Fred Gilman

Black and white photograph of a man's head and shoulders, wearing a hat over black text on a white background

Fred Gilman started his career in Hollywood as a stunt double for the famed western actor, Hoot Gibson. He earned starring roles in a number of Universal's William Wyler-directed two-reel westerns, which were 11-minute silent films. By the 1930s, however, the new popularity of sound films led the studio to focus on other types of projects, halting Gilman's career rise. Gibson kept Gilman employed throughout the 1930s in small parts, but his career quietly faded as an extra and horse trainer. The actor died in 1988.