Biography
Born in 1880, ‘Broncho Billy’ Anderson is considered the first western film star. He played three film roles in “The Great Train Robbery” and then began to write, direct and act in his own films. After co-founding the Essanay Studios in 1907 with George Kirk Spoor, Anderson appeared in some 300 short films. But it was his 148 western shorts playing cowboy Bronco Billy that made him a star.
He retired for the first time in 1916 but made a few comebacks, including producing movies into the 1950s for his company, Progressive Pictures. He received an honorary Oscar in 1958 as a “motion picture pioneer.” Anderson came out of retirement one more time for a cameo in 1965’s “The Bounty Hunter.” He died at age of 90 1971.
Filmography
all 411
Movies 411
Director 62
self 7
Producer 7
Writer 1
Charlie Chaplin: The Long Year at Essanay (2017)
Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000)
The Bounty Killer (1965)
Life with Henry (1941)
The Movies March On (1939)
The Film Parade (1933)
The Soilers (1923)
The Handy Man (1923)
The Pest (1922)
Mud and Sand (1922)
The Weak-End Party (1922)
The Egg (1922)
Ashes (1922)
The Greater Duty (1922)
Any Night (1922)
The Lucky Dog (1921)
Shootin' Mad (1918)
Humanity (1917)
Vera, the Medium (1917)
The Man in Him (1916)
The Book Agent's Romance (1916)
Her Lesson (1916)
A Christmas Revenge (1915)
Broncho Billy's Love Affair (1915)
The Indian's Narrow Escape (1915)
The Escape of Broncho Billy (1915)
Too Much Turkey (1915)
Wine, Women and Song (1915)
Broncho Billy's Cowardly Brother (1915)
Broncho Billy Evens Matters (1915)
Broncho Billy's Parents (1915)
Suppressed Evidence (1915)
Broncho Billy, Sheepman (1915)
Broncho Billy Misled (1915)
The Convict's Threat (1915)
An Unexpected Romance (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Card Sharp (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Lumber King (1915)
Broncho Billy Begins Life Anew (1915)
Her Return (1915)
Broncho Billy's Marriage (1915)
Broncho Billy Steps In (1915)
Broncho Billy's Protégé (1915)
The Bachelor's Baby (1915)
Broncho Billy Well Repaid (1915)
The Little Prospector (1915)
Her Realization (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Land Grabber (1915)
The Wealth of the Poor (1915)
Broncho Billy's Word of Honor (1915)
The Bachelor's Burglar (1915)
The Other Girl (1915)
Broncho Billy's Teachings (1915)
His Regeneration (1915)
The Tie That Binds (1915)
His Wife's Secret (1915)
The Face at the Curtain (1915)
Graustark (1915)
Andy of the Royal Mounted (1915)
The Outlaw's Awakening (1915)
The Western Way (1915)
The Champion (1915)
Broncho Billy's Vengeance (1915)
Broncho Billy's Brother (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Vigilante (1915)
Broncho Billy's Sentence (1915)
Broncho Billy's Greaser Deputy (1915)
Broncho Billy and the False Note (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Baby (1915)
When Love and Honor Called (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Sisters (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Claim Jumpers (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Escaped Bandit (1915)
Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Office (1914)
Broncho Billy's Christmas Spirit (1914)
Broncho Billy's Dad (1914)
Broncho Billy's Judgment (1914)
Broncho Billy's Double Escape (1914)
Broncho Billy's Scheme (1914)
The Tell-Tale Hand (1914)
Broncho Billy's Decision (1914)
Broncho Billy's Mission (1914)
Broncho Billy's Mother (1914)
Broncho Billy -- Favorite (1914)
Broncho Billy Rewarded (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Greaser (1914)
Broncho Billy Trapped (1914)
Broncho Billy Butts In (1914)
Broncho Billy, a Friend in Need (1914)
Broncho Billy, the Vagabond (1914)
Broncho Billy's Indian Romance (1914)
Broncho Billy's Wild Ride (1914)
Broncho Billy Wins Out (1914)
Broncho Billy's Fatal Joke (1914)
The Squatter's Gal (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Gambler (1914)
Broncho Billy Puts One Over (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Sheriff (1914)
Broncho Billy's Punishment (1914)
Broncho Billy's Jealousy (1914)
Broncho Billy, Outlaw (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Mine Shark (1914)
The Good-for-Nothing (1914)
Broncho Billy's Duty (1914)
Red Riding Hood of the Hills (1914)
Broncho Billy's Leap (1914)
Broncho Billy's Sermon (1914)
Broncho Billy's Close Call (1914)
Broncho Billy -- Gun-Man (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Rattler (1914)
The Treachery of Broncho Billy's Pal (1914)
Broncho Billy's Cunning (1914)
Broncho Billy's True Love (1914)
The Inference of Broncho Billy (1914)
The Calling of Jim Barton (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Settler's Daughter (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Red Man (1914)
Broncho Billy and the Bad Man (1914)
A Night on the Road (1914)
Broncho Billy-Guardian (1914)
Snakeville's New Doctor (1914)
The Redemption of Broncho Billy (1914)
Broncho Billy's Christmas Deed (1913)
Sophie's New Foreman (1913)
The Three Gamblers (1913)
Broncho Billy's Squareness (1913)
Broncho Billy's First Arrest (1913)
The Wheels of Safety (1913)
Broncho Billy's Secret (1913)
The Doctor's Duty (1913)
Broncho Billy's Elopement (1913)
Broncho Billy Gets Square (1913)
Broncho Billy's Oath (1913)
The Struggle (1913)
Why Broncho Billy Left Bear County (1913)
The Redeemed Claim (1913)
Broncho Billy Reforms (1913)
Broncho Billy's Conscience (1913)
A Western Sister's Devotion (1913)
Broncho Billy's Mistake (1913)
The Man in the Cabin (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Navajo Maid (1913)
The Tenderfoot Sheriff (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Western Girls (1913)
Broncho Billy's Strategy (1913)
The Ranch Feud (1913)
Broncho Billy's Capture (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Express Rider (1913)
Broncho Billy's Grit (1913)
The Crazy Prospector (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Rustler's Child (1913)
Broncho Billy's Reason (1913)
Broncho Billy's Way (1913)
Broncho Billy's Gratefulness (1913)
Broncho Billy's Sister (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Step-Sisters (1913)
The Influence on Broncho Billy (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Kid (1913)
Broncho Billy's Last Deed (1913)
Broncho Billy's Ward (1913)
The Making of Broncho Billy (1913)
Broncho Billy's Gun Play (1913)
Broncho Billy's Brother (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Outlaw's Mother (1913)
Broncho Billy and the Maid (1913)
The Reward for Broncho Billy (1912)
Broncho Billy's Promise (1912)
The Prospector (1912)
Broncho Billy's Love Affair (1912)
Broncho Billy's Mexican Wife (1912)
Broncho Billy's Heart (1912)
An Indian's Friendship (1912)
The Ranch Girl's Trial (1912)
The Tomboy on Bar Z (1912)
Alkali Ike Stung! (1912)
An Indian Sunbeam (1912)
Alkali Ike's Pants (1912)
Broncho Billy Outwitted (1912)
The Tenderfoot Foreman (1912)
The Ranchman's Trust (1912)
Broncho Billy for Sheriff (1912)
Broncho Billy's Escapade (1912)
Broncho Billy's Last Hold-Up (1912)
Broncho Billy's Pal (1912)
A Wife of the Hills (1912)
The Smuggler's Daughter (1912)
A Story of Montana (1912)
Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape (1912)
On the Cactus Trail (1912)
Broncho Billy and the Indian Maid (1912)
A Moonshiner's Heart (1912)
The Foreman's Cousin (1912)
Broncho Billy's Gratitude (1912)
Western Hearts (1912)
A Child of the Purple Sage (1912)
On El Monte Ranch (1912)
Broncho Billy's Bible (1912)
The Desert Sweetheart (1912)
A Western Legacy (1912)
The Sheriff and His Man (1912)
The Dead Man's Claim (1912)
Alkali Ike's Bride (1912)
Broncho Billy and the Bandits (1912)
The Indian and the Child (1912)
The Cattle King's Daughter (1912)
Under Mexican Skies (1912)
Broncho Billy and the Girl (1912)
A Road Agent's Love (1912)
Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy (1912)
The Deputy's Love Affair (1912)
The Bandit's Child (1912)
The Ranch Girl's Mistake (1912)
A Western Kimona (1912)
The Biter Bitten (1912)
The Deputy and the Girl (1912)
Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress (1912)
The Oath of His Office (1912)
The Sheepman's Escape (1912)
Broncho Billy's Adventure (1911)
Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner (1911)
Hubby's Scheme (1911)
The Girl Back East (1911)
Outlaw Deputy (1911)
Outwitting Papa (1911)
The Forester's Plea (1911)
The Stage Driver's Daughter (1911)
Town Hall, Tonight (1911)
The Sheriff's Decision (1911)
The Power of Good (1911)
An Indian's Sacrifice (1911)
The Millionaire and the Squatter (1911)
The Puncher's Law (1911)
Broncho Bill's Last Spree (1911)
A Western Girl's Sacrifice (1911)
Spike Shannon's Last Fight (1911)
A Pal's Oath (1911)
The Two Fugitives (1911)
The Outlaw Samaritan (1911)
The Backwoodsman's Suspicion (1911)
The Corporation and the Ranch Girl (1911)
At the Break of Dawn (1911)
A Hungry Pair (1911)
The Hidden Mine (1911)
The Tribe's Penalty (1911)
The Infant at Snakeville (1911)
The Lucky Card (1911)
Alkali Ike's Auto (1911)
The Puncher's New Love (1911)
The Bunco Game at Lizardhead (1911)
What a Woman Can Do (1911)
The Indian Maiden's Lesson (1911)
The Bad Man's First Prayer (1911)
Across the Plains (1911)
The Sheriff's Chum (1911)
The Faithful Indian (1911)
The Romance on 'Bar O' (1911)
The Cattleman's Daughter (1911)
The Outlaw and the Child (1911)
The Bad Man's Downfall (1911)
The Border Ranger (1911)
The Count and the Cowboys (1911)
The Bad Man's Christmas Gift (1910)
The Tenderfoot Messenger (1910)
A Cowboy's Vindication (1910)
The Little Prospector (1910)
The Marked Trail (1910)
The Masquerade Cop (1910)
A Westerner's Way (1910)
The Silent Message (1910)
Pals of the Range (1910)
A Cowboy's Mother-in-Law (1910)
The Bearded Bandit (1910)
Patricia of the Plains (1910)
Curing a Masher (1910)
The Tout's Remembrance (1910)
A Close Shave (1910)
A Flirty Affliction (1910)
The Pony Express Rider (1910)
He Met the Champion (1910)
An Indian Girl's Love (1910)
A Dog on Business (1910)
The Deputy's Love (1910)
The Dumb Half Breed's Defense (1910)
The Girl on Triple X (1910)
Under Western Skies (1910)
Broncho Billy's Redemption (1910)
The Desperado (1910)
Trailed to the Hills (1910)
The Unknown Claim (1910)
The Bad Man's Last Deed (1910)
The Forest Ranger (1910)
The Ranchman's Feud (1910)
Away Out West (1910)
A Vein of Gold (1910)
The Cowboy's Sweetheart (1910)
The Mistaken Bandit (1910)
The Bad Man and the Preacher (1910)
The Ranger's Bride (1910)
The Flower of the Ranch (1910)
The Girl and the Fugitive (1910)
Method in His Madness (1910)
The Fence on 'Bar Z' Ranch (1910)
The Ranch Girl's Legacy (1910)
The Mexican's Faith (1910)
The Cowboy and the Squaw (1910)
The Outlaw's Sacrifice (1910)
Won by a Hold-Up (1910)
The Heart of a Cowboy (1909)
The Spanish Girl (1909)
The Ranchman's Rival (1909)
His Reformation (1909)
Judgment (1909)
Mr. Flip (1909)
A Mexican's Gratitude (1909)
Tag Day (1909)
A Cure for Gout (1909)
The Neighbors' Kids (1909)
The Haunted Lounge (1909)
Oh! What Lungs (1908)
His First Ride (1907)
The Dancing Nig (1907)
The Train Wreckers (1905)
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1905)
The Messenger Boy's Mistake (1903)
Gallery
Information
Known ForDirecting
GenderMale
Birthday1880-03-20
Deathday1971-01-20 (90 years old)
Birth NameMaxwell Henry Aronson
Birth PlaceLittle Rock, Arkansas, USA
SiblingsLeona Anderson
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
ResidencesArkansas · Little Rock, United States of America
Also Known AsGilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson, G. M. Anderson, G.M. Anderson, Gilbert Anderson, Bronco Billy Anderson, Broncho Billy Anderson, George M. Anderson, G.M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson, George Anderson, Max Aronson, Maxwell Henry Aronson, Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson
Awardsstar on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Academy Honorary Award
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
Last updated:
- Gilbert M. Anderson
- Filmography
- Information
- Related Persons