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Born · May 2, 1908
Died · April 15, 1993 (84 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
William Bakewell (May 2, 1908 – April 15, 1993), also known as Billy Bakewell, was an American actor, who achieved his greatest fame as one of the premiere juvenile performers of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Bakewell, educated at Los Angeles Harvard Military School, began his film career as an extra in the silent movie Fighting Blood (1924), and went on to appear in some 170 films and television shows. He had supporting roles at the end of the silent era and reached the peak of his career around 1930. He is perhaps best remembered for playing German soldier Albert Kropp in the film classic All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), and Rodney Jordan, Joan Crawford's brother, in Dance, Fools, Dance (1931). He also co-starred in Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929) with Winnie Lightner and Lilyan Tashman. In 1933, he contributed to the founding of the Screen Actors Guild, and was member 44 of the original 50. He never achieved stardom after the Depression years, although he became familiar in dozens of films, including his short appearance as a mounted soldier in Gone with the Wind (1939) whom Scarlett O'Hara asks when the Yankee soldiers are coming to Atlanta. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army with the rank of second lieutenant. He was stationed at the 73rd Evacuation Hospital and at the Radio Section of the Special Service Division as the Post Intelligence Officer. He also worked under the department that handled distribution of recorded programs to overseas station circuits. He starred in the Columbia Pictures serial Hop Harrigan (1946), where he played a top Air Corps pilot. He also portrayed Major Tobias Norton and a Keelboat Race Master of Ceremonies in the phenomenally popular Disney series Davy Crockett (1954-1955). In the 1960s, he guest starred in numerous situation comedy television series, including Guestward, Ho!, Pete and Gladys, Bringing Up Buddy, The Tab Hunter Show, Mister Ed, Leave It to Beaver, The Jack Benny Program, Petticoat Junction , and Hazel. He also was cast in episodes of Peter Gunn, Sea Hunt, Wagon Train, The Roaring 20s, The Virginian, Arrest and Trial, and 87th Precinct He played the Virginia statesman George Wythe in the episode "George Mason" in the 1965 NBC documentary series, Profiles in Courage. He made his last film in 1975. For four decades, Bakewell served on the board of Motion Picture and Television Fund. He died on April 15, 1993 of leukemia at the age of 84.
Himself
0.0
1984
Professor
6.1
1975
Desk Clerk
0.0
1973
Jeremy's Father
4.0
1972
(1 episode)
6.9
1971
Carnival Host · (1 episode)
6.0
1970
Norm · (1 episode)
6.0
1970
Elroy · (1 episode)
6.0
1969
Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)
6.0
1966
(1 episode)
6.2
1966
Colonel Harris · (1 episode)
7.8
1965
(1 episode)
7.3
1965
Wythe · (1 episode)
5.0
1964
Ralph Craig · (1 episode)
5.8
1963
Actor · (1 episode)
5.8
1963
Herbert · (1 episode)
5.8
1963
(1 episode)
6.8
1962
Sam Branch · (1 episode)
6.4
1962
Nate Eastman · (1 episode)
6.4
1962
(1 episode)
6.9
1961
(1 episode)
7.5
1961
(1 episode)
6.7
1961
(1 episode)
0.0
1960
(1 episode)
0.0
1960
(1 episode)
4.0
1960
(1 episode)
6.5
1960
(1 episode)
6.5
1958
(2 episodes)
6.5
1958
(1 episode)
4.0
1957
(1 episode)
7.0
1957
(1 episode)
6.8
1957
Detective · (1 episode)
5.2
1957
(1 episode)
0.0
1957
Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)
6.3
1956
(1 episode)
5.8
1955
(1 episode)
0.0
1955
Maj. Tobias Norton
6.4
1955
Norton
10.0
1955
Major Norton
6.5
1954
Motorist (uncredited)
6.7
1954
Charles, Waiter (uncredited)
4.5
1953
(1 episode)
5.7
1953
Ted Richards
4.4
1952
Hal Ortman
7.0
1951
(1 episode)
4.0
1951
Appleby
4.7
1951
Charlie Lannon
0.0
1951
Major Dort · (1 episode)
6.0
1950
Robert Cooper · (1 episode)
6.0
1950
Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil
6.1
1950
Dick Hebert
6.5
1948
Capt. Kingston
0.0
1948
Dudley (Travel Agent)
6.7
1948
Hotel Clerk
6.0
1948
Lawrence White
2.0
1948
Captain Frank Mason
4.0
1947
Pastor Willie von Adel
0.0
1947
Winters
6.9
1947
Bruce Coleman
5.0
1947
Windor
6.9
1947
Eddie
6.0
1947
Tom Branning
0.0
1946
Hop Harrigan
3.7
1946
Cpl. Hall Ross
0.0
1942
Hugh Pleasant
5.7
1942
Robert Harwood Jr.
0.0
1942
Mac
5.7
1942
Tom Fielding
4.0
1942
Mr. Hubbell
5.8
1942
Ensign
6.0
1940
Shipboard Card Player
6.3
1940
David Chadwick
6.0
1940
Mounted Officer
7.9
1939
Cadet (uncredited)
6.0
1939
Townsman at Zeke's Recitation
4.6
1939
Intern
7.0
1939
Committee Captain
3.8
1938
Eddie Davis
0.0
1938
Andrew
4.9
1937
Dick Withers
0.0
1937
Tom Banning
5.0
1937
Tom Connor
0.0
1937
Bob
6.0
1937
Lieutenant Spicer
5.9
1937
Lieut. Commander Mays
4.5
1936
Dave Haines
5.0
1936
Ken Sherridan
6.0
1935
Billy
0.0
1935
Dick Carter
5.5
1935
Bill Coleman
0.0
1935
Robert Pryor
0.0
1935
Roland Chadburne
5.0
1934
Adolph
6.0
1934
Barry Graham
5.0
1934
Clay
3.0
1934
Dr. Wilkes
5.5
1934
Cliff Miller
5.0
1934
Jerry
0.0
1934
Russell Tilford
0.0
1934
Don Bell (adult)
7.0
1934
Billy Dawson
0.0
1933
John Russell
0.0
1933
Douglas Rimplegar
5.2
1933
Slugger Jones
6.3
1933
Richard Saxel
6.1
1932
Paul Renoir
5.8
1932
Maurice Perry
0.0
1932
Jim Stewart
6.3
1931
Tommy Osgood
6.0
1931
Count Karl Runyi
5.2
1931
Otto
4.0
1931
Benny Emerson
6.3
1931
Rodney Jordan
6.4
1931
Tommy Haverly
3.8
1931
Carney
6.8
1930
Brook
6.4
1930
Albert Kropp
7.7
1930
Jack
4.7
1930
Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)
5.5
1929
Wally Saunders
7.0
1929
Jimmy
5.0
1929
Mack Moran
0.0
1929
Louis XIV / Twin Brother
6.7
1929
A Pianist
4.6
1929
Skippy
3.0
1928
The Son
5.2
1928
Percival
7.0
1928
Bud Dolan
0.0
1928
'Tex' McNeil
7.4
1928
Jerry MacDowell
4.3
1927
Jerry Ellis
0.0
1927
0.0
1927
Salesman
0.0
1926
Young Philadelphian (uncredited)
6.2
1926
0.0
1926
'Ink' Donovan
5.0
1925