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William Bakewell

William Bakewell

Acting

Born: May 2, 1908Los 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.

Known For
Filmography
Bruised Celluloid

Bruised Celluloid

Himself

1984
The Strongest Man in the World

The Strongest Man in the World

Professor

1975
Set This Town on Fire

Set This Town on Fire

Desk Clerk

1973
Call Her Mom

Call Her Mom

Jeremy's Father

1972
Not With My Wife, You Don't!

Not With My Wife, You Don't!

Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)

1966
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates

Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)

1956
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier

Maj. Tobias Norton

1955
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress

Davy Crockett Goes to Congress

Norton

1955
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter

Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter

Major Norton

1954
Lucky Me

Lucky Me

Motorist (uncredited)

1954
So This Is Love

So This Is Love

Charles, Waiter (uncredited)

1953
Radar Men from the Moon

Radar Men from the Moon

Ted Richards

1952
Come Fill the Cup

Come Fill the Cup

Hal Ortman

1951
When the Redskins Rode

When the Redskins Rode

Appleby

1951
Wells Fargo Gunmaster

Wells Fargo Gunmaster

Charlie Lannon

1951
The Capture

The Capture

Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil

1950
You Gotta Stay Happy

You Gotta Stay Happy

Dick Hebert

1948
Night Wind

Night Wind

Capt. Kingston

1948
Romance on the High Seas

Romance on the High Seas

Dudley (Travel Agent)

1948
So This Is New York

So This Is New York

Hotel Clerk

1948
Arthur Takes Over

Arthur Takes Over

Lawrence White

1948
King of the Bandits

King of the Bandits

Captain Frank Mason

1947
Messenger of Peace

Messenger of Peace

Pastor Willie von Adel

1947
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

Winters

1947
The Trespasser

The Trespasser

Bruce Coleman

1947
The Farmer's Daughter

The Farmer's Daughter

Windor

1947
The Fabulous Dorseys

The Fabulous Dorseys

Eddie

1947
Jungle Terror

Jungle Terror

Tom Branning

1946
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways

Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways

Hop Harrigan

1946
Yanks Ahoy

Yanks Ahoy

Ens. Crosby (uncredited)

1943
King of the Mounties

King of the Mounties

Cpl. Hall Ross

1942
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe

The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe

Hugh Pleasant

1942
The Postman Didn't Ring

The Postman Didn't Ring

Robert Harwood Jr.

1942
I Live on Danger

I Live on Danger

Mac

1942
The Dawn Express

The Dawn Express

Tom Fielding

1942
Dr. Kildare's Victory

Dr. Kildare's Victory

Mr. Hubbell

1942
Seven Sinners

Seven Sinners

Ensign

1940
The Saint Takes Over

The Saint Takes Over

Shipboard Card Player

1940
Beyond Tomorrow

Beyond Tomorrow

David Chadwick

1940
Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind

Mounted Officer

1939
Hotel Imperial

Hotel Imperial

Cadet (uncredited)

1939
Zenobia

Zenobia

Townsman at Zeke's Recitation

1939
King of the Turf

King of the Turf

Intern

1939
The Duke of West Point

The Duke of West Point

Committee Captain

1938
The Higgins Family

The Higgins Family

Eddie Davis

1938
Exiled to Shanghai

Exiled to Shanghai

Andrew

1937
Trapped by G-Men

Trapped by G-Men

Dick Withers

1937
Jungle Menace

Jungle Menace

Tom Banning

1937
Dangerous Holiday

Dangerous Holiday

Tom Connor

1937
Mile a Minute Love

Mile a Minute Love

Bob

1937
Quality Street

Quality Street

Lieutenant Spicer

1937
Sea Spoilers

Sea Spoilers

Lieut. Commander Mays

1936
Lady Luck

Lady Luck

Dave Haines

1936
Happiness C.O.D.

Happiness C.O.D.

Ken Sherridan

1935
Together We Live

Together We Live

Billy

1935
On Probation

On Probation

Bill Coleman

1935
Strangers All

Strangers All

Dick Carter

1935
Laddie

Laddie

Robert Pryor

1935
Sons of Steel

Sons of Steel

Roland Chadburne

1934
Crimson Romance

Crimson Romance

Adolph

1934
The Curtain Falls

The Curtain Falls

Barry Graham

1934
The Party's Over

The Party's Over

Clay

1934
Straight Is the Way

Straight Is the Way

Dr. Wilkes

1934
Green Eyes

Green Eyes

Cliff Miller

1934
The Quitter

The Quitter

Russell Tilford

1934
Speed Wings

Speed Wings

Jerry

1934
You Can't Buy Everything

You Can't Buy Everything

Don Bell (adult)

1934
Straightaway

Straightaway

Billy Dawson

1933
A Man of Sentiment

A Man of Sentiment

John Russell

1933
Three Cornered Moon

Three Cornered Moon

Douglas Rimplegar

1933
Lucky Devils

Lucky Devils

Slugger Jones

1933
Back Street

Back Street

Richard Saxel

1932
While Paris Sleeps

While Paris Sleeps

Paul Renoir

1932
Cheaters at Play

Cheaters at Play

Maurice Perry

1932
The Spirit of Notre Dame

The Spirit of Notre Dame

Jim Stewart

1931
Guilty Hands

Guilty Hands

Tommy Osgood

1931
A Woman of Experience

A Woman of Experience

Count Karl Runyi

1931
Daybreak

Daybreak

Otto

1931
Politics

Politics

Benny Emerson

1931
Dance, Fools, Dance

Dance, Fools, Dance

Rodney Jordan

1931
Reducing

Reducing

Tommy Haverly

1931
Paid

Paid

Carney

1930
The Bat Whispers

The Bat Whispers

Brook

1930
All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front

Albert Kropp

1930
Playing Around

Playing Around

Jack

1930
The Show of Shows

The Show of Shows

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

1929
Gold Diggers of Broadway

Gold Diggers of Broadway

Wally Saunders

1929
On With the Show!

On With the Show!

Jimmy

1929
Hot Stuff

Hot Stuff

Mack Moran

1929
The Iron Mask

The Iron Mask

Louis XIV / Twin Brother

1929
Lady of the Pavements

Lady of the Pavements

A Pianist

1929
Annapolis

Annapolis

Skippy

1928
The Battle of the Sexes

The Battle of the Sexes

The Son

1928
Harold Teen

Harold Teen

Percival

1928
The Devil's Trademark

The Devil's Trademark

Tom Benton

1928
The Latest from Paris

The Latest from Paris

Bud Dolan

1928
West Point

West Point

'Tex' McNeil

1928
The Shield of Honor

The Shield of Honor

Jerry MacDowell

1927
Mother

Mother

Jerry Ellis

1927
The Heart Thief

The Heart Thief

1927
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl

Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl

Salesman

1926
Old Ironsides

Old Ironsides

Young Philadelphian (uncredited)

1926
Whispering Wires

Whispering Wires

1926
The Last Edition

The Last Edition

'Ink' Donovan

1925