Born in Scotland in 1874,[1] William J. Wilson made his Broadway debut in 1902 as Lopez in Gustav Luders's King Dodo.
[3] It was the first of many shows that he would direct for producers and brothers Lee, Sam S., and Jacob J. Shubert over the next four and a half years; some of which he also choreographed.
Other works he directed for the Shubert family on Broadway include Up and Down Broadway (1910),[4] La Belle Paree (1911, also as choreographer),[5] Bow-Sing (1911),[5]The Kiss Waltz (1911),[6] The Never Homes (1911),[7] The Duchess (1911),[8] Vera Violetta (1911),[9] The Wedding Trip (1911),[10] The Pirates of Penzance (1912), Under Many Flags (1912),[11] The Dove of Peace (1912),[12] The Man with Three Wives (1913),[13] The Beggar Student (1913), H.M.S.
In 1921 he directed the UK premiere of the Frank Mandel, Otto Harbach, and Louis Hirsch musical Mary at the Queen's Theatre.
[26] In 1930 he directed the musical revue De La Folie Pure by Noel Scott and Charles Austin at the Victoria Palace Theatre.