William Bakewell
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.
Known For
Bruised Celluloid
Himself
1984
The Strongest Man in the World
Professor
1975
Set This Town on Fire
Desk Clerk
1973
Call Her Mom
Jeremy's Father
1972
Alias Smith and Jones
(1 episode)
1971
Nanny and the Professor
Carnival Host · (1 episode)
1970
Nanny and the Professor
Norm · (1 episode)
1970
Love, American Style
Elroy · (1 episode)
1969
Not With My Wife, You Don't
Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)
1966
That Girl
(1 episode)
1966
I Dream of Jeannie
Colonel Harris · (1 episode)
1965
Green Acres
(1 episode)
1965
Profiles in Courage
Wythe · (1 episode)
1964
Petticoat Junction
Ralph Craig · (1 episode)
1963
Petticoat Junction
Actor · (1 episode)
1963
Petticoat Junction
Herbert · (1 episode)
1963
The Beverly Hillbillies
(1 episode)
1962
The Virginian
Sam Branch · (1 episode)
1962
The Virginian
Nate Eastman · (1 episode)
1962
Hazel
(1 episode)
1961
87th Precinct
(1 episode)
1961
Mister Ed
(1 episode)
1961
The Roaring 20's
(1 episode)
1960
Bringing Up Buddy
(1 episode)
1960
Guestward, Ho!
(1 episode)
1960
Pete and Gladys
(1 episode)
1960
Peter Gunn
(1 episode)
1958
Sea Hunt
(2 episodes)
1958
Harbor Command
(1 episode)
1957
Leave It to Beaver
(1 episode)
1957
Maverick
(1 episode)
1957
M Squad
Detective · (1 episode)
1957
Official Detective
(1 episode)
1957
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)
1956
Highway Patrol
(1 episode)
1955
The Great Gildersleeve
(1 episode)
1955
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Maj. Tobias Norton
1955
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Norton
1955
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Major Norton
1954
Lucky Me
Motorist (uncredited)
1954
So This Is Love
Charles, Waiter (uncredited)
1953
I'm the Law
(1 episode)
1953
Radar Men from the Moon
Ted Richards
1952
Come Fill the Cup
Hal Ortman
1951
The Adventures of Boston Blackie
(1 episode)
1951
When the Redskins Rode
Appleby
1951
Wells Fargo Gunmaster
Charlie Lannon
1951
Lux Video Theatre
Major Dort · (1 episode)
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Robert Cooper · (1 episode)
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Michael Dailey · (1 episode)
1950
The Capture
Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil
1950
You Gotta Stay Happy
Dick Hebert
1948
Night Wind
Capt. Kingston
1948
Romance on the High Seas
Dudley (Travel Agent)
1948
So This Is New York
Hotel Clerk
1948
Arthur Takes Over
Lawrence White
1948
King of the Bandits
Captain Frank Mason
1947
Messenger of Peace
Pastor Willie von Adel
1947
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Winters
1947
The Trespasser
Bruce Coleman
1947
The Farmer's Daughter
Windor
1947
The Fabulous Dorseys
Eddie
1947
Jungle Terror
Tom Branning
1946
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
Hop Harrigan
1946
King of the Mounties
Cpl. Hall Ross
1942
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
Hugh Pleasant
1942
The Postman Didn't Ring
Robert Harwood Jr.
1942
I Live on Danger
Mac
1942
The Dawn Express
Tom Fielding
1942
Dr. Kildare's Victory
Mr. Hubbell
1942
Seven Sinners
Ensign
1940
The Saint Takes Over
Shipboard Card Player
1940
Beyond Tomorrow
David Chadwick
1940
Gone with the Wind
Mounted Officer
1939
Hotel Imperial
Cadet (uncredited)
1939
Zenobia
Townsman at Zeke's Recitation
1939
King of the Turf
Intern
1939
The Duke of West Point
Committee Captain
1938
The Higgins Family
Eddie Davis
1938
Exiled to Shanghai
Andrew
1937
Trapped by G-Men
Dick Withers
1937
Jungle Menace
Tom Banning
1937
Dangerous Holiday
Tom Connor
1937
Mile a Minute Love
Bob
1937
Quality Street
Lieutenant Spicer
1937
Sea Spoilers
Lieut. Commander Mays
1936
Lady Luck
Dave Haines
1936
Happiness C.O.D.
Ken Sherridan
1935
Together We Live
Billy
1935
Strangers All
Dick Carter
1935
On Probation
Bill Coleman
1935
Laddie
Robert Pryor
1935
Sons of Steel
Roland Chadburne
1934
Crimson Romance
Adolph
1934
The Curtain Falls
Barry Graham
1934
The Party's Over
Clay
1934
Straight Is the Way
Dr. Wilkes
1934
Green Eyes
Cliff Miller
1934
Speed Wings
Jerry
1934
The Quitter
Russell Tilford
1934
You Can't Buy Everything
Don Bell (adult)
1934
Straightaway
Billy Dawson
1933
A Man of Sentiment
John Russell
1933
Three Cornered Moon
Douglas Rimplegar
1933
Lucky Devils
Slugger Jones
1933
Back Street
Richard Saxel
1932
While Paris Sleeps
Paul Renoir
1932
Cheaters at Play
Maurice Perry
1932
The Spirit of Notre Dame
Jim Stewart
1931
Guilty Hands
Tommy Osgood
1931
A Woman of Experience
Count Karl Runyi
1931
Daybreak
Otto
1931
Politics
Benny Emerson
1931
Dance, Fools, Dance
Rodney Jordan
1931
Reducing
Tommy Haverly
1931
Paid
Carney
1930
The Bat Whispers
Brook
1930
All Quiet on the Western Front
Albert Kropp
1930
Playing Around
Jack
1930
The Show of Shows
Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)
1929
Gold Diggers of Broadway
Wally Saunders
1929
On With the Show!
Jimmy
1929
Hot Stuff
Mack Moran
1929
The Iron Mask
Louis XIV / Twin Brother
1929
Lady of the Pavements
A Pianist
1929
Annapolis
Skippy
1928
The Battle of the Sexes
The Son
1928
Harold Teen
Percival
1928
The Latest from Paris
Bud Dolan
1928
West Point
'Tex' McNeil
1928
The Shield of Honor
Jerry MacDowell
1927
Mother
Jerry Ellis
1927
The Heart Thief
1927
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
Salesman
1926
Old Ironsides
Young Philadelphian (uncredited)
1926
Whispering Wires
1926
The Last Edition
'Ink' Donovan
1925