About William Bailey
Lived 1886 – 1962 (aged 76). William Bailey was an American actor, stage actor, television actor and film director.
William Norton Bailey (born Gardner Warren Reineck; September 26, 1886 – November 8, 1962) was an American actor and director.
Personal life William Norton Bailey was born Gardner Warren Reineck on 26 September 1886 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents, Rebecca Gardener Phillips and Jesse P. Reineck, his father was a Western Union telegraph operator. The family moved around the country based on Jesse’s work. The Reineck’s divorced after 1900 when Jesse was arrested, along with five other telegraph operators, for defrauding American Express. William's mother settled the family for a number of years in Milwaukee.
Bailey was married on 1917 in Philadelphia to Mary Cannon, an actress who worked under the professional names of Polly Vann and Mary/Polly Bailey. They had no children. After their marriage, William, his new wife, and his mother moved to New York City where he was a director at Vitagraph Studios. After her death in 1952, he married a second time to Mrs. Aletha Hamilton Fadden in Los Angeles. They died within a few months of each other and are buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Film career Bailey's initial work in motion pictures came with Cosmopolitan Pictures, for which he directed one-reel and two-reel films.
Selected filmography Year Film Role Notes 1911 Mae's Suitors A Suitor 1912 The Snare Tom Ransom 1912 The Penitent Hugh Thompson 1913 Dear Old Girl Friend of Ted Warren 1913 The Love Lute of Romany A Farmer 1914 The Banker's Daughter Harold Routledge 1915 Her Husband's Honor Secret Service Agent Ellen 1916 A Coney Island Princess Jan Kouver 1916 A Million A Minute Mark Seager 1917 The Pride of New York Harold Whitley 1918 Bonnie Annie Laurie Captain Donald McGrego 1918I'll Say SoAugust Myers 1919 Speedy Meade Cal Merchant 1920 The Phantom Foe Bob Royal Credited as William Norton Bailey 1921 The Yellow Arm Jerry Engleson Credited as William N. Bailey 1923 Is Money Everything? Roy Pelham 1923Three O'Clock in the MorningHugo von Strohm 1924 The Flaming Forties Desparde Credited as William Norton Bailey 1924 The Uninvited Guest Fred Morgan 1924 The Cyclone Rider 1924 Winner Take All Jim Devereaux 1925 My Neighbor's Wife Greed's Assistant 1925 Bustin' Thru Harvey Gregg 1926 Lightning Bill William W. Williams 1926 The House Without a Key Harry Jennison Credited as William Norton Bailey 1927 The Masked Menace Credited as William Norton Bailey 1928 The Flyin' Cowboy James Bell 1928 The Way of the Strong Tiger Louie Credited as William N. Bailey 1928 Burning Bridges Jim Black Credited as William N. Bailey 1929 The Aviator Brooks Credited as William Norton Bailey 1930 Back Pay Ed 1930 Today Gregory 1931 An American Tragedy Reporter in Courtroom Uncredited 1931 Mata Hari Dubois' Aide Uncredited 1932 Midnight Patrol Powers 1934 Manhattan Melodrama Al Barnes (croupier) Uncredited 1936 I'll Name the Murderer William Hugo Van Ostrum 1937 London by Night Scotland Yard Detective Uncredited 1939 Miracles for Sale Man in Box Uncredited 1940 Bitter Sweet Man in Bath Uncredited 1940 British Intelligence British Intelligence agent Uncredited 1944 Mrs. Parkington Musician at Ball Uncredited 1947 The Egg and I Reveler at Country Dance Uncredited 1948 The Babe Ruth Story Reporter Uncredited 1948 Black Bart Townsman 1948 Silver Trails John Chambers 1949 Flamingo Road Leo Mitchell Uncredited 1949 Across the Rio Grande Sheriff Reid 1949 The Lone Ranger Townsman Jim TV, 1 episode 1950 Where Danger Lives Man Uncredited 1951 Flight to Mars Coucilman 1951–1953 The Range Rider Indian Agent, Larson TV, 2 episodes 1952 Clash by Night Waiter Uncredited 1957 A Hatful of Rain Man Uncredited 1958 Maverick Banker, Doctor TV, 2 episodes 1959 But Not for Me Doorman Uncredited
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Important facts
People in William Bailey's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Bailey's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Bailey?
American actor (1886-1962)
When was William Bailey born?
William Bailey was born on 26 September 1886 in Omaha.
When did William Bailey die?
William Bailey died on 8 November 1962 in Hollywood.
What was William Bailey's occupation?
William Bailey was an actor, stage actor, television actor and film director.
What nationality was William Bailey?
William Bailey was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Bailey (actor)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Bailey. https://biography.guide/william-bailey/
MLA: "William Bailey." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-bailey/.
Chicago: "William Bailey." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-bailey/.
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