Leo Willis
Encyclopedia
Leo Willis was an American
actor
in films from the silent days. He played mainly tough guys and comic villains, notably opposite Harold Lloyd
, Charley Chase
and Laurel and Hardy
at the Hal Roach Studios.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in films from the silent days. He played mainly tough guys and comic villains, notably opposite Harold Lloyd
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
, Charley Chase
Charley Chase
Charley Chase was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies...
and Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
at the Hal Roach Studios.
Selected filmography
- The Bohemian GirlThe Bohemian GirlThe Bohemian Girl is an opera composed by Michael William Balfe with a libretto by Alfred Bunn. The plot is loosely based on a Cervantes tale, La Gitanilla.The opera was first produced in London at the Drury Lane Theatre on November 27, 1843...
(19361936 in filmThe year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 29 - Fritz Lang's first Hollywood film Fury, starring Spencer Tracy and Bruce Cabot, is released.*November 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon...
) - The Gold GhostThe Gold GhostThe Gold Ghost is a 1934 short comedy film starring Buster Keaton.-Cast:* Buster Keaton - Wally* Warren Hymer - Bugs Kelly* Dorothy Dix - Gloria* Roger Moore - * William Worthington - Gloria's Father, Jim...
(19341934 in film-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
) - The Live GhostThe Live GhostThe Live Ghost is a 1934 American short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by Charles Rogers and produced by Hal Roach.-Plot:A tough sea captain is unable to hire on any new crew because his ship is reputed to be haunted, so he persuades fish-market workers Laurel and Hardy to shanghai a...
(1934) - Pardon UsPardon UsPardon Us is Laurel and Hardy's first feature length comedy film. It was produced by Hal Roach and Stan Laurel, directed by James Parrott, and originally distributed by MGM in 1931.- Plot :...
(19311931 in film-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
) - Below Zero (19301930 in film-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
) - The Hoose-GowThe Hoose-GowThe Hoose-Gow is a 1929 short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by James Parrott and produced by Hal Roach.- Synopsis :Stan and Ollie arrive as new inmates at a prison after apparently taking part in a hold-up raid, a raid they tell a prison officer they were only watching...
(19291929 in film-Events:The days of the silent film are numbered. A mad scramble to provide synchronized sound is on.*January 20 - The movie In Old Arizona is released. The film is the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors....
) - Their Purple MomentTheir Purple MomentTheir Purple Moment is a 1928 short comedy silent film starring Laurel and Hardy....
(19281928 in film-Events:Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.* July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film...
) - Flying ElephantsFlying ElephantsFlying Elephants is a two-reel silent film from 1928. It stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy—before they became the popular team of Laurel and Hardy—as cavemen...
(1928) - Call of the Cuckoo (19271927 in film-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
) - The Kid BrotherThe Kid BrotherThe Kid Brother is a 1927 American Classic comedy silent film starring Harold Lloyd. It was successful and popular upon release and today is considered by critics and fans to be one of Lloyd's best films, integrating elements of comedy, romance, drama, and character development...
(1927) - Isn't Life Terrible?Isn't Life Terrible?Isn't Life Terrible? is a 1925 film starring Charley Chase and featuring Oliver Hardy and Fay Wray. This short is a parody on D. W. Griffith's 1924 drama Isn't Life Wonderful.-Cast:* Charley Chase - Charley* Katherine Grant - The Wife...
(19251925 in film-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
) - Short KiltsShort KiltsShort Kilts is a 1924 silent comedy film starring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Stan Laurel - McPherson's son* James Finlayson - McGregor's son* Mickey Daniels - McPherson kid* Ena Gregory - McGregor's daughter* George Rowe - Blacksmith...
(19241924 in film-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) - Jubilo, Jr.Jubilo, Jr.Jubilo, Jr. is a 1924 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 27th Our Gang short subject released.-Synopsis:...
(1924) - Near DublinNear DublinNear Dublin is a 1924 silent comedy film starring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Stan Laurel - Con* Ena Gregory - The girl* James Finlayson - Brick merchant* George Rowe - Cop* James T. Kelley - * Dick Gilbert - Girl's father...
(1924) - The Timber QueenThe Timber QueenThe Timber Queen is a 1922 action film serial directed by Fred Jackman. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Ruth Roland - Ruth Reading* Bruce Gordon - Don Mackay* Val Paul - James Cluxton* Leo Willis - Bull Joyce* Frank Lackteen - Vance...
(19221922 in film-Events:* June 11 - United States première of Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North, the first commercially successful feature length documentary film....
) - The Rent CollectorThe Rent CollectorThe Rent Collector is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Rent Collector* Norma Nichols - Leader of the Society Girl Settlement Workers* Oliver Hardy - The Big Boss * Eva Thatcher - Landlady...
(19211921 in film-Top grossing films :-Films released in 1921:U.S.A. unless stated*$10,000 Under a Pillow, silent film directed by Frank Moser*The Ace of Hearts, silent film directed by Wallace Worsley*Across the Divide, silent film directed by John Holloway...
) - Bull's EyeBull's Eye (serial)Bull's Eye is a 1917 film serial directed by James W. Horne. It is now considered to be lost.-Cast:* Eddie Polo - Cody* Vivian Reed - Cora Clayton* Frank Lanning - Nathan Loose* Ray Hanford - John Clayton* William Welsh - John North...
(19171917 in filmThe year 1917 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Foundation of Universum Film AG , as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.*Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced...
) - The Italian (19151915 in filmThe year 1915 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 8 : D.W Griffith's The Birth of a Nation premieres at Clune's Auditorium Los Angeles and breaks box office and film length records, running at a total length of 3 hrs 10 minutes.* June 18 : The Motion Picture Directors...
)