Samuel B. Hardy (March 21, 1883 – October 16, 1935) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in feature films during the silent and early sound eras.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Hardy attended Yale but left there to become an actor on stage. He entered the world of film with Biograph Studios. Hardy appeared in about 85 movies between 1915 and 1935, he was often in comedic roles. His best-known role to modern audiences is perhaps Charles Weston, the theatrical agent, in the 1933 film classic King Kong.
Hardy appeared opposite Marie Cahill in the 1910 play Judy Forgot and the 1915 film adaptation. He raised funds for Harold Lloyd's venture with others, the Beverly Hills Little Theatre for Professionals.
Hardy became ill while he was working in the film Shoot the Chutes, starring Eddie Cantor. He did not survive emergency surgery at a hospital and died of intestinal problems.
Partial filmography
Judy Forgot (1915) - Freddy Over Night (1915) - Percy Darling At First Sight (1917) - Hartly Poole Uncle Tom's Cabin (1918) - Simon Legree A Woman's Experience (1918) - George Roydant Almost Married (1919) - Lt. James 'Jim' Winthrop Jr. His Father's Wife (1919) - Lieutenant James 'Jim' Winthrop Jr. Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (1921) - J. Rufus Wallingford Mighty Lak' a Rose (1923) - Jerome Trevor Little Old New York (1923) - Cornelius Vanderbilt The Half-Way Girl (1925) - Jardine Bluebeard's Seven Wives (1925) - Gindelheim When Love Grows Cold (1926) - William Graves The Savage (1926) - Managing Editor The Great Deception (1926) - Handy Prince of Tempters (1926) - Apollo Beneventa The Perfect Sap (1927) - Nick Fanshaw Orchids and Ermine (1927) - Hank High Hat (1927) - Tony Broadway Nights (1927) - Johnny Fay The Life of Riley (1927) - Al Montague A Texas Steer (1927) - Brassy Gall Burning Up Broadway (1928) - Spike Turn Back the Hours (1928) - 'Ace' Kearney The Big Noise (1928) - Philip Hurd Diamond Handcuffs (1928) - Spike The Butter and Egg Man (1928) - Joe Lehman The Night Bird (1928) - Gleason Outcast (1928) - Jack Give and Take (1928) - Craig - the Industrialist The Rainbow (1929) - Derbyy Scanlon The Rainbow Man (1929) - Doc Hardy A Man's Man (1929) - Charlie On with the Show! (1929) - Jerry Big News (1929) - Joe Reno Fast Company (1929) - Dave Walker Acquitted (1929) - Frank Egan Mexicali Rose (1929) - Happy Manning The Girl from Mexico (1929) Burning Up (1930) - Windy 'Wally' Wallace Song of the West (1930) - Davolo True to the Navy (1930) - Brady The Gay Nineties (1930)(*aka The Floradora Girl) - Harry Fontaine Borrowed Wives (1930) - G.W. Parker The Leather Pushers (1930) - Rooney - Kane's Manager Reno (1930) - J.B. Berkley June Moon (1931) - Sam Hart The Millionaire (1931) - McCoy Annabelle's Affairs (1931) - James Ludgate The Miracle Woman (1931) - Bob Hornsby The Magnificent Lie (1931) - Larry Peach O'Reno (1931) - Judge Jackson The Dark Horse (1932) - Mr. Black Make Me a Star (1932) - Jeff Baird The Phantom of Crestwood (1932) - Pete Harris Face in the Sky (1933) - Triplet The Great Goldie Gets Along (1933) - Sam Muldoon King Kong (1933) - Charles Weston The Big Brain (1933) - Slick Ryan Three-Cornered Moon (1933) - Hawkins Ann Vickers (1933) - Ignatz Spaulding Curtain at Eight (1933) - Martin Gallagher - Captain of Detectives Little Miss Marker (1934) - Benny the Gouge Aunt Sally (1934) - Michael 'King' Kelly I Give My Love (1934) - Pogey Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round (1934) - Jack Summers Night Alarm (1934) - Editor Stephen Caldwell The Gay Bride (1934) - Daniel J. Dingle Break of Hearts (1935) - Marx Hooray for Love (1935) - Mr. Ganz - aka Abbey Powdersmoke Range (1935) - Big Steve Ogden (final film role)
Bibliography Goldner, Orville & Turner, George Eugene. The Making of King Kong: The Story Behind a Film Classic. A. S. Barnes, 1975. Low, Rachael. History of the British Film: Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
References
External links
Portrait gallery (University of Washington, Sayre collection) findagrave.com TRAVALANCHE: Sam Hardy: Friend of Fields from the Follies(Travalanche)