Directing

Gilbert M. Anderson

Born March 20, 1880 · Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Died January 20, 1971 · aged 90

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 co-founding 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 ret…

Known For

The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery · 1903

The Great Train Robbery

MovieWesternCrime

After the train station clerk is assaulted and left bound and gagged, then the departing train and its passengers robbed, a posse goes in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits.

His Regeneration

His Regeneration · 1915

His Regeneration

MovieCrimeDrama

A rough criminal gets a second chance at life thanks to a kindly (and wealthy) lady saloon patron. But he hasn't gone straight yet, as he and a partner attempt to rob the home of a rich homeowner-- whose wife is asleep in the next room.

The Champion

The Champion · 1915

Walking along with his bulldog, Charlie finds a "good luck" horseshoe just as he passes a training camp advertising for a boxing partner "who can take a beating." After watching others lose, Charlie puts the horseshoe in his glove and wins. The trainer prepares Charlie to fight the world champion. A gambler wants Charlie to throw the fight. He and the trainer's daughter fall in love.

The Bounty Killer

The Bounty Killer · 1965

The Bounty Killer

Willie Duggans, a tenderfoot from the east, arrives in the wild west and soon experiences its violence. Willie discovers the easy money in bounty killing and must choose between that violent lifestyle and the love of a beautiful saloon singer.

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape · 1912

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape

While looking for work, Broncho Billy meets a girl and falls in love with her. Broncho is then accused of horse theft by a jealous lover of the girl. At the moment that he is to be hanged, Broncho’s beloved girl comes to his rescue.

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy · 1912

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy

MovieComedyWestern

When rancher Arthur Mackley welcomes his daughter (Florence Perkes) to his ranch for a visit, all of the cowboys compete for her affections.

Alkali Ike's Auto

Alkali Ike's Auto · 1911

Alkali Ike's Auto

MovieComedyWestern

Alkali Ike and Mustang Pete are both wooing the same woman. Ike hopes to take her for a horseback ride, but she chooses instead to go with Pete, who has a horse and carriage. Ike trades his horses for an automobile, hoping to win her over that way, but things do not work out as planned.

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs · 2000

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

MovieDocumentaryWestern

This documentary traces the history of the B-Western from it's silent movie origins to its demise in the early 1950s. The film contains a large number of scenes from early silents and seldom seen films, as well as old photographs of the stars and one-sheet advertisements for lost films.

Filmography

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The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery · 1903

The Great Train Robbery

MovieWesternCrime

After the train station clerk is assaulted and left bound and gagged, then the departing train and its passengers robbed, a posse goes in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits.

Assistant Director

His Regeneration

His Regeneration · 1915

His Regeneration

MovieCrimeDrama

A rough criminal gets a second chance at life thanks to a kindly (and wealthy) lady saloon patron. But he hasn't gone straight yet, as he and a partner attempt to rob the home of a rich homeowner-- whose wife is asleep in the next room.

Director

The Champion

The Champion · 1915

Walking along with his bulldog, Charlie finds a "good luck" horseshoe just as he passes a training camp advertising for a boxing partner "who can take a beating." After watching others lose, Charlie puts the horseshoe in his glove and wins. The trainer prepares Charlie to fight the world champion. A gambler wants Charlie to throw the fight. He and the trainer's daughter fall in love.

Enthusiastic Fan (uncredited)

The Bounty Killer

The Bounty Killer · 1965

The Bounty Killer

Willie Duggans, a tenderfoot from the east, arrives in the wild west and soon experiences its violence. Willie discovers the easy money in bounty killing and must choose between that violent lifestyle and the love of a beautiful saloon singer.

The Man in the Cantina

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape · 1912

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape

While looking for work, Broncho Billy meets a girl and falls in love with her. Broncho is then accused of horse theft by a jealous lover of the girl. At the moment that he is to be hanged, Broncho’s beloved girl comes to his rescue.

Director

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy · 1912

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy

MovieComedyWestern

When rancher Arthur Mackley welcomes his daughter (Florence Perkes) to his ranch for a visit, all of the cowboys compete for her affections.

Producer

Alkali Ike's Auto

Alkali Ike's Auto · 1911

Alkali Ike's Auto

MovieComedyWestern

Alkali Ike and Mustang Pete are both wooing the same woman. Ike hopes to take her for a horseback ride, but she chooses instead to go with Pete, who has a horse and carriage. Ike trades his horses for an automobile, hoping to win her over that way, but things do not work out as planned.

Director

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs · 2000

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

MovieDocumentaryWestern

This documentary traces the history of the B-Western from it's silent movie origins to its demise in the early 1950s. The film contains a large number of scenes from early silents and seldom seen films, as well as old photographs of the stars and one-sheet advertisements for lost films.

(archive footage)

Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner

Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner · 1911

Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner

MovieDramaWestern

It's Christmas, and a young woman is on her way to celebrate the holidays with her parents. A group of drunk cowboys startle her horses making her wagon, with the woman on it, speed off. By chance Broncho Billy saves her life and the grateful girl invites him over for Christmas dinner. Little does he know that the young lady is the Sheriff's daughter…

Writer

Broncho Billy's Capture

Broncho Billy's Capture · 1913

Broncho Billy's Capture

Juan Yukas, a greaser, schemes with his sweetheart, Evelyn, to hold up the stage and rob the driver of the express box. Broncho Billy is infatuated with Evelyn, The coach is held up. Broncho Billy captures Juan and takes him to Evelyn's shack, to get a drink of water. Evelyn betrays herself. Although he loves her, his duty compels Broncho Billy to take Evelyn prisoner.

Director

Broncho Billy's Promise

Broncho Billy's Promise · 1912

Broncho Billy's Promise

A pretty western girl rejected a cowpuncher admirer for Bronche Billy. Snake, the rejected suitor, swears revenge and immediately proceeds to the village barroom to load up with ammunition, both for the gun and the stomach.

Writer

The Film Parade

The Film Parade · 1933

The Film Parade

MovieHistoryDocumentary

Pioneer filmmaker J. Stuart Blackton was intrigued by the idea of a film about the history of the movies as early as 1915. He finally released a 52-minute feature called The Film Parade that was shown in New York and favorably reviewed by "Variety" in 1933. He continued tinkering with the film for the rest of the decade, and later filmmakers and distributors used Blackton's footage for stock or to produce their own variously titled and truncated versions. -UCLA Film & Television Archive

(archive footage) (uncredited)

An Outlaw's Sacrifice

An Outlaw's Sacrifice · 1910

An Outlaw's Sacrifice

Matt Malone, a highwayman and night rider who has long baffled the police authorities, loves Nona McMahon, posing with her as a cowboy from up country.

Writer

A Story of Montana

A Story of Montana · 1912

A Story of Montana

Old Clayton, a ranchman, has a pretty daughter, Sue, who is loved by Dan Morris, a worthless cattleman. Clayton tries to force Sue to marry Morris, but the girl indignantly refuses, tells Morris she doesn't love him and goes to meet her real sweetheart.

Director

The Weak-End Party

The Weak-End Party · 1922

The Weak-End Party

A riotous comedy of social errors, as absurd as a butler's whiskers.

Director

The Son-of-a-Gun

The Son-of-a-Gun · 1919

The Son-of-a-Gun

A young man is lured into a cardgame by a crooked dealer. He is about to lose all the money that was given to him to get medicine for his mother when a local cowboy comes to his rescue.

Director

Spike Shannon's Last Fight

Spike Shannon's Last Fight · 1911

Spike Shannon's Last Fight

'Spike' Shannon, a pugilist by occupation, signs to fight a 10-round bout, with another young knight of the ring. A contract is drawn and 'Spike' and his backers leave the office of the promoter. On the street they encounter a young couple, evidently at outs, but which proves later, upon the girl's explanation, to be a flirtation, in which she has no desire to take part. The masher has insolently insulted her. 'Spike' takes in the situation at once and with his strong right arm knocks the dude sprawling.

Producer

The Bachelor's Burglar

The Bachelor's Burglar · 1915

The Bachelor's Burglar

MovieDramaCrime

The girl gets a job on the local newspaper and is sent out to get the story of one of the escapades of a rich bachelor. While she is on her way she determines to break into the house, because she is sure the bachelor will refuse her an interview. She breaks into the house and is blithely gathering the details of her story when the bachelor surprises her and calls the police. Just as the police arrive, the bachelor puts on a housecoat and an old cap. He looks very much like a burglar.

Director

The Tomboy on Bar Z

The Tomboy on Bar Z · 1912

The Tomboy on Bar Z

MovieWesternRomance

A romantic Western in which John saves his beloved Mary when she is about to marry a criminal.

Writer

Outwitting Papa

Outwitting Papa · 1911

Outwitting Papa

Ethel Walker and Tom Phelps are engaged to marry, but father objects. Later, when the old gentleman finds his daughter writing a note to Tom, promising him to elope, he calls in blacksmiths and has them put bars on the windows and grating in the door.

Director

Broncho Billy and the Vigilante

Broncho Billy and the Vigilante · 1915

Broncho Billy and the Vigilante

The cattle owners have formed a lynching party and are in pursuit of a rustler who has been ravaging the country. Broncho Billy, the sheriff, goes after him and captures him single handed. He takes the prisoner to a hotel for the night, and while in the barroom the lynching party comes along. They leave their shotguns outside and step in for a drink.

Director

The Making of Broncho Billy

The Making of Broncho Billy · 1913

The Making of Broncho Billy

Broncho Billy runs into trouble in a bar when he gets into a confrontation with a bully. Since the bully has a gun and Billy doesn't, he's forced to endure the bully's humiliating tactics until he manages to get away. He determines to find himself a gun, learn how to use it and then go back and find the bully for a little payback.

Director

Snakeville's New Doctor

Snakeville's New Doctor · 1914

Snakeville's New Doctor

MovieComedyWestern

In these days of women's equal rights, it is not strange to find the fair sex taking the places of men in every occupation. Women physicians are not unusual, but a really beautiful one is, and would have her hands full taking care of every lovesick swain, who would develop every known disease to have the pleasure of letting her feel his pulse or hold his head.

Writer

Tag Day

Tag Day · 1909

The custom of young women "tagging" men on the public streets (on a day specially set aside and called "Tag Day") to secure funds for various charitable purposes is the basis for this Comedy short.

Director