William Shea
Also Known As: William James O' Shea, William James O'Shea, William James Shea, William J. Shea
Biography: Biography not available
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, UK
Adult: No
Birthday: October 06, 1856
Age: 168 years old
Gender: Male
Deathday: November 05, 1918
Popularity:
Known For:
Ito, the Beggar Boy
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1910-06-18
Popularity:
The Telephone
Overview: An impressive Vitagraph short, one of many popular firemen-to-the-rescue films of the time.
Genres: Drama Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1910-10-29
Popularity:
Chumps
Overview: Bunny and Marsh attend a show and both fall in love with a charming danseuse.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-01-16
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A Tin-Type Romance
Overview: Two nice young people become acquainted at the beach; A romance develops.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1910-12-06
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A Night Out
Overview: A grandmother has an adventure for the first time in her life when she decides to have a night out.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-01-31
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The Marriage of Molly-O
Overview: Brutal rental agent Joseph McGuire demands that Molly-O marry McGuire's son Denny, lest her family be thrown out of their humble shack. But Molly-O prefers the company of carriage driver Larry O'Dea, who unfortunately is just as broke as she is. Or is he?
Genres: Comedy Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-08-06
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
Overview: An early film adaptation of the Bard's comic fantasy-- and perhaps the first screen adaptation of a Shakespeare play.
Genres: Fantasy Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1909-12-25
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The Child Crusoes
Overview: Jack, a little orphan, is anxious to become a sailor, and although Captain Rhines refuses to take him aboard his ship, manages to sneak in as a stowaway. When out to sea a few days, he is discovered, and is about to be disciplined, when the captain's daughter, May, intercedes. A terrific storm strikes them, and the ship is dashed to pieces. The captain, with the assistance of Jack, builds a little raft, and with little May, they set out for an island which they can hardly discern, as it is so many miles away. After drifting for many hours, they at last reach the island, which is inhabited by a savage tribe.
Genres: Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1911-09-13
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The Hero
Overview: Very pretty, very attractive, very young; her name is Maude and she has a beau. He is very fat. Maude is simply crazy about him. She will not consider the attentions of Syd, her brother Bert's pal. One day Maude sits dreaming in the parlor, a book of daring adventures lying open in her lap. Syd enters and tries to make love to her.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-02-25
Popularity:
The Life Boat
Overview: Old Captain Bill and his wife have an only son, whom they idolize. He loses all his money at gambling and drinking, and determines to do better in the city. After a short absence he writes his people that he has secured a good position, is saving money, and will be home before long. A year or two later he arrives in town and on his way to his home passes the old saloon he used to patronize. He cannot resist the temptation, and goes in. He falls in with a lot of bad fellows and is robbed. Ashamed to go home, he ships on board a sailing vessel.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1911-11-25
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Her Forgotten Dancing Shoes
Overview: The night of the grand reception and dance finds Belle Oakley in high glee as she leaves for the reception. She arrives at the reception and discovers that she is without her dancing shoes. She announces her loss and immediately all the young men volunteer to go in search of them. Harry Brown, who was not as quick as the others, is left behind and sits dejectedly on the curb while the others drive away.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-03-23
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A Friendly Marriage
Overview: A penniless British Lord sets up an arranged marriage with an American heiress. He soon falls in love with her and is determined to support himself financially so they can have a real marriage.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1911-09-04
Popularity:
Two Stepchildren
Overview: Born with an artistic temperament, Joe Leigh feels keenly the bitterness and drudgery of life on a small farm and longs to get away from it. Jabez, his uncle, who owns the farm, is a hard, matter-of-fact man, utterly out of sympathy with his nephew's ambitions.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-07-02
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Cupid Through a Keyhole
Overview: While making preparations for the entertainment of Aunt Maria, who had announced her arrival by telegram, Lila Lane gets herself shut in the storeroom. Here she is found later by her sweetheart, Harry Eschert, who has returned for some forgotten papers.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1913-05-24
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A Wireless Rescue
Overview: A romance of the rail, this two-part "thriller" uses wireless telegraphy as the means of averting a disaster to an express train.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-03-23
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Walls and Wallops
Overview: A comedy short produced by Vitagraph and released in 1916. This is entitled Walls and Wallops, and features Hughey (also spelt Hughie) Mack with Lawrence (also Larry) Semon directing this. It is about cops, capers, and a love interest.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-11-13
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The Blue Envelope Mystery
Overview: Leslie Brennan, an heiress, suddenly discovers that she is almost penniless, and faces the ordeal of making her own living.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-10-23
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Auld Robin Gray
Overview: Poor Jaime goes to sea to earn enough money to marry Jenny, where he is believed to be lost. Left to support her parents, Jenny is persuaded to marry old Robin Gray.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1910-10-18
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A Daughter of Two Worlds
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1920-01-05
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A Villainous Villain
Overview: The master crook steals the sweetheart of Sherlock, a great detective. Sherlock undertakes to recover her.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-09-08
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Sweeney's Christmas Bird
Overview: A pet parrot dies and get mixed up with the neighbor's Chrismas turkey.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-12-25
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The Spider's Web
Overview: Banker Graham Lawlor is convinced to invest in Silver Shield Mines and becomes president, unaware that promoters Harris, Brennen, and Lester are frauds. He asks his son, Trevor, a small-town lawyer, to join as secretary. Trevor suspects foul play, warns his father, and returns to his practice after a disagreement. Lester, one of the promoters, woos and abandons his stenographer, Brenda Wray. When rumors surface about the mine’s instability, the promoters attempt to place blame on Lawlor. Knowing he holds documents to clear his name, they bribe his servant to steal them. Brenda, seeking justice from Lester, overhears the plan and informs Trevor. Lawlor’s servant, Thompson, is caught, confesses, and clears Lawlor’s name, leading to the arrest of Harris, Brennen, and Lester.
Genres: Horror Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-05-14
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Aunty's Romance
Overview: Romantic comedy in which a woman who no longer wants to marry her fiance when it turns out he doesn't have an inheritance. After his father is deceased, Stephen Fiske travels to New York, where he learns that his father has left him nothing. His fiancée Doris now refuses to marry him because he is not rich. Doris has, however, an old aunt, whose last wish is that Doris marry Stephan.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-05-12
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As You Like It
Overview: After the overthrowing of Duke Senior by his tyrannical brother, Senior's daughter Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out to find her banished father while also counseling her clumsy suitor Orlando in the art of wooing.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-10-06
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Julius Caesar, an Historical Tragedy
Overview: Biographical drama, adaptation of Shakespeare's play.
Genres: Drama History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1908-12-01
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A Tale of Two Cities
Overview: A condensed silent film version of the Charles Dickens classic about the French Revolution and its subsequent Reign of Terror.
Genres: Drama History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1911-02-20
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Hearts and Diamonds
Overview: Tupper meets the wealthy Miss Whipple at a baseball game. When she declares that she just adores baseball players, Tupper starts up a team.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-09-25
Popularity:
The Man from Egypt
Overview: Beware the ire of the sacred God Ammett, or any other of those Egyptian Gods for that matter. As a bellhop in a hotel, Hughey managed to get possession of a wonderful ruby, the eye of Ammet, and with its aid obtained an introduction to a millionaire and his beautiful daughter. But Hughey failed to remember that for every ruby or other gem stolen from an Egyptian shrine, there is a bearded sheik who has taken a vow never to eat, drink or sleep until the talisman has been returned to the irate God from whom it was stolen, and vengeance has been wrought on the guilty one. Just when Hughey is enjoying himself immensely at a fine little dinner with the fair damsel, his nemesis, the sheik, discovers him and a lively chase takes place. The sheik gets the ruby in his possession but Hughey regains it in jig time and the prospects are that the poor sheik will have some wait before he can look a square meal in the face again.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-07-14
Popularity:
The Meeting
Overview: Charming melodrama by the Vitagraph Company about the friendship between a boy (Bobby Connelly) and the grumpy Captain Barnacle(William Shea). This seems to be the first film in a short-lived Captain Barnacle series that Vitagraph started at the beginning of 1917. Young Bobby Connelly was one of the first star child actors and his character Sonny Boy links the two series he did for Vitagraph, the "Sonny Jim" series from 1914 to 1915 and the "Bobby" series in 1917.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1917-02-20
Popularity:
Tangled Tangoists
Overview: John and Flora meet at a ball, but neither can do these modern dances, so they sit out… and run into each other later at a dance studio. Bunny exudes his usual Pickwickian charm. Miss Finch gets involved in a nice bit of physical comedy when her gawkiness makes the dance lesson less than successful.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-04-23
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The Bond of Music
Overview: Short anti-war film in which a French musician turns out to be a German spy.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-08-30
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The Classmate's Frolic
Overview: A comedy about a group of school girls who bring a street musician to school with them.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1913-02-04
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Those Troublesome Tresses
Overview: Farce in which two neighbouring couples test each other's jealousy. The women decide to make the men jealous and vice versa. The men buy horse hair to make the women believe it is hair of another woman; the women pretend to have received love letters. Final match result: women seem more jealous than men.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1913-08-18
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Vanity Fair
Overview: A silent short film telling the classic story of Becky Sharp.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1911-01-02
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The Mouse and the Lion
Overview: John Burling, a detective, rounds up some members of the Night Hawk gang. Bill Hanks, the chief, swears to get even with him. Tim, a little street waif, entering the saloon where the gang are consulting with Maime, a female accomplice, overhears some of their threats. He is discovered and kicked out of the place by Hanks. The next day, Tim, half starving, picks up a purse in the street which he has seen a lady drop. He is tempted to steal it, but in the end gives it back to her. Burling sees this, is struck with the boy's honesty, and being in need of a page boy, hires him and dubs him "Buttons."' Maime visits Burling and leaves him an address to come to investigate a robbery which has occurred at her home. Tim recognizes her as she goes out, follows her and has his suspicions confirmed by seeing her with one of the gang on the street. He goes to warn his master, but Burling has already gone.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1913-03-17
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A Train of Incidents
Overview: Comedian John Bunny on a train all confused.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-07-03
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Sawdust and Salome
Overview: A rich swell travels out West to escape marrying a social climber. There, he meets and marries a bareback rider from traveling circus. Bringing her home, his family's pernicious double-standards are revealed.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-02-16
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Nothing to Wear
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-10-07
Popularity:
Father and Son
Overview: A Chinese man cares for the orphan of a dying woman who stumbles into his laundry.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1912-01-15
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Beached and Bleached
Overview: The new stenographer is right there when it comes to class which does not escape the notice of her boss. He showers attentions upon her and asks her out to the beach with him the following Sunday. She accepts. It is perfect day for her Boss. She enters into the spirit of everything and he has things all his own way. She even ignores the glances of other men and when a certain one gets too fresh, the fresh one takes a beating at the hands of the boss. But then the boss wakes up. It was only a dream.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-10-21
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The Lady of Shalott
Overview: On discovering that their beau, Timothy, the village schoolmaster, is quite unable to choose between them for a life partner, Ivy and Lily Skinner agree to draw lots. Ivy, who is of a romantic, novel-reading nature, loses and is broken hearted. She seeks solace in her favorite, Tennyson, and in reading "The Lady of Shalott" becomes imbued with the determination to die as did the heroine in the book.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-03-26
Popularity:
The Maid from Sweden
Overview: In search of a maid, Mrs. Cook, an aristocratic and extremely proud society woman, goes to an employment agency and hires Luna, fat, awkward and straight from Sweden. The new maid creates quite a stir in the staid and fashionable home of Mrs. Cook. While capering about in her room above, she brings down the ceiling. Mrs. Cook saves her from being discharged and then calls up the plasterer, whose name is John Haines, a widower, and the father of Bert, the chauffeur, in love with Marie Cook, their daughter. John fixes the ceiling, and on his return home finds a note from his son saying he is going to be married and suggests his father follow his example. John tells the news to Luna, proposes to her, and without a second's hesitation, she accepts him.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-06-05
Popularity:
You Can't Beat It
Overview: Bill Pike, recently married, hits his home town about seven in the evening, and immediately is seized by a bunch of his old cronies who drag him into a hotel to have a game of poker. He protests wildly and at last escapes long enough to phone Dill, his young wife, who is anxiously awaiting his return. He's going to be very late. At home, Mrs. Pike receives a telegram telling her that her brother Steve will be there soon and he is anxious to meet Bill..
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-10-20
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The Boarding House Feud
Overview: Aching for an opportunity to get square with strong-willed Mrs. Drexel, boarding house mistress and mother of his sweetheart, Constance, Billy sees his opportunity when his uncle Battledore is suddenly called out of town. He hangs out a "Boarders Wanted" sign in front of his uncle's house, then with a big roll of bills the young man, just after Mrs. Drexel has given all the servants a raking over, lures them all away from her. When her boarders troop down to breakfast and find no breakfast awaiting them they all quit on the spot with feelings beyond description.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-04-29
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The Shaughraun, an Irish Romance
Overview: An early short featuring Florence Lawrence.
Genres: Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1907-12-01
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Two Overcoats
Overview: Solomon keeps a clothing store, he has in stock two overcoats of exactly the same make and pattern. Michael Gallagher, who is passing by and in need of an outer garment, notices Solomon's display and buys one of the coats. Shortly after the first sale, Peter Dempsey, a bachelor, happens along and takes quite a fancy to the remaining twin overcoat and Solomon makes another sale. Gallagher and Dempsey dine, at the same time, in the same restaurant. Finishing his meal, Gallagher leaves hurriedly and takes Dempsey's coat, quite naturally mistaking it for his own. When Dempsey is through with his meal, he puts on Gallagher's coat quite satisfied that it is his own. That night Dempsey goes to call on his sweetheart, who admires his new overcoat, and as she helps him off with it, a letter in a woman's hand-writing falls out of the pocket.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1911-06-24
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Putting Pep in Slowtown
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-03-13
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My Lady's Slipper
Overview: In France during the reign of Louis XVI American naval officer Francis Burnham escapes from a British convict ship. He flees to Paris to see Benjamin Franklin only to find him away. At loose ends he becomes indebted to the Marquis de Tremignon who under threat of imprisonment involves him in an intrigue to compromise the Countess De Villars to force her into marriage. While unwillingly purloining one of her slippers the lady catches him, and they realize he had saved her at one time from highwaymen. After many contretemps, the Marquis is disgraced, and the Countess and Burnham are united.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-01-10
Popularity:
Benjamin Bunter: Book Agent
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-12-13
Popularity:
The Dust of Egypt
Overview: Geoffrey's relationship with his fiancée is threatened by Ameuset, a princess of Egypt awakened after five thousand years. Originally a six reel feature, only short fragments of The Dust of Egypt survive today.
Genres: Comedy History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-10-04
Popularity:
Heavy Villains
Overview: Retired businessman F.G. Lawrence favors Philip Preston for a son-in-law; Mrs. Lawrence prefers Reggie, the Dainty Dude. There's trouble, right there. Mrs. L. becomes suspicious of a stout stranger prowling about the place and tells Mary, the husky cook, to point him out to Serena Slim, the slender sleuth. The mysterious fat man happens to be Mary's beau, so she sics Serena onto John Bouncer, Philip's fat uncle. Serena is some "shadow" and the police must be called in to stop the comedy of errors which follows. After explanations all around, Lucy nestles her pretty head on Philip's shoulder while her parents soothe Bouncer's ruffled feelings.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-08-14
Popularity:
The Athletic Family
Overview: Retired heavyweight champion Jake Punchim is a fitness nut, keeping himself, his wife, and their twin daughters Helen and Dot in constant training much to Dot’s chagrin. While out walking separately one day both girls meet young men who are perfect for them but completely wrong for the other sister and make a date to meet them in the park at 2:00. When they arrive and the men mistake each sister for the other. Complications follow particularly when Daddy Jake becomes involved, but it all ends happily.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-12-09
Popularity:
C.O.D.
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1915-02-01
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The Vases of Hymen
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-07-10
Popularity:
The Old Maid's Baby
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1914-06-26
Popularity: