Wallace A. Worsley Sr. was an American stage actor who became a director in the silent film era. Worsley directed 29 films during the years 1918-1928 and acted in 7 films. He directed several films starring Lon Chaney Sr. and his professional relationship with the actor was the best Chaney had second to his partnership with Tod Browning

Tod Browning

Tod Browning was an American motion picture actor, director and screenwriter.Browning's career spanned the silent and talkie eras...

. The The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1923 American film directed by Wallace Worsley and produced by Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg. It stars Lon Chaney, Sr., Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry, Nigel de Brulier, Brandon Hurst. The film is the second most famous adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel,...

 from 1923 is one of his best known works and along with The Penalty

The Penalty (film)

The Penalty is an American crime film, originally released in 1920. It was directed by Wallace Worsley, and written by Philip Lonergan and Charles Kenyon, based upon the pulp novel by Gouverneur Morris. It starred Lon Chaney, Charles Clary, Doris Pawn, Jim Mason, and Claire Adams.-Cast:*Charles...

(1920), enjoys good exposure on home video and DVD. Worsley's 1922 horror film A Blind Bargain

A Blind Bargain

A Blind Bargain is a silent horror film starring Lon Chaney and Raymond McKee, released through Goldwyn Pictures. The movie was directed by Wallace Worsley and is based on Barry Pain's 1897 novel, The Octave of Claudius...

 with Chaney is one of the most sought after lost films. Worsley was married to actress Julia M. Taylor with whom he had two sons, Paul Worsley and the film director Wallace Worsley Jr.

Filmography as a director

1. An Alien Enemy (1918)
2. Social Ambition (1918)
3. Honor's Cross (1918)
4. Wedlock (1918)
5. A Law Unto Herself (1918)
6. The Goddess of Lost Lake
   The Goddess of Lost Lake
   The Goddess of Lost Lake is a 1918 silent era drama motion picture starring Louise Glaum, Lawson Butt, and Hayward Mack.Directed by Wallace Worsley and produced by Louise Glaum and Robert Bunton through her production company, the Louise Glaum Organization, in association with Robert Brunton...
   
   (1918)
7. Adele (1919)
8. Diane of the Green Van (1919)
9. Playthings of Passion (1919)
10. A Woman of Pleasure (1919)
11. The Street Called Straight (1920)
12. The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
    The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
    The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come is a 1961 film directed by Andrew McLaglen. It stars Jimmie Rodgers and Luana Patten. It is based on the 1903 novel of the same title by John Fox, Jr.-Cast:*Jimmie Rodgers as Chad*Luana Patten as Melissa Turner...
    
    (1920)
13. The Penalty
    The Penalty (film)
    The Penalty is an American crime film, originally released in 1920. It was directed by Wallace Worsley, and written by Philip Lonergan and Charles Kenyon, based upon the pulp novel by Gouverneur Morris. It starred Lon Chaney, Charles Clary, Doris Pawn, Jim Mason, and Claire Adams.-Cast:*Charles...
    
    (1920/I)
14. The Highest Bidder (1921)
15. Don't Neglect Your Wife (1921)
16. The Beautiful Liar (1921)
17. The Ace of Hearts (1921)
18. Voices of the City
    Voices of the City
    Voices of the City , aka The Night Rose is a 1921 silent film starring Leatrice Joy and Lon Chaney, Sr. It is considered lost. It was remade by MGM in 1929 as Voice of the City directed by and starring Willard Mack.-Cast:...
    
    (1921)
19. Rags to Riches (1922)
20. A Blind Bargain
    A Blind Bargain
    A Blind Bargain is a silent horror film starring Lon Chaney and Raymond McKee, released through Goldwyn Pictures. The movie was directed by Wallace Worsley and is based on Barry Pain's 1897 novel, The Octave of Claudius...
    
    (1922)
21. When Husbands Deceive (1922)
22. Enter Madame
    Enter Madame
    Enter Madame is an American romantic comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, starring Elissa Landi and Cary Grant, and released by Paramount Pictures....
    
    (1922)
23. Grand Larceny
    Grand Larceny
    Grand Larceny is a 1987 thriller film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Marilu Henner, Ian McShane, Omar Sharif and Louis Jourdan.-Plot summary:...
    
    (1922)
24. Nobody's Money (1923)
25. Is Divorce a Failure? (1923)
26. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)
    The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film)
    The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1923 American film directed by Wallace Worsley and produced by Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg. It stars Lon Chaney, Sr., Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry, Nigel de Brulier, Brandon Hurst. The film is the second most famous adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel,...
    
    
27. The Man Who Fights Alone (1924)
28. Shadow of the Law
    Shadow of the law
    Bargaining under the shadow of the law refers to settling cases or making plea bargains in a way that takes into account what would happen at trial. It has been argued that criminal trials resolve such a small percentage of criminal cases "that their shadows are faint and hard to discern."...
    
    (1926)
29. The Power of Silence (1928)

Filmography as an actor

1. A Man's Man (1923) as Henry Jenks
2. The Turn of a Card (1918) as John Hays Cotton
3. Madam Who (1918) as Albert Lockhart
4. A Man's Man (1918) as Henry Jenks
5. Alimony (1917) as John Flint
6. Borrowed Plumage (1917) as Sir Charles Broome
7. Paws of the Bear (1917) as Curt Schrieber

External links

• Wallace Worsley at Internet Broadway Database]
• Wallace Worsley as an actor on Broadway; photo from NYP Library
• Wallace Worsley gravesite at Findagrave