William Janney

{{short description|American actor}}

{{Infobox person

| image = File:William Janney.jpg

| imagesize = 250px

| caption = Janney as shown in the November 26, 1938, issue of Radio Guide

| name = William Janney

| birth_date = {{birth date|1908|2|15}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1992|12|22|1908|2|15}}

| death_place = Idaho, U.S.

| occupation = Film and stage actor

| yearsactive = 1922–1937

| spouse = Madlyn Hobbs (1940–1968; her death)
Venice Daniels (1970–1989; her death)

}}

William Janney (born Russell Dixon Janney, February 15, 1908 – December 22, 1992) was an American actor who appeared in 39 films between 1929 and 1937.

He was the son of author and theatrical producer Russell Janney,(28 December 1940). [https://www.nytimes.com/1940/12/28/archives/william-janney-marries.html William Janney Marries], The New York Times(2 March 1930). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Yr8aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B0sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2645,4407238&dq= Actors' Children Emulate Parents], Pittsburgh Press and he attended the School for Professional Children.{{cite news|last1=Hennessy|first1=Duane|title=Hollywood's Film Shop|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18275633/william_janney/|work=The Pittsburgh Press|agency=United Press|date=March 16, 1930|location=Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh|page=79|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = March 14, 2018}} {{Open access}}

Janney debuted on Broadway in Merton of the Movies (1922). His other Broadway credits include Great Music (1924) Four O'Clock (1933), Take My Tip (1932), Tommy (1927), and Bridge of Distances (1925).{{cite web|title=William Janney|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/william-janney-46842|website=Internet Broadway Database|publisher=The Broadway League|accessdate=14 March 2018}}

His biggest regret was not taking the role in Tol'able David (1930) after Columbia boss Harry Cohn offered it to him. His mother urged him to let Richard Cromwell have it. "She told me there was this old woman friend of hers whose son had always wanted to play the part. She said I didn't want to play it anyway. To this day, I don't understand her... This really spoiled the whole thing for me, because I might have been offered a contract with Columbia. As it turned out, I never did get a contract, and Harry Cohn never offered me anything else."Ankerich, Michael G. The Sound of Silence: Conversations with 16 Film and Stage Personalities. McFarland and Company Inc., Publishers: Jefferson, NC, 1998. p. 129.

Janney may be best remember for playing Hoppy's brother in Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936). It is the only film that Hoppy's brother appeared in. A few films later North of the Rio Grande it is mentioned that Hoppy's brother was killed off.