Watson family
The Watsons are an American family of nine sibling actors who are known as "the first family of Hollywood." They were initially active as child actors in silent motion picture films. As of March 2022, Garry Watson (b. 1928) is the only living sibling from the family.[1]
Biography
When Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, located just 600 feet from the Watson family home, required child actors for films, the father Canadian American J. C "Coy" Watson Sr. provided his children for casting. The Watson children worked with many big stars in the early Hollywood era, such as James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda. All six Watson brothers worked as press, newsreel and television photographers during their adult careers.[2]
Legacy
The family members were collectively honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6674 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California on April 22, 1999. Billy, Garry, and Louise were interviewed in July, 2017 about their experiences in Hollywood.[3][4]
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.[5] 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 the book The Keystone Kid.[2]
| Name | Birth name | Date of birth | Date of death | Actor's details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coy Watson Jr. | James Caughey Watson Jr. | November 16, 1912 | March 14, 2009 (aged 96)[2] | His acting career started at 9 months old in Keystone Cops comedies in the 1913 silent film "The Prince of Silence". |
| Vivian Watson | Vivian Evangeline Watson | February 19, 1915 | December 18, 1994 (aged 79) | |
| Gloria Watson | Gloria Amy Watson | July 4, 1917 | June 1, 1997 (aged 79) | |
| Louise Roberts Watson | Mamie Louise Watson | November 22, 1919 | June 5, 2018 (aged 98) | Debuted at age 8 in Taxi 13. Her last role was in 1997. |
| Harry Watson | Harry Ruilton Watson | August 31, 1921 | June 8, 2001 (aged 79) | |
| Billy Watson | William Richard Watson | December 25, 1923 | February 17, 2022 (aged 98) | [1] |
| Delmar Watson | David Delmar Watson | July 1, 1926 | October 26, 2008 (aged 82) | |
| Garry Watson | Gary Armand Watson | September 27, 1928 | living as of March 2022[1] | Debuted at age 1 in the 1929 film Drag |
| Bobs Watson | Robert Hall Watson | November 11, 1930 | July 27, 1999 (aged 68) | Probably best known for his role as "Pee Wee" in the 1938 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Boys Town |
References
- "Billy Watson, child actor dating back to the silent era who appeared with his brothers". The Telegraph. London. March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- Nelson, Valerie J. (March 17, 2009). "Coy Watson Jr. dies at 96; one of nine silent-era sibling actors". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- Hollywood's first family: The children stars of the silent movies
- Pool, Bob. "Star Shines Brightly for Hollywood's First Family", The Los Angeles Times, April 23, 1999. Metro Part B Metro Desk, pg. 1.
- J.C. Watson at IMDb
External links
- Watson Family Photographic Archive; accessed September 9, 2014.