Art Acord

Arthemus Ward "Art" Acord (April 17, 1890 – January 4, 1931) was an American silent film actor and rodeo champion. After his film career ended in 1929, Acord worked in rodeo road shows and as a miner in Mexico.

Art Acord
Acord in Stars of Photoplay, 1924
Born
Arthemus Ward Acord

(1890-04-17)April 17, 1890
Glenwood, Utah, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 1931(1931-01-04) (aged 40)
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
Cause of deathSuicide by poison
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
NationalityAmerican
Other namesBuck Parvin
OccupationSilent film actor, stunt performer, ranch hand, miner
Years active1912–1929
Spouse(s)
Edythe Sterling
​
​
(m. 1913; div. 1916)​

Edna Nores
​
​
(m. 1920; div. 1925)​

​
​
(m. 1926; div. 1928)​

Early life and career
Acord in Sky High Corral, 1926

Acord was born to parents who were Utah pioneers and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Valentine Louis Acord and Mary Amelia Acord (née Pedersen), in the ranching area called Prattville, just west of the town of Glenwood, Utah. Art's father was of German and English descent. The Acord family descends from a Prussian mercenary soldier of the American Revolutionary War whose name was Eckert. Art's paternal grandmother was a descendant of Frances Latham, an early settler of New England. Art's mother, who was of Danish descent, died when Art was just 19 months old while the family was living in the Stillwater, Oklahoma area. The Acord family had moved there for the mother's health and took part in the September 28, 1891 Oklahoma Land Run. She died a few weeks later on November 28, 1891. After her death, the family moved back to Utah. As a young man, Acord worked as a cowboy, ranch hand and rodeo contestant. In 1912, he won the World Steer Wrestling (Bulldogging) Championship at the Pendleton Round-up and won that same World Championship title again in 1916, defeating challenger and friend Hoot Gibson.

Acord was one of the few cowboys to have ridden the acclaimed bucking horse Steamboat (who later inspired the bucking horse logo on the Wyoming license plate) for the full eight seconds. His rodeo skills had been sharpened when he worked for a time for the Miller Brothers' traveling 101 Ranch Wild West Show. It was with the 101 that he became friends with Tom Mix, Yakima Canutt, Bee Ho Gray, "Broncho Billy" Anderson and Hoot Gibson. He was sometimes called the "Mormon cowboy". He went on to become a noted actor in silent Western films. Accord also performed as a stunt man. He made over 100 film shorts, most of which are now considered lost.

Acord enlisted in the United States Army in World War I and served overseas. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery. At war's end, he returned to the motion picture business, appearing in a series of popular film shorts and as "Buck Parvin", the title character for a Universal Pictures serial. Because of a heavy drinking problem and his inability to adapt to the advent of talkies, Acord's film career declined and he ended up performing in road shows and mining in Mexico.[1] In March 1928 Acord was seriously burned in an explosion at his home; the loss of his sight was feared.[2]

Personal life

Acord was married three times. His first marriage was to actress Edythe Sterling in 1913. They divorced in 1916. In 1920, he married former actress Edna May Nores. Nores filed for divorce in April 1924 citing physical abuse and infidelity. The divorce was finalized the following year.[3][4] His third marriage was to actress Louise Lorraine on April 14, 1926. The couple divorced in June 1928.[5]

Death

On January 4, 1931, Acord died in a hospital Chihuahua, Mexico hospital shortly after taking cyanide in a local hotel room. He was depressed and told the doctor who treated him shortly before he died that he had intentionally taken poison because he wanted to die.[6][7] His body was sent back to California by train.[8] He was given a military funeral with full honors and was buried in the Vale of Memory section in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.[9] [10]

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Acord has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1709 Vine Street.[11]

Partial filmography
Short subject
Year Title Role Notes
1910 Pride of the Range Stunt performer
1910 The Two Brothers Stunt performer
1910 The Sergeant Indian scout
1911 Range Pals Cowhand Uncredited
1911 The White Medicine Man Uncredited
1912 Custer's Last Fight Trooper
1912 On the Warpath Arrow Head, as a Young Brave
1913 The Claim Jumper Deputy
1914 The Cherry Pickers Hussar
1915 Buckshot John Hairtrigger Jordan
1915 The Cowboy's Sweetheart Jim Lawson, Cowboy
1915 A Cattle Queen's Romance Bart, Dallia Ranch Cowboy
1916 Margy of the Foothills Ben Marlin
1916 Curlew Corliss Curlew Corliss
1916 Under Azure Skies Bill Hardy
1919 The Wild Westerner Larry Norton
1919 The Fighting Line Mart Long
1919 The Kid and the Cowboy Jud
1920 The Fiddler of the Little Big Horn
1920 Call of the West
1921 Fair Fighting Bud Austin
1922 Go Get 'em Gates Go Get 'em Gates
1922 Tracked Down Barney McFee, RCMP
Features
Year Title Role Notes
1912 The Invaders Telegrapher Stunt double
1914 The Squaw Man Art - Townsman
1917 Heart and Soul Undetermined Role Uncredited
1917 The Show Down
1917 Cleopatra Kephren Lost film
1918 Headin' South Lost film
1920 The Moon Riders Buck Ravelle, a Ranger Lost film
1921 The White Horseman Wayne Allen/The White Horseman Lost film
1921 Winners of the West Arthur Standish/The Mysterious Spaniard Serial
Lost film
1922 In the Days of Buffalo Bill Art Taylor Lost film
1923 The Oregon Trail Jean Brulet Lost film
1924 Fighting for Justice Bullets Bernard
1924 Looped for Life Buck Dawn
1925 Three in Exile Art Flanders
1925 The Circus Cyclone Jack Manning
1925 The Call of Courage Steve Caldwell
1925 The Wild Girl Billy Woodruff
1925 Pals Bruce Taylor
1925 The Silent Guardian Jim Sullivan
1926 The Set-Up Deputy Art Stratton
1926 The Terror Art Downs
1926 Lazy Lightning Lance Lighton
1927 Loco Luck Bud Harris
1927 The Western Rover Art Seaton/Art Hayes
1927 Spurs and Saddles Jack Marley
1928 Two-Gun O'Brien Two-Gun O'Brien
1928 His Last Battle
1929 The White Outlaw Johnny "The White Outlaw" Douglas
1929 The Arizona Kid Bill "The Arizona Kid" Strong Alternative title: Pursued
1929 Fighters of the Saddle Dick Weatherby

See also

References
  1. "Art Acord Is Dead". Spokane Daily Chronicle. January 5, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  2. "Film Actor Burned". The Pittsburgh Press. March 19, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  3. "Edna Wants Her Freedom". The Day. April 12, 1924. p. 14. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  4. "Art Acord Swallowed Poison, Dispatch Says". The Meriden Daily Journal. January 5, 1931. p. 8. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  5. "Acords In Discord". The Pittsburgh Press. June 25, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  6. "Art Acord Of Screen Takes Poison, Dies". San Jose Evening News. January 5, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  7. "Art Acord Called Suicide.; Ex-Cowboy Film Star, Working at Mining in Mexico, Takes Poison". The New York Times. January 5, 1931.
  8. "Body of Acord in Hollywood". Rochester Evening Journal and the Post Express. January 16, 1931. p. 28. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  9. "Military Honor Paid at Rites for Art Acord". The Los Angeles Times. January 18, 1931. p. A7.
  10. Resting Places: The Burial Places of 14,000 Famous Persons, by Scott Wilson
  11. "Hollywood Star Walk". latimes.com. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
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