Quick Facts
Biography
William "Billy" H. Clune (1862-1927) was an American railroad property developer, film exchange and then theater chain owner, film studio owner, and film producer.
William Clune was born in 1872 in Hannibal, Missouri.
He owned a chain of theaters in Southerm California. He launched his studio in 1915. His film productions were based on novels. His first production was Ramona (1916 film).
He played hardball with competitors. He came into dispute with Nell Shipman over their film projects together.
He died on October 18, 1927 in Los Angeles, California. He is buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in a crypt.
Clune was an investor in Epoch Film Producing Corp. Birth of a Nation, originally released as The Clansman in February 1915, had its world premiere at Clune's Auditorium in Hollywood.