Gilbert M. Anderson

Biography

Born in 1880, ‘Broncho Billy’ Anderson is considered the first western film star. He played three film roles in “The Great Train Robbery” and then began to write, direct and act in his own films. After co-founding the Essanay Studios in 1907 with George Kirk Spoor, Anderson appeared in some 300 short films. But it was his 148 western shorts playing cowboy Bronco Billy that made him a star. He retired for the first time in 1916 but made a few comebacks, including producing movies into the 1950s for his company, Progressive Pictures. He received an honorary Oscar in 1958 as a “motion picture pioneer.” Anderson came out of retirement one more time for a cameo in 1965’s “The Bounty Hunter.” He died at age of 90 1971.

Directed

1. His Regeneration (1915) — Director
2. Mr. Flip (1909) — Director
3. The Pest (1922) — Director
4. The Weak-End Party (1922) — Director
5. Broncho Billy and the Greaser (1914) — Director
6. His First Ride (1907) — Director
7. A Wife of the Hills (1912) — Director
8. Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape (1912) — Director
9. Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress (1912) — Director
10. Broncho Billy's Last Hold-Up (1912) — Director
11. Broncho Billy and the Western Girls (1913) — Director
12. Alkali Ike's Auto (1911) — Director
13. Broncho Billy's Fatal Joke (1914) — Director
14. The Son-of-a-Gun (1919) — Director
15. Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner (1911) — Director
16. The Cowboy Coward (1911) — Director
17. The Girl from Montana (1907) — Director
18. The Tomboy on Bar Z (1912) — Director
19. Broncho Billy and the Rustler's Child (1913) — Director
20. Why Broncho Billy Left Bear County (1913) — Director
21. The Haunted Lounge (1909) — Director
22. The Bandit King (1907) — Director
23. An Awful Skate; or, The Hobo on Rollers (1907) — Director
24. The Good-for-Nothing (1914) — Director
25. Broncho Billy's Sentence (1915) — Director
26. Broncho Billy's Adventure (1911) — Director
27. Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy (1912) — Director
28. The Dancing Nig (1907) — Director
29. The Making of Broncho Billy (1913) — Director
30. Broncho Billy's Conscience (1913) — Director
31. Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1905) — Director
32. Alkali Ike and the Wildman (1913) — Director
33. Ingomar of the Hills (1915) — Director
34. Broncho Billy's Christmas Spirit (1914) — Director
35. Broncho Billy's Dad (1914) — Director
36. Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Office (1914) — Director
37. Broncho Billy and the False Note (1915) — Director
38. Broncho Billy's Elopement (1913) — Director
39. The Baseball Fan (1908) — Director
40. The Bandit Makes Good (1908) — Director

Also appeared in

1. The Great Train Robbery (1903) — Bandit / Shot Passenger / Tenderfoot Dancer (uncredited)
2. The Champion (1915) — Enthusiastic Fan (uncredited)
3. His Regeneration (1915) — The Regenerate
4. The Bounty Killer (1965) — The Man in the Cantina
5. What Happened in the Tunnel (1903)
6. The Train Wreckers (1905) — Last Train Wrecker
7. The Messenger Boy's Mistake (1903) — Cholly
8. Broncho Billy and the Greaser (1914) — Broncho Billy
9. A Wife of the Hills (1912) — Bart McGrew
10. Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress (1912) — Broncho Billy
11. Broncho Billy's Last Hold-Up (1912) — Broncho Billy
12. Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape (1912) — Broncho Billy
13. The Tomboy on Bar Z (1912)
14. Life with Henry (1941) — Business Man (uncredited)
15. Broncho Billy's Fatal Joke (1914) — Broncho Billy
16. The Son-of-a-Gun (1919) — Bill
17. Broncho Billy and the Rustler's Child (1913) — Broncho Billy
18. The Cowboy Coward (1911) — Steve
19. Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner (1911) — Broncho Billy
20. The Movies March On (1939) — Self - from 'The Great Train Robbery' (archive footage)
21. Why Broncho Billy Left Bear County (1913) — Broncho Billy
22. Broncho Billy and the Western Girls (1913) — Broncho Billy
23. Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000) — (archive footage)
24. Broncho Billy's Conscience (1913) — Broncho Billy
25. Broncho Billy's Christmas Spirit (1914) — Broncho Billy
26. Broncho Billy's Dad (1914) — Broncho Billy
27. Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Office (1914) — Broncho Billy
28. Broncho Billy and the False Note (1915) — Broncho Billy
29. Broncho Billy's Elopement (1913) — Broncho Billy
30. Ingomar of the Hills (1915) — Ingomar
31. Circle C Ranch's Wedding Present (1910)
32. The Bad Man's Christmas Gift (1910) — Andy Carson
33. Hubby's Scheme (1911) — One of Hubby's Friends
34. A Child of the West (1912)
35. The Baseball Fan (1908)
36. The Bandit Makes Good (1908)
37. Tag Day (1909)
38. The Road Agents (1909)
39. The Life of an American Cowboy (1906)
40. The Sheepman's Escape (1912) — Tom Harper