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Bill Williams

Bill Williams

Acting

May 21, 1915 – September 21, 1992 (died at 77)
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Male
69 Movies
42 TV Shows

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.

King Kong
King Kong

King Kong

1933 7.6

as Theatre Usher (uncredited)

Age 17 (now 77)
Deadline at Dawn
Deadline at Dawn

Deadline at Dawn

1946 6.2

as Alex Winkler

Age 30 (now 77)
The Clay Pigeon
The Clay Pigeon

The Clay Pigeon

1949 5.7

as Jim Fletcher

Age 33 (now 77)
Rio Lobo
Rio Lobo

Rio Lobo

1970 6.5

as Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin

Age 54 (now 77)
A Woman's Secret
A Woman's Secret

A Woman's Secret

1949 5.6

as Lee Crenshaw

Age 33 (now 77)
Son of Paleface
Son of Paleface

Son of Paleface

1952 6.4

as Kirk

Age 37 (now 77)
The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion

The Giant Spider Invasion

1975 4.1

as Dutch

Age 60 (now 77)
The Cariboo Trail
The Cariboo Trail

The Cariboo Trail

1950 6.4

as Mike Evans

Age 35 (now 77)
The Stratton Story
The Stratton Story

The Stratton Story

1949 6.7

as Eddie Dibson

Age 33 (now 77)
Apache Ambush
Apache Ambush

Apache Ambush

1955 6.3

as James Kingston

Age 40 (now 77)
Space Master X-7
Space Master X-7

Space Master X-7

1958 5.0

as John Hand

Age 43 (now 77)
Fighting Man of the Plains
Fighting Man of the Plains

Fighting Man of the Plains

1949 5.5

as Marshall Johnny Tancred

Age 34 (now 77)
Till the End of Time
Till the End of Time

Till the End of Time

1946 6.4

as Perry Kincheloe

Age 31 (now 77)
Tickle Me
Tickle Me

Tickle Me

1965 6.0

as Deputy Sturdivant

Age 50 (now 77)
A Dangerous Profession
A Dangerous Profession

A Dangerous Profession

1949 5.7

as Claude Brackett

Age 34 (now 77)
Wiretapper
Wiretapper

Wiretapper

1955 5.5

as James Arthur Vaus, Jr.

Age 40 (now 77)