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G. M. Anderson

G. M. Anderson

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Also Known As: Bronco Billy, Broncho Billy, Max Aronson, Max Aronson, Gilbert M. Anderson, Broncho Billy Anderson Died: January 20, 1971
Born: March 21, 1882 Cause of Death:
Birth Place: Little Rock, Arkansas, USA Profession: actor, screenwriter, director, producer, model, traveling salesman
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Biography CLOSE THE FULL BIOGRAPHY

A film pioneer and one of the first recognizable film stars. Anderson appeared in Edwin S. Porter's ground-breaking 1903 thirteen-minute short, "The Great Train Robbery." He later co-founded Essanay, where he starred in, wrote and directed over 375 Westerns in the enormously popular "Broncho Billy" series. After selling his interest in the company and taking an unsuccessful stab at producing for and investing in the legitimate theater, Anderson attempted a comeback only to find he had been supplanted in popularity by new cowboy actor William S. Hart.

A film pioneer and one of the first recognizable film stars. Anderson appeared in Edwin S. Porter's ground-breaking 1903 thirteen-minute short, "The Great Train Robbery." He later co-founded Essanay, where he starred in, wrote and directed over 375 Westerns in the enormously popular "Broncho Billy" series. After selling his interest in the company and taking an unsuccessful stab at producing for and investing in the legitimate theater, Anderson attempted a comeback only to find he had been supplanted in popularity by new cowboy actor William S. Hart.

Filmographyclose complete filmography

DIRECTOR:

1.
  Ashes (1922) Director
2.
  Shootin' Mad (1918) Director
3.
  Vera, the Medium (1917) Director
4.
  Bronco Billy and the Revenue Agent (1916) Director
5.
  Andy of the Royal Mounted (1915) Director
6.
  Bronco Billy's Marriage (1915) Director
7.
  His Regeneration (1915) Director
8.
  Bronco Billy's Vengeance (1915) Director
9.
  Bronco Billy's Indian Romance (1914) Director
10.
  Calling of Jim Barton, The (1914) Director

CAST: (feature film)

1.
 The Bounty Killer (1965) Man in the cantina
2.
 The Son-of-A-Gun! (1919) The Son-of-a-Gun
3.
 Red Blood and Yellow (1919) Jack/Jim
4.
 Naked Hands (1918) Billy Blair
5.
 Shootin' Mad (1918)
6.
 Chase Me Charlie (1918)
7.
 Humanity (1917) Broncho Billy
8.
 Bronco Billy and the Revenue Agent (1916)
9.
 Chaplin's Essanay Comedies Part 2 (1915)
10.
 Bronco Billy's Marriage (1915)
VIEW THE FULL FILMOGRAPHY

Milestones close milestones

:
Worked briefly as a traveling salesman; went to NYC where he and his sister failed at a stage acting career; modeled for illustrators including Howard Chandler Christy
1902:
Joined Edison Studio on 23rd Street in NYC
1902:
First starring role in director Edwin S. Porter's "The Messenger Boy's Mistake" (earning 50 cents an hour)
1903:
Appeared as the bandit as well as the breakman who tries to fight him off and the passenger that the bandit shot in the historic thirteen-minute film, "The Great Train Robbery" (often called the first film with a plot)
1904:
Moved on to a $25-a-week salary as a director, actor and factorum with the Vitagraph Company; claimed to have made the first two-reeler
1906:
Joined Selig Polyscope Company as director, writer and actor of shorts (date approximate)
:
Established Essanay company with George K Spoor in Pittsburgh and Chicago; moved Essanay's production team (Anderson, comedian Ben Turpin and a cameraman) to Los Angeles; produced first Ben Turpin comedy "Ben Gets a Duck and Is Ducked" (1907)
1907:
Moved company to Niles Canyon near San Francisco for its Wild West scenery and shoot "The Bandit Makes Good", the first western in which Anderson played "Bronco Billy"
:
Directed, wrote and starred in 375 Bronco Billy westerns in seven years
:
Sold out interest in Essaney to Spoor when Charlie Chaplin left Essaney; became an investor in New York legitimate theater, buying the Longacre Theater and producing plays
:
Directed several Laurel and Hardy shorts for Metro
1922:
Directed last film, "Ashes"
1926:
Retired from film industry
1965:
Made cameo appearance in "The Bounty Killer"
VIEW ALL MILESTONES

Notes

Although the name of his popular Western hero was at first spelled 'Broncho' Billy, it was later changed to 'Bronco'.

Anderson called movies, "the maximum amount of entertainment for the minimum amount of price."

Anderson did not know how to ride a horse or shoot a pistol until after his film debut.

Companions close complete companion listing

wife:
Molly Anderson.

Family close complete family listing

daughter:
Maxine Anderson.

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