William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American
silent film actor,
screenwriter,
director and
producer.
Biography
Hart was born in
Newburgh, New York; to James Howard Hart (1829-1902) and Katherine Diédricht Hart (1833-1909). William had 2 brothers and 4 sisters. His father was of
Irish ancestry, and his mother was of
German heritage. In his twenties, Hart began his acting career on stage and would not consider acting in movies until he was 49 years of age.
[William S. Hart Ranch and Museum]
