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Bill Williams

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
108

Gender
Male

Birthday
May 21, 1915 (111 years old)

Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York, USA

Bill Williams

Biography

William Herman Katt (born Herman August Wilhelm Katt; May 15, 1915 – September 21, 1992), known as Bill Williams, was an American television and film actor. He is best known for his starring role in the early television series The Adventures of Kit Carson, which aired in syndication from 1951 to 1955. Williams was born in Brooklyn, New York to German immigrant parents. He attended the Pratt Institute, and became a professional swimmer, performing in underwater shows. He landed a walk-on role as a theater usher in King Kong (1933). He enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, but was discharged before the end and became an actor. His credited debut was in The Blue Room in 1944, using the professional name Bill Williams. His first starring role was opposite Susan Hayward in Deadline at Dawn (1946).

Williams appeared in ten films before he landed the lead role in television's The Adventures of Kit Carson, which ran for 105 episodes. When the series ended, Williams' star power faded. It was revived in 1957 when he co-starred with Betty White on television in Date with the Angels. Williams portrayed Federal agent Martin Flaherty in The Scarface Mob (1959), the pilot for ABC's The Untouchables. However, when the series was accepted, the role went to Jerry Paris. Williams turned down the lead in Sea Hunt in 1958, believing that an underwater show would not work on television. Lloyd Bridges accepted the part and turned it into a hit. Williams did star as a former Navy frogman in Assignment: Underwater, which ran for just one season. He played a variety of roles on Perry Mason, in which his wife Barbara Hale co-starred as Raymond Burr's secretary Della Street. In a 1962 episode, "The Case of the Crippled Cougar," he played defendant Mike Preston. In 1963, he was murder victim Floyd Grant in "The Case of the Bluffing Blast." In 1965 Williams played murderer Charles Shaw in "The Case of the Murderous Mermaid," and was murderer Burt Payne in "The Case of the 12th Wildcat". Williams appeared with his son in a final season episode of Ironside, bringing him together again with Raymond Burr. He also made numerous guest appearances on television and worked in low-budget science fiction films until his retirement.

Known For

Acting

1981Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywoodas Cowboy Bob
1979240-Robertas
1979When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunionas Self
1979B. J. and the Bearas
1978A Fire in the Skyas Dale Turner
197669 Minutesas
1976The Flight of the Grey Wolfas The Sheriff
1975The Giant Spider Invasionas Dutch
1974125 Rooms of Comfortas
1974Police Womanas
1972The Streets of San Franciscoas
1972The Rookiesas
1972Emergency!as
1971Primusas
1971Scandalous Johnas Sheriff Hart
1970Rio Loboas Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
1968Adam-12as Fred Wheeler
1968Adam-12as William Taylor
1968Buckskinas Frank Cody
1967Ironsideas
1966Batmanas Multimillionaire
1965The F.B.I.as Crawford
1965The F.B.I.as David Warren
1965The Wild Wild Westas
1965Spaceflight IC-1as Capt. Mead Ralston
1965Tickle Meas Deputy Sturdivant
1965The Hallelujah Trailas Lt. Brady (uncredited)
1965A Letter to Nancyas George Reed
1964Daniel Booneas Caleb Trevor
1964Law of the Lawlessas Silas Miller
1962Stampede at Bitter Creekas Paul Forbes
1961The Investigatorsas
1961The Sergeant Was a Ladyas Col. House
1960The Alamoas Tennessean (uncredited)
1960Assignment: Underwateras Bill Greer
1960Hell to Eternityas Leonard
1960Oklahoma Territoryas Temple Houston
1959A Dog's Best Friendas Wesley 'Wes' Thurman
1959Men Into Spaceas
1959Laramieas
1959The Scarface Mobas Martin Flaherty
1959Alaska Passageas Al Graham
1959Rawhideas Tom Bickle
195877 Sunset Stripas
195877 Sunset Stripas Henry Cook
1958Westinghouse Desilu Playhouseas Martin Flaherty
1958Yancy Derringeras Duke Winslow
1958Legion of the Doomedas
1958Space Master X-7as John Hand
1957Slim Carteras Frank Hanneman
1957Perry Masonas Burt Payne
1957Perry Masonas Charles Shaw
1957Perry Masonas Floyd Grant
1957Perry Masonas Mike Preston
1957M Squadas Jerry Langdon
1957Pawneeas Matt Delaney
1957Date with the Angelsas
1957The Storm Rideras Sheriff Colton
1957The Halliday Brandas Clay Halliday
1956The Broken Staras Deputy Marshal Bill Gentry
1956The Wild Dakotasas Jim Henry
1955Hell's Horizonas Paul Jenkins
1955Gunsmokeas Red
1955Apache Ambushas James Kingston
1955Wiretapperas James Arthur Vaus, Jr.
1955The Millionaireas Clint Halloran
1955The Millionaireas Donald Abbott
1954The Outlaw's Daughteras Jess Raidley aka Big Red
1954Lassieas
1954Lassieas Jed Bingham
1954Racing Bloodas Tex
1953Torpedo Alleyas Tom Graham
1953Music at the Meadowbrookas
1953General Electric Theateras Stewart Davidson
1952Son of Palefaceas Kirk
1952The Pace That Thrillsas Richard L. 'Dusty' Weston
1952Rose of Cimarronas George Newcomb
1951Dragnetas
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas Ed Sawyer
1951Havana Roseas Tex Thompson
1951The Adventures of Kit Carsonas
1951The Last Outpostas Sgt. Tucker
1951The Great Missouri Raidas Jim Younger
1951Blue Bloodas Bill Manning
1950California Passageas Bob Martin
1950Rookie Firemanas Joe Blake
1950The Cariboo Trailas Mike Evans
1950Operation Hayliftas Bill Masters
1950Blue Grass of Kentuckyas Lin McIvor
1949A Dangerous Professionas Claude Brackett
1949Fighting Man of the Plainsas Marshall Johnny Tancred
1949The Stratton Storyas Eddie Dibson
1949The Clay Pigeonas Jim Fletcher
1949Adventures In Jazzas
1949A Woman's Secretas Lee Crenshaw
1947A Likely Storyas Bill
1946Till the End of Timeas Perry Kincheloe
1946Deadline at Dawnas Alex Winkler
1945Sing Your Way Homeas Officer (uncredited)
1945Johnny Angelas Big Sailor (uncredited)
1945West of the Pecosas Tex Evans
1945Those Endearing Young Charmsas Jerry
1945Back to Bataanas (uncredited)
1945The Body Snatcheras Survis - Medical Student (uncredited)
1944Thirty Seconds Over Tokyoas Bud Felton
1944Murder in the Blue Roomas Larry (as Bill MacWilliams)
1933King Kongas Theatre Usher (uncredited)

Production

1965The Hallelujah Trail...Stunts
1960The Alamo...Stunts