William Robert Daly (born William Robert Dailey; October 24, 1872 – 1935) was an actor and director of silent films.

William Robert Daly
Daly c.1904
Born
William Robert Dailey

(1872-10-24)October 24, 1872
Died1935(1935-00-00) (aged 62–63)
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1891–1932
Spouse(s)Eva Condon
Fritzi Brunette

Early life

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Daly was born on October 24, 1872, in Boston, Massachusetts, as William Robert Dailey.

Career

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He became a "stage director" at 19 years-old.[1] He directed the 1914 film adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin featuring the first lead role for an African American actor in a feature film for white audiences. Sam Lucas, who had played Uncle Tom in theatrical productions, played the part.[2]

Daly portrayed the villain in the 1912 film The Kid and the Sleuth.[3] He worked as a producer with William Selig in 1916.[4] For Selig's 1916 film At Piney Ridge, Daly directed and produced. It was an adaption by Gilson Willets David K Higgins' theater production and Daly "escorted a company of players to the heart of the Tenn mtns where true scenes of mtneer life were filmed".[5]

He served on the board of The Screen Club and was photographed among its members in 1912.[6] In 1915, he was a director for the Dramatic Book film company in Santa Barabara.[7] He is pictured in a movie still lobby card from the 1922 film Pardon My Nerve.[8]

Personal life

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He married actress Eva Condon and then remarried with Fritzi Brunette. He died in 1935.

Filmography

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With Leatrice Joy in Down Home (1920)

Director

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Actor

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Executive producer

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Producer

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References

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  1. ^ "Motography". 9 March 1916 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "2012 National Film Registry". www.cbsnews.com. 19 December 2012.
  3. ^ a b Wlaschin, Ken (21 October 2009). Silent Mystery and Detective Movies: A Comprehensive Filmography. McFarland. ISBN 9780786454297 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Motography". 9 March 1916 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b c "Southern Mountaineers Filmography | Special Collections at Belk Library". collections.library.appstate.edu.
  6. ^ "Motion Picture News". Motion Picture News Incorporated. 2 May 1912 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Daily Tribune 21 March 1915 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov.
  8. ^ a b "Pardon My Nerve!, US lobbycard, from left: William Robert Daly,..." Getty Images.
  9. ^ a b "William Robert Daly". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Motography". 2 May 1916 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, contributions to newspapers or periodicals, etc.; lectures, sermons, addresses for oral delivery; dramatic compositions; maps; motion pictures". U.S. Government Printing Office. 2 May 1916 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Movie stills
  13. ^ Munden, Kenneth White; Institute, American Film (2 May 1997). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520209695 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ Nash, Jay Robert; Connelly, Robert; Ross, Stanley Ralph (9 January 1988). Motion Picture Guide Silent Film 1910-1936. Cinebooks. ISBN 9780933997103 – via Google Books.
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