King Baggot

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia William King Baggot November 7 1879 July 11 1948 was an American actor film director and screenwriter He was an internationally famous movie star of the silent film era The first individually publicized leading man in America Baggot was referred to as King of the Movies The Most Photographed Man in the World and The Man Whose Face Is As Familiar As The Man In The Moon Baggot appeared in over 300 motion pictures from 1909 to 1947 wrote 18 screenplays and directed 45 movies from 1912 to 1928 including The Lie 1912 Raffles The Amateur Cracksman 1925 and The House of Scandal 1928 He also directed William S Hart in his most famous western Tumbleweeds 1925 Among his film appearances Baggot was best known for The Scarlet Letter 1911 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 1913 and Ivanhoe 1913 Baggot began his career on the stage in a Shakespearean stock company and toured throughout the US While acting in stock in St Louis in 1909 he was cast as supporting player in the Schubert touring production of The Wishing Ring When The Wishing Ring closed in Chicago Baggot returned to New York to join another company Upon a chance meeting with Harry Solter who was directing movies for Carl Laemmle at Independent Moving Pictures Company IMP he was persuaded to go with Solter to the studio Baggot became interested in the fledgling industry and decided to turn picture player His first film was the romance short The Awakening of Bess 1909 opposite Florence Lawrence It was directed by Harry Solter her husband at IMP in Fort Lee New Jersey At a time when screen actors worked anonymously Baggot and Lawrence became the first movie stars to be given billing a marquee and promotion in advertising Baggot starred in at least 42 movies opposite Lawrence from 1909 to 1911 In the latter year he starred in at least 16 movies with Mary Pickford He also began writing screenplays and directing all the while becoming a major star internationally When he appeared in person at theatres he was mobbed at stage doors By 1912 he was so famous that when he took the leading part in forming the prestigious Screen Club in New York the first organization of its kind strictly for movie people he was the natural choice for its first president King Baggot died in Los Angeles California in 1948 age 68 For his contributions to the film industry Baggot received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 His star is located at 6312 Hollywood Boulevard