William Collier first appeared on stage in 1879 in a children's opera company performing Gilbert and Sullivan's H. M. S. Pinafore. From 1883 until 1888 he played with Daly's company where he took the parts of Simple in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the page in The Taming of the Shrew. After he left Daly there is no record of his having played Shakespeare again.

This card with his portrait was published by the Illustrated Postal Card Company.