William Russell Hardie (May 20, 1904 or May 21, 1904 – July 21, 1973) was an American film actor.
Early years Hardie was born in Griffins Mills, New York, or Buffalo, New York. He was the son of William and Katherine Hardie (nee Katherine Pauly). Growing up, Hardie's family lived near the Roycroft community, and, although his father was a blacksmith, his career interests varied as he saw different craftspeople there demonstrate their skills. He quit school to work for his father, who eventually advised him to find another career because of the limited number of horses in Buffalo.
Hardie continued his education in night school, studying shorthand and stenography. He worked briefly as a stenographer in the Erie Railroad's freight offices before he was made an office boy. More night school led to his becoming a full-fledged secretary. He left the railroad to work at a Ford plant but soon lost that job. His first involvement with acting came when he had a small part in a play while he worked for a stock theater company as its secretary. After two years that company failed, and he began selling vacuum cleaners.
Career Hardie moved to New York with $85 borrowed from his mother. When that money was gone, he found work with a stock theater company, after which he worked with stock troupes in Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; and Greenwich, Connecticut. Following those engagements he made his Broadway debut in The Criminal Code, which ran for eight months in New York City and three months on the road. He portrayed Bayard in the 1939 Broadway cast of The Primrose Path.
He appeared in twenty-seven moving pictures between 1930 and 1966, including an uncredited part in Camille in 1936 and as a Pentagon general in Fail Safe in 1964.
Death He died on July 21, 1973, in Clarence, New York at age 69.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1930 The Costello Case Jimmie 1933 Broadway to Hollywood Ted Hackett Jr. 1933 Stage Mother Fred Lorraine 1933 Christopher Bean Warren Creamer 1934 As the Earth Turns Ed 1934 Men in White Dr. Michaelson 1934 Operator 13 Lt. Gus Littledale 1934 Murder in the Private Car John Blake 1934 Pursued David Landeen 1934 Hell in the Heavens 2nd Lt. Hartley 1934 The Band Plays On Mike O'Brien 1934 Sequoia Bob Alden 1935 West Point of the Air Phil Carter 1935 Speed Devils Dan Holden 1935 In Old Kentucky Dr. Lee Andrews 1936 The Harvester David Langston 1936 Down to the Sea John Kaminas 1936 Meet Nero Wolfe Manuel Kimball 1936 Killer at Large Tommy Braddock 1936 Camille Gustave Uncredited1951 The Frogmen Capt. Radford Uncredited1951 The Whistle at Eaton Falls Dwight Hawkins 1958 Cop Hater Detective Lt. Byrnes 1964 Fail Safe Gen. Stark 1966 The Group Mr. Davison (final film role)
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