William Royle

Acting

William Royle

Born — Died

1887-03-21 — 1940-08-09

Place of birth

Rochester, New York, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

46 titles

William Royle was born on March 22, 1887 in Rochester, New York. He was an actor, known for Drums of Fu Manchu (1940), The Rains Came (1939) and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). He died on August 9, 1940 in Los Angeles, California.

Known for

The Rains Came poster
6.1

Indian aristocrat Rama Safti returns from medical training in the U.S. to give his life to the poor folk of Ranchipur. Lady Edwina and her drunken artist ex-lover Tom Ransome get in the way, but everyone shapes up when faced by earthquake, flooding, and plague.

The Rains Came

1939

The Man in the Iron Mask poster
7.0

Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis, Athos and Porthos, have fought together with their friend, D'Artagnan. But with the tyrannical King Louis using his power to wreak havoc in the kingdom while his twin brother, Philippe, remains imprisoned, the Musketeers reunite to abduct Louis and replace him with Philippe.

The Man in the Iron Mask

1939

Too Hot to Handle poster
6.1

While in Shanghai reporting on the Sino-Japanese war, Chris Hunter, a shrewd news reporter, meets pilot Alma Harding. She does not trust him, but he manages to hire her as his assistant. During an adventurous expedition through the jungles of South America, her opinion of him begins to change.

Too Hot to Handle

1938

Let Us Live poster
6.8

When a confused eyewitness identifies New York City cabbie Brick Tennant as a killer, he is sentenced to death for a murder that he wasn't involved in. Though no one is willing to listen to the innocent prisoner's pleas for freedom, Brick's faithful fiancée, Mary, knows that her lover is innocent because she was with him when the crime was committed. As the scheduled execution draws ever nearer, Mary begins to investigate the murder herself.

Let Us Live

1939

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe poster
5.8

A mysterious plague, the Purple Death, ravages the earth. Dr. Zarkov, investigating in his spaceship, finds a ship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere with dust. Sure enough, Ming the Merciless is up to his old tricks. So it's back to Mongo for Flash, Dale, and Zarkov.

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

1940

Tell Your Children poster
4.4

High-school principal Dr. Alfred Carroll relates to an audience of parents that marijuana can have devastating effects on teens: a drug supplier entices several restless teens, Mary and Jimmy Lane, sister and brother, and Bill, Mary's boyfriend, into frequenting a reefer house. Gradually, Bill and Jimmy are drawn into smoking dope, which affects their family lives.

Tell Your Children

1938

Film credits

1940s · 10 titles

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe poster
5.8

A mysterious plague, the Purple Death, ravages the earth. Dr. Zarkov, investigating in his spaceship, finds a ship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere with dust. Sure enough, Ming the Merciless is up to his old tricks. So it's back to Mongo for Flash, Dale, and Zarkov.

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

1940

Drums of Fu Manchu poster
6.2

The nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu searches for the keys to the tomb of Genghis Khan, in order to fulfill a prophecy that will enable him to conquer the world. His nemesi, Dr. Nayland Smith and his associates fight to keep the evil doctor from getting his hands on the keys. In 1943 the serial was edited together into a feature movie also called Drums of Fu Manchu.

Drums of Fu Manchu

1940

Abe Lincoln in Illinois poster
7.0

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as President of the United States.

Abe Lincoln in Illinois

1940

Manpower poster
6.5

Hank McHenry and Johnny Marshall work as power company linesmen. Hank is injured in an accident and subsequently promoted to foreman of the gang. Tensions start to show in the road crew as rivalry between Hank and Johnny increases.

Manpower

1941

The Cross of Lorraine poster
6.5

French soldiers surrender to lying Nazis and are herded into a barbaric prison of war camp. From there they plan an uprising.

The Cross of Lorraine

1943

Drums of Fu Manchu poster
5.2

Feature version of the 1940 Republic serial, about Fu Manchu's attempt to conquer Asia.

Drums of Fu Manchu

1943

Heroes of the Saddle poster
9.0

A fast-paced, enjoyable entry in the long-running Three Mesqueteers Western series, Heroes of the Saddle featured the three cowboy pals promising to look after Peggy Bell, the little daughter of mortally wounded rodeo champ Montana. Legal technicalities, however, halt the adoption proceeding and Stony, Rusty, and Rico can only watch as the little girl is placed in the county orphanage.

Heroes of the Saddle

1940

Son of the Navy poster
6.2

A runaway boy pretends to be the son of a Navy man, only to turn both their lives upside down.

Son of the Navy

1940

Murder on the Yukon poster
5.7

Unknown to Joan Manning, her trading post partner Weathers is operating a counterfeiting ring. When miner Jim Smithers brings his gold dust in, Weathers pays him off in counterfeit money. Jim's drunken brother, Bill, comes to the post and Weathers hears him say that Jim is leaving the area for good. Weathers sends Hawks to kill Jim and retrieve the bogus money. RCMP Sergeant Renfrew and Constable Kelly find Jim's body, and Renfrew hurries for Jim's cabin to search it. He is attacked by Weathers' men who have found the money. Renfrew is suspicious when Bill Smithers body is found, supposedly a suicide, with a note he had burned the money. This leads the Mounties to suspect counterfeiting. Kelly follows Manti, an Indian who works for Weathers, to the gang's hideout and is captured. But Renfrew is trailing Kelly.

Murder on the Yukon

1940

Lucky Cisco Kid poster
6.0

Cisco and Gordito arrive to find there is an outlaw operating in the area who is assumed to be the Cisco Kid. When a reward is offered for his capture and a large shipment of money goes out, Cisco is on hand. Seeing the gang rob the stage he goes after them only to be wounded. The gang leader leaves Cisco's handkerchief at the scene and now he is wanted for the murder he tried to break up.

Lucky Cisco Kid

1940

1930s · 36 titles

The Rains Came poster
6.1

Indian aristocrat Rama Safti returns from medical training in the U.S. to give his life to the poor folk of Ranchipur. Lady Edwina and her drunken artist ex-lover Tom Ransome get in the way, but everyone shapes up when faced by earthquake, flooding, and plague.

The Rains Came

1939

The Man in the Iron Mask poster
7.0

Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis, Athos and Porthos, have fought together with their friend, D'Artagnan. But with the tyrannical King Louis using his power to wreak havoc in the kingdom while his twin brother, Philippe, remains imprisoned, the Musketeers reunite to abduct Louis and replace him with Philippe.

The Man in the Iron Mask

1939

Too Hot to Handle poster
6.1

While in Shanghai reporting on the Sino-Japanese war, Chris Hunter, a shrewd news reporter, meets pilot Alma Harding. She does not trust him, but he manages to hire her as his assistant. During an adventurous expedition through the jungles of South America, her opinion of him begins to change.

Too Hot to Handle

1938

Let Us Live poster
6.8

When a confused eyewitness identifies New York City cabbie Brick Tennant as a killer, he is sentenced to death for a murder that he wasn't involved in. Though no one is willing to listen to the innocent prisoner's pleas for freedom, Brick's faithful fiancée, Mary, knows that her lover is innocent because she was with him when the crime was committed. As the scheduled execution draws ever nearer, Mary begins to investigate the murder herself.

Let Us Live

1939

Tell Your Children poster
4.4

High-school principal Dr. Alfred Carroll relates to an audience of parents that marijuana can have devastating effects on teens: a drug supplier entices several restless teens, Mary and Jimmy Lane, sister and brother, and Bill, Mary's boyfriend, into frequenting a reefer house. Gradually, Bill and Jimmy are drawn into smoking dope, which affects their family lives.

Tell Your Children

1938

It Can't Last Forever poster
6.5

Russ Matthews, a theatrical agent who is not above pulling off a hoax or two or more to further the career of his clients (and himself), and a newspaper gossip-columnist, Carol Wilson, get involved with gangsters when one of Larry's radio-program future-predicting cons gets out of hand.

It Can't Last Forever

1937

The Renegade Ranger poster
6.0

Two Texas Rangers have their worlds rocked by a wrongfully accused female bandit.

The Renegade Ranger

1938

Hollywood Cowboy poster
5.5

Just after Kramer goes to Wyoming to start his protection racket, cowboy actor Jeff Carson finishes a picture and goes camping. Attracted to Joyce Butler, he hires on at her ranch and quickly gets caught up in Butler's conflict with Kramer. When the Butlers refuse to buy his service, he has their cattle stampeded.

Hollywood Cowboy

1937

Mutiny in the Big House poster
5.3

A young man forges a check in order to help his mother, but is caught and sentenced to 14 years in prison...

Mutiny in the Big House

1939

Mr. Wong in Chinatown poster
5.4

A pretty Chinese woman, seeking help from San Francisco detective James Lee Wong, is killed by a poisoned dart in his front hall, having time only to scrawl "Captain J" on a sheet of paper. She proves to be Princess Lin Hwa, on a secret military mission for Chinese forces fighting the Japanese invasion. Mr. Wong finds two captains with the intial J in the case, neither being quite what he seems; there's fog on the waterfront and someone still has that poison-dart gun...

Mr. Wong in Chinatown

1939

Hawk of the Wilderness poster
7.0

An expedition arrives on an uncharted jungle island to rescue the local natives, led by a jungle boy, from a volcano that is about to erupt.

Hawk of the Wilderness

1938

The Jury's Secret poster
5.0

A reporter covering a murder trial guesses that the murderer of a ruthless businessman is her ex-fiancé and persuades him to confess and clear the innocent man on trial.

The Jury's Secret

1938

Red River Range poster
5.2

The Cattlemen's Association has called in the Mesquiteers to find cattle rustlers. They get Tex Riley to pose as Stony so Stony can arrive posing as a wanted outlaw. This gets Stony into the gang of rustlers and he alerts Tucson and Lullaby as to the next raid. But Hartley is on hand and unknown to anyone is the rustler's boss and he joins the posse with a plan that will do away with the Mesquiteers.

Red River Range

1938

Code of the Streets poster
7.7

Frankie Thomas plays Bob Lewis, leader of a gang consisting of Sailor, Murph, Monk, Trouble and Yap. The son of disgraced police officer Lt. Lewis, Bob vows to clear his dad's name, and also to prove that accused murderer Tommy Shay is innocent.

Code of the Streets

1939

Frontier Pony Express poster
5.0

In the midst of the Civil War, Lassiter has a plan to get control of California. Working out of St. Joseph, he plans to send forged messages to the troops on the west coast via Pony Express. First he attempts to bribe Pony Express ride Roy Rogers. When Roy refuses he turns to the outlaw Johnson and his gang and this leads to trouble.

Frontier Pony Express

1939

Radio Patrol poster
10.0

About a young radio cop and a beautiful girl try to stop an international criminal gang from getting their hands on the formula for a new bulletproof steel.

Radio Patrol

1937

Flaming Frontiers poster
5.1

Tom Grant has found a rich gold vein and Bart Eaton is after it. Tom's sister Mary heads for the gold fields and Eaton and his men follow. Eaton teams up with Ace Daggett who plans to doublecross him and get the gold for himself. They frame Tom for murder and then try to get him to sign over his claim. The famous scout Tex Houston is on hand, escaping the attempts on his life, saving Mary from various perils, and trying to bring in the real killer and clear Tom.

Flaming Frontiers

1938

Crash Donovan poster
8.0

A California Highway Patrolman gets involved with a smuggling ring.

Crash Donovan

1936

The Man from Montreal poster
4.9

The Man From Montreal is a lively entry in Universal's Richard Arlen-Andy Devine action series. The stars are cast respectively as fur trapper Clark Manning and constable Bones Blair, who carry on a friendly rivalry in the Canadian Northwest. Our heroes team up in the final reels to put the kibosh on a fur-smuggling racket, permitting Universal to plunge deeply into its stock-footage files. The leading ladies this time out are Anne Gwynne and Kay Sutton, their billing status indicating which one of the two ladies will land Clark Manning in the last scene. Incredibly, the Arlen-Devine series lasted for 14 films, none of them classics but all of them worthwhile Saturday-matinee fare.

The Man from Montreal

1939

Arizona Legion poster
5.5

A federal agent infiltrates an outlaw band that's taken over a western town.

Arizona Legion

1939

The Secret of Treasure Island poster
4.5

A variety of people are searching for a long-hidden treasure somewhere on an island. Chapters: 1. The Isle of Fear, 2. The Ghost Talks, 3. The Phantom Duel, 4. Buried Alive, 5. The Girl Who Vanished, 6. Trapped by the Flood, 7. The Cannon Roars, 8. The Circle of Death, 9. The Pirate's Revenge, 10. The Crash, 11. Dynamite, 12. The Bridge of Doom, 13. The Mad Flight, 14. The Jaws of Destruction, 15. Justice

The Secret of Treasure Island

1938

Balalaika poster
5.3

A Russian prince disguised as a worker and a cafe singer secretly involved in revolutionary activities fall in love.

Balalaika

1939

Arsène Lupin Returns poster
6.3

A woman and a man vying for a woman's affection: the usual love trio? Not quite so since the belle in question is Lorraine de Grissac, a very wealthy and alluring society woman, while one of the two rivals is none other than Arsène Lupin, the notorious jewel thief everybody thought dead, now living under the assumed name of René Farrand. As for the other suitor he is an American, a former F.B.I. sleuth turned private eye by the name of Steve Emerson. Steve not only suspects Farrand of being Lupin but when someone attempts to steal a precious emerald necklace from Lorraine's uncle, Count de Brissac, he is persuaded Lupin is the culprit. Is Emerson right or wrong? Which of the two men will win over Lorraine's heart?

Arsène Lupin Returns

1938

The Nurse from Brooklyn poster
6.5

A nurse's younger brother is caught in a shootout between a criminal gang and the police, and he is shot and killed. The officer who is accused of shooting the man knows that he didn't do it, and sets out to find the real killer and clear his own name.

The Nurse from Brooklyn

1938

Chicken Wagon Family poster
10.0

Addie Fippany, her father Jean Paul Batiste Fippany, her mother Josephine and her sister Cecile roam the country-side in a mule-drawn wagon, trading trinkets to farmers for chickens which they sell in the cities. Addie and her father love the care-free life, but Mrs. Fippany and Cecile want to settle down in New York City. As soon as the "chicken wagon family" reaches New York, Addie gets into mischief and a policeman, Matt Hibbard, helps her and falls in love with Cecile. He helps the family settle into a deserted firehouse which is up for public sale.

Chicken Wagon Family

1939

Special Agent K-7 poster
4.9

Police detective Lanny resents the ongoing interference of the local FBI branch. Hoping to show up the feds, Lanny tackles a baffling espionage case. Things heat up when reporter sweetheart Ollie is framed for murder.

Special Agent K-7

1936

Convicts at Large poster
7.0

An innocent man is bamboozled into trading places with a dangerous escaped convict.

Convicts at Large

1938

Wild West Days poster
8.0

Retired lawman Kentucky Wade and his three buddies, Mike Morales, "Dude" Hanford and "Trigger" Benton come to Brimstone and help their friends Larry Munro and his sister, Lucy , in their fight to retain control of Larry's rich ore mine. "Doc" Hardy , as an old friend of Wade's, joins them in their efforts to keep Matt Keeler , the scheming owner of "The Brimstone News", from his efforts to wrest control of Munro's property and mine. Keller employs a legion of henchmen, and sidelines at running runs guns to Red Hatchet and his tribe so they can also get in on the fray against the Munro's and Kentucky and friends.

Wild West Days

1937

Renfrew of the Royal Mounted poster
4.6

Counterfeit bills are being printed in Canada and shipped across the border hidden in blocks of ice. When the counterfeiters force engraver Bronson to make a new plate, he inscribes a tiny help message on it. Renfrew catches a henchman who has one of the new bills. A magnifying glass lets him read the message and he heads out alone to round up the counterfeiters.

Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

1937

Pirates of the Skies poster
9.0

Cafe waitress Barbara Whitney refuses to acknowledge her marriage to Air Policeman Nick Conlon until he upgrades his career. He does so by infiltrating a hi-jacking gang, posing as passengers, that robs airplanes carrying valuable items and money, and parachuting their escape from the scene of the crime.

Pirates of the Skies

1939

Slaves in Bondage poster
3.0

Mary Lou manages to escape abduction by a prostitution ring. She tells the Chief of Detectives they were planning to take her to the Berrywood road house, a well-known den of iniquity. Jim Murray and beautician Belle Harris are using her beauty shop to recruit floozies for their road house circuit. Dona Lee, who works at the beauty salon, is falling in love with young reporter wanna-be Phillip, but Murray gets jealous and makes life rough for him. Meanwhile Dona begins to figure out the racket, but becomes threatened by Murray's unwanted advances.

Slaves in Bondage

1937

The Glory Trail poster
9.0

It's just after the Civil War and Captain Morgan and his confederate soldiers are establishing a town on the Bozeman trail. Colonel Strong and his union men are at the nearby fort. Things are peaceful until Riley has the Indians attack a union wagon train and leave a confederate sword at the scene.

The Glory Trail

1936

The Fighting Gringo poster
7.0

A gunfighter and his partners clear a Spanish rancher charged with murder.

The Fighting Gringo

1939

Rebellion poster
8.0

In this drama, a Mexican woman attempts to live a peaceful life in California. Unfortunately, land-grabbers kill her father and begin harassing her. Desperate, she sends an impassioned plea for help to Washington, who sends her is special aide to mediate.

Rebellion

1936

Mexicali Rose poster
7.0

Gene Autry and his sidekick Frog look into a phony oil scam being perpetrated on a mission orphanage.

Mexicali Rose

1939

Torture Money poster
6.3

In this MGM Crime Does Not Pay series short, police go after a fraud operation that stages automobile accidents to collect insurance money.

Torture Money

1937