---
name: "William Pawley"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/william-pawley"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 July 1905"
died: "15 June 1952"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-20T00:08:34.707074+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# William Pawley

Actor. Born 21 July 1905 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Died 15 June 1952.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 July 1905, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- **Died:** 15 June 1952
- **Active:** 1931–1940
- **Also known as:** Wm. Pawley
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 2 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 74 (2), 1940s 86 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q136462946, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0269524/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/242238

## Biography

William Pawley was an American actor who appeared in numerous films, often in supporting or uncredited roles. He made his screen debut as Jim Haley in the 1931 drama *Bad Girl*.

Pawley had a stage background, performing on Broadway in the 1920s and early 1930s, including the original production of *Bad Girl* (1930) as Jim, as well as *Four Walls* (1927), *Gentlemen of the Press* (1928) and *Subway Express* (1929). He is also known for appearances in *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), *The Roaring Twenties* (1939), *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940) and *Union Pacific* (1939).

He was the brother of actors Anthony Pawley and Edward Pawley, and the father of actor William Pawley Jr.

*Sources: catalog.afi.com, imdb.com, ibdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Performed in (2) — the average rests on these

- *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940), Fi1m 86, as Bill — [page](https://film.one/film/the-grapes-of-wrath.md)
- *Bad Girl* (1931), Fi1m 64, as Jim Haley — [page](https://film.one/film/bad-girl.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), Fi1m 85, as Doggy (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-a-fugitive-from-a-chain-gang.md)

## Complete filmography (63)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Decision at Midnight* (1963), Actor
- *Time to Kill* (1942), as Hensch
- *East of the River* (1940), as Dave Carter (uncredited)
- *West of Abilene* (1940), as Chris Matson
- *Public Deb No. 1* (1940), as Legionnaire
- *The Great Profile* (1940), as Electrician
- *The Return of Frank James* (1940), as Actor
- *Sky Bandits* (1940), as Morgan
- *Gambling on the High Seas* (1940), as Frank
- *Johnny Apollo* (1940), as Paul
- *The Grapes of Wrath* (1940), as Bill — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-grapes-of-wrath.md)
- *Double Alibi* (1940), as Dan Kraley
- *Cafe Hostess* (1940), as Red Connolly
- *Yukon Flight* (1940), as Yuke Gradeau
- *Mercy Plane* (1939), as James J. 'Big Jim' Gordon
- *The Roaring Twenties* (1939), as Cabdriver (uncredited)
- *Disputed Passage* (1939), as Mr. Merkle
- *Chicken Wagon Family* (1939), as Ensor
- *Frontier Marshal* (1939), as Buck Newton
- *Panama Lady* (1939), as Bartender
- *Union Pacific* (1939), as Dinty (uncredited)
- *Rough Riders' Round-up* (1939), as Arizona Jack Moray
- *Prairie Moon* (1938), as Jim Legs Barton
- *Crime Takes a Holiday* (1938), as Spike
- *White Banners* (1938), as Joe Ellis
- *International Crime* (1938), as Honest John
- *Trapped by G-Men* (1937), as Harry Grady
- *Born Reckless* (1937), as Mac
- *San Quentin* (1937), as Convict
- *They Gave Him a Gun* (1937), as Gangster in Court (uncredited)
- *You Only Live Once* (1937), as Mr. Williams (uncredited)
- *The Public Pays* (1936), as Kelly (uncredited)
- *Women Are Trouble* (1936), as Mechanic
- *Public Enemy's Wife* (1936), as Correlli
- *The Big Noise* (1936), as Dutch Schmidt (uncredited)
- *Bullets or Ballots* (1936), as Crail - Ex Con (uncredited)
- *Fatal Lady* (1936), as Detective (uncredited)
- *Boulder Dam* (1936), as Wilson - Garage Boss
- *Mary Burns, Fugitive* (1935), as Mike
- *The Affair of Susan* (1935), as Policeman
- *The Daring Young Man* (1935), as Muggs
- *Stolen Harmony* (1935), as Turk Connors (uncredited)
- *Flirtation* (1934), as Gangster
- *Kentucky Kernels* (1934), as John Wakefield
- *Keep 'Em Rolling* (1934), as Man Benny Fights in Beer Garden
- *Gabriel Over the White House* (1933), as Borell
- *Robbers' Roost* (1932), as Hank Hays
- *Central Park* (1932), as Gangster Hymie (uncredited)
- *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), as Doggy (uncredited) — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-a-fugitive-from-a-chain-gang.md)
- *Speak Easily* (1932), as Griffo
- *Red-Headed Woman* (1932), as Al (uncredited)
- *The Trial of Vivienne Ware* (1932), as Joseph Gilk
- *Letty Lynton* (1932), as Hennessey
- *Young America* (1932), as Bandit (Uncredited)
- *Amateur Daddy* (1932), as 2nd Fred Smith
- *Careless Lady* (1932), as Police Captain
- *After Tomorrow* (1932), as Malcolm Jarvis
- *Surrender* (1931), as Gourrut
- *Over the Hill* (1931), as Ben Adams, Susan's Husband
- *The Yellow Ticket* (1931), as Train Porter
- *Wicked* (1931), as Cop
- *The Spider* (1931), Actor
- *Bad Girl* (1931), as Jim Haley — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/bad-girl.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/william-pawley