"William Beaudine began his tenure in film as an assistant to the legendary D. W. Griffith. At the height of his career, Beaudine worked for every major studio and directed many greats of the Silent Era, including Mabel Normand, George Sidney, Laura LaPlante, and Tom Mix. When Mary Pickford returned to the screen after a yearlong hiatus, she chose Beaudine to direct her comeback film Little Annie Rooney." "Beaudine's career continued after the era of silent films and well into the golden age of television and beyond, where he worked on such programs as The Green Hornet and Lassie. During his 60 years in the business, Beaudine racked up credits on more than 500 films and 350 television programs. Until his death at age 78, he was the oldest active director in the business. In 1969, The Canadian, his 1926 film starring Thomas Meighan, was acknowledged as one of the best films of the pre-sound era and received the Film Critics Award of the New York Arts Institute." In this detailed biography, Marshall chronicles Beaudine's swift rise through the ranks, his triumph as one of the most successful directors of British comedies, accumulation and loss of personal fortunes, and prolific work in television. William Beaudine: From Silents to Television also corrects much misinformation that has been written about the director. With the most complete list of his directorial credits to date, this volume serves as the ultimate authority on Beaudine's life and career.