Warren William was the first actor to play Perry Mason.
18 Facts About Warren William
2.
Warren William wed Mathilde Grow in 1851, and had six children.
3.
Warren William married Frances Potter, daughter of a merchant, September 18,1890.
4.
Warren William was assigned from base to base, in charge of training new men at various locations, and in 1918 was assigned to Fort Dix, New Jersey, near New York City.
5.
In October 1918, Warren William's unit was deployed to the war front in France, and the war ended one month later.
6.
Warren William, who appeared in his first Broadway play in 1920, soon made a name for himself in New York, appearing in more than 20 plays on Broadway between 1920 and 1931.
7.
Warren William moved from New York City to Hollywood in 1931.
8.
Warren William began as a contract player at Warner Bros.
9.
Warren William developed a reputation for portraying ruthless, amoral businessmen, crafty lawyers, and outright charlatans.
10.
Warren William did play some sympathetic roles, including Dave the Dude in Frank Capra's Lady for a Day and a loving father and husband cuckolded by Ann Dvorak's character in Three on a Match.
11.
Warren William was a young songwriter's comically pompous older brother in Golddiggers of 1933.
12.
Warren William played the swashbuckling musketeer d'Artagnan in The Man in the Iron Mask, directed by James Whale.
13.
Warren William was the first to portray Erle Stanley Gardner's fictional defense attorney Perry Mason on the big screen, starring in four Perry Mason mysteries.
14.
Warren William played Raffles-like reformed jewel thief The Lone Wolf in nine films, beginning with The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt, and appeared as Detective Philo Vance in two of the series films, The Dragon Murder Case and the comedic The Gracie Allen Murder Case.
15.
Warren William starred as Sam Spade in Satan Met a Lady, the second screen version of The Maltese Falcon.
16.
Warren William was often described as having been shy in real life.
17.
Warren William died on September 24,1948, from multiple myeloma, at age 53.
18.
Warren William was recognized for his contribution to motion pictures with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 1960.