William Bakewell

William Bakewell

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.

Acting

1972

Call Her Mom
Movie

Jeremy's Father

1966

Not With My Wife, You Don't!
Movie

Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)

1966

1963

1961

1957

Down Liberty Road
Movie

Waldo (Uncredited)

1956

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Movie

Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)

1955

1954

Lucky Me
Movie

Motorist (uncredited)

1953

So This Is Love
Movie

Charles, Waiter (uncredited)

1953

1950

The Capture
Movie

Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil

1948

Night Wind
Movie

Capt. Kingston

1948

Romance on the High Seas
Movie

Dudley (Travel Agent)

1947

Messenger of Peace
Movie

Pastor Willie von Adel

1943

Yanks Ahoy
Movie

Ens. Crosby (uncredited)

1942

1942

1942

1940

Beyond Tomorrow
Movie

David Chadwick

1939

1939

Zenobia
Movie

Townsman at Zeke's Recitation

1938

The Duke of West Point
Movie

Honor Committee Spokesman

1937

Quality Street
Movie

Lieutenant Spicer

1936

Sea Spoilers
Movie

Lieut. Commander Mays

1933

Three Cornered Moon
Movie

Douglas Rimplegar

1932

Back Street
Movie

Richard Saxel

1932

1932

1932

1931

Guilty Hands
Movie

Tommy Osgood

1931

1931

1931

Reducing
Movie

Tommy Haverly

1930

Paid
Movie

Carney

1929

The Show of Shows
Movie

Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

1929

The Iron Mask
Movie

Louis XIV / Twin Brother

1928

West Point
Movie

'Tex' McNeil

1927

1927

Mother
Movie

Jerry Ellis

1926

Old Ironsides
Movie

Young Philadelphian (uncredited)

Infos

Full Name
William Bakewell
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
5/2/1908
Date of Death
4/15/1993
Also Known As

Billy Bakewell

William Bakewell Jr.

Bill Bakewell