Bill Patton (actor)

{{short description|American actor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Bill Patton

| image = Tracks lobby card.jpg

| caption = Lobby card for Tracks (1922) with Patton at right

| birth_date = {{birth date|1894|06|02}}

| birth_place = Amarillo, Texas, United States

| death_date = {{death date and age|1951|12|12|1894|06|02}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, United States

| birthname = William P. Patton

| occupation = Actor

| spouse =

| yearsactive = 1918–1945

}}

Bill Patton (June 2, 1894 – December 12, 1951) was an American actor of the silent and early sound eras. Born in Amarillo, Texas, he debuted in the film industry in The Boss of the Lazy Y in 1918.{{cite web | url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=17032 | title=The Boss of the Lazy Y: Detail View | publisher=American Film Institute | access-date= December 11, 2014}} After small roles in several films, he received his first starring role in 1921's Outlawed.{{cite web | url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=11205 | title=Outlawed: Detail View | publisher=American Film Institute | access-date= December 11, 2014}} Over the next six years he starred in more than 20 films. In 1927, he returned to smaller roles, which continued through the advent of talking pictures. His last performance on screen was in a small role in the classic The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1945.{{cite web | url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=24531 | title=The Picture of Dorian Gray: Detail View | publisher=American Film Institute | access-date= December 11, 2014}} He died on December 12, 1951.