William Gillespie

born: 21 January 1894 Aberdeen, Scotland

died: 23 June 1938 Los Angeles County General Hospital, Los Angeles, California, United States of America (chronic pulmonary tuberculosis, age 44)

Tall Scottish-born actor with a distinctive nose, who began as a supporting player in the early films of Charlie Chaplin before becoming a regular cast member in the films of Hal Roach in the 1920s. With over 170 films for Hal Roach, he is one of the most-seen actors in a Roach-produced film. Despite the dates given in the 1929 Motion Picture Almanac (Jan. 23) and in the 1931 & 1932 Almanacs and on IMDb (Jan. 24), his birthday appears to be Jan. 21, per his WWI Draft Card and his page at FindAGrave (unknown source).  His birth year is the source of some confusion:  -The Motion Picture Almanacs and IMDb give 1894, as do the 1910 and 1930 Censuses and his entry in the CA Death Index - the majority and the one I'd stick with.  However, the 1920 Census would support 1891 (his birthday of Jan. 21 hadn't been reached yet).  His marriage certificate and his WWI Draft Card would support 1892.  I dunno how WWI Cards work; often, a year is either added or shaved, I've noticed.  I would presume for that and the marriage certificate, he added a year or two to appear older?

Real name: William Alexander Gillespie Height: 5'11"

Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography; plus 1 with Babe Hardy & Larry Semon.

198

1917 Bliss Policeman/ violinist 1917 The Flirt [unidentified character]   1917 Move On [unidentified character]   1917 Bashful [unidentified character]   1917 Step Lively [unidentified character]   1918 The Tip [unidentified character]   1918 The Big Idea [unidentified character]   1918 Beat It [unidentified character]   1918 A Gasoline Wedding [unidentified character]   1918 Look Pleasant, Please Photographer   1918 Here Come The Girls [unidentified character]   1918 Fare, Please [unidentified character]   1918 Let's Go [unidentified character]   1918 On The Jump [unidentified character]   1918 Follow The Crowd Member of the 'Red Handers' terrorist group 1918 Pipe The Whiskers [unidentified character]   1918 It's A Wild Life Band leader 1918 Hey There Actor   1918 Kicked Out [unidentified character]   1918 Two-Gun Gussie Angry bar patron 1918 The City Slicker [unidentified character]   1918 Sic 'Em Towser [unidentified character]   1918 Somewhere In Turkey [unidentified character]   1918 Are Crooks Dishonest? [unidentified character]   1918 An Ozark Romance [unidentified character]   1918 Kicking The Germ Out Of Germany [unidentified character]   1918 That's Him Train passenger/Gang member/Policeman 1918 Bride And Gloom [unidentified character]   1918 Two Scrambled [unidentified character]   1918 Bees In His Bonnet [unidentified character]   1918 Swing Your Partners Man outside store 1918 Why Pick On Me? [unidentified character]   1918 Nothing But Trouble Beach voyeur 1918 Hear 'Em Rave [unidentified character]   1918 Take A Chance [unidentified character]   1918 She Loves Me Not [unidentified character]   1919 Do You Love Your Wife? Elmer, the faithless husband 1919 Wanted - $5,000 [unidentified character]   1919 Going! Going! Gone! Bystander 1919 Ask Father Office worker   1919 On The Fire Restaurant owner 1919 I'm On My Way [unidentified character]   1919 The Dutiful Dub [unidentified character]   1919 Next Aisle Over Pedestrian/ Shoe customer 1919 Pay Your Dues [unidentified character]   1919 Bumping Into Broadway Stage door Johnnie 1919 All At Sea Pirate 1919 Call For Mr. Caveman Girl's father 1919 Looking For Trouble M.T. Grave, undertaker 1919 From Hand To Mouth Baker 1920 Slippery Slickers Gate crasher thief 1920 The Dippy Dentist Cop   1920 His Royal Slyness Noble/Agitator 1920 Raise The Rent [unidentified character]   1920 Haunted Spooks The lawyer 1920 An Eastern Westerner Mexican with knife/Dance hall manager 1920 Start The Show Professor Haskins 1920 Any Old Port Man on boat deck 1920 High And Dizzy Man in lobby 1920 Little Miss Jazz Crook 1920 Run 'Em Ragged Store owner 1920 Money To Burn [unidentified character]   1920 A Regular Pal Man 1920 Get Out And Get Under Dope fiend   1920 Number, Please? Cop 1921 Now Or Never The child's daddy/ Sheriff 1921 Among Those Present The 'Hard Boiled' party 1921 At The Ringside Ring announcer 1921 What A Whopper! Man in bed 1921 Spot Cash Rival's assistant 1921 Name The Day Cab driver/ Judge   1921 Stop Kidding [unidentified character]   1921 I Do Brother-in-law 1921 Late Lodgers Guest 1921 The Lucky Number [unidentified character]   1921 Sweet Bye And Bye [unidentified character]   1921 Dodge Your Debts Pub patron 1921 Never Weaken The doctor 1921 Late Hours [?]   1921 Fifteen Minutes Second policeman 1921 On Location Actor in film 1921 The Joy Rider Policeman 1921 A Sailor-Made Man Naval officer/ Man in street magician's audience/ Palace sentry 1921 The Corner Pocket Pool player 1922 White Eagle [?] 1922 Loose Change Robber 1922 Pardon Me [?]   1922 Hot Off The Press Newspaper owner 1922 Full O' Pep Host 1922 Light Showers Guest 1922 Do Me A Favor Fireman 1922 Punch The Clock Cop   1922 Strictly Modern Hotel guest 1922 The Sleuth Prince Kolla Fhlower 1922 The Dumb-bell Abe Silverstein, film producer   1922 Grandma's Boy Townsman/Union General   1922 One Terrible Day James, the chauffeur 1922 Shine 'Em Up Prison guard 1922 Dr. Jack Man playing cards 1922 Young Sherlocks Kidnapper/ Police officer   1922 The Flivver Car driver stopped by officer 1922 Saturday Morning Waldemar's valet 1922 A Quiet Street Police dispatcher 1922 Fire The Fireman Official 1923 A Tough Winter Man with ashes can 1923 A Pleasant Journey Tilford, the bachelor   1923 Safety Last! General manager's assistant 1923 The Noon Whistle President of the lumber company 1923 California Or Bust! Toll booth operator 1923 White Wings [unidentified character]   1923 Giants vs. Yanks Mr. Reddy 1923 Sold At Auction! Aviator with false teeth   1923 Under Two Jags Officer 1923 Back Stage Head of touring show   1923 Pick And Shovel The boss   1923 Dogs Of War! Director, "Should Husbands Work?" 1923 Kill Or Cure Doctor   1923 Her Dangerous Path John Dryden   1923 July Days Businessman   1923 Why Worry? Officer   1923 It's A Gift Weller Pump, oil executive 1923 Stage Fright Dalmar El Faro   1923 Frozen Hearts Spectator at duel 1923 Dear Ol' Pal Ebben Tizzle, crook 1923 Derby Day Mary's father 1923 Scorching Sands French officer   1923 Fully Insured Herman J. Fink, the boss 1923 Mother's Joy Houseguest 1923 It's A Joy! Movie actor 1924 Smithy The boss 1924 The Cowboy Sheik Fiddler at party 1924 Big Business Mickey's father 1924 Postage Due C.W. Lyons, chief postal inspector   1924 Hard Knocks Intended son-in-law [photograph only] 1924 Zeb vs. Paprika [?]   1924 Love's Detour [?] 1924 Brothers Under The Chin Captain 1924 Near Dublin Barn dance musician 1924 Going To Congress Politician 1924 Cradle Robbers Officer chasing Joe/Gypsy 1924 Don't Park There Druggist 1924 Wide Open Spaces Businessman in saloon 1924 Radio Mad Neighbor 1924 Our Congressman Politician   1924 A Truthful Liar Count De Casserole   1924 Why Men Work [unidentified character]   1924 The Goofy Age [unidentified character]   1924 Every Man For Himself Pedestrian 1924 All Wet Driver   1924 Meet The Missus Mr. Stark, the Efficiency Manager 1924 The Mysterious Mystery! Mr. Wallingford   1925 The Rat's Knuckles Jimmy's rival 1925 The Big Town Train passenger 1925 Change The Needle [?] 1925 Dog Days Mary's dad 1925 Is Marriage The Bunk? Patent medicine salesman   1925 The Love Bug Beauty parlor manager 1925 Shootin' Injuns Father   1925 Grief Of Bagdad [?] 1925 Looking For Sally [?]   1925 Sure-Mike! New manager 1925 Isn't Life Terrible? Medical officer 1925 Chasing The Chaser Hat salesman 1925 Sherlock Sleuth [unidentified character]   1925 Innocent Husbands Bachelor 1925 The Bouncer Dance hall patron 1925 Your Own Back Yard Man in quarrelsome couple 1925 Moonlight And Noses [?]   1925 Better Movies Officer   1925 Should Sailors Marry? Train passenger 1925 Laughing Ladies Dental patient 1925 Tol'able Romeo Stage actor/Manager 1926 Wandering Papas [?]   1926 Hired And Fired Scrubbo Washing Machine store manager 1926 Monkey Business Officer   1926 Madame Mystery [?]   1926 The Old War-Horse Abner Horntooter 1926 Baby Clothes William Weedle   1926 Don Key (Son Of Burro) [unidentified character]   1926 He Forgot To Remember Officer 1926 Bromo And Juliet The Great Brandenburg   1927 The Second 100 Years [?]   1928 Playin' Hookey Movie picture star 1928 Barnum & Ringling, Inc. Hotel manager 1929 Wrong Again Horse owner 1929 Double Whoopee Hotel owner 1930 The Real McCoy Violinist 1930 Fast Work Dr. C.E. Akins 1930 Pups Is Pups Musician playing bass tuba 1931 Helping Grandma Chain store official 1931 Let's Do Things Nightclub patron 1931 Beau Hunks Marconi Ally, Arab informant 1932 The Music Box Piano salesman 1932 First In War Proprietor, Global Music Publishing Company 1933 Arabian Tights Arab 1933 Thundering Taxis Salesman 1933 Sons Of The Desert Son of the Desert   1934 Rhapsody In Brew Waiter ▼ NON-HAL ROACH FILMS 1926 Stop, Look And Listen Bill Acknowledgements: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=93564719 (Find A Grave) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-26179-26625-22?cc=1968530 (WWI Draft Card - birth year 1892; unknown if years added nor subtracted) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-22552-25813-91?cc=1804002 (certificate of marriage; also supports 1892) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-14863-3125-30?cc=1849628 (immigration index) https://archive.org/stream/13thcensus1910po0083unit#page/n160/mode/1up (1910 Census; supports 1894) https://archive.org/stream/14thcensusofpopu107unit#page/n1089/mode/1up (1920 Census; supports 1891) https://archive.org/stream/californiacensus00reel138#page/n80/mode/1up (1930 Census; supports 1894) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-26184-5896-86?cc=1932433&wc=M6PR-6ZS:228662101,228662102 (CA Death Index - last column - GILLESPIE WILLIAM A - 6/23/38 - supports 1894) https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturealm1929exhi#page/45/mode/1up (1929 Motion Picture Almanac) https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturealm00quig_0#page/n171/mode/1up (1931 Motion Picture Almanac) https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturealm00quig#page/n155/mode/1up (1932 Motion Picture Almanac) https://silenthollywood.com/whiteeagle1922.html (Silent Hollywood - still image from White Eagle (misidentified as Earl Metcalfe) Jesse Brisson (help and assistance; identification in At The Ringside, Beau Hunks, He Forgot To Remember, Mother's Joy, Start The Show, Rhapsody In Brew, Arabian Tights, Strictly Modern, Laughing Ladies, What A Whopper) Jim Clewer (screenshots: Dr. Jack, Safety Last!, Number Please, Among Those Present, An Eastern Westerner, Bumping Into Broadway) Jim Jarvis (help) NOTE: One source lists Gillespie in "Ring Up The Curtain" and "Number, Please?", though these credits are not listed in the Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia. NOTE: There are sources that list him in "One Good Turn" but I dispute this and therefore have not included this credit. NOTE: There are sources that list him in "Boys Will Be Joys" but this is wrong. This page was last updated on 17 February 2025