Bill Williams
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 21, 1915
- Died
- September 21, 1992
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, USA
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.
Filmography
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood 1981
as Cowboy Bob
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion 1979
as Self
A Fire in the Sky 1978
as Dale Turner
69 Minutes 1976
Actor
The Flight of the Grey Wolf 1976
as The Sheriff
The Giant Spider Invasion 1975
as Dutch
125 Rooms of Comfort 1974
Actor
Scandalous John 1971
as Sheriff Hart
Rio Lobo 1970
as Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
Buckskin 1968
as Frank Cody
Eight on the Lam 1967
as Cop at Roadblock (uncredited)
Spaceflight IC-1 1965
as Capt. Mead Ralston
Tickle Me 1965
as Deputy Sturdivant
The Hallelujah Trail 1965
as Lt. Brady (uncredited), Stunts
A Letter to Nancy 1965
as George Reed
Law of the Lawless 1964
as Silas Miller
Stampede at Bitter Creek 1962
as Paul Forbes
The Sergeant Was a Lady 1961
as Col. House
The Alamo 1960
Stunts
Hell to Eternity 1960
as Leonard
Oklahoma Territory 1960
as Temple Houston
The Scarface Mob 1959
as Martin Flaherty
A Dog's Best Friend 1959
as Wesley 'Wes' Thurman
Alaska Passage 1959
as Al Graham
Legion of the Doomed 1958
Actor
Space Master X-7 1958
as John Hand
Slim Carter 1957
as Frank Hanneman
Pawnee 1957
as Matt Delaney
The Storm Rider 1957
as Sheriff Colton
The Halliday Brand 1957
as Clay Halliday
The Broken Star 1956
as Deputy Marshal Bill Gentry
The Wild Dakotas 1956
as Jim Henry
Hell's Horizon 1955
as Paul Jenkins
Apache Ambush 1955
as James Kingston
Wiretapper 1955
as James Arthur Vaus, Jr.
The Outlaw's Daughter 1954
as Jess Raidley aka Big Red
Racing Blood 1954
as Tex
Torpedo Alley 1953
as Tom Graham
Son of Paleface 1952
as Kirk
The Pace That Thrills 1952
as Richard L. 'Dusty' Weston
Rose of Cimarron 1952
as George Newcomb
Havana Rose 1951
as Tex Thompson
The Last Outpost 1951
as Sgt. Tucker
The Great Missouri Raid 1951
as Jim Younger
Blue Blood 1951
as Bill Manning
California Passage 1950
as Bob Martin
Rookie Fireman 1950
as Joe Blake
The Cariboo Trail 1950
as Mike Evans
Operation Haylift 1950
as Bill Masters
Blue Grass of Kentucky 1950
as Lin McIvor
A Dangerous Profession 1949
as Claude Brackett
Fighting Man of the Plains 1949
as Marshall Johnny Tancred
The Stratton Story 1949
as Eddie Dibson
The Clay Pigeon 1949
as Jim Fletcher
A Woman's Secret 1949
as Lee Crenshaw
A Likely Story 1947
as Bill
Till the End of Time 1946
as Perry Kincheloe
Deadline at Dawn 1946
as Alex Winkler
Sing Your Way Home 1945
as Officer (uncredited)
Johnny Angel 1945
as Big Sailor (uncredited)
West of the Pecos 1945
as Tex Evans
Those Endearing Young Charms 1945
as Jerry
Back to Bataan 1945
as (uncredited)
The Body Snatcher 1945
as Survis - Medical Student (uncredited)
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo 1944
as Bud Felton
Murder in the Blue Room 1944
as Larry (as Bill MacWilliams)
King Kong 1933
as Theatre Usher (uncredited)
Credits from TMDB.