Sistrom was born in
Lincolnshire, England. He began work with
Universal Pictures. Later he joined
RKO Pictures in 1935, where he worked on the film adaptation of
Leslie Charteris'
The Saint in New York. He produced 30 British and American films between 1930 and 1949. As well as a producer, William also worked as a studio manager. Actor
Lon Chaney, Sr. tells of confronting Universal studio manager William Sistrom in 1918 demanding a payrise and contract. According to Chaney, Sistrom told him that he knew a good actor when he saw one but that, looking directly at Chaney, he saw only a wash-out. According to their website, William managed the Hollywood Center Studios for a time starting in 1925. Wiliam's first wife Louise Rowan had two American-born sons and three daughters
microbiologist William, Hollywood producer
Joseph, Suzanne, Rosemary, and Mary Louise. During
World War II, the Sistroms opened their Hollywood home to many American servicemen. One notable Army Air Corps pilot and wannabe actor was Dan David. Dan assumed Mrs. Sistrom's maiden name as a stage name and was known as
Dan Rowan. He was member of the comedy team of the 1970s television comedy show ''
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In''. After Louise's death he married actress
Rosalyn Boulter when he was 68 and she was 36. Boulter's daughter Carol Haynes Johnson, who was 8 when they married, described William as "gentle, loving, giving. I always called him 'Daddy.' Daddy came into our lives when I was about 4." After the wedding, William retired, and the family moved to
Phoenix, Arizona, where he managed a turkey ranch in
Buckeye, about outside the city. He died in March 1972 in Los Angeles, United States. ==Partial filmography==