ACCORD, ART

(1890–1931)

   Art Accord was featured in numerous silent Westerns as a ruggedly handsome, clean-cut cowboy hero known for his fist-fighting ability in such films as The White Outlaw (1929). But Accord’s real claim to fame was his inability to make the transition from silents to talkies. Early sound technology simply could not pick up the nuances of his peculiar voice. Several silent stars experienced similar difficulties, but most persevered and overcame initial resistance. Accord could not overcome his difficulties. As a result of a career-ending disappointment, he entered a life of crime, ending up dead in a Mexican jail, perhaps by suicide.