William Desmond
View on IMDb ↗Starting out in dramatic parts, Desmond soon switched to westerns and action serials, and became a major western star. When the sound era began Desmond was almost 50 years old, and was soon relegated to supporting roles.
Known for
Down Rio Grande Way
Overland Mail
Powdersmoke Range
The Roaring West
No Defense
The Sunset Trail
Shadows of the North
The Policeman and the Baby
Fightin' Mad
The Child Thou Gavest MeFilmography (149)
- 1956
Savage FuryAllen - 1947
Code of the WestSettler (uncredited) - 1947
The Egg and ISpectator at Country Dance (Uncredited) - 1947
Trail StreetTownsman (uncredited) - 1947
Thunder MountainTownsman (uncredited) - 1946
Desert CommandCapt. Boncour - 1945
The Return of the Durango KidStreet Ambusher (uncredited) - 1945
Strange ConfessionPeanut Vendor (uncredited) - 1945
The Naughty NinetiesShowboat Customer (uncredited) - 1944
Hi, BeautifulPassenger (uncredited) - 1944
Phantom LadyCourtroom Spectator (uncredited) - 1944
Tall in the SaddleTownsman (uncredited) - 1944
The Mummy's GhostMuseum Tourist (uncredited) - 1944
The ClimaxBackstage Technician (Uncredited) - 1943
Cheyenne RoundupPete - 1943
Thank Your Lucky StarsGower Gulch Cowboy (uncredited) - 1943
Phantom of the OperaStagehand (uncredited) - 1943
The Lone Star TrailBartender Mike - 1942
Down Rio Grande WayTownsman - 1942
Overland MailWilliams - Banker - 1942
The Silver BulletTownsman - 1941
Bury Me Not on the Lone PrairieBartender - 1941
Where Did You Get That Girl?Tourist - 1940
Winners of the WestBill Brine - 1940
Junior G-MenIrish Cop (uncredited) - 1940
The Boys from SyracuseCitizen - 1937
Tim Tyler's LuckDock Official - 1936The Broken Coin
- 1936
Headin' for the Rio GrandeMr. Mack (cattle buyer) - 1936
The Vigilantes Are ComingAnderson, Vigilante Member - 1936
Song of the SaddleTim - 1936
Flash GordonHawkman Lookout Captain - 1936
Song of the GringoBailiff - 1936
The Adventures of Frank MerriwellCaptain of the 'Viking' - 1936
Custer's Last StandWagon Master - 1936
Hollywood BoulevardPago Pago Patron (uncredited) - 1936
Treachery Rides the RangeBill - 1935Wild WatersSheriff Manning
- 1935
Powdersmoke RangeHappy - Bartender - 1935
The Roaring WestJim Parker - 1935
Rustlers of Red DogIra Dale [Chs. 1-4, 6, 10-12] - 1935
Tailspin Tommy in The Great Air MysteryForeman Burke - 1935
Social ErrorPoliceman - 1935
Frisco KidVigilante Hangman (uncredited) - 1935
The Cowboy and the BanditSheriff Pete - 1935Timber TerrorsRoyce Horter
- 1935
The Ghost RiderGuard - 1935
The Call of the SavageAllen - 1935
Cyclone of the SaddleWagon Master - 1935
Born to BattleJohn Brownell - 1935
Courage of the NorthGene Travis - 1935
Naughty MariettaGendarme Chief (uncredited) - 1934
Border GunsDr. Jim Wilson - 1934Crack-UpPolice Chief
- 1934
When Lightning StrikesMarshal Jack Stevens - 1934
I Can't EscapeParole Officer Donovan - 1934
The Vanishing ShadowMacDonald - 1934
The Red RiderSheriff Campbell - 1934
The Way of the West'Cash' Horton (as Wm. Desmond) - 1934
Pirate TreasureCapt. Jim Carson - 1934
The Rawhide TerrorTom Blake - 1934
Frontier DaysSheriff Barnes - 1933
The Rustler's RoundupSan Dimas Sheriff Holden - 1933
Mr. Broadway1st Suitor (archive footage) - 1933
Fargo ExpressSheriff Joe Thompson - 1933
Clancy of the MountedDave Moran - 1933
Laughing at LifeMilitary Cabinet Officer - 1933
The Phantom of the AirThomas Edmonds - 1933
Gordon of Ghost CityJohn Mulford - 1933
Perils of PaulineProf. Thompson - 1933
Strawberry RoanColonel Brownlee - 1933
The Three MusketeersCapt. Boncour - 1932
The Last FrontierGeneral Custer - 1932
Jungle MysteryJohn Morgan - 1932
Heroes of the WestJohn Blaine - 1932
A Scarlet Week-End - 1931
Oklahoma JimLacy - 1931
Hell-Bent for FriscoThe Editor - 1931
The Vanishing LegionMilesburg Sheriff - 1931First AidChief of Police
- 1931
The Lightning WarriorTownsman (uncredited) - 1931
Battling with Buffalo BillJohn Mills - 1930
The Phantom of the WestMartin Blair - 1929
No DefenseJohn Harper - 1929
No ChildrenSelf - 1928
The Mystery RiderWinthrop Lane / The Mystery Rider - 1928
The Devil's TrademarkMorgan Gray - 1928
The Vanishing RiderJim Davis / The Vanishing Rider - 1927The Return of the Riddle RiderRandolph Parker / The Riddle Rider
- 1926
The Strings of SteelNed Brown - 1925
Straight ThroughGood Deed O'Day - 1925
Barriers of the LawRex Brandon - 1925
The Ace of SpadesDan Harvey - 1925
The Burning TrailSmiling Bill Flannigan - 1925
OutwittedJack Blaisdel - 1925
DupedJohn Morgan - 1925
Ridin' PrettySky Parker - 1925Red ClayChief John Nisheto
- 1925
The MeddlerRichard Gilmore - 1924
The Sunset TrailHappy Hobo - 1924
The Breathless MomentBilly Carson - 1924Hello, 'FriscoWilliam Desmond
- 1924
The Measure of a ManJohn Fairmeadow - 1924
Big TimberWalter Sandry - 1924The Riddle RiderRandolph Parker / The Riddle Rider
- 1923
Shadows of the NorthBen 'Wolf' Darby - 1923
The Phantom FortuneLarry Barclay - 1923
Around the World in 18 DaysPhineas Fogg III - 1923
Beasts of ParadisePhil Grant - 1923
McGuire of the MountedBob McGuire - 1923
The Extra GirlHimself - 1922
Perils of the YukonJack Merrill Sr. / Jack Merrill Jr. - 1922
Night Life in HollywoodSelf - 1921
The Policeman and the BabyThe Policeman - 1921
Fightin' MadBud McGraw - 1921
The Child Thou Gavest MeTom Marshall - 1921
Women Men LoveDavid Hunter - 1921The Parish PriestReverend John Whalen
- 1920
Twin BedsHarry Hawkins - 1919
A Sage Brush HamletLarry Lang - 1919
Whitewashed WallsLarry Donovan - 1919
The Prince and BettyJohn Maude - 1919
Her Code of HonorEugene La Salle - 1919
The Mints of HellDan Burke - 1919
Life's a Funny PropositionJimmie Pendleton - 1919
Bare-Fisted Gallagher'Bare-Fisted' Gallagher - 1919
The Blue BandannaJerry Jerome - 1918
Captain of His SoulHorace - 1918
The Marriage BubbleThe Actor - 1918
Society for SaleHonorable Billy - 1918An Honest ManBenny Boggs
- 1918
The PretenderBob Baldwin - 1917
Master of His HomeCarson Stewart - 1917The Last of the IngramsJules Ingram
- 1917Paws of the BearRay Bourke
- 1917
The Iced BulletThe Author / Horace Lee - 1917
Flying ColorsBrent Brewster - 1917
Married in Name Only - 1917
The Sudden GentlemanGarry Garrity - 1917
Paddy O'HaraPaddy O'Hara - 1916
A Gamble in Souls - 1916
PeggyRev. Donald Bruce - 1916
The Dawn MakerBruce Smithson - 1916Bullets and Brown EyesPrince Carl
- 1916
The CriminalDonald White - 1915
Peer GyntThe Parson - 1915
KilmenyBob Meredith - 1915
The Majesty of the LawJackson Morgan Kent - 1904The Sign of the Cross