William Austin

William Austin

  • Birthday: 1884-06-10
  • Deathday: 1975-06-15
  • Place of birth: Georgetown, British Guiana [now Guyana]
  • Also know as: William Crosby Piercy Austin

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Austin  (12 June 1884 – 15 June 1975) was a British character actor who was born on a sugar plantation in Georgetown in British Guiana (now Guyana). On the death of his father he was brought to England to complete his education. He later filled a business post in Shanghai and on being sent to San Francisco by the company he worked for, he decided to stay in America and take up acting on the stage and later in films. He appeared in many American films and serials between the 1920s and the 1940s, though the vast majority of his roles were small and uncredited. He was the brother of actor Albert Austin. He died in Newport Beach, California. Of the numerous silent films Austin appeared in, he is best remembered as the sidekick friend of Clara Bow in Bow's best known film It (1927). Mr. Austin's portrayal in the 1943 Batman serial of Batman's butler Alfred is the iconic portrayal still used in the comics. Previous to being played by Mr. Austin, the character was fat and had no facial hair. Performed by Mr. Austin, the character was thin with a mustache. Shortly after the serial was released, Alfred in the comics was changed to match the look of the serial; this representation of the character has for the most part continued to this day except for the live action films, the Birds of Prey series, and the Deadshot short in Batman: Gotham Knight where he has no moustache. Description above from the Wikipedia article William Austin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Filmography

Three Men in a Boat

1933

As Harris

High Society

1932

As Wilberforce Strangeways

It

1927

As Monty Montgomery

Red Hair

1928

As Dr. Eustace Gill

What a Night!

1928

As Percy Penfield

Alice in Wonderland

1933

As Gryphon

The Flirting Widow

1930

As James Raleigh

Common Sense

1920

As Reggie Barrett

Just Married

1928

As Percy Jones

The Flaming Forest

1926

As Alfred Wimbledon

Along Came Youth

1930

As Lord Eustace

The Man from Blankley's

1930

As Mr. Poffley

County Hospital

1932

As Ollie's Hospital Roommate

Batman

1943

As Alfred

Sweetie

1929

As Prof. Percy Willow

Let's Go Native

1930

As Basil Pistol

The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu

1929

As Sylvester Wadsworth

Head Winds

1925

As Theodore Van Felt

The Night Club

1925

As Gerly - The Valet

A Tailor-Made Man

1931

As Jellicott

The Reckless Age

1924

As Lord Allan Harrowby

The World At Her Feet

1927

As Det. Hall

The Best People

1925

As Arthur Rockmere

Seven Days

1925

As Dal Brown

Handle with Care

1922

As Peter Carter

The Private Life of Henry VIII

1933

As Duke of Cleves

Corsair

1931

As Richard Bentinck

The Marriage Playground

1929

As Lord Wrench

The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu

1930

As Sylvester Wadsworth

The Garden of Weeds

1924

As Archie

Embarrassing Moments

1930

As Jasper Hickson

The Gay Divorcee

1934

As Cyril Glossop

The Cowboy King

1922

As Wilbur

Fig Leaves

1926

As Andre's Assistant

Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

1937

As Constable Holly

Duck Soup

1927

As Lord Tarbotham

Redheads on Parade

1935

As Trelawney Redfern

Ruggles of Red Gap

1923

As Mr. Belknap-Jackson

The Goose and the Gander

1935

As Arthur Summers

$1,000 a Minute

1935

As Salesman

Illusion

1929

As Mr. Z

The Return of the Vampire

1943

As Detective Gannett

What Happened to Jones

1926

As Henry Fuller

Drums of Love

1928

As Raymond of Boston

Alias Mr. Twilight

1946

As Forbes (uncredited)

Swingin' on a Rainbow

1945

As Musician (uncredited)

Doctor Rhythm

1938

As Mr. Martingale

Imitation of Life

1934

As Englishman at Party (uncredited)

The Ghost Goes Wild

1947

As Barnaby

The Garden Murder Case

1936

As Sneed, Hammle's Butler (Uncredited)

Live, Love and Learn

1937

As Bob's Butler (uncredited)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

1939

As Inquisitive Stranger

Charley's Aunt

1941

As Spectator

National Velvet

1945

As Reporter (uncredited)

Oil for the Lamps of China

1935

As Clerk in Chase's office

Production

Campus Sleuth

1948

As Editor

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