bride Comes Home'' is a 1935 comedy film made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Wesley Ruggles, and starring Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray and Robert Young (actor), Robert Young. It was written by Claude Binyon and Elisabeth Sanxay Hol ...

'' (1935) - Alfred Desmereau * ''

Love on a Bet ''Love on a Bet'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Leigh Jason using a screenplay by P. J. Wolfson and Philip G. Epstein, based on a story by Kenneth Earl. The film stars Gene Raymond, Wendy Barrie, and Helen Broderick, and ...

'' (1936) - Uncle Carlton MacCreigh * ''

Give Us This Night ''Give Us This Night'' is one of five movies produced by Paramount Pictures featuring Gladys Swarthout, a very popular Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano. The studio was attempting to build on the popularity of Grace Moore, another opera singer, w ...

'' (1936) - Priest * '' Cain and Mabel'' (1936) - Pop Walters * ''

Valiant Is the Word for Carrie ''Valiant Is the Word for Carrie'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Wesley Ruggles and written by Claude Binyon, based on the 1935 novel of the same name by Barry Benefield. The film stars Gladys George, Arline Judge, John Howard, Dudley ...

'' (1936) - Ed Moresby * '' Josette'' (1938) - David Brassard Sr. * ''

Thanks for the Memory "Thanks for the Memory" (1938) is a popular song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film ''The Big Broadcast of 1938'' by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross, and recorded by Shep Fields and His Orchestr ...

'' (1938) - Mr. Platt * ''

Say It in French ''Say It in French'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Andrew L. Stone and written by Frederick J. Jackson. The film stars Ray Milland, Olympe Bradna, Irene Hervey, Janet Beecher, Mary Carlisle and Holmes Herbert. The film was released ...

'' (1938) - Howland * ''

Persons in Hiding ''Persons in Hiding'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Louis King and written by William R. Lipman and Horace McCoy. The film stars Lynne Overman, Patricia Morison, J. Carrol Naish, William "Bill" Henry, Helen Twelvetrees and William F ...

'' (1939) - Burt Nast * '' I'm from Missouri'' (1939) - Smith * ''

Invitation to Happiness Invitation or The Invitation may refer to: Films * ''Invitation'' (1952 film), an MGM film starring Dorothy McGuire and Van Johnson * ''The Invitation'' (1973 film), a Swiss film * ''The Invitation'' (2003 film), an American film starring Lance H ...

'' (1939) - Mr. Wayne * ''

Television Spy ''Television Spy'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring William Henry. Plot A scientist invents a television called the Iconoscope, which thieves try to steal. Cast * William Henry as Douglas Cameron * Judith ...

'' (1939) - James Llewellyn * ''

Disputed Passage ''Disputed Passage'' is a 1939 American drama war film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Dorothy Lamour, Akim Tamiroff, John Howard, Judith Barrett and William Collier, Sr. Set in war-torn China, the film was described by ''The New York ...

'' (1939) - Dr. William Cunningham * '' Miracle on Main Street'' (1939) - Dr. Miles * '' The Hard-Boiled Canary'' (1941) - Dr. Joseph E. Maddy (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Collier, William Sr. 1864 births 1944 deaths American film directors American male screenwriters American male film actors 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Deaths from pneumonia in California 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters