Broncho Billy Anderson born
Gilbert M.Anderson the first western movie star is born in Little Rock Arkansas.Better known as Broncho Billy the name of the western hero he played in over 300 short films Anderson was the first western movie star.Furthermore he played several small parts in one of the first movies ever made The Great Train Robbery.
In 1903 Anderson won a role as a bandit in the film after telling the director he could ride like a Texas Ranger.When it became clear that Anderson could hardly get onto a horse he was made an extra and played several minor parts.Later that year the 10-minute movie received an enthusiastic reception from the public and Anderson decided to make a career in the promising new business of telling stories in moving pictures.Anderson moved to Chicago which was becoming a minor moviemaking center.
After a few years directing and occasionally starring in movies produced by others Anderson decided to create his own production company.Forming a partnership with old friend George K.Spoor in 1907 Anderson created the Essanay Company which would later be credited as one of the best of the early movie studios.At first Anderson made comedies but remembering the brilliant success of The Great Train Robbery he eventually turned to Westerns.
Anderson was one of the first movie producers to realize that the public needed a central character in the movies a star on which they could focus their attention.In 1909 though there were no movie stars and stage actors were reluctant to risk films.Anderson decided to make himself the star creating the character Broncho Billy out of ideas about the West culled from popular dime novels.In 1909 Anderson released his first western Broncho Billy and the Baby.
It was an enormous success and convinced Anderson that he should stick with Westerns starring the Broncho Billy character.Over the next five years Anderson made over 300 short one- or two-reel movies featuring Broncho Billy.Physically Anderson was not especially handsome or dashing but audiences liked Broncho Billy for his courageous virtue and bravery.In 1915 Anderson released his last film in the series Broncho Billys Sentence and thereafter turned to writing.
A few years later he attempted a comeback but by then the western field was dominated by more dashing actors like Tom Mix and William S.Hart.He made comedies for several years before retiring.
Later recognized and honored for his pivotal role in the development of the Western in 1965 he made a cameo appearance in a modern Hollywood Western called The Bounty Killer his first talking picture.Anderson died in his sleep on January 20 1971 at the age of 88.
