Starting out in dramatic parts, Desmond soon switched to westerns and action serials, and became a major western star. When the sound era began Desmond was almost 50 years old, and was soon relegated to supporting roles.
Known For
Phantom of the Opera
(1943)
Stagehand (uncredited)
Phantom Lady
(1944)
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
Kilmeny
(1915)
Bob Meredith
The Majesty of the Law
(1915)
Jackson Morgan Kent
Peer Gynt
(1915)
The Parson
A Gamble in Souls
(1916)
Peggy
(1916)
Rev. Donald Bruce
The Dawn Maker
(1916)
Bruce Smithson
The Last of the Ingrams
(1917)
Jules Ingram
The Iced Bullet
(1917)
The Author / Horace Lee
Paws of the Bear
(1917)
Ray Bourke
Master of His Home
(1917)
Society for Sale
(1918)
Honorable Billy
Captain of His Soul
(1918)
A Sage Brush Hamlet
(1919)
Larry Lang
The Prince and Betty
(1919)
John Maude
Her Code of Honor
(1919)
Eugene La Salle
Fightin' Mad
(1921)
Bud McGraw
The Child Thou Gavest Me
(1921)
Tom Marshall
The Policeman and the Baby
(1921)
The Policeman
Night Life in Hollywood
(1922)
Self
Perils of the Yukon
(1922)
Jack Merrill Sr. / Jack Merrill Jr.
The Extra Girl
(1923)
Himself
Shadows of the North
(1923)
Ben 'Wolf' Darby
McGuire of the Mounted
(1923)
Bob McGuire
Hello, 'Frisco
(1924)
William Desmond
The Sunset Trail
(1924)
Happy Hobo
Ridin' Pretty
(1925)
Sky Parker
Barriers of the Law
(1925)
Rex Brandon
Outwitted
(1925)
Jack Blaisdel
Straight Through
(1925)
Good Deed O'Day
The Burning Trail
(1925)
Smiling Bill Flannigan
The Meddler
(1925)
Richard Gilmore
The Strings of Steel
(1926)
Ned Brown
The Mystery Rider
(1928)
Winthrop Lane / The Mystery Rider
The Vanishing Rider
(1928)
Jim Davis / The Vanishing Rider
No Children
(1929)
Self
No Defense
(1929)
John Harper
The Phantom of the West
(1930)
Martin Blair
The Vanishing Legion
(1931)
Milesburg Sheriff
Battling with Buffalo Bill
(1931)
John Mills
Oklahoma Jim
(1931)
Lacy
The Lightning Warrior
(1931)
Townsman (uncredited)
Heroes of the West
(1932)
John Blaine
The Last Frontier
(1932)
General Custer
A Scarlet Week-End
(1932)
Strawberry Roan
(1933)
Colonel Brownlee
Fargo Express
(1933)
Sheriff Joe Thompson
Gordon of Ghost City
(1933)
John Mulford
The Phantom of the Air
(1933)
Thomas Edmonds
Perils of Pauline
(1933)
Prof. Thompson
The Rustler's Roundup
(1933)
San Dimas Sheriff Holden
Mr. Broadway
(1933)
1st Suitor (archive footage)
Laughing at Life
(1933)
Military Cabinet Officer
The Three Musketeers
(1933)
Capt. Boncour
The Vanishing Shadow
(1934)
MacDonald
I Can't Escape
(1934)
Parole Officer Donovan
Pirate Treasure
(1934)
Capt. Jim Carson
Frontier Days
(1934)
Sheriff Barnes
The Rawhide Terror
(1934)
Tom Blake
The Red Rider
(1934)
Sheriff Campbell
The Way of the West
(1934)
'Cash' Horton (as Wm. Desmond)
When Lightning Strikes
(1934)
Marshal Jack Stevens
Border Guns
(1934)
Dr. Jim Wilson
Crack-Up
(1934)
Police Chief
Born to Battle
(1935)
John Brownell
The Cowboy and the Bandit
(1935)
Sheriff Pete
Cyclone of the Saddle
(1935)
Wagon Master
The Call of the Savage
(1935)
Allen
The Ghost Rider
(1935)
Guard
Social Error
(1935)
Policeman
Tailspin Tommy in The Great Air Mystery
(1935)
Foreman Burke
Rustlers of Red Dog
(1935)
Ira Dale [Chs. 1-4, 6, 10-12]
Powdersmoke Range
(1935)
Happy - Bartender
Naughty Marietta
(1935)
Gendarme Chief (uncredited)
The Roaring West
(1935)
Jim Parker
Frisco Kid
(1935)
Vigilante Hangman (uncredited)
Wild Waters
(1935)
Sheriff Manning
Courage of the North
(1935)
Gene Travis
Timber Terrors
(1935)
Royce Horter
Song of the Gringo
(1936)
Bailiff
The Vigilantes Are Coming
(1936)
Anderson, Vigilante Member
Custer's Last Stand
(1936)
Wagon Master
Treachery Rides the Range
(1936)
Bill
Headin' for the Rio Grande
(1936)
Mr. Mack (cattle buyer)
Hollywood Boulevard
(1936)
Pago Pago Patron (uncredited)
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
(1936)
Captain of the 'Viking'
Song of the Saddle
(1936)
Tim
The Broken Coin
(1936)
Tim Tyler's Luck
(1937)
Dock Official
Winners of the West
(1940)
Bill Brine
The Boys from Syracuse
(1940)
Citizen
Junior G-Men
(1940)
Irish Cop
Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
(1941)
Bartender
Where Did You Get That Girl?
(1941)
Tourist
Down Rio Grande Way
(1942)
Townsman
The Silver Bullet
(1942)
Townsman
Overland Mail
(1942)
Williams - Banker
The Lone Star Trail
(1943)
Bartender Mike
Cheyenne Roundup
(1943)
Pete
Phantom of the Opera
(1943)
Stagehand (uncredited)
The Climax
(1944)
Backstage Technician (Uncredited)
The Mummy's Ghost
(1944)
Museum Tourist (uncredited)
Phantom Lady
(1944)
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
The Naughty Nineties
(1945)
Showboat Customer (uncredited)
Strange Confession
(1945)
Peanut Vendor (uncredited)
The Return of the Durango Kid
(1945)
Street Ambusher (uncredited)
Desert Command
(1946)
Capt. Boncour
The Egg and I
(1947)
Spectator at Country Dance (Uncredited)
Code of the West
(1947)
Settler (uncredited)
Savage Fury
(1956)
Allen (archive footage)