W

William E. Shay

Acting
Updated: May 10, 2026
20Total Films
9.0 Highest Rated
Born: Jan 1, 1867
Birth Place: New York City, New York, USA

William E. Shay Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of William E. Shay reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 20 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of William E. Shay's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 25% of William E. Shay's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Shamus O'Brien, which stands out as a key performance.

Advertisement

Best William E. Shay Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from William E. Shay's career based on audience ratings.

★9.0
Shamus O'Brien (1912) movie poster
★9.0

Shamus O'Brien: Based on JS Le Fanu's 1850 poem "Shamus O'Brien." Copies of this short film survive at the Library of Congress and Briti

Shamus O'Brien

1912•Drama
★8.0
The Telephone Girl (1927) movie poster
★8.0

The Telephone Girl: Telephone operator Kitty O'Brien can't help but get involved in the problems of her customers. Right now she is concerni

The Telephone Girl

1927•Drama
★8.0
The Boy, the Bust and the Bath (1907) movie poster
★8.0

The Boy, the Bust and the Bath: A young female boarding house tenant becomes an unwanted object of male attention.

The Boy, the Bust and the Bath

1907•Comedy
★7.0
Up Against It (1912) movie poster
★7.0

Up Against It: Amos Bentley was up against it in more senses than one. Times were so hard with him that he had to part with the furnitu

Up Against It

1912•Comedy
★7.0
A Timely Repentance (1912) movie poster
★7.0

A Timely Repentance: A lost film. John Crawford, an honest mechanic, and Wilbur Robinson, a young man of leisure, both love the same girl. Sh

A Timely Repentance

1912

Full Filmography

Every movie William E. Shay has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
1927 The Telephone Girl Detective Super Hit Similar →
1918 The Fall of the Romanoffs Theofan Flop Similar →
1917 The Lone Wolf Wertheimer Flop Similar →
1917 The Eternal Sin The Duke of Ferrara Flop Similar →
1916 A Daughter of the Gods Prince Omar Flop Similar →
1915 The Soul of Broadway William Craig Flop Similar →
1915 Sin Luigi Flop Similar →
1915 The Two Orphans Chevalier de Vaudrey Flop Similar →
1915 The Clemenceau Case Pierre Clemenceau Flop Similar →
1915 Kreutzer Sonata Gregor Randor Flop Similar →
1914 Neptune's Daughter King William Flop Similar →
1913 His Hour of Triumph Derwent Hall - the Reporter / Playwright Average Similar →
1912 Up Against It Frank Crampton - Louise & Howard's Father Hit Similar →
1912 A Cave Man Wooing Sam Average Similar →
1912 Shamus O'Brien Captain R. MacDonald Super Hit Similar →
1912 A Timely Repentance Wilbur Robinson - the Wife's New Lover Hit Similar →
1911 'Tween Two Loves George Flop Similar →
1911 The Lighthouse Keeper Bert Duncan Flop Similar →
1911 Sweet Memories Second Duelist Flop Similar →
1907 The Boy, the Bust and the Bath - Super Hit Similar →

William E. Shay - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of William E. Shay?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring William E. Shay is "Shamus O'Brien" with a rating of 9.0/10.

How many movies has William E. Shay acted in?

William E. Shay has been featured in at least 20 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by William E. Shay?

Other notable films include "The Telephone Girl", "The Boy, the Bust and the Bath", and "Up Against It".

Advertisement