William Bakewell

Known for ActingBorn 1908-05-02Died 1993-04-15Los 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.Read more

Movies & web series

Davy Crockett Goes to Congress

Wells Fargo Gunmaster

Laddie

On Probation

Hot Stuff

Mother

The Heart Thief

Whispering Wires

Bringing Up Buddy

Down Liberty Road

Night Wind

Speed Wings

The Quitter

The Devil's Trademark

Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl

I Dream of Jeannie

Messenger of Peace

King of the Mounties

87th Precinct

You Can't Buy Everything

Straightaway

Gone with the Wind

The Latest from Paris

Profiles in Courage

Official Detective

All Quiet on the Western Front

Gold Diggers of Broadway

It Takes a Thief

Happiness C.O.D.

Green Acres

West Point

Run for Your Life

Set This Town on Fire

Alias Smith and Jones

The Farmer's Daughter

The Spirit of Notre Dame

Leave It to Beaver

The Beverly Hillbillies

Come Fill the Cup

Maverick

King of the Bandits

Jungle Terror

Hazel

The Postman Didn't Ring

Hotel Imperial

King of the Turf

Mister Ed

The Higgins Family