William Bakewell
Acting
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.
Known for
Acting137
movieBruised Celluloid
1984
Himself
movieSet This Town on Fire
1973
Desk Clerk
movieCall Her Mom
1972
Jeremy's Father
tvNanny and the Professor
1970
Carnival Host / Norm
tvIt Takes a Thief
1968
Hotel Clerk
movieNot With My Wife, You Don't!
1966
Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)
tvI Dream of Jeannie
1965
Colonel Harris
tvRun for Your Life
1965
County Attorney Lassiter
tvPetticoat Junction
1963
Ralph Craig / Actor / Herbert
tvThe Virginian
1962
Sam Branch / Nate Eastman
tvHarbor Command
1957
Officer Maxwell
tvCasey Jones
1957
Ben Slater
tvM Squad
1957
Detective
movieDown Liberty Road
1957
Waldo (Uncredited)
movieDavy Crockett and the River Pirates
1956
Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)
movieDavy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
1955
Maj. Tobias Norton
movieDavy Crockett, Indian Fighter
1954
Major Norton
movieLucky Me
1954
Motorist (uncredited)
movieSo This Is Love
1953
Charles, Waiter (uncredited)
movieRadar Men from the Moon
1952
Ted Richards
movieCome Fill the Cup
1951
Hal Ortman
tvBoston Blackie
1951
Ron Taylor
movieWells Fargo Gunmaster
1951
Charlie Lannon
Lux Video Theatre
1950
Major Dort / Robert Cooper / Michael Dailey
movieThe Capture
1950
Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil
movieYou Gotta Stay Happy
1948
Dick Hebert
movieNight Wind
1948
Capt. Kingston
movieRomance on the High Seas
1948
Dudley (Travel Agent)
movieSo This Is New York
1948
Hotel Clerk
movieArthur Takes Over
1948
Lawrence White
movieKing of the Bandits
1947
Captain Frank Mason
movieMessenger of Peace
1947
Pastor Willie von Adel
movieThe Trespasser
1947
Bruce Coleman
movieJungle Terror
1946
Tom Branning
movieYanks Ahoy
1943
Ens. Crosby (uncredited)
movieKing of the Mounties
1942
Cpl. Hall Ross
movieThe Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
1942
Hugh Pleasant
movieThe Postman Didn't Ring
1942
Robert Harwood Jr.
movieThe Dawn Express
1942
Tom Fielding
movieDr. Kildare's Victory
1942
Mr. Hubbell
movieSeven Sinners
1940
Ensign
movieThe Saint Takes Over
1940
Shipboard Card Player
movieBeyond Tomorrow
1940
David Chadwick
movieGone with the Wind
1939
Mounted Officer
movieHotel Imperial
1939
Cadet (uncredited)
movieZenobia
1939
Townsman at Zeke's Recitation
movieThe Duke of West Point
1938
Honor Committee Spokesman
movieThe Higgins Family
1938
Eddie Davis
movieTrapped by G-Men
1937
Dick Withers
movieJungle Menace
1937
Tom Banning
movieDangerous Holiday
1937
Tom Connor
movieQuality Street
1937
Lieutenant Spicer
movieSea Spoilers
1936
Lieut. Commander Mays
movieLady Luck
1936
Dave Haines
movieHappiness C.O.D.
1935
Ken Sherridan
movieStrangers All
1935
Dick Carter
movieOn Probation
1935
Bill Coleman
movieLaddie
1935
Robert Pryor
movieSons of Steel
1934
Roland Chadburne
movieCrimson Romance
1934
Adolph
movieThe Curtain Falls
1934
Barry Graham
movieStraight Is the Way
1934
Dr. Wilkes
movieGreen Eyes
1934
Cliff Miller
movieSpeed Wings
1934
Jerry
movieThe Quitter
1934
Russell Tilford
movieYou Can't Buy Everything
1934
Don Bell (adult)
movieStraightaway
1933
Billy Dawson
movieA Man of Sentiment
1933
John Russell
movieThree Cornered Moon
1933
Douglas Rimplegar
movieLucky Devils
1933
Slugger Jones
movieBack Street
1932
Richard Saxel
movieWhile Paris Sleeps
1932
Paul Renoir
movieCheaters at Play
1932
Maurice Perry
movieThe Spirit of Notre Dame
1931
Jim Stewart
movieGuilty Hands
1931
Tommy Osgood
movieA Woman of Experience
1931
Count Karl Runyi
moviePolitics
1931
Benny Emerson
movieDance, Fools, Dance
1931
Rodney Jordan
movieReducing
1931
Tommy Haverly
moviePaid
1930
Carney
movieAll Quiet on the Western Front
1930
Albert Kropp
movieThe Show of Shows
1929
Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)
movieGold Diggers of Broadway
1929
Wally Saunders
movieHot Stuff
1929
Mack Moran
movieThe Iron Mask
1929
Louis XIV / Twin Brother
movieLady of the Pavements
1929
A Pianist
movieAnnapolis
1928
Skippy
movieHarold Teen
1928
Percival
movieThe Devil's Trademark
1928
Tom Benton
movieThe Latest from Paris
1928
Bud Dolan
movieWest Point
1928
'Tex' McNeil
movieThe Shield of Honor
1927
Jerry MacDowell
movieMother
1927
Jerry Ellis
movieOld Ironsides
1926
Young Philadelphian (uncredited)
movieThe Last Edition
1925
'Ink' Donovan