William Austin (Actor)

Reviews of William Austin Movies

Looking for reviews of William Austin movies? Cinafilm has a total of 709 reviews across 13 movies.

Movies starring William Austin have generally received positive reviews and hold an average score of 63%.

The Gay Divorcee - released in 1934 - is William Austin's highest rated movie, with a score of 76% based on 105 reviews.

The lowest rated film from William Austin is Corsair - released in 1931 - with a score of 37% based on 3 reviews.

Actor Biography

William Austin  (12 June 1884 – 15 June 1975) was a British character actor who was born on a sugar plantation in Georgetown in British Guiana (now Guyana). On the death of his father he was brought to England to complete his education. He later filled a business post in Shanghai and on being sent to San Francisco by the company he worked for, he decided to stay in America and take up acting on the stage and later in films. He appeared in many American films and serials between the 1920s and the 1940s, though the vast majority of his roles were small and uncredited. He was the brother of actor Albert Austin. He died in Newport Beach, California.

Of the numerous silent films Austin appeared in, he is best remembered as the sidekick friend of Clara Bow in Bow's best known film It (1927).

Mr. Austin's portrayal in the 1943 Batman serial of Batman's butler Alfred is the iconic portrayal still used in the comics. Previous to being played by Mr. Austin, the character was fat and had no facial hair. Performed by Mr. Austin, the character was thin with a mustache. Shortly after the serial was released, Alfred in the comics was changed to match the look of the serial; this representation of the character has for the most part continued to this day except for the live action films, the Birds of Prey series, and the Deadshot short in Batman: Gotham Knight where he has no moustache.

William Austin has acted in films with Olaf Hytten, E. E. Clive, Billy Bevan and Ned Sparks.

William Austin has worked with these film directors: Lew Landers, Frank Tuttle, Alexander Korda and Clarence Brown.