Bert Woodruff

Bert Woodruff
Born	William Herbert Woodruff (1856-04-29)April 29, 1856 Peoria, Illinois, US
Died	June 14, 1934(1934-06-14) (aged 78) Los Angeles, California, US
Years active	1916–1931

William Herbert "Bert" Woodruff (April 29, 1856^[1] – June 14, 1934^[2]) was an American actor of the silent era.

Woodruff was born in Peoria, Illinois,^[3] and was the son of Mrs. Hannah Woodruff.^[4] He performed on stage before he began acting on film,^[3] debuting in 1876 as part of the Woodruff and West song-and-dance act. His performances included blackface comedy and Irish specialties. In 1882, he became part of the Adelphi Theater stock company in Peoria, where he worked for seven years.^{[citation needed]}

In 1898, Woodruff moved into management, opening a vaudeville theater in Peoria and managing it until 1904. From there he went to Redondo Beach, California, where he opened the city's first theater for films.^[1] He appeared in more than 60 films between 1916 and 1931. He remains perhaps best-known for playing the grandfather in the 1928 Harold Lloyd comedy Speedy.

Woodruff died of nephritis in Hollywood, California, aged 78.^[3]

Selected filmography

• Jim Bludso (1917)
• A Love Sublime (1917)
• Hands Up! (1917)
• The Delicious Little Devil (1919)
• Bill Henry (1919)
• The Jailbird (1920)
• For Those We Love (1921)
• The Grim Comedian (1921)
• See My Lawyer (1921)
• Two Minutes to Go (1921)
• Watch Your Step (1922)
• Making a Man (1922)
• The Rosary (1922)
• The Isle of Lost Ships (1923)
• The Silent Partner (1923)
• The Six-Fifty (1923)
• A Noise in Newboro (1923)
• Children of Dust (1923)
• The Sea Hawk (1924)
• The Siren of Seville (1924)
• Flowing Gold (1924)
• The Mine with the Iron Door (1924)
• Paths to Paradise (1925)
• Some Pun'kins (1925)
• The Vanishing American (1925)
• The Fighting Heart (1925)
• Driftin' Thru (1926)
• The Barrier (1926)
• The Fire Brigade (1926)
• Eyes of the Totem (1927)
• The Life of Riley (1927)
• Spring Fever (1927)
• Lure of the Night Club (1927)
• The Romantic Age (1927)
• Speedy (1928)
• Marked Money (1928)
• The Shopworn Angel (1928)
• The River (1929)
• A Song of Kentucky (1929)
• Laughing Sinners (1931) as Tink
• The Texas Ranger (1931)

References

1. "Bert Woodruff Quaint Character of Screen". Lansing State Journal. May 26, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Death Index, 1905-1939 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: California Department of Health and Welfare. California Vital Records-Vitalsearch (www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com). The Vitalsearch Company Worldwide, Inc., Pleasanton, California.
3. "William H. Woodruff". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 16, 1934. p. 15. ProQuest 100918124. Retrieved January 28, 2021 – via ProQuest.
4. "Mrs. Hannah Woodruff". The New York Times. May 4, 1938. p. 23. ProQuest 102567590. Retrieved January 28, 2021 – via ProQuest.

External links

• Bert Woodruff at IMDb