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Bill Williams
Actor

Bill Williams

21 May 1915Born
21 Sep 1992Died
77Age at death
98Credits

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.

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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

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 98 credits.

  1. 1981Goldie and the Boxer Go to HollywoodFilm: Cowboy Bob
  2. 1979240-RobertSeries (1 episode)
  3. 1979B. J. and the BearSeries (1 episode)
  4. 1978A Fire in the SkyFilm: Dale Turner
  5. 197669 MinutesFilm
  6. 1976The Flight of the Grey WolfFilm: The Sheriff
  7. 1975The Giant Spider InvasionFilm: Dutch
  8. 1974125 Rooms of ComfortFilm
  9. 1974Police WomanSeries (2 episodes)
  10. 1972The Streets of San FranciscoSeries (1 episode)
  11. 1972The RookiesSeries (3 episodes)
  12. 1972Emergency!Series: Pete (1 episode)
  13. 1971PrimusSeries (1 episode)
  14. 1971Scandalous JohnFilm: Sheriff Hart
  15. 1970Rio LoboFilm: Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
  16. 1968Adam-12Series: William Taylor, Fred Wheeler (1 episode)
  17. 1968BuckskinFilm: Frank Cody
  18. 1967Eight on the LamFilm: Cop at Roadblock (uncredited)
  19. 1967IronsideSeries: Lt. Dacker (1 episode)
  20. 1966BatmanSeries: Multimillionaire (2 episodes)
  21. 1965The F.B.I.Series: David Warren, Crawford (1 episode)
  22. 1965The Wild Wild WestSeries (1 episode)
  23. 1965Spaceflight IC-1Film: Capt. Mead Ralston
  24. 1965Tickle MeFilm: Deputy Sturdivant
  25. 1965The Hallelujah TrailFilm: Lt. Brady (uncredited)
  26. 1965A Letter to NancyFilm: George Reed
  27. 1964Daniel BooneSeries: Caleb Trevor (1 episode)
  28. 1964Law of the LawlessFilm: Silas Miller
  29. 1962Stampede at Bitter CreekFilm: Paul Forbes
  30. 1961The InvestigatorsSeries (1 episode)
  31. 1961The Sergeant Was a LadyFilm: Col. House
  32. 1960Assignment: UnderwaterSeries: Bill Greer (38 episodes)
  33. 1960Hell to EternityFilm: Leonard
  34. 1960Oklahoma TerritoryFilm: Temple Houston
  35. 1959The Scarface MobFilm: Martin Flaherty
  36. 1959A Dog's Best FriendFilm: Wesley 'Wes' Thurman
  37. 1959Men Into SpaceSeries (1 episode)
  38. 1959LaramieSeries (1 episode)
  39. 1959Alaska PassageFilm: Al Graham
  40. 1959RawhideSeries: Tom Bickle (1 episode)
  41. 195877 Sunset StripSeries: Henry Cook (1 episode)
  42. 1958Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseSeries: Martin Flaherty (1 episode)
  43. 1958Yancy DerringerSeries: Duke Winslow (1 episode)
  44. 1958Legion of the DoomedFilm
  45. 1958Space Master X-7Film: John Hand
  46. 1957Slim CarterFilm: Frank Hanneman
  47. 1957Perry MasonSeries: Mike Preston, Floyd Grant, Charles Shaw, Burt Payne (1 episode)
  48. 1957M SquadSeries: Jerry Langdon (1 episode)
  49. 1957PawneeFilm: Matt Delaney
  50. 1957Date with the AngelsSeries (60 episodes)
  51. 1957The Storm RiderFilm: Sheriff Colton
  52. 1957The Halliday BrandFilm: Clay Halliday
  53. 1956The Broken StarFilm: Deputy Marshal Bill Gentry
  54. 1956The Wild DakotasFilm: Jim Henry
  55. 1955Hell's HorizonFilm: Paul Jenkins
  56. 1955GunsmokeSeries: Red (1 episode)
  57. 1955Apache AmbushFilm: James Kingston
  58. 1955WiretapperFilm: James Arthur Vaus, Jr.
  59. 1955The MillionaireSeries: Donald Abbott, Clint Halloran (1 episode)
  60. 1954The Outlaw's DaughterFilm: Jess Raidley aka Big Red
  61. 1954LassieSeries: Jed Bingham (2 episodes)
  62. 1954Racing BloodFilm: Tex
  63. 1953Torpedo AlleyFilm: Tom Graham
  64. 1953Music at the MeadowbrookSeries (1 episode)
  65. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries: Stewart Davidson (1 episode)
  66. 1952Son of PalefaceFilm: Kirk
  67. 1952The Pace That ThrillsFilm: Richard L. 'Dusty' Weston
  68. 1952Rose of CimarronFilm: George Newcomb
  69. 1951DragnetSeries (1 episode)
  70. 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeries: Ed Sawyer (1 episode)
  71. 1951Havana RoseFilm: Tex Thompson
  72. 1951The Adventures of Kit CarsonSeries (103 episodes)
  73. 1951The Last OutpostFilm: Sgt. Tucker
  74. 1951The Great Missouri RaidFilm: Jim Younger
  75. 1951Blue BloodFilm: Bill Manning
  76. 1950California PassageFilm: Bob Martin
  77. 1950Rookie FiremanFilm: Joe Blake
  78. 1950The Cariboo TrailFilm: Mike Evans
  79. 1950Operation HayliftFilm: Bill Masters
  80. 1950Blue Grass of KentuckyFilm: Lin McIvor

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