Gilbert M. Anderson
AKA: Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson
Birthday: 1880-03-20
Died: 1971-01-20
Birthplace: Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Born in 1880, ‘Broncho Billy’ Anderson is considered the first western film star. He played three film roles in “The Great Train Robbery” and then began to write, direct and act in his own films. After co-founding the Essanay Studios in 1907 with George Kirk Spoor, Anderson appeared in some 300 short films. But it was his 148 western shorts playing cowboy Bronco Billy that made him a star.
He retired for the first time in 1916 but made a few comebacks, including producing movies into the 1950s for his company, Progressive Pictures. He received an honorary Oscar in 1958 as a “motion picture pioneer.” Anderson came out of retirement one more time for a cameo in 1965’s “The Bounty Hunter.” He died at age of 90 1971.
Filmography
Character: Bandit / Shot Passenger / Tenderfoot Dancer (uncredited)
Character: (archive footage)
Character: Dr. Roland White
Character: Pete the Coyote
Character: Big Bill Hastings
Character: Frank Morrison
Character: One of Hubby's Friends
Character: The Border Ranger
Character: Tom 'Bud' Wilson
Character: Frank Carpenter
Character: Dan Warrington
Character: Revered Warren Addington
Character: Sheriff Will Phelps
Character: Bad Man Dan Quigley
Character: George Maxwell
Character: Gilbert Randall
Character: Walker - the Backwoodsman
Character: Tom Ripley, a Cowboy
Character: The Man in the Cantina
Character: Pedestrian with Seltzer Bottle
Character: Innocent Cowboy
Character: A Texas Ranger / The 'Bride'
Character: Walt Rooney, Convict No. 999
Character: Jim Reed - an Outlaw
Character: Deputy Marshal Charles Wentworth
Character: The New Sheriff
Character: The Half-Breed
Character: Curt, the Sheriff
Character: Walter Johnson
Character: The Arizona Kid
Character: Jim Andrews - Foreman of the Ranch
Character: Triggerless Jim Burrows
Character: Bill Dunham - Ranch Foreman
Character: Mr. Orr, a Government Assayist
Character: The Regenerate
Character: Andy of the Royal Mounted
Character: The Sweetheart
Character: The Capitalist
Character: Broncho Billy / Santa Claus
Character: Broncho Billy Adair
Character: The Book Agent
Character: Business Man (uncredited)
Character: Self (archive footage)
Character: Self (archive footage)
Character: Gilbert Sterling
Character: Last Train Wrecker
Character: Sherlock Holmes
Character: (archive footage) (uncredited)
Character: Self - from 'The Great Train Robbery' (archive footage)
Character: Self (archive footage)
Job: Second Unit Director