William Haines

William Haines
William Haines portrait, 1928
Haines in 1928
Born
Charles William Haines

(1900-01-02)January 2, 1900
DiedDecember 26, 1973(1973-12-26) (aged 73)
Resting placeWoodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica
Occupations
  • Actor
  • interior designer
Years active1922–1973
PartnerJimmie Shields (1926–1973)
Websitewilliamhaines.com

Charles William Haines (January 2, 1900 – December 26, 1973) was an American actor and interior designer.

Haines was discovered by a talent scout and signed with Goldwyn Pictures in 1922.[a] His career gained momentum when he received favorable reviews for his role in The Midnight Express. He was cast in the 1926 film Brown of Harvard and his performance solidified his screen persona as a wisecracking, arrogant leading man. By the end of the 1920s, Haines had appeared in a string of successful films and was a popular box-office draw.

Haines' acting career was cut short by the studios in the 1930s due to his refusal to deny his homosexuality. He quit acting in 1935 and started a successful interior design business with his life partner Jimmie Shields, and his work was widely patronized by friends in Hollywood. Haines died of lung cancer in December 1973 at the age of 73.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).