Known For
Acting
Known Credits
144
Gender
Male
Birthday
May 2, 1908 (118 years old)
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.
| 1984 | Bruised Celluloidas Himself | |
| 1975 | The Strongest Man in the Worldas Professor | |
| 1973 | Set This Town on Fireas Desk Clerk | |
| 1972 | Call Her Momas Jeremy's Father | |
| 1971 | Alias Smith and Jonesas | |
| 1970 | Nanny and the Professoras Carnival Host | |
| 1970 | Nanny and the Professoras Norm | |
| 1969 | Love, American Styleas Elroy | |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thiefas Hotel Clerk | |
| 1966 | Not With My Wife, You Don't!as Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited) | |
| 1966 | That Girlas | |
| 1965 | I Dream of Jeannieas Colonel Harris | |
| 1965 | Green Acresas | |
| 1965 | Run for Your Lifeas County Attorney Lassiter | |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courageas Wythe | |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junctionas Actor | |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junctionas Herbert | |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junctionas Ralph Craig | |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbilliesas | |
| 1962 | The Virginianas Nate Eastman | |
| 1962 | The Virginianas Sam Branch | |
| 1961 | Hazelas | |
| 1961 | 87th Precinctas | |
| 1961 | Mister Edas | |
| 1960 | The Roaring 20'sas | |
| 1960 | Bringing Up Buddyas | |
| 1960 | Guestward, Ho!as | |
| 1960 | Pete and Gladysas | |
| 1958 | Peter Gunnas | |
| 1958 | Sea Huntas | |
| 1957 | Harbor Commandas Officer Maxwell | |
| 1957 | Casey Jonesas Ben Slater | |
| 1957 | Leave It to Beaveras | |
| 1957 | Maverickas | |
| 1957 | M Squadas Detective | |
| 1957 | Down Liberty Roadas Waldo (Uncredited) | |
| 1957 | Official Detectiveas Sam Graves | |
| 1956 | Davy Crockett and the River Piratesas Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | Highway Patrolas | |
| 1955 | The Great Gildersleeveas | |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontieras Maj. Tobias Norton | |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett Goes to Congressas Norton | |
| 1954 | Davy Crockett, Indian Fighteras Major Norton | |
| 1954 | Lucky Meas Motorist (uncredited) | |
| 1953 | So This Is Loveas Charles, Waiter (uncredited) | |
| 1953 | I'm the Lawas | |
| 1952 | Radar Men from the Moonas Ted Richards | |
| 1951 | Come Fill the Cupas Hal Ortman | |
| 1951 | Boston Blackieas | |
| 1951 | Boston Blackieas Ron Taylor | |
| 1951 | When the Redskins Rodeas Appleby | |
| 1951 | Wells Fargo Gunmasteras Charlie Lannon | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Major Dort | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Michael Dailey | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Robert Cooper | |
| 1950 | The Captureas Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil | |
| 1948 | You Gotta Stay Happyas Dick Hebert | |
| 1948 | Night Windas Capt. Kingston | |
| 1948 | Romance on the High Seasas Dudley (Travel Agent) | |
| 1948 | So This Is New Yorkas Hotel Clerk | |
| 1948 | Arthur Takes Overas Lawrence White | |
| 1947 | King of the Banditsas Captain Frank Mason | |
| 1947 | Messenger of Peaceas Pastor Willie von Adel | |
| 1947 | The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxeras Winters | |
| 1947 | The Trespasseras Bruce Coleman | |
| 1947 | The Farmer's Daughteras Windor | |
| 1947 | The Fabulous Dorseysas Eddie | |
| 1946 | Jungle Terroras Tom Branning | |
| 1946 | Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airwaysas Hop Harrigan | |
| 1943 | Yanks Ahoyas Ens. Crosby (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | King of the Mountiesas Cpl. Hall Ross | |
| 1942 | The Loves of Edgar Allan Poeas Hugh Pleasant | |
| 1942 | The Postman Didn't Ringas Robert Harwood Jr. | |
| 1942 | I Live on Dangeras Mac | |
| 1942 | The Dawn Expressas Tom Fielding | |
| 1942 | Dr. Kildare's Victoryas Mr. Hubbell | |
| 1940 | Seven Sinnersas Ensign | |
| 1940 | The Saint Takes Overas Shipboard Card Player | |
| 1940 | Beyond Tomorrowas David Chadwick | |
| 1939 | Gone with the Windas Mounted Officer | |
| 1939 | Hotel Imperialas Cadet (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Zenobiaas Townsman at Zeke's Recitation | |
| 1939 | King of the Turfas Intern | |
| 1938 | The Duke of West Pointas Honor Committee Spokesman | |
| 1938 | The Higgins Familyas Eddie Davis | |
| 1937 | Exiled to Shanghaias Andrew | |
| 1937 | Trapped by G-Menas Dick Withers | |
| 1937 | Jungle Menaceas Tom Banning | |
| 1937 | Dangerous Holidayas Tom Connor | |
| 1937 | Mile a Minute Loveas Bob | |
| 1937 | Quality Streetas Lieutenant Spicer | |
| 1936 | Sea Spoilersas Lieut. Commander Mays | |
| 1936 | Lady Luckas Dave Haines | |
| 1935 | Happiness C.O.D.as Ken Sherridan | |
| 1935 | Together We Liveas Billy | |
| 1935 | On Probationas Bill Coleman | |
| 1935 | Strangers Allas Dick Carter | |
| 1935 | Laddieas Robert Pryor | |
| 1934 | Sons of Steelas Roland Chadburne | |
| 1934 | Crimson Romanceas Adolph | |
| 1934 | The Curtain Fallsas Barry Graham | |
| 1934 | The Party's Overas Clay | |
| 1934 | Straight Is the Wayas Dr. Wilkes | |
| 1934 | Green Eyesas Cliff Miller | |
| 1934 | The Quitteras Russell Tilford | |
| 1934 | Speed Wingsas Jerry | |
| 1934 | You Can't Buy Everythingas Don Bell (adult) | |
| 1933 | Straightawayas Billy Dawson | |
| 1933 | A Man of Sentimentas John Russell | |
| 1933 | Three Cornered Moonas Douglas Rimplegar | |
| 1933 | Lucky Devilsas Slugger Jones | |
| 1932 | Back Streetas Richard Saxel | |
| 1932 | While Paris Sleepsas Paul Renoir | |
| 1932 | Cheaters at Playas Maurice Perry | |
| 1931 | The Spirit of Notre Dameas Jim Stewart | |
| 1931 | Guilty Handsas Tommy Osgood | |
| 1931 | A Woman of Experienceas Count Karl Runyi | |
| 1931 | Daybreakas Otto | |
| 1931 | Politicsas Benny Emerson | |
| 1931 | Dance, Fools, Danceas Rodney Jordan | |
| 1931 | Reducingas Tommy Haverly | |
| 1930 | Paidas Carney | |
| 1930 | The Bat Whispersas Brook | |
| 1930 | All Quiet on the Western Frontas Albert Kropp | |
| 1930 | Playing Aroundas Jack | |
| 1929 | The Show of Showsas Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | Gold Diggers of Broadwayas Wally Saunders | |
| 1929 | On With the Show!as Jimmy | |
| 1929 | Hot Stuffas Mack Moran | |
| 1929 | The Iron Maskas Louis XIV / Twin Brother | |
| 1929 | Lady of the Pavementsas A Pianist | |
| 1928 | Annapolisas Skippy | |
| 1928 | The Battle of the Sexesas The Son | |
| 1928 | Harold Teenas Percival | |
| 1928 | The Devil's Trademarkas Tom Benton | |
| 1928 | The Latest from Parisas Bud Dolan | |
| 1928 | West Pointas 'Tex' McNeil | |
| 1927 | The Shield of Honoras Jerry MacDowell | |
| 1927 | Motheras Jerry Ellis | |
| 1927 | The Heart Thiefas | |
| 1926 | Bertha the Sewing Machine Girlas Salesman | |
| 1926 | Old Ironsidesas Young Philadelphian (uncredited) | |
| 1926 | Whispering Wiresas | |
| 1925 | The Last Editionas 'Ink' Donovan |