Art Acord
Acord, c. 1920
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
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Other namesBuck Parvin
Occupation(s)Silent film actor, stunt performer, ranch hand, miner
Years active1912–1929
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1913; div. 1916)​
    Edna Nores
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1920; div. 1925)​
      ​
      ​
      (m. 1926; div. 1928)​

      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.

      Early life and career

      Acord in 1922
      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 who has been called the "Mother of Governors" and the "Mother of Champion Cowboys". 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. He worked on the ranch of Preston Nutter. 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 a qualified ride and championship. 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" and has been noted as the first real cowboy to become a Hollywood cowboy. He went on to become a noted actor in silent Western films. Acord 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 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 Don't Come To Hollywood Undetermined lead role Lost Film - directed by Ward Wing with Lillian Marshall, Victor Rodman & Henry Woodward
      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 Wyoming Tornado
      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". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
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