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Acting
Bill Williams
Also known as: Willie, William Herman Katt
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. 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.
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
May 21, 1915
Day of Death
September 21, 1992
Age at Death
77 years old
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Popularity Score
1.0
Filmography
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood
Cowboy Bob
1981Movie
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self
1979Movie
B. J. and the Bear
1979TV
240-Robert
1979TV
A Fire in the Sky
Dale Turner
1978Movie
69 Minutes
1976Movie
The Flight of the Grey Wolf
The Sheriff
1976Movie
The Giant Spider Invasion
Dutch
1975Movie
125 Rooms of Comfort
1974Movie
Police Woman
1974TV
The Rookies
1972TV
The Streets of San Francisco
1972TV
Emergency!
1972TV
Scandalous John
Sheriff Hart
1971Movie
Primus
1971TV
Rio Lobo
Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
1970Movie
Buckskin
Frank Cody
1968Movie
Adam-12
William Taylor
1968TV
Eight on the Lam
Cop at Roadblock (uncredited)
1967Movie
Ironside
Lt. Dacker
1967TV
Batman
Multimillionaire
1966TV
Tickle Me
Deputy Sturdivant
1965Movie
A Letter to Nancy
George Reed
1965Movie
Spaceflight IC-1
Capt. Mead Ralston
1965Movie
The Hallelujah Trail
Lt. Brady (uncredited)
1965Movie
The F.B.I.
David Warren
1965TV
The Wild Wild West
1965TV
The Hallelujah Trail
Stunts
1965Movie
Law of the Lawless
Silas Miller
1964Movie
Daniel Boone
Caleb Trevor
1964TV
Stampede at Bitter Creek
Paul Forbes
1962Movie
The Sergeant Was a Lady
Col. House
1961Movie
The Investigators
1961TV
Oklahoma Territory
Temple Houston
1960Movie
Hell to Eternity
Leonard
1960Movie
Assignment: Underwater
Bill Greer
1960TV
The Alamo
Stunts
1960Movie
Alaska Passage
Al Graham
1959Movie
The Scarface Mob
Martin Flaherty
1959Movie
A Dog's Best Friend
Wesley 'Wes' Thurman
1959Movie
Rawhide
Tom Bickle
1959TV
Men Into Space
1959TV
Laramie
1959TV
Space Master X-7
John Hand
1958Movie
Legion of the Doomed
1958Movie
77 Sunset Strip
1958TV
Yancy Derringer
Duke Winslow
1958TV
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Martin Flaherty
1958TV
The Halliday Brand
Clay Halliday
1957Movie
Pawnee
Matt Delaney
1957Movie
The Storm Rider
Sheriff Colton
1957Movie
Slim Carter
Frank Hanneman
1957Movie
Perry Mason
Mike Preston
1957TV
M Squad
Jerry Langdon
1957TV
Date with the Angels
1957TV
The Wild Dakotas
Jim Henry
1956Movie
The Broken Star
Deputy Marshal Bill Gentry
1956Movie
Apache Ambush
James Kingston
1955Movie
Wiretapper
James Arthur Vaus, Jr.
1955Movie
Hell's Horizon
Paul Jenkins
1955Movie
Gunsmoke
Red
1955TV
The Millionaire
Donald Abbott
1955TV
The Outlaw's Daughter
Jess Raidley aka Big Red
1954Movie
Racing Blood
Tex
1954Movie
Lassie
1954TV
Torpedo Alley
Tom Graham
1953Movie
General Electric Theater
Stewart Davidson
1953TV
Music at the Meadowbrook
1953TV
Son of Paleface
Kirk
1952Movie
The Pace That Thrills
Richard L. 'Dusty' Weston
1952Movie
Rose of Cimarron
George Newcomb
1952Movie
The Last Outpost
Sgt. Tucker
1951Movie
The Great Missouri Raid
Jim Younger
1951Movie
Havana Rose
Tex Thompson
1951Movie
Blue Blood
Bill Manning
1951Movie
Dragnet
1951TV
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Ed Sawyer
1951TV
The Adventures of Kit Carson
1951TV
Operation Haylift
Bill Masters
1950Movie
The Cariboo Trail
Mike Evans
1950Movie
Blue Grass of Kentucky
Lin McIvor
1950Movie
California Passage
Bob Martin
1950Movie
Rookie Fireman
Joe Blake
1950Movie
The Clay Pigeon
Jim Fletcher
1949Movie
The Stratton Story
Eddie Dibson
1949Movie
A Dangerous Profession
Claude Brackett
1949Movie
A Woman's Secret
Lee Crenshaw
1949Movie
Fighting Man of the Plains
Marshall Johnny Tancred
1949Movie
Adventures In Jazz
1949TV
A Likely Story
Bill
1947Movie
Deadline at Dawn
Alex Winkler
1946Movie
Till the End of Time
Perry Kincheloe
1946Movie
West of the Pecos
Tex Evans
1945Movie
Those Endearing Young Charms
Jerry
1945Movie
The Body Snatcher
Survis - Medical Student (uncredited)
1945Movie
Back to Bataan
(uncredited)
1945Movie
Johnny Angel
Big Sailor (uncredited)
1945Movie
Sing Your Way Home
Officer (uncredited)
1945Movie
Murder in the Blue Room
Larry (as Bill MacWilliams)
1944Movie
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Bud Felton
1944Movie
King Kong
Theatre Usher (uncredited)
1933Movie