William Fox

Production

William Fox

Born — Died

1879-01-01 — 1952-05-08

Place of birth

Tolcsva, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]

Known for

Production

Credits

41 titles

Starting at the age 8 he had a series of jobs before starting his own business in 1900, which was sold to buy a Brooklyn nickelodeon in 1904. As the new owner with an empty house, Fox hired a coin manipulator and a barker to attract patrons into the dark 146-seat theatre. Once audiences adequately understood what moving pictures were, live acts were dispensed with. More nickelodeons were opened and he became a successful film exhibitor. He then won a long legal battle against Thomas Edison's Motion Pictures Patent Company, ending the film trust and allowing him to start his own production company in 1913. Operations were consolidated into the Fox Film Corporation in 1915. Theda Bara and …

Known for

Film credits

Behind the camera

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans poster
7.8

A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

1927

City Girl poster
7.5

A waitress from Chicago falls in love with a man from rural Minnesota and marries him, with the intent of living a better life - but life on the farm has its own challenges.

City Girl

1930

Fazil poster
5.5

An Arab prince born and raised in the desert and a beautiful Frenchwoman from Paris fall in love and marry, but the tremendous differences in their backgrounds and the cultural differences between their two different societies put strains on their marriage that may well prove irreparable.

Fazil

1928

What Price Glory poster
6.4

U.S. Marine sergeants Quirt and Flagg are inveterate romantic rivals on peacetime assignments in China and the Philippines. In 1917, W.W. I brings them to France, where Flagg, now a captain, takes up with flirtatious Charmaine, inn-keeper's daughter. Of course, Quirt has to arrive and spoil his fun. But the harsh realities of war and the threat of a shotgun marriage give the two men a common cause...

What Price Glory

1926

El impostor poster
NR

American Spanish-language film.

El impostor

1931

Happy Days poster
6.3

In Fox's contribution to the all-star revue cycle of early talkies, showboat singer Margie, hearing that the show is in arrears, goes to New York to gather all of the former stars to stage a minstrel show as a benefit.

Happy Days

1929

7th Heaven poster
7.3

In 1910s Paris, a sewer worker disillusioned with Christianity feels his prayers have been answered when he chances upon a street waif and they fall in love.

7th Heaven

1927

Society Girl poster
7.5

Johnny is training for a championship fight. Judy distracts him, so his manager Briscoe walks out on him. Then so does Judy.

Society Girl

1932

A Man's Mate poster
8.0

Paul Bonard an artist, loses his memory when he receives a blow on the head from one of two apaches fighting over Wildcat, a sultry stepper in a cafe. He becomes an apache himself, falls in love with Wildcat and paints her portrait--his masterpiece. Wildcat learns Paul's identity and restores him to his family, though realizing that she will lose him. Surgery restores Paul's memory, but some subconscious force guides him back to the cafe and Wildcat's love.

A Man's Mate

1924

Six Cylinder Love poster
9.0

Troubles begin for the Sterlings when they buy an expensive car and friends start pressing them for rides.

Six Cylinder Love

1931

Do You Know Your Wife? poster
10.0

At a big party, Robert Felton, now a woman-hater, right to the core - this all due to a failed marriage and disastrous love affairs - talks to Heriberto Drake. Heriberto who is happily married, bets Felton that the next woman who walks into the room, whoever she is, won't let Felton kiss her for 48 hours. Felton takes the bet. Suddenly, a very beautiful and sexy woman walks in. It's Heriberto's wife, Laura Darke. Spanish language version of “Don’t Bet on Women”.

Do You Know Your Wife?

1931

She Wanted a Millionaire poster
10.0

Impoverished Jane Miller is loved by millionaire Roger and newspaperman William. Though William warns her otherwise, she goes with the millionaire to his French chateau where she risks terrible cruelty and even death.

She Wanted a Millionaire

1932

A Fool There Was poster
5.1

John Schuyler, a happily married lawyer, is appointed diplomat and sent to England. Due to an unfortunate accident, his wife and child can not come along with him. On the ship to England, Schuyler meets the notorious Vampire - a relentless gold digger who causes the moral degradation of those she seduces, first fascinating and then draining the very life from her victims.

A Fool There Was

1915

The Big Trail poster
7.0

A large caravan of settlers attempt to cross the Oregon Trail. French-language version of The Big Trail (1930) with an alternate cast and co-director.

The Big Trail

1931

The River poster
7.1

Passion carried an innocent boy and a worldly woman beyond the barriers of conscience.

The River

1929

A Girl in Every Port poster
6.0

Two sailors with a rivalry over chasing women become friends. But when one decides to finally settle down, will this mysterious young woman come between them?

A Girl in Every Port

1928

No artwork available
10.0

Orphaned Gertrude "Gertie" Flint is rescued by lamplighter, Trueman Flint, who raises her with faith and virtue until she grows into a moral woman and finds love with a childhood friend, overcoming hardships like her blind mother's separation from her and near-fatal fire incidents, ultimately leading to happy reunions and an engagement.

The Lamplighter

1921

Upstream poster
6.1

A silent comedy set in an actor's boardinghouse. Some plot points are seemingly inspired by the Barrymore dynasty.

Upstream

1927

East Side, West Side poster
7.2

Director Allan Dwan’s excellent use of New York locations enlivens a rags-to-riches tale that fully exploits star George O’Brien’s championship boxing prowess.

East Side, West Side

1927

Cowardice Court poster
8.0

A feud in the Adirondack Mountains develops when Randolph Shaw will not give up a shack and its acreage adjoining the estate of Lord Cecil Bazelhurst, whose wife, the former Evelyn Banks of Jersey City, married him for his title and now wants to get rid of Randolph's ugly shack. When Randolph meets Cecil's sister Penelope, a romance begins which is furthered after one of the Bazelhurst servants shoots Randolph in the arm for trespassing and Penelope, who earlier had looked upon the feud as a joke, runs away to Randolph's house and accepts his engagement proposal. Cecil and his men pursue Penelope, but are frightened away by Randolph's men and are forced to spend a miserable stormy night in the woods. The next day everyone becomes reconciled when Lady Evelyn realizes that the desired property will now be in the family, and Randolph offers Cecil and his men dry, if ill-fitting, garments to wear.

Cowardice Court

1919

East Lynne poster
4.6

An adaptation of the 1861 novel by English author Ellen Wood: The story of long-suffering Lady Isabel Carlisle cast in a modern setting.

East Lynne

1916

A Self-Made Man poster
7.0

Jack Spurlock, the lazy son of a railroad tycoon, is estranged from his fiancée, Anita Gray, because he refuses to work. When his father disowns him, Jack is forced to take responsibility and save his father from ruin with Anita's help.

A Self-Made Man

1922

The Face on the Barroom Floor poster
7.5

As a derelict paints the face of a girl on a barroom floor, the plot is developed in a series of flashbacks: Robert Stevens, an artist engaged to marry Marion, a society girl, becomes charmed with a fisherman's daughter who poses for him. The society girl's brother brings dishonor upon the fisherman's daughter, and when she commits suicide the artist shields the brother. Stevens is blamed by his fiancée, who terminates their engagement. The artist becomes a derelict and is wrongfully imprisoned. Eventually Stevens is exonerated and reunited with Marion.

The Face on the Barroom Floor

1923

Jackie poster
6.5

Jacqueline, an orphaned daughter of a famous Russian dancer, has been raised by a French woman who runs a cheap dancing school. A lost film.

Jackie

1921

Quick Millions poster
7.3

A truck driver "too lazy to work and too nervous to steal" gets mixed up in racketeering. Naturally his underhanded business practices make him a pillar of the community.

Quick Millions

1931

The Woman and the Law poster
NR

Jack La Salle marries South American heiress Blanquetta Del Castillo, and the two settle into a happy life in New York City. Following the birth of their son, Jack, Jr., however, Jack becomes involved in an affair with the notorious Josie Sabel and thereafter ignores his wife. Outraged upon learning that Jack has taken their son to Josie's apartment, Blanquetta files for divorce, the court finally ruling that the boy must live with each parent for a portion of the year. As the time of little Jack's departure from his father approaches, Jack, Sr. declares that he will never return the boy to his mother, whereupon the tortured Blanquetta shoots and kills her faithless husband.

The Woman and the Law

1918

El caballero de la noche poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

El caballero de la noche

1932

Young America poster
5.5

Mrs. Doray sits with a Juvenile Court Judge to learn more about problem children and what to do about them. One of the cases involves 13 year old Arthur, "the worst kid in town", who moves cars away from fiire-plugs without the knowledge of the owners. The judge gives Arthur and friend Nutty another chance. However they run into further trouble when they break into Mr. Doray's drugstore to get medicine for Nutty's grandmother. Mr. Doray is not sympathetic and completely against his wife's plan to become Arthur's guardian. More incidents occur with Mr. Doray quick to judge prior to getting all of the facts. Mrs. Doray must choose between her marriage and Arthur.

Young America

1932

Up the River poster
5.6

Daily life at men and women's prison units where baseball and the marching band are serious business. Two prisoners escape in order to help paroled Steve from being blackmailed by his girlfriend's ex-partner-in-crime.

Up the River

1930

More Pay - Less Work poster
8.0

Albert Gran and E.J. Ratcliffe are warring San Francisco shipping magnates; Mary Brian is Gran’s daughter and Charles (Buddy) Rogers is Ratcliffe’s athletic son. The result is a swift, exhilarating comedy, full of laughs and a nonchalant charm.

More Pay - Less Work

1926

Honor First poster
10.0

Twin brothers are serving in the French army during the Great War. Jacques, a private, leads his brother's company to attack when Honoré, a lieutenant, panics and flees. Jacques, dressed in Honoré's coat, wins a vital victory, but he is mistaken for Honoré and decorated for gallantry in his brother's name. Jacques assumes Honoré's identity and goes to Paris where he meets Honoré. Honoré, after a serious disagreement, plots to have Jacques murdered but is himself killed by mistake. Jacques finds happiness with Moira, Honoré's wife from a loveless war marriage of convenience. 'Honor First' was the first film Adorée and John Gilbert made together.

Honor First

1922

Lucky Star poster
7.6

Mary, a poor farm girl, meets Tim just as word comes that war has been declared. Tim enlists in the army and goes to the battlefields of Europe, where he is wounded and loses the use of his legs. Home again, Tim is visited by Mary, and they are powerfully attracted to each other; but his physical handicap prevents him from declaring his love for her. Deeper complications set in when Martin, Tim's former sergeant and a bully, takes a shine to Mary.

Lucky Star

1929

A Sister to Salome poster
9.0

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

A Sister to Salome

1920

Cradle Snatchers poster
3.8

To cure their flirtatious husbands of consorting with flappers, three wives-- Susan Martin, Ethel Drake, and Kitty Ladd-- arrange with three college boys-- Henry Winton, Oscar, and Joe Valley-- to flirt with them at a house party. Joe Valley, who poses as a hot-blooded Spaniard, is vamped by Ginsberg in female attire, and Oscar, a bashful Swede, uses caveman methods when aroused. During a rehearsal of the party, the three husbands arrive, followed by their flapper friends, leading to comic complications.

Cradle Snatchers

1927

Street Angel poster
7.1

A spirited young woman finds herself destitute and on the streets before joining a traveling carnival, where she meets a vagabond painter.

Street Angel

1928

Gentle Julia poster
9.0

Gentle Julia is a 1923 American silent romantic drama film based on the popular novel Gentle Julia by Booth Tarkington. Directed by Rowland V. Lee, the film starred Bessie Love.

Gentle Julia

1923

The Husband Hunter poster
8.0

Millionaire Kent Whitney is warned by Bob Harkness, one of her rejected suitors, about the fickleness of his girlfriend, socialite Myra Hastings. Together they concoct a scheme to teach her a lesson. Kent invites Myra home to meet his family, and she goes, expecting to find an atmosphere of elegance and refinement. Instead, she is greeted by Kent's eccentric father, who affronts her with crude jokes; Kent's mother is introduced reclining on a couch, surrounded by yapping dogs and Myra flees. Upon discovering that the evening was a ruse, Myra decides to retaliate. She hires a fake minister, pretends to marry Kent and then deserts him, leaving behind a message explaining that the ceremony was a farce. Kent pursues Myra and persuades her that a real marriage is in order.

The Husband Hunter

1920

The Darling of Paris poster
NR

This film is a very loose film adaptation of the 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo and presumed lost: The wealthy girl Esmeralda is kidnapped by gypsies at birth and becomes, as one might assume, the darling of Paris. She is loved by the bell ringer and former hunchback Quasimodo, Frollo, the wicked surgeon who cares him, and an equally wicked Captain Phoebus.

The Darling of Paris

1917

Slaves of Fashion poster
10.0

A woman owning a small dressmaker's shop decides to reopen it in Broadway in luxury at all expenses, trusting merely on the cards'premonitions. She wants her little children to pair with the richest boys. Her husband, who discouraged her, dies and the business soon takes flight.

Slaves of Fashion

1931

You Have to Marry the Prince poster
9.0

Tomson, a financial adviser, is called to the aid of the country of Sylvania by the Grand Duke Constantino, known as "Tino." Tomson refuses to aid Tino until the Duke's son Alexis is married. However, Alexis, a romantic, is not interested in the blue-blooded types that his father has selected for him. Instead he wants fate to intercede. Upon learning this, Tomson plans a wife-hunting trip to Paris, "the beauty mart of the world."

You Have to Marry the Prince

1931