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William Boyd

William Boyd

Actor · Died September 12, 1972, aged 77 · Hendrysburg, Ohio, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Lawrence Boyd (June 5, 1895 – September 12, 1972) was an American film actor who is best known for portraying the cowboy hero Hopalong Cassidy. Boyd was born in Hendrysburg, Ohio, and reared in Cambridge, Ohio and Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the son of a day laborer, Charles William Boyd, and his wife, the former Lida Wilkens (aka Lyda). Following his father's death, he moved to California and worked as an orange picker, surveyor, tool dresser and auto salesman. In Hollywood, he found work as an extra in Why Change Your Wife? and other films. During World War I, he enlisted in the army but was exempt from military service because of a "weak heart". More prominent film roles followed, including his breakout role as Jack Moreland in Cecil B. DeMille's The Road to Yesterday (1925) which starred also Joseph Schildkraut, Jetta Goudal, and Vera Reynolds. Boyd's performance in the film was praised by critics, while movie-goers were equally impressed by his easy charm, charisma, and intense good-looks. Due to Boyd's growing popularity, DeMille soon cast him as the leading man in the highly acclaimed silent drama film, The Volga Boatman. Boyd's role as Feodor blew critics away, and with Boyd now firmly established as a matinee idol and romantic leading man, he began earning an annual salary of $100,000. He acted in DeMille's extravaganza The King of Kings (in which he played Simon of Cyrene, helping Jesus carry the cross) and DeMille's Skyscraper (1928). He then appeared in D.W. Griffith's Lady of the Pavements (1929). Radio Pictures ended Boyd's contract in 1931 when his picture was mistakenly run in a newspaper story about the arrest of another actor, William "Stage" Boyd, on gambling and liquor charges. Although the newspaper apologized, explaining the mistake in the following day's newspaper, Boyd said, "The damage was already done." William "Stage" Boyd died in 1935, the same year William L. Boyd became Hopalong Cassidy, the role that led to his enduring fame. But at the time in 1931, Boyd was virtually broke and without a job, and for a few years he was credited in films as "Bill Boyd" to prevent being mistaken for the other William Boyd.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 4, 1895
Died
September 12, 1972 (aged 77)
From
Hendrysburg, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 144 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 27% in 30 days

What are William Boyd's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Society.

Genres

Drama30 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
54%
Society
16%
Bonds
16%
Power
6%
Self
4%
Survival
3%
Ideas
1%
Justice28 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity13 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 27 · Serious 8 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 28 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 26 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 29 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 26 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 28 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 34 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

31 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 29 of 31 analyzed roles.

Hero
29 of 31
Shadow
1 of 31
Shapeshifter
1 of 31
Show the 31 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
21
Thrilling
18
Warm
12
Contemplative
8
Hopeful
11
Other
18

How their films linger

Feel-good22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy30
  • Bittersweet6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch William Boyd's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on MGM+ (25).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William Boyd's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

144 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs(2000)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Television: The First Fifty Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)

  • Going Hollywood: The '30s(1984)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Western von gestern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill Holbrook (archive footage)

  • Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as (archive footage)

  • The Movie Orgy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)

  • Hollywood: The Great Stars(1963)

    as Bill Holbrook

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Little Smokey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Hopalong Cassidy(1952)

    Show 40 episodes · Producer · as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Greatest Show on Earth(1952)

    as Hopalong Cassidy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Strange Gamble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • False Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as William "Hopalong" Cassidy

  • Borrowed Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Sinister Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • The Dead Don't Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Silent Conflict (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Hoppy's Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • The Marauders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Dangerous Venture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Unexpected Guest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • The Devil's Playground (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Fool's Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Forty Thieves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Mystery Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Lumberjack(1944)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Texas Masquerade(1944)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Riders of the Deadline(1943)

    as Ranger William "Hopalong" Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • False Colors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Bar 20(1943)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Colt Comrades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Leather Burners(1943)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Border Patrol(1943)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Hoppy Serves a Writ(1943)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Lost Canyon(1942)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Undercover Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Secret of the Wastelands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Outlaws of the Desert(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Twilight on the Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Riders of the Timberline (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Stick to Your Guns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Wide Open Town(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Pirates on Horseback(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Border Vigilantes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • In Old Colorado(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Doomed Caravan(1941)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Three Men from Texas(1940)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Stagecoach War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Hidden Gold(1940)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Showdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Santa Fe Marshal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Law of the Pampas(1939)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Range War(1939)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Renegade Trail(1939)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Land of Liberty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as (archive footage)

  • Silver on the Sage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Sunset Trail(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Frontiersmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • In Old Mexico(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Pride of the West(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Bar 20 Justice(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Heart of Arizona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Cassidy of Bar 20 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Partners of the Plains(1938)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Texas Trail(1937)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Hopalong Rides Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Rustlers' Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • North of the Rio Grande (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Hills of Old Wyoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Borderland(1937)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Trail Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Hopalong Cassidy Returns(1936)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Go-Get-'Em, Haines(1936)

    as Steve Haines

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Burning Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Jim Thornton

  • Three on the Trail(1936)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Federal Agent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Bob Woods

  • Call of the Prairie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Heart of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Bar 20 Rides Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Racing Luck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Dan Morgan

  • The Eagle's Brood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

  • Hop-a-Long Cassidy(1935)

    as Hopalong Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Port of Lost Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Lars Christensen

  • Cheaters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Steve Morris

  • Emergency Call (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Joe Bradley

  • Lucky Devils(1933)

    as Skipper Clark

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Men Of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director · as Jim Parker

  • Flaming Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dan Manton

  • Carnival Boat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Buck Gannon

  • Suicide Fleet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Baltimore

  • The Big Gamble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Alan Beckwith

  • Beyond Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Bill Thatcher

  • The Painted Desert(1931)

    as Bill Holbrook

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as William Boyd

  • Officer O'Brien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Bill O'Brien

  • His First Command (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Terry Culver

  • The Flying Fool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Bill Taylor

  • High Voltage(1929)

    as Bill

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Leatherneck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as William Calhoun

  • Lady of the Pavements (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Karl Von Arnim

  • Power (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Husky

  • The Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Pete Smith

  • Skyscraper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Blondy

  • The Night Flyer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Jimmy Bradley

  • Dress Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Vic Donovan

  • Two Arabian Knights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Daingerfield Phelps

  • The Yankee Clipper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Hal Winslow

  • The King of Kings(1927)

    as Simon Of Cyrene

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Jim the Conqueror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Jim Burgess

  • Her Man o' War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Jim Sanderson

  • The Last Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Tom Kirby

  • The Volga Boatman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Feodor

  • Eve's Leaves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Bill Stanley

  • The Road to Yesterday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Jack Moreland

  • The Midshipman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Spud

  • New Lives for Old (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Soldier (uncredited)

  • Forty Winks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Lt. Gerald Hugh Butterworth

  • Feet of Clay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Young Society Man (uncredited)

  • Tarnish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Bill

  • Changing Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Conrad Bardshaw

  • Enemies of Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Sidney Godfrey

  • The Temple of Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Stanley Dale

  • Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as William Boyd

  • Michael O'Halloran (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Douglas Bruce

  • The Young Rajah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Stephen Van Kovert

  • Manslaughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as (uncredited)

  • On the High Seas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Dick Deveraux

  • Nice People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Oliver Comstock

  • Moran of the Lady Letty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Ramon's Friend at Homecoming

  • Saturday Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Party Guest

  • Bobbed Hair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Dick Barton

  • Exit the Vamp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Robert Pitts

  • After the Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as (uncredited)

  • The Affairs of Anatol(1921)

    as Guest

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Moonlight and Honeysuckle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Robert V. Courtney

  • A Wise Fool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Gerard Fynes

  • Brewster's Millions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Harrison

  • The Jucklins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Dan Stuart

  • Forbidden Fruit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Billiards Player

  • A City Sparrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Hughie Ray

  • Something to Think About (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as (uncredited)

  • The City of Masks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Carpenter

  • The Six Best Cellars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Holsappel (uncredited)

  • Was He Guilty? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Actor

  • Old Wives for New (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    as (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 65th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 143 titles from 1918 to 2000.

Highest rated

The Painted Desert (1931)

Midcredits 18th

Most popular right now

Hopalong Cassidy (1952)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting143 of 143: 141 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thDirecting1 of 143: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 143: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1910s2 · acting1920s48 · acting1930s44 · 44 acting · 1 crew1940s40 · acting1950s3 · 3 acting · 1 crew1960s1 · acting1970s2 · acting1980s1 · acting1990s1 · acting2000s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do William Boyd's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 38; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

12thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

28 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser28
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)

94th percentile spread · 52% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The King of Kings (1927)

Midcredits 81st · 72% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 33 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does William Boyd work with?

People who share at least 2 of William Boyd's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harry Sherman shares the most, 28.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers