Ben F. Wilson (also credited as Benjamin Wilson; July 7, 1876 – August 25, 1930), was an American stage and film actor, director, producer and screenwriter of the silent era.
The Actors Birthday Book by Johnson Briscoe, this edition c. 1908
Retrieved March 24, 2016 He appeared in more than 210 films between 1911 and 1930. He also directed more than 130 films between 1912 and 1930. He starred as Inspector Cleek in a 1914 series of mystery shorts. He was born in Corning, Iowa
Corning is a city in Quincy Township, Adams County, Iowa, Quincy and Jasper Township, Adams County, Iowa, Jasper Townships, Adams County, Iowa, Adams County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,564 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
in 1876, and died in Glendale, California
Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles.
As of 2024, Glendale ha ...
in 1930 from heart disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina pectoris, angina, myocardial infarction, heart attack), heart failure, ...
.
Selected filmography
* ''Silver Threads Among the Gold'' (1911)
* ''The Star Spangled Banner'' (1911)
* ''The Battle of Bunker Hill'' (1911)
* ''To Save Her Brother'' (1912)
* '' For the Cause of the South'' (1912)
* ''The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a military action undertaken by British light cavalry against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War, resulting in many casualties to the cavalry. On 25 October 1854, the Light Br ...
'' (1912)
* ''The Passing of J.B. Randall and Company'' (1912)
* '' In His Father's Steps'' (1912)
* '' The Old Monk's Tale'' (1913)
* ''The Mystery of the Dover Express'' (1913)
* ''The Vanishing Cracksman'' (1913)
* '' The Twelfth Juror'' (1913)
* '' Hulda of Holland'' (1913)
* '' Who Will Marry Mary?'' (1913)
* ''The Heritage of Hamilton Cleek'' (1914)
''The Chronicles of Cleek'' series - (shorts)
* ''The Mystery of the Sealed Art Gallery'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Glass Tubes'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Octagonal Room'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Lost Stradivarius'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Fadeless Tints'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Amsterdam Diamonds'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Silver Snare'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Laughing Death'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Ladder of Light'' (1914)
* ''The Mystery of the Talking Wire'' (1914)
* '' The Mainspring'' (1916)
* ''The Cad'' (1915) (directed and acted)
* ''Idle Wives
''Idle Wives'' is a 1916 American silent drama film co-directed by Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley. The film was released by Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Surviving reels of the film are preserved at the Library of Congress. The film was re ...
'' (1916)
* '' Even As You and I'' (1917)
* '' The Spindle of Life'' (1917)
* ''The Voice on the Wire
''The Voice on the Wire'' is a 1917 American action film, action film serial directed by Stuart Paton. It is presumed to be Lost film, lost.
Cast
* Ben F. Wilson as John Shirley (credited as Ben Wilson)
* Neva Gerber as Polly Marion
* Joseph ...
'' (1917)
* '' The Mystery Ship'' (1917)
* '' The Brass Bullet'' (1918)
* ''The Trail of the Octopus
''The Trail of the Octopus'' is a 1919 American mystery film serial directed by Duke Worne. A print of ''The Trail of the Octopus'' which is missing episode 9 is in the Library of Congress. The surviving film serial has been released on DVD.
...
'' (1919)
* ''The Blue Bonnet
''The Blue Bonnet'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Louis Chaudet and starring Billie Rhodes, Ben F. Wilson, and Irene Rich.Wlaschin p.289
Cast
* Billie Rhodes as Ruth
* Ben F. Wilson as Jairus Drake
* Irene Rich as Marth ...
'' (1919)
* '' Castles in the Air'' (1919)
* ''The Screaming Shadow
''The Screaming Shadow'' is a 1920 American 15-chapter silent film serial directed by Ben F. Wilson and Duke Worne. The film is considered to be lost.
Plot
A criminal organization called the Black Seven are after the secret of eternal life. ...
'' (1920)
* '' Thunderbolt Jack'' (1920)
* '' Cupid's Brand'' (1921)
* '' Dangerous Paths'' (1921)
* ''Devil Dog Dawson
''Devil Dog Dawson'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by Karl R. Coolidge and starring Jack Hoxie, Helene Rosson and Evelyn Selbie. It was produced by Unity Photoplays and released on the states-rights market by Arrow Film Corp.
...
'' (1921)
* ''Cyclone Bliss
''Cyclone Bliss'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by Francis Ford and starring Jack Hoxie, Evelyn Nelson and Fred Kohler.
Plot
Cast
* Jack Hoxie as Jack Bliss
* Frederick Moore as Bill Turner
* Evelyn Nelson as Helen Turner ...
'' (1921)
* ''Dead or Alive
A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite ...
'' (1921)
* ''The Sheriff of Hope Eternal
''The Sheriff of Hope Eternal'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Jack Hoxie, Marin Sais and Joseph W. Girard.Munden, p. 707.
Plot
A stage coach driver, Drew Halliday, falls in love with Hela Marca ...
'' (1921)
* ''The Broken Spur
''The Broken Spur'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Jack Hoxie, Evelyn Nelson and Marin Sais.Langman, p. 50
Plot
An engineer attempts to construct a new railroad through the Canadian Northwest, f ...
'' (1921)
* '' Hills of Hate'' (1921)
* ''The Double O
''The Double O'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by Roy Clements and starring Jack Hoxie, Steve Clemente and Evelyn Nelson.
Plot
Cast
* Jack Hoxie as Happy Hanes
* Steve Clemente as Cholo Pete
* William Berke
William ...
'' (1921)
* ''The Innocent Cheat
''The Innocent Cheat'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Roy Stewart, Sidney De Gray and Rhea Mitchell.Munden p.381
Plot
Cast
* Roy Stewart as John Murdock
* Sidney De Gray as Bruce Stanhope
* George ...
'' (1921)
* ''Back to Yellow Jacket
''Back to Yellow Jacket'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Roy Stewart, Kathleen Kirkham and Earl Metcalfe.
Plot
Cast
* Roy Stewart as Jim Ballantyne
* Kathleen Kirkham as Carmen, his wife
* Ear ...
'' (1922)
* ''One Eighth Apache
''One Eighth Apache'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Roy Stewart, Kathleen Kirkham and Wilbur McGaugh.Munden, p. 568.
Cast
* Roy Stewart as Brant Murdock
* Kathleen Kirkham as Norma Biddie
* Wilb ...
'' (1922)
* '' Chain Lightning'' (1922)
* '' The Love Trap'' (1923)
* ''The Satin Girl
''The Satin Girl'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Arthur Rosson and starring Mabel Forrest, Norman Kerry, and Marc McDermott. The main themes of the film are amnesia and brainwashing. Lenore Vance, the main character, loses her ...
'' (1923)
* '' The Law Rustlers'' (1923)
* ''Mine to Keep
''Mine to Keep'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Bryant Washburn, Charlotte Stevens and Wheeler Oakman.Munden p.515
Plot
A newly married couple both suspect the other of infidelity. They separate an ...
'' (1923)
* '' Other Men's Daughters'' (1923)
* '' The Santa Fe Trail'' (1923)
* '' Condemned'' (1923)
* '' Notch Number One'' (1924)
* '' The Desert Hawk'' (1924)
* '' Two Fisted Justice'' (1924)
* '' Branded a Bandit'' (1924)
* ''The Mystery Box'' (1925)
* '' White Thunder'' (1925)
* '' Wild Horse Canyon'' (1925)
* ''A Two-Fisted Sheriff
''A Two-Fisted Sheriff'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Yakima Canutt, Ruth Stonehouse and Joe Rickson.Connelly p.110
Cast
* Yakima Canutt as Jerry O'Connell
* Ruth Stonehouse as Midge Blair
* A ...
'' (1925)
* '' Scar Hanan'' (1925)
* ''The Human Tornado
''The Human Tornado'' is a 1976 American blaxploitation film directed by Cliff Roquemore. The film is a sequel to ''Dolemite''.
In the film, a sheriff's wife has an extramarital affair with Dolemite. Her husband orders one of his subordinates ...
'' (1925)
* '' A Daughter of the Sioux'' (1925)
* '' Vic Dyson Pays'' (1925)
* '' Romance and Rustlers'' (1925)
* ''Tonio, Son of the Sierras
''Tonio, Son of the Sierras'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Wilson, Neva Gerber, Robert Walker and Ruth Royce.Connelly p.422 It is based on the novel of the same name by Charles King.
Cast
* ...
'' (1925)
* '' The Fugitive'' (1925)
* ''Where Romance Rides
''Where Romance Rides'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Ward Hayes and starring Dick Hatton, Marilyn Mills and Roy Laidlaw.Langman, p. 505
Synopsis
A wealthy New York banker and his daughter take a vacation in the West. W ...
'' (1925)
* ''The Riding Comet
''The Riding Comet'' or ''Ridin' Comet'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Yakima Canutt
Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, act ...
'' (1925)
* ''Tentacles of the North
In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work mainl ...
'' (1926)
* ''The Baited Trap
''The Baited Trap'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Stuart Paton and starring Ben F. Wilson, Neva Gerber and Al Ferguson.
Cast
* Ben F. Wilson as Jim Banning
* Neva Gerber as Helen Alder
* Al Ferguson as Robert Barton
* ...
'' (1926)
* '' The Wolf Hunters'' (1926)
* ''West of the Law
''West of the Law'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Adele Buffington. This is the eighth film in Monogram Pictures' ''Rough Riders'' series, and stars Buck Jones as Marshal Buck Roberts, Tim McCoy a ...
'' (1926)
* '' Wolves of the Desert'' (1926)
* ''Fort Frayne
''Fort Frayne'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Wilson, Neva Gerber, Ruth Royce, and Lafe McKee. It is based on the 1901 novel of the same name by Charles King. It is now considered to be a lost ...
'' (1926)
* ''Officer 444
''Officer 444'' is a 1926 film serial directed by Francis Ford and Ben F. Wilson, produced by Goodwill Productions and released by the independent Davis Distributing Division.
Plot
Officer 444, a heroic policeman, does battle with The Frog ...
'' (1926)
* '' Rainbow Riley'' (1926)
* ''The Range Riders
''The Range Riders'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Wilson, Neva Gerber, Al Ferguson.Connelly p.227
Cast
* Ben F. Wilson as Sra. Shannon
* Neva Gerber as Betty Grannan
* Al Ferguson as 'Sundown ...
'' (1927)
* '' Speeding Hoofs'' (1927)
* ''The Fighting Stallion
''The Fighting Stallion'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey.
Plot
Cast
* Bill Edwards as Lon Evans
*Doris Merrick as Jeanne Barton
*Forrest Taylor as Martin Evans
* Don C. Harvey as Commander Patrick
* Robert C ...
'' (1927)
* '' Western Courage'' (1927)
* ''His Last Bullet
''His Last Bullet'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Ben F. Wilson and starring Al Hoxie and Peggy O'Day.
Cast
* Al Hoxie as Tom Randall
* Peggy O'Day as Ethel Thompson
* Ben Wilson Jr. as Phil Randall
* Ellis Houston ...
'' (1928)
* '' Bye, Bye, Buddy'' (1929)
* '' The Saddle King'' (1929)
* '' The Voice from the Sky'' (1930)
* ''Shadow Ranch
Shadow Ranch is a historic ranch house, built from 1869-1872 using adobe and redwood lumber, on the original Workman Ranch in the western San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. For much of the 20th century it was in Canoga Park, but it i ...
'' (1930)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Ben F.
1876 births
1930 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male screenwriters
American male silent film actors
People from Corning, Iowa
Film directors from Iowa
Screenwriters from Iowa
Film producers from Iowa
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American screenwriters