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William Austin

William Austin

Acting

Born: June 10, 1884Georgetown, British Guiana [now Guyana]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Austin  (12 June 1884 – 15 June 1975) was a British character actor who was born on a sugar plantation in Georgetown in British Guiana (now Guyana). On the death of his father he was brought to England to complete his education. He later filled a business post in Shanghai and on being sent to San Francisco by the company he worked for, he decided to stay in America and take up acting on the stage and later in films. He appeared in many American films and serials between the 1920s and the 1940s, though the vast majority of his roles were small and uncredited. He was the brother of actor Albert Austin. He died in Newport Beach, California. Of the numerous silent films Austin appeared in, he is best remembered as the sidekick friend of Clara Bow in Bow's best known film It (1927). Mr. Austin's portrayal in the 1943 Batman serial of Batman's butler Alfred is the iconic portrayal still used in the comics. Previous to being played by Mr. Austin, the character was fat and had no facial hair. Performed by Mr. Austin, the character was thin with a mustache. Shortly after the serial was released, Alfred in the comics was changed to match the look of the serial; this representation of the character has for the most part continued to this day except for the live action films, the Birds of Prey series, and the Deadshot short in Batman: Gotham Knight where he has no moustache. Description above from the Wikipedia article William Austin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Known For
Filmography
The Ghost Goes Wild

The Ghost Goes Wild

Barnaby

1947
Alias Mr. Twilight

Alias Mr. Twilight

Forbes (uncredited)

1946
Swingin' on a Rainbow

Swingin' on a Rainbow

Musician (uncredited)

1945
National Velvet

National Velvet

Reporter (uncredited)

1945
The Return of the Vampire

The Return of the Vampire

Detective Gannett

1943
Batman

Batman

Alfred

1943
Charley's Aunt

Charley's Aunt

Spectator

1941
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Inquisitive Stranger

1939
Doctor Rhythm

Doctor Rhythm

Mr. Martingale

1938
Live, Love and Learn

Live, Love and Learn

Bob's Butler (uncredited)

1937
Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

Constable Holly

1937
The Garden Murder Case

The Garden Murder Case

Sneed, Hammle's Butler (Uncredited)

1936
$1,000 a Minute

$1,000 a Minute

Salesman

1935
The Goose and the Gander

The Goose and the Gander

Arthur Summers

1935
Redheads on Parade

Redheads on Parade

Trelawney Redfern

1935
Oil for the Lamps of China

Oil for the Lamps of China

Clerk in Chase's office

1935
Imitation of Life

Imitation of Life

Englishman at Party (uncredited)

1934
The Gay Divorcee

The Gay Divorcee

Cyril Glossop

1934
Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

Gryphon

1933
The Private Life of Henry VIII

The Private Life of Henry VIII

Duke of Cleves

1933
Three Men in a Boat

Three Men in a Boat

Harris

1933

High Society

Wilberforce Strangeways

1932
County Hospital

County Hospital

Ollie's Hospital Roommate

1932
Rule 'Em and Weep

Rule 'Em and Weep

Duke

1932
Corsair

Corsair

Richard Bentinck

1931
A Tailor-Made Man

A Tailor-Made Man

Jellicott

1931
Along Came Youth

Along Came Youth

Lord Eustace

1930
Let's Go Native

Let's Go Native

Basil Pistol

1930
The Flirting Widow

The Flirting Widow

James Raleigh

1930
The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu

The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu

Sylvester Wadsworth

1930
Paramount on Parade

Paramount on Parade

Partygoer ('Impulses') (uncredited)

1930
The Man from Blankley's

The Man from Blankley's

Mr. Poffley

1930
Embarrassing Moments

Embarrassing Moments

Jasper Hickson

1930
The Marriage Playground

The Marriage Playground

Lord Wrench

1929
Sweetie

Sweetie

Prof. Percy Willow

1929
Illusion

Illusion

Mr. Z

1929
The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu

The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu

Sylvester Wadsworth

1929
What a Night!

What a Night!

Percy Penfield

1928
Someone to Love

Someone to Love

Aubrey Weems

1928
Just Married

Just Married

Percy Jones

1928
The Fifty-Fifty Girl

The Fifty-Fifty Girl

Engineer

1928
Red Hair

Red Hair

Dr. Eustace Gill

1928
Drums of Love

Drums of Love

Raymond of Boston

1928
Honeymoon Hate

Honeymoon Hate

Banning-Green

1927
Silk Stockings

Silk Stockings

George Bagnall

1927
Swim Girl, Swim

Swim Girl, Swim

Mr. Spangle PhD.

1927
The World At Her Feet

The World At Her Feet

Det. Hall

1927
Ritzy

Ritzy

Algy

1927
Duck Soup

Duck Soup

Lord Tarbotham

1927
It

It

Monty Montgomery

1927
One Hour of Love

One Hour of Love

Louis Carruthers

1927
The Flaming Forest

The Flaming Forest

Alfred Wimbledon

1926
West of Broadway

West of Broadway

Mortimer Allison

1926
Her Big Night

Her Big Night

Harold Crosby, cub reporter

1926
Fig Leaves

Fig Leaves

Andre's Assistant

1926
The Far Cry

The Far Cry

Eric Lancefield

1926
What Happened to Jones?

What Happened to Jones?

Henry Fuller

1926
The Fate of a Flirt

The Fate of a Flirt

Riggs

1925
The Best People

The Best People

Arthur Rockmere

1925

Seven Days

Dal Brown

1925
The Night Club

The Night Club

Gerly - The Valet

1925
Head Winds

Head Winds

Theodore Van Felt

1925
Who Cares

Who Cares

Dr. Harry Oldershaw

1925
In Love with Love

In Love with Love

George Sears

1924
The Garden of Weeds

The Garden of Weeds

Archie

1924
The Enemy Sex

The Enemy Sex

Joe's Friend (uncredited)

1924
The Reckless Age

The Reckless Age

Lord Allan Harrowby

1924
Ruggles of Red Gap

Ruggles of Red Gap

Mr. Belknap-Jackson

1923
Rich Men's Wives

Rich Men's Wives

Reggie

1922
The Cowboy King

The Cowboy King

Wilbur

1922
Handle with Care

Handle with Care

Peter Carter

1922
Common Sense

Common Sense

Reggie Barrett

1920