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William Bakewell

Acting 84 (deceased) years old Los Angeles, California, USA ★ 0.8
Born: May 2, 1908
Died: April 15, 1993

Biography

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

A Man of Sentiment
A Man of Sentiment John Russell 1933
Happiness C.O.D.
Happiness C.O.D. Ken Sherridan 1935
Annapolis
Annapolis Skippy 1928
Sea Spoilers
Sea Spoilers Lieut. Commander Mays 1936
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier Maj. Tobias Norton 1955

Filmography

Acting Credits (142)

Bruised Celluloid
Bruised Celluloid Himself 1984
The Strongest Man in the World
The Strongest Man in the World Professor 1975
Set This Town on Fire
Set This Town on Fire Desk Clerk 1973
Call Her Mom
Call Her Mom Jeremy's Father 1972
Alias Smith and Jones
Alias Smith and Jones 1971
Nanny and the Professor
Nanny and the Professor Carnival Host 1970
Nanny and the Professor
Nanny and the Professor Norm 1970
Love, American Style
Love, American Style Elroy 1969
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
Not With My Wife, You Don't! Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited) 1966
That Girl
That Girl 1966
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie Colonel Harris 1965
Green Acres
Green Acres 1965
Run for Your Life
Run for Your Life County Attorney Lassiter 1965
Profiles in Courage
Profiles in Courage Wythe 1964
Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction Ralph Craig 1963
Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction Actor 1963
Petticoat Junction
Petticoat Junction Herbert 1963
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies 1962
The Virginian
The Virginian Sam Branch 1962
The Virginian
The Virginian Nate Eastman 1962
Hazel
Hazel 1961
87th Precinct
87th Precinct 1961
Mister Ed
Mister Ed 1961
The Roaring 20's
The Roaring 20's 1960
Bringing Up Buddy
Bringing Up Buddy 1960
Guestward, Ho!
Guestward, Ho! 1960
Pete and Gladys
Pete and Gladys 1960
Peter Gunn
Peter Gunn 1958
Sea Hunt
Sea Hunt 1958
Harbor Command
Harbor Command Officer Maxwell 1957
Casey Jones
Casey Jones Ben Slater 1957
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver 1957
Maverick
Maverick 1957
M Squad
M Squad Detective 1957
Official Detective
Official Detective Sam Graves 1957
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited) 1956
Highway Patrol
Highway Patrol 1955
The Great Gildersleeve
The Great Gildersleeve 1955
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier Maj. Tobias Norton 1955
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress Norton 1955
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter Major Norton 1954
Lucky Me
Lucky Me Motorist (uncredited) 1954
So This Is Love
So This Is Love Charles, Waiter (uncredited) 1953
I'm the Law
I'm the Law 1953
Radar Men from the Moon
Radar Men from the Moon Ted Richards 1952
Come Fill the Cup
Come Fill the Cup Hal Ortman 1951
Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie 1951
Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie Ron Taylor 1951
When the Redskins Rode
When the Redskins Rode Appleby 1951
Wells Fargo Gunmaster
Wells Fargo Gunmaster Charlie Lannon 1951
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Major Dort 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Robert Cooper 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Michael Dailey 1950
The Capture
The Capture Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil 1950
You Gotta Stay Happy
You Gotta Stay Happy Dick Hebert 1948
Night Wind
Night Wind Capt. Kingston 1948
Romance on the High Seas
Romance on the High Seas Dudley (Travel Agent) 1948
So This Is New York
So This Is New York Hotel Clerk 1948
Arthur Takes Over
Arthur Takes Over Lawrence White 1948
King of the Bandits
King of the Bandits Captain Frank Mason 1947
Messenger of Peace
Messenger of Peace Pastor Willie von Adel 1947
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer Winters 1947
The Trespasser
The Trespasser Bruce Coleman 1947
The Farmer's Daughter
The Farmer's Daughter Windor 1947
The Fabulous Dorseys
The Fabulous Dorseys Eddie 1947
Jungle Terror
Jungle Terror Tom Branning 1946
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways Hop Harrigan 1946
Yanks Ahoy
Yanks Ahoy Ens. Crosby (uncredited) 1943
King of the Mounties
King of the Mounties Cpl. Hall Ross 1942
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe Hugh Pleasant 1942
The Postman Didn't Ring
The Postman Didn't Ring Robert Harwood Jr. 1942
I Live on Danger
I Live on Danger Mac 1942
The Dawn Express
The Dawn Express Tom Fielding 1942
Dr. Kildare's Victory
Dr. Kildare's Victory Mr. Hubbell 1942
Seven Sinners
Seven Sinners Ensign 1940
The Saint Takes Over
The Saint Takes Over Shipboard Card Player 1940
Beyond Tomorrow
Beyond Tomorrow David Chadwick 1940
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind Mounted Officer 1939
Hotel Imperial
Hotel Imperial Cadet (uncredited) 1939
Zenobia
Zenobia Townsman at Zeke's Recitation 1939
King of the Turf
King of the Turf Intern 1939
The Duke of West Point
The Duke of West Point Committee Captain 1938
The Higgins Family
The Higgins Family Eddie Davis 1938
Exiled to Shanghai
Exiled to Shanghai Andrew 1937
Trapped by G-Men
Trapped by G-Men Dick Withers 1937
Jungle Menace
Jungle Menace Tom Banning 1937
Dangerous Holiday
Dangerous Holiday Tom Connor 1937
Mile a Minute Love
Mile a Minute Love Bob 1937
Quality Street
Quality Street Lieutenant Spicer 1937
Sea Spoilers
Sea Spoilers Lieut. Commander Mays 1936
Lady Luck
Lady Luck Dave Haines 1936
Happiness C.O.D.
Happiness C.O.D. Ken Sherridan 1935
Together We Live
Together We Live Billy 1935
Strangers All
Strangers All Dick Carter 1935
On Probation
On Probation Bill Coleman 1935
Laddie
Laddie Robert Pryor 1935
Sons of Steel
Sons of Steel Roland Chadburne 1934
Crimson Romance
Crimson Romance Adolph 1934
The Curtain Falls
The Curtain Falls Barry Graham 1934
The Party's Over
The Party's Over Clay 1934
Straight Is the Way
Straight Is the Way Dr. Wilkes 1934
Green Eyes
Green Eyes Cliff Miller 1934
Speed Wings
Speed Wings Jerry 1934
The Quitter
The Quitter Russell Tilford 1934
You Can't Buy Everything
You Can't Buy Everything Don Bell (adult) 1934
Straightaway
Straightaway Billy Dawson 1933
A Man of Sentiment
A Man of Sentiment John Russell 1933
Three Cornered Moon
Three Cornered Moon Douglas Rimplegar 1933
Lucky Devils
Lucky Devils Slugger Jones 1933
Back Street
Back Street Richard Saxel 1932
While Paris Sleeps
While Paris Sleeps Paul Renoir 1932
Cheaters at Play
Cheaters at Play Maurice Perry 1932
The Spirit of Notre Dame
The Spirit of Notre Dame Jim Stewart 1931
Guilty Hands
Guilty Hands Tommy Osgood 1931
A Woman of Experience
A Woman of Experience Count Karl Runyi 1931
Daybreak
Daybreak Otto 1931
Politics
Politics Benny Emerson 1931
Dance, Fools, Dance
Dance, Fools, Dance Rodney Jordan 1931
Reducing
Reducing Tommy Haverly 1931
Paid
Paid Carney 1930
The Bat Whispers
The Bat Whispers Brook 1930
All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front Albert Kropp 1930
Playing Around
Playing Around Jack 1930
The Show of Shows
The Show of Shows Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited) 1929
Gold Diggers of Broadway
Gold Diggers of Broadway Wally Saunders 1929
On With the Show!
On With the Show! Jimmy 1929
Hot Stuff
Hot Stuff Mack Moran 1929
The Iron Mask
The Iron Mask Louis XIV / Twin Brother 1929
Lady of the Pavements
Lady of the Pavements A Pianist 1929
Annapolis
Annapolis Skippy 1928
The Battle of the Sexes
The Battle of the Sexes The Son 1928
Harold Teen
Harold Teen Percival 1928
The Devil's Trademark
The Devil's Trademark Tom Benton 1928
The Latest from Paris
The Latest from Paris Bud Dolan 1928
West Point
West Point 'Tex' McNeil 1928
The Shield of Honor
The Shield of Honor Jerry MacDowell 1927
Mother
Mother Jerry Ellis 1927
The Heart Thief
The Heart Thief 1927
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl Salesman 1926
Old Ironsides
Old Ironsides Young Philadelphian (uncredited) 1926
Whispering Wires
Whispering Wires 1926
The Last Edition
The Last Edition 'Ink' Donovan 1925

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