Gilbert M. Anderson

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 cofounding 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 1965s The Bounty Hunter He died at age of 90 1971