Classic Entertainment Autographs

Cat. #00581221: GUINN "BIG BOY" WILLIAMS

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Scarce vintage pencil signature on a 4x6-inch tan autograph album page, acquired in-person in the 1930s-- highly unusual, in that he signed with his actual first name, as Guinn Williams, instead of writing "Big Boy Williams," as was his custom.  In good condition for its age. 6'2", musclebound baseball player, rancher and military man Guinn Williams entered cowboy films as a stuntman in 1919, dubbed "Big Boy" by 15-time co-star Will Rogers. He gradually worked up to dramatic leading roles, earning accolades for his work in Lucky Star (1927) and starring in horror's The Phantom (1931), but was more often than not cast as dimwitted, quick-tempered sidekicks in western flicks like Dodge City (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940) and The Alamo (1960). Whenever he popped up in other genres, it was almost always as heavies. He was genuinely chilling as the vicious, sadistic killer in The Glass Key (1935). He died of uremic poisoning at the age of 63 and his autograph is rather difficult to come by in any format.