William Bakewell
Known for: 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.
Filmography
Series
Love, American Style
Elroy
1969
Series
Maverick
1957
Series
The Virginian
Sam Branch
1962
Series
The Virginian
Nate Eastman
1962
Series
The Beverly Hillbillies
1962
Series
Petticoat Junction
Ralph Craig
1963
Series
Petticoat Junction
Actor
1963
Series
Petticoat Junction
Herbert
1963
Series
Leave It to Beaver
1957
Series
I Dream of Jeannie
Colonel Harris
1965
Series
Green Acres
1965
Series
Run for Your Life
County Attorney Lassiter
1965
Series
Peter Gunn
1958
Series
That Girl
1966
Series
Hazel
1961
Series
Highway Patrol
1955
Series
Mister Ed
1961
Series
Sea Hunt
1958
Series
M Squad
Detective
1957
Series
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Series
It Takes a Thief
Hotel Clerk
1968
Film
Gone with the Wind
Mounted Officer
1939
Series
Pete and Gladys
1960
Series
Lux Video Theatre
Major Dort
1950
Series
Lux Video Theatre
Robert Cooper
1950
Series
Lux Video Theatre
Michael Dailey
1950
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Major Tobias Norton
1954
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Norton
1954
Series
Nanny and the Professor
Carnival Host
1970
Series
Nanny and the Professor
Norm
1970
Series
Boston Blackie
1951
Series
Boston Blackie
Ron Taylor
1951
Series
The Roaring 20's
1960
Series
87th Precinct
1961
Profiles in Courage
Wythe
1964
Series
Official Detective
Sam Graves
1957
Series
Casey Jones
Ben Slater
1957
Film
All Quiet on the Western Front
Albert Kropp
1930
Series
Harbor Command
Officer Maxwell
1957
Series
Guestward, Ho!
1960
Series
I'm the Law
1953
Series
Bringing Up Buddy
1960
The Great Gildersleeve
1955
Film
Zenobia
Townsman at Zeke's Recitation
1939
Film
Quality Street
Lieutenant Spicer
1937
Film
The Strongest Man in the World
Professor
1975
Film
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Maj. Tobias Norton
1955
Film
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Winters
1947
Film
Romance on the High Seas
Dudley (Travel Agent)
1948
Film
King of the Mounties
Cpl. Hall Ross
1942
Film
Harold Teen
Percival
1928
Film
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)
1956
Film
So This Is New York
Hotel Clerk
1948
Film
Speed Wings
Jerry
1934
Film
Cheaters at Play
Maurice Perry
1932
Film
The Iron Mask
Louis XIV / Twin Brother
1929
Film
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)
1966
Film
The Devil's Trademark
Tom Benton
1928
Film
The Farmer's Daughter
Windor
1947
Film
You Gotta Stay Happy
Dick Hebert
1948
Film
Come Fill the Cup
Hal Ortman
1951
Film
The Show of Shows
Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)
1929
Film
Seven Sinners
Ensign
1940
Film
Radar Men from the Moon
Ted Richards
1952
Film
Dance, Fools, Dance
Rodney Jordan
1931
Film
Call Her Mom
Jeremy's Father
1972
Film
Beyond Tomorrow
David Chadwick
1940
Film
The Capture
Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil
1950
Film
Lucky Me
Motorist (uncredited)
1954
Film
Straightaway
Billy Dawson
1933
Film
The Fabulous Dorseys
Eddie
1947
Film
When the Redskins Rode
Appleby
1951
Film
King of the Turf
Intern
1939
Film
Down Liberty Road
Waldo (Uncredited)
1957
Film
Strangers All
Dick Carter
1935
Film
Lady of the Pavements
A Pianist
1929
Film
Back Street
Richard Saxel
1932
Film
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Norton
1955
Film
The Duke of West Point
Honor Committee Spokesman
1938
Film
On With the Show!
Jimmy
1929
Film
Paid
Carney
1930
Film
So This Is Love
Charles, Waiter (uncredited)
1953
Film
Dr. Kildare's Victory
Mr. Hubbell
1942
Film
Hotel Imperial
Cadet (uncredited)
1939
Film
I Live on Danger
Mac
1942
Film
Daybreak
Otto
1931
Film
Trapped by G-Men
Dick Withers
1937
Film
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Major Norton
1954
Film
The Saint Takes Over
Shipboard Card Player
1940
Film
The Party's Over
Clay
1934
Film
Guilty Hands
Tommy Osgood
1931
Film
A Man of Sentiment
John Russell
1933
Film
The Bat Whispers
Brook
1930
Film
A Woman of Experience
Count Karl Runyi
1931
Film
Three Cornered Moon
Douglas Rimplegar
1933
Film
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
Hugh Pleasant
1942
Film
King of the Bandits
Captain Frank Mason
1947
Film
The Shield of Honor
Jerry MacDowell
1927
Film
The Latest from Paris
Bud Dolan
1928
Film
The Battle of the Sexes
The Son
1928
Film
Set This Town on Fire
Desk Clerk
1973
Film
The Postman Didn't Ring
Robert Harwood Jr.
1942
Film
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
Hop Harrigan
1946
Film
You Can't Buy Everything
Don Bell (adult)
1934
Film
Sea Spoilers
Lieut. Commander Mays
1936
Film
Gold Diggers of Broadway
Wally Saunders
1929
Film
Old Ironsides
Young Philadelphian (uncredited)
1926
Film
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
Salesman
1926
Film
Lucky Devils
Slugger Jones
1933
Film
Straight Is the Way
Dr. Wilkes
1934
Film
Lady Luck
Dave Haines
1936
Film
The Spirit of Notre Dame
Jim Stewart
1931
Film
On Probation
Bill Coleman
1935
Film
Laddie
Robert Pryor
1935
Film
Happiness C.O.D.
Ken Sherridan
1935
Film
Reducing
Tommy Haverly
1931
Film
Jungle Menace
Tom Banning
1937
Film
The Dawn Express
Tom Fielding
1942
Film
Jungle Terror
Tom Branning
1946
Film
Arthur Takes Over
Lawrence White
1948
Film
Crimson Romance
Adolph
1934
Film
Night Wind
Capt. Kingston
1948
Film
Hot Stuff
Mack Moran
1929
Film
The Quitter
Russell Tilford
1934
Film
Politics
Benny Emerson
1931
Film
Dangerous Holiday
Tom Connor
1937
Film
West Point
'Tex' McNeil
1928
Film
Wells Fargo Gunmaster
Charlie Lannon
1951
Film
Playing Around
Jack
1930
Film
The Trespasser
Bruce Coleman
1947
Film
Green Eyes
Cliff Miller
1934
Film
Bruised Celluloid
Himself
1984
Film
Mile a Minute Love
Bob
1937
Film
Yanks Ahoy
Ens. Crosby (uncredited)
1943
Film
Together We Live
Billy
1935
Film
Messenger of Peace
Pastor Willie von Adel
1947
Film
The Heart Thief
1927
Film
While Paris Sleeps
Paul Renoir
1932
Film
The Curtain Falls
Barry Graham
1934
Film
Annapolis
Skippy
1928
Film
Exiled to Shanghai
Andrew
1937
Film
Sons of Steel
Roland Chadburne
1934
Film
The Higgins Family
Eddie Davis
1938
Film
Whispering Wires
1926
Film
Mother
Jerry Ellis
1927
Film
The Last Edition
'Ink' Donovan
1925