William Collier Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Collier Jr.
Collier in 1926
Born	Charles F. Gall Jr. (1902-02-12)February 12, 1902 New York City, U.S.
Died	February 5, 1987(1987-02-05) (aged 84) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	Actor: 1916–1935 producer: 1946–1956
Spouse(s)	Marie Stevens (1934–1981) (her death)
Children	1

William Collier Jr. (born Charles F. Gall Jr.) was an American actor and producer. He was born on February 12, 1902, and passed away on February 5, 1987. William Collier Jr. starred in many movies during the silent movie era and when sound movies became popular. He appeared in almost 90 films!

About William Collier Jr.

William Collier Jr. was born in New York City. His birth name was Charles F. Gall Jr. When his parents separated, his mother, Paula Marr, who was also an actress, married another actor named William Collier Sr.. William Collier Sr. adopted Charles, and that's how he got the name William Collier Jr. People often called him "Buster."

Early Acting Life

William Collier Jr. started acting at a very young age. He was only seven years old when he first appeared on stage. This early experience helped him get his first movie role when he was 14. That first movie was called The Bugle Call and came out in 1916.

In 1910, when he was a child, William got very sick while his parents were performing in Denver. He had scarlet fever, and then typhoid. Luckily, he got better by the end of the summer. He was then able to join his parents at the Elitch Theatre. He even performed in his father's show, The Patriot, playing a character called Kid Sugar.

From Silent Films to Sound

As he grew up, William Collier Jr. became a very popular leading actor in the 1920s. This was the time of silent movies, where actors performed without spoken words, and music or captions told the story. He successfully made the change to movies that had sound, which was a big deal for actors back then!

However, he stopped acting in 1935. A couple of years later, in 1937, he moved to England to work as a movie producer. This meant he was in charge of making films, not just acting in them. He came back to the United States in the late 1940s. After that, he started producing TV shows, especially drama series.

William Collier Jr. and Catherine Calvert in the movie The Heart of Maryland (1921).

Hollywood Recognition

In February 1960, William Collier Jr. received a special honor. He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a famous sidewalk in Hollywood, California, where stars are placed to celebrate people who have made important contributions to the entertainment industry.

William Collier Jr. passed away in San Francisco on February 5, 1987. This was just a week before his 85th birthday.

Selected Movies as an Actor

William Collier Jr. appeared in many films throughout his career. Here are some of the movies he acted in: