Bill Boyd has left a legacy for future generations of pop culture icons hardly to be rivaled. One of the reasons this man became so popular, had such a following, was his clear view of the world around him. Part of Boyd’s appeal as Hopalong Cassidy was his confidence and unwillingness to back down. These attributes helped propel his career and gain one of the closest friendships he had.

Prior to becoming an actor, Bill Boyd worked at a ski lodge felling trees, doing maintenance work, and building cabins. While working there he was spotted by silent film star Wallace Reid, who liked the way Boyd looked from his natural appearance to his fancy clothes. Reid encouraged him to drop the ski lodge job and head west to be an actor. Boyd stuck with the job a little while longer, but unfortunately, it wasn’t making him financially comfortable, so he decided to head back to California. During the train ride he met Bryant Washburn a screen actor who echoed what Reid had said, that Boyd should be an actor. Washburn had made many successful silent films with Cecil B. DeMille and offered to help Bill find acting jobs. He kept both actors advice in mind while he worked as an orange packer and at night on a military base running the PX. After almost a year he packed his stuff and headed for Hollywood. 

In 1919 Hollywood had no where near the grandeur it has now. In fact, it was just a small area outside of Los Angeles. Cecil B. DeMille had produced the first movie there, The Squaw Man, and had formed Famous Players-Lasky with Jesse Lasky and Adolph Zukor, which would become Paramount Pictures. Boyd heard about him and decided to start at the top of the business. He went to DeMille’s office but was rudely rejected when he expressed the desire for acting work. Disrespect was a major pet peeve of Boyd’s so he shot a retort after being insulted, which got him noticed by DeMille. Rather than dismiss the man who had defended himself, DeMille was impressed by Boyd’s tenacity and hired him as an extra. He began the very next day as an extra in Old Wives for New.

Boyd’s first bit part came almost a year later playing in DeMille’s picture Why Change Your Wife with Gloria Swanson. DeMille was known for yelling at those on set and many cowered to him since he was such a powerful man in the silent film era. The right word from DeMille could make or break a career. One day during filming he started tearing into Boyd for not performing a scene properly. Instead of bowing down to DeMille, Boyd yelled back that DeMille should show him exactly what he wanted. DeMille did, Boyd copied it perfectly, and DeMille recognized that Boyd did not scare easily.

When DeMille decided Boyd was ready for larger parts he called him for a meeting. The way the office was constructed, DeMille’s desk was elevated and the seat for guests had a spotlight directly over it. When Boyd came in and saw the obvious, albeit intimidating, set up, he turned the trashcan over and sat on it directly in front of DeMille so that they were seated eye to eye. DeMille asked why Boyd wasn’t afraid of him like so many in the industry and Boyd responded simply, “I’m not afraid of anybody I know I can lick.” This said, DeMille threw his head back and laughed, sealing what would become a very close friendship.