William Robert Daly (born William Robert Dailey; October 24, 1872 – 1935) was an actor and director of silent films.
Early life
Daly was born on October 24, 1872, in Boston, Massachusetts, as William Robert Dailey.
Career
He became a "stage director" at 19 years-old.[1] He directed the 1914 film adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin featuring the first lead role for an African American actor in a feature film for white audiences. Sam Lucas, who had played Uncle Tom in theatrical productions, played the part.[2]
Daly portrayed the villain in the 1912 film The Kid and the Sleuth.[3] He worked as a producer with William Selig in 1916.[4] For Selig's 1916 film At Piney Ridge, Daly directed and produced. It was an adaption by Gilson WilletsDavid K Higgins' theater production and Daly "escorted a company of players to the heart of the Tenn mtns where true scenes of mtneer life were filmed".[5]
He served on the board of The Screen Club and was photographed among its members in 1912.[6] In 1915, he was a director for the Dramatic Book film company in Santa Barabara.[7] He is pictured in a movie still lobby card from the 1922 film Pardon My Nerve.[8]