Jay Wilsey

American actor

Jay Wilsey
Wilsey in Texas Terror, 1935
Born	(1896-02-06)February 6, 1896 Hillsdale, Missouri, U.S.
Died	October 25, 1961(1961-10-25) (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1924–1944
Spouse	Jeanette Boutelle (1933–1961) (his death)

Jay Wilsey (February 6, 1896 – October 25, 1961) was an American film actor (born Wilbert Jay Wilsey). He appeared in nearly 100 films between 1924 and 1944. He starred in a series of very low-budget westerns in the 1920s and 1930s, billed as Buffalo Bill Jr.

Born in St. Francisville, Missouri, Wilsey rode in Wild West shows and rodeos before he became an actor. His first film was Rarin' to Go (1924).^[1] Wilsey's career as an actor diminished as sound films increased in popularity, causing him to become a stunt performer. A January 29, 1940, newspaper article reported that he had performed 6,000 stunts up to that time.^[2]

Wilsey was married to actress Jeanette Boutelle.^[2]

Selected filmography

Rarin' to Go (1924) - Bill Dillon
Fast and Fearless (1924) - Lightning Bill Lewis
Hard Hittin' Hamilton (1924) - Bill Hamilton
Bringin' Home the Bacon (1924) - Bill Winton
Thundering Romance (1924) - Lightning Bill
Full Speed (1925)
On the Go (1925) - Bill Drake
Double Action Daniels (1925) - Double Action Daniels
Quicker'n Lightnin' (1925) - Quicker'n Lightnin'
The Desert Demon (1925) - Bill Davis
The Saddle Cyclone (1925) - Bill Demming
A Streak of Luck (1925) - Billy Burton
The Roaring Rider (1926) - Buffalo Bill Jr.
Hoodoo Ranch (1926)
Trumpin' Trouble (1926) - Bill Lawson
Coming an' Going (1926) - Bill Martin
Deuce High (1926) - Ted Crawford
Rawhide (1926) - Rawhide Rawlins
Speedy Spurs (1926) - Bill Clark
The Bonanza Buckaroo (1926) - Bill Merritt
Bad Man's Bluff (1926) - Zane Castleton
The Galloping Gobs (1927) - Bill Corbitt
The Ridin' Rowdy (1927) - Bill Gibson
Pals in Peril (1927) - Bill Gordon
The Interferin' Gent (1927) - Bill Stannard
The Obligin' Buckaroo (1927) - Bill Murray
Roarin' Broncs (1927) - Bill Morris
The Ballyhoo Buster (1928) - Bob Warner
The Valley of Hunted Men (1928) - Tom Mallory
A Final Reckoning (1928) - Captain Wilson
The Pirate of Panama (1929) - Karl
Thundering Thompson (1929) - Cowhand (uncredited)
Bar-L Ranch (1930) - Bob Tyler
Beyond the Rio Grande (1930) - Bill
The Cheyenne Kid (1930) - Buck Allen / The Cheyenne Kid
Way Out West (1930) - Hank
Beyond the Law (1930) - Henchman (uncredited)
The Utah Kid (1930) - Deputy (uncredited)
South of Sonora (1930) - Bill Tracy
Westward Bound (1930) - Bob Lansing
Trails of the Golden West (1931)
The Mystery Trooper (1931) - Tall Henchman (uncredited)
Pueblo Terror (1931) - Bill Sommers
A Holy Terror (1931) - Cowboy (uncredited)
Riders of the Golden Gulch (1932)
Ridin' for Justice (1932) - Barfly (uncredited)
The Texan (1932) - Bill Rust
Dynamite Denny (1932) - 'Dynamite' Denny
Hidden Gold (1932) - Cowhand (uncredited)
The Lost Special (1932, Serial) - Forest Station Agent [Ch. 2] (uncredited)
Terror Trail (1933) - Prisoner (uncredited)
The Thrill Hunter (1933) - Pilot (uncredited)
The Fighting Cowboy (1933) - Bill Carson
Deadwood Pass (1933) - Deputy
Rusty Rides Alone (1933) - Luke Quillan (uncredited)
Strange People (1933) - Traveller (uncredited)
Trails of Adventure (1933) - Bill Merritt
The Whirlwind Rider (1934) - Bill Reed
Lighting Bill (1934) - Bill
Wheels of Destiny (1934) - Bill Collins
Riding Speed (1934) - Steve
Adventures of Texas Jack (1934) - Bill Mayberry
Riding Speed (1934)^[3] - Buck Cartwright
The Lawless Frontier (1934) - 2nd Zanti Henchman
'Neath the Arizona Skies (1934) - Jim Moore
Texas Terror (1935) - Blackie Martin
The Phantom Empire (1935, Serial) - Thunder Guard (uncredited)
Five Bad Men (1935) - Bad Man #1
Rainbow Valley (1935) - Butch Galt
Princess O'Hara (1935) - Mounted Policeman (uncredited)
The Miracle Rider (1935, Serial) - Daniel Boone [Ch. 1] / Henchman [Ch. 11] (uncredited)
The Roaring West (1935, Serial) - Cowhand Slim (uncredited)
Powdersmoke Range (1935) - Tex Malcolm
Three Kids and a Queen (1935) - Cop (uncredited)
The Fire-Trap (1935) - Henchman (uncredited)
Red River Valley (1936) - Construction Worker (uncredited)
Heroes of the Range (1936) - Deputy (uncredited)
Avenging Waters (1936) - Fence Foreman (uncredited)
The Phantom Rider (1936, Serial) - Deputy Tom (Ch's 6, 8) (uncredited)
Oh, Susanna! (1936) - Sage City Deputy (uncredited)
Rio Grande Ranger (1936) - Texas Ranger (uncredited)
Ranger Courage (1937) - Ranger Lieutenant Caps
Way Out West (1937) - Barfly (uncredited)
Law of the Ranger (1937) - Ranger Lieutenant Wells (uncredited)
Forlorn River (1937) - Blaine Cowhand (uncredited)
Wild West Days (1937, Serial) - Henchman / Ranch Hand / Townsman (uncredited)
The Rangers Step In (1937) - Texas Ranger Capt. Thomas
Rough Riders' Round-up (1939) - Barfly (uncredited)
Blue Montana Skies (1939) - Mallew (uncredited)
Pioneers of the Frontier (1940) - Henchman (uncredited)
The Lone Rider Rides On (1941) - Henchman Bart
The Lone Rider Crosses the Rio (1941) - Henchman Bart
The Lone Rider in Ghost Town (1941) - Cowboy (uncredited)
Lawless Plainsmen (1942) - Slim - Cowhand (uncredited)
Frontier Fury (1943) - Stagecoach Shotgun (uncredited)
The Dancing Masters (1943) - Stage Driver (uncredited)
The Last Horseman (1944) - Henchman (uncredited)
Big Jim McLain (1952) - Mr. Whalen (uncredited)

References

^ Freese, Gene Scott (2014). Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s-1970s: A Biographical Dictionary, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-1470-0. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Film Stunt Man and Wife, Ex-Actress, Plan Dream Cruise". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. January 29, 1940. p. 11. Retrieved August 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Björn A. Schmidt Visualizing Orientalness: Chinese Immigration and Race in U.S. 2016 3412505323 "Its main cast features Jay Wilsey as inspector Steve Funney. Wilsey, who also directed the film, is credited as Buffalo Bill Jr., the pseudonym under which he was known as a western actor during the 1920s. Wilsey was unrelated to William F. Cody, the 'real' Buffalo Bill, but the reference reveals the connections.."