BORN 1905 • DIED-
William Afton was born Guillermo Acosta in 1905 in the border town of Juarez, Mexico. Raised poor, Acosta made it his life’s mission to escape the poverty he was born into by any means necessary. Those means presented themselves in 1920 when, at the age of fifteen, Acosta was spotted by American movie director King Vidor while visiting his family in Texas, who immediately offered him a bit part in his upcoming film, The Jack-Knife Man.
When filming wrapped, Acosta packed up and headed to Hollywood, where he was sure he would find his fortune. At the suggestion of Vidor, Acosta promptly changed his name to William Afton in an attempt to appeal to a broader selection of the moviegoing public.
Acosta, now Afton, appeared as a supporting character in a number of small, often second-rate films throughout the 1920s. While never reaching the stardom of his hero John Barrymore (who once graciously gave Afton private acting instructions at the suggestion of the studio), Afton nevertheless enjoyed his time in Hollywood.
Over time, Afton gained a reputation as an actor willing to truly embrace the roles he was given—so much so that he would often go out of his way to train in the same fields his characters inhabited. If the script featured a swashbuckler, Afton learned to fence; if an airplane pilot was called for, Afton took flying lessons.
It was in this spirit that, in 1933, Afton found himself researching a role for his next film—a B-picture about a doctor who discovers mutations in the jungle while searching for the secrets to everlasting life—and how he came under the employ of the Caduceus Foundation.
The Friends of Prospero
Peru: Episode VIII • Peru: Episode VII • Peru: Episode VI • Peru: Episode V • Peru: Episode IV • Peru: Episode III • Peru: Episode II • Peru: Episode I
The Two-Headed Serpent
Coming soon…
