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William Sylvester
Actor

William Sylvester

31 Jan 1922Born
25 Jan 1995Died
72Age at death
59Credits

Biography

William Sylvester (January 31, 1922 – January 25, 1995) was an American TV and film actor. His most famous film credit was Dr. Heywood Floyd in Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968). Born in Oakland, California and married at one time to the British actress Veronica Hurst, he moved to England after the Second World War and became a staple of British B films at a time when American and Canadian actors were much in demand in order to give indigenous films some appeal in the US.

As a result, he gained top billing in one of his very first films, House of Blackmail (1953), directed by the veteran filmmaker Maurice Elvey, for whom he also made What Every Woman Wants the following year.

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He also starred in such minor films as The Stranger Came Home (1954, for Hammer), Dublin Nightmare (1958), Offbeat (1960), Information Received (1961), Incident at Midnight, Ring of Spies and Blind Corner (all 1963). There were also lead roles in four British horror films: Gorgo (1960), Devil Doll (1963), Devils of Darkness (1964) and The Hand of Night (1966). Among his many TV credits were a 1959 BBC version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (playing Mark Antony), The Saint, The Baron, The High Chaparral, Harry O and The Six Million Dollar Man.

His later films included You Only Live Twice (1967) and, back in the USA after his prominent role for Kubrick, Busting (1973), The Hindenburg (1975) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He died in Sacramento, California in 1995, aged 72.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2013The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'Film: Sam Slade (archive footage)
  2. 20012001: The Making of a MythFilm: Dr. Heywood R. Floyd (archive footage) (uncredited)
  3. 1980First FamilyFilm: TV Commentator Howard
  4. 1979Big Shamus, Little ShamusSeries: Nelson Milgrim
  5. 1979Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturySeries: Lt. General Preston Myers (1 episode)
  6. 1978Heaven Can WaitFilm: Nuclear Reporter
  7. 1977What Really Happened to the Class of '65?Series (1 episode)
  8. 1977The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesSeries (1 episode)
  9. 1976Quincy, M.E.Series: Joe Crawford (4 episodes)
  10. 1976Gemini ManSeries: Leonard Driscoll (6 episodes)
  11. 1976Riding with DeathFilm: Leonard Driscoll
  12. 1975The HindenburgFilm: Luftwaffe Colonel
  13. 1975SwitchSeries: Ellis (1 episode)
  14. 1974Harry OSeries (2 episodes)
  15. 1974BustingFilm: Mr. Weldman
  16. 1974The Six Million Dollar ManSeries: Frederick Collins, Admiral Prescott (1 episode)
  17. 1973Don't Be Afraid of the DarkFilm: Tom Henderson
  18. 1973The MagicianSeries: Peter Hayden (1 episode)
  19. 1972BanacekSeries: Dr. Stahl (1 episode)
  20. 1971CannonSeries (1 episode)
  21. 1970San Francisco International AirportSeries: Colonel Wilkins (1 episode)
  22. 1970The LawyerFilm: Paul Harrison
  23. 1970The ChallengersFilm: Brad York
  24. 1970McCloudSeries (1 episode)
  25. 1969Marcus Welby, M.D.Series: Paul Berwick (1 episode)
  26. 1968The SyndicateFilm: Burt Hickey
  27. 1968The Hand of NightFilm: Paul Carver
  28. 1968Red and BlueFilm: Trumpeter
  29. 19682001: A Space OdysseyFilm: Dr. Heywood Floyd
  30. 1967The High ChaparralSeries: Jack Simmons, Lafe Croswell (1 episode)
  31. 1967You Only Live TwiceFilm: Pentagon Official (uncredited)
  32. 1965The F.B.I.Series: Tom Barber (1 episode)
  33. 1965Green AcresSeries: Dr. Hoffman (4 episodes)
  34. 1965The TroubleshootersSeries: Al Stevens (1 episode)
  35. 1965Devils of DarknessFilm: Paul Baxter
  36. 1964Devil DollFilm: Mark English
  37. 1964Ring of SpiesFilm: Gordon Lonsdale
  38. 1964Blind CornerFilm: Paul Gregory
  39. 1963Incident at MidnightFilm: Vince Warren
  40. 1962The SaintSeries: Foots Fortunati, Ralph Damien (1 episode)
  41. 1961Information ReceivedFilm: Rick Hogan
  42. 1961Drama 61-67Series: Mark Lander (1 episode)
  43. 1961GorgoFilm: Sam Slade
  44. 1961OffbeatFilm: Layton / Steve Ross
  45. 1960Danger ManSeries: James Carpenter / Oscar Schumak (1 episode)
  46. 1959WhirlpoolFilm: Hermann
  47. 1958The Caine Mutiny Court-MartialFilm
  48. 1958Dublin NightmareFilm: John Kevin
  49. 1957High Tide at NoonFilm: Alec Douglas
  50. 1956Armchair TheatreSeries: Ed Norman, Sergeant O'Hara (1 episode)
  51. 1955Portrait of AlisonFilm: Dave Forrester
  52. 1954The Unholy FourFilm: Philip Vickers
  53. 1954What Every Woman WantsFilm: Jim Barnes
  54. 1953Albert R.N.Film: Texas
  55. 1953House of BlackmailFilm: Jimmy
  56. 1953Appointment in LondonFilm: Mac
  57. 1953The Yellow BalloonFilm: Len Turner
  58. 1950They Were Not DividedFilm: American Soldier (uncredited)
  59. 1949Give Us This DayFilm: Giovanni

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.