Art Acord

Arthemus Ward "Art" Acord (April 17, 1890 – January 4, 1931) was an American silent film actor and rodeo champion. After his film career ended in 1929, Acord worked in rodeo road shows and as a miner in Mexico.

Early life and career

Acord was born in Prattville, Utah, to Valentine Louis Acord and Mary Amelia Acord (née Pedersen), Utah pioneers and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Acord's father was of German and English descent. The Acord family descends from a Prussian mercenary soldier of the American Revolutionary War whose name was Eckert. Acord's paternal grandmother was a descendant of Frances Latham, an early settler of New England who has been called the "Mother of Governors" and the "Mother of Champion Cowboys". Acord's mother, who was of Danish descent, died when Art was just 19 months old while the family was living in the Stillwater, Oklahoma area. The Acord family had moved there for the mother's health and took part in the September 28, 1891 Oklahoma Land Run. She died a few weeks later on November 28, 1891. After her death, the family moved back to Utah. As a young man, Acord worked as a cowboy, ranch hand and rodeo contestant. He worked on the ranch of Preston Nutter. In 1912, he won the World Steer Wrestling (Bulldogging) Championship at the Pendleton Round-up and won that same World Championship title again in 1916, defeating challenger and friend Hoot Gibson.

Acord was one of the few cowboys to have ridden the acclaimed bucking horse Steamboat (who later inspired the bucking horse logo on the Wyoming license plate) for a qualified ride and championship. His rodeo skills had been sharpened when he worked for a time for the Miller Brothers' traveling 101 Ranch Wild West Show. It was with the 101 that he became friends with Tom Mix, Yakima Canutt, Bee Ho Gray, "Broncho Billy" Anderson and Hoot Gibson. He was sometimes called the "Mormon cowboy" and has been noted as the first real cowboy to become a Hollywood cowboy. He went on to become a noted actor in silent Western films. Acord also performed as a stunt man. He made over 100 film shorts, most of which are now considered lost.

Acord enlisted in the United States Army in World War I and served overseas. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery. At war's end, he returned to the motion picture business, appearing in a series of popular film shorts and as "Buck Parvin", the title character for a Universal Pictures serial. Because of a heavy drinking problem and his inability to adapt to the advent of talkies, Acord's film career declined and he ended up performing in road shows and mining in Mexico. In March 1928 Acord was seriously burned in an explosion at his home; the loss of his sight was feared.

Personal life Acord was married three times. His first marriage was to actress Edythe Sterling in 1913. They divorced in 1916. In 1920, he married former actress Edna May Nores. Nores filed for divorce in April 1924 citing physical abuse and infidelity. The divorce was finalized the following year. His third marriage was to actress Louise Lorraine on April 14, 1926. The couple divorced in June 1928.

Death On January 4, 1931, Acord died in a Chihuahua, Mexico hospital shortly after taking cyanide in a local hotel room. He was depressed and told the doctor who treated him shortly before he died that he had intentionally taken poison because he wanted to die. His body was sent back to California by train. He was given a military funeral with full honors and was buried in the Vale of Memory section in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Acord has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1709 Vine Street.

Partial filmography + Short subject Year Title Role Notes 1910 Pride of the Range Stunt performer 1910 The Two Brothers Stunt performer 1910 The Sergeant Indian scout Extant 1911 Range Pals Cowhand Uncredited 1911 The White Medicine Man Uncredited 1912 Custer's Last Fight Trooper Extant 1912 On the Warpath Arrow Head, as a Young Brave 1913 The Claim Jumper Deputy 1914 The Cherry Pickers Hussar 1915 Buckshot John Hairtrigger Jordan 1915 The Cowboy's Sweetheart Jim Lawson, Cowboy 1915 A Cattle Queen's Romance Bart, Dallia Ranch Cowboy 1916 Margy of the Foothills Ben Marlin 1916 Curlew Corliss Curlew Corliss 1916 Under Azure Skies Bill Hardy 1919 The Wild Westerner Larry Norton 1919 The Fighting Line Mart Long 1919 The Kid and the Cowboy Jud 1920 The Fiddler of the Little Big Horn 1920 Call of the West 1921 Fair Fighting Bud Austin 1922 Go Get 'em Gates Go Get 'em Gates 1922 Tracked Down Barney McFee, RCMP

+ Features Year Title Role Notes 1912 The Invaders Telegrapher Stunt double 1914 The Squaw Man Art - Townsman Extant 1917 Heart and Soul Undetermined Role Uncredited 1917 The Show Down 1917 Cleopatra Kephren Lost film 1918 Headin' South Lost film 1920 The Moon Riders Buck Ravelle, a Ranger Lost film 1921 The White Horseman Wayne Allen/The White Horseman Lost film 1921 Winners of the West Arthur Standish/The Mysterious Spaniard SerialLost film 1922 In the Days of Buffalo Bill Art Taylor Lost film 1923 Don't Come To Hollywood Undetermined lead role Lost film - directed by Ward Wing with Lillian Marshall, Victor Rodman & Henry Woodward 1923 The Oregon Trail Jean Brulet Lost film 1924 Fighting for Justice Bullets Bernard 1924 Looped for Life Buck Dawn 1925 Three in Exile Art Flanders 1925 The Circus Cyclone Jack Manning 1925 The Call of Courage Steve Caldwell 1925 The Wild Girl Billy Woodruff 1925 Pals Bruce Taylor 1925 The Silent Guardian Jim Sullivan 1926 The Set-Up Deputy Art Stratton 1926 Sky High Corral Jack McCabe Extant 1926 The Terror Art Downs 1926 Lazy Lightning Lance Lighton 1927 Loco Luck Bud Harris 1927 The Western Rover Art Seaton/Art Hayes 1927 Spurs and Saddles Jack Marley 1928 Two-Gun O'Brien Two-Gun O'Brien 1928 His Last Battle 1929 The White Outlaw Johnny "The White Outlaw" Douglas Extant 1929 Wyoming Tornado 1929 The Arizona Kid Bill "The Arizona Kid" Strong Alternative title: Pursued 1929 Fighters of the Saddle Dick Weatherby Extant 1930 Trailing Trouble Art Dobson (uncredited) Extant (talking film)