Watson family
The Watsons are an American family of nine sibling actors, who are known as "the first family of Hollywood". They were all first active as child actors in silent motion picture films. As of 2020, Billy Watson (born 1923) and Garry Watson (born 1928), are still alive, but unlike other siblings, both actors roles were mainly uncredited[1]
Beginnings
When Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, located just 600 feet from the Watson family home, needed child actors for films, the father Canadian American J. C "Coy" Watson Sr. provided the kids. The Watson children worked with many big stars in the early Hollywood era, notably James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda. Several members of the Watson family also worked as press, newsreel and television photographers during their adult careers.
Legacy
The family were collectively honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6674 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood , California on April 22, 1999. Billy, Garry, and Louise were interviewed in July 2017 about their experiences in Hollywood.[2]
The Watson Family
The Watson family's grandfather, James Watson, was a photographer who took photos of Buffalo Bill on Broadway. His son, J.C. (James Caughey) "Coy" Watson Sr. (born Ontario, Canada, April 14 1890 – May 23 1968), a horse breaker, married Golda Gladdis Wimer (1893–1979) on September 23, 1910.[3] Their nine children went on to act in over 1,000 films, starting out as toddlers and child stars. The eldest of the siblings Coy Watson, Jr. authored a book, The Keystone Kid
Name | Birth name | Date of birth | Date of Death (where applicable) | Actors details |
Coy Watson Jr. | James Caughey Watson Jr. | November 1912 | March 14 2009[4] | His acting career started at 9 months old, in Keystone Cops comedies in the 1913 silent film The Prince of Silence |
Vivian Watson | ? | February 19 1915 | December 18 1994 (aged 79) | |
Gloria Watson | ? | July 4 1917 | June 1 1997 (aged 79) | |
Louise Roberts Watson | Mamie Louise Watson | November 22 1919 | June 5 2018 (aged 98), Burbank, California, United States | Debuted aged 8 in Taxi 13, her last role was in 1997 |
Billy Watson | ? | December 25, 1923 | living as of 2020 | |
Harry Watson | Harry R. Watson | August 31 1921 | June 8 2001 | |
Delmar Watson | David Delmar Watson | July 1926 | October 26 2008 | |
Garry Watson | Gary Armand Watson | September 27, 1928 | living as of 2020 | Debuted aged 1 in the 1929 film Drag |
Bobs Watson | Robert Hall Watson | November 11 1930 | July 27th 1999 (aged 68) |
References
- Pool, Bob. "Star Shines Brightly for Hollywood's First Family", The Los Angeles Times, April 23, 1999. Metro Part B Metro Desk, pg. 1.
- Hollywood's first family: The children stars of the silent movies
- J.C. Watson on IMDb
- "Coy Watson Jr. dies at 96; one of nine silent-era sibling actors", Los Angeles Times, March 17, 2009
External links
- Watson Family Photographic Archive; accessed September 9, 2014.
- List of surviving silent film actors