Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Benedict (April 16, 1917 – November 25, 1999) was an American actor, perhaps best known for playing "Whitey" in Monogram Pictures' The Bowery Boys series. Born in Haskell, Oklahoma, he took part in school theatricals, and on leaving school he made his way to Hollywood. His first film was $10 Raise (1935) starring Edward Everett Horton, which launched Benedict on a busy career. The blond-haired Benedict almost always played juvenile roles, such as newsboys, messengers, office boys, and farmhands. In 1939, when Universal Pictures began its Little Tough Guys series to compete with the popular Dead End Kids features, Billy Benedict was recruited into the cast. These films led him into the similar East Side Kids movies (usually playing a member of the East Side gang, but occasionally in villainous roles). The East Side Kids became The Bowery Boys in 1946, and Benedict stayed with the series (as "Whitey") through the end of 1951. Other films included My Little Chickadee (1940) starring W. C. Fields and Mae West, The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster (1955), The Sting (1973) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975). Benedict never shook his juvenile image completely, and continued to play messengers and news vendors well into his sixties. He also worked often in television commercials.
Acted in 231
1980s
- 1988
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Gus Morton
- 1984
- 1982
Computercide
Elderly Man
- 1981
1970s
- 1979
Goldie and the Boxer
Old Man
- 1978
Born Again
Leon Jaworski
- 1977
- 1976
Sherlock Holmes in New York
Telegraph Office Manager
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Man on Bus
- 1975
Cop on the Beat
Lennie
The Dead Don't Die
Hotel Desk Clerk
- 1974
- 1973
- 1972
The Dirt Gang
Station Attendant
The Adventures of Nick Carter
Newsboy
Call Her Mom
Mr. Feigelbaum
- 1971
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
Big Daddy
Movie
The Lottery
Joe Summers
- 1968
Rogue's Gallery
Jocko (as William Benedict)
- 1967
Hondo
TV
What Am I Bid?
Clem (as Bill Benedict)
- 1966
- 1965
Dear Heart
Stu
- 1964
- 1963
- 1961
- 1960
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
- 1956
Mobs, Inc.
Telegraph Boy
- 1955
- 1954
- 1953
I'm the Law
TV
- 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Degnan · 1 episode
Crazy Over Horses
Whitey (as William Benedict)
Let's Go Navy!
Whitey
Ghost Chasers
Whitey
Bowery Battalion
Whitey
- 1950
Blues Busters
Whitey (as William Benedict)
Triple Trouble
Whitey, Bowery Boy
Lucky Losers
Whitey
Blonde Dynamite
Whitey
1940s
- 1949
Master Minds
Whitey
Angels in Disguise
Whitey
Hold That Baby!
Whitey
Riders of the Pony Express
Eddie Lund
Fighting Fools
Whitey
- 1948
Trouble Makers
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
Smuggler's Cove
Whitey
Night Wind
Irv Bennett
Jinx Money
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
Secret Service Investigator
Counterman
Angels' Alley
Whitey
- 1947
Bowery Buckaroos
Whitey
Merton of the Movies
Von Strutt's Assistant (uncredited)
News Hounds
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
The Hucksters
Bellboy at Blue Penguin Inn (uncredited)
Fun on a Weekend
Hotel Bellboy (uncredited)
Hard Boiled Mahoney
Whitey
The Pilgrim Lady
Bellboy
- 1946
Mr. Hex
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
Never Say Goodbye
Messenger Boy (uncredited)
Spook Busters
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
Bowery Bombshell
Whitey
In Fast Company
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
One More Tomorrow
Stinky
Do You Love Me
Singing Western Union Boy (uncredited)
The Gentleman Misbehaves
Bellboy (uncredited)
Gay Blades
Newsboy (uncredited)
Live Wires
Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1945
Come Out Fighting
Skinny
Mr. Muggs Rides Again
Skinny
Hollywood and Vine
Joe the Newsboy
Docks of New York
Skinny
Brenda Starr, Reporter
Pesky (uncredited)
- 1944
Bowery Champs
Skinny
I Won't Play
Florida
They Live in Fear
Thomas 'Mack' Knight (uncredited)
That's My Baby!
Office boy
Janie
Soda Jerk (uncredited)
Block Busters
Butch
Follow the Leader
Spider O'Brien
The Whistler
The Deafmute (Uncredited)
Million Dollar Kid
Skinny
- 1943
Whispering Footsteps
Jerry Murphy
Moonlight in Vermont
Abel
Mr. Muggs Steps Out
Pinky
Adventures of the Flying Cadets
Zombie Parker
Nobody's Darling
Sammy (uncredited)
All by Myself
Telegraph Messenger
Clancy Street Boys
Butch
Aerial Gunner
Jackson 'Sleepy' Laswell
The Ox-Bow Incident
Greene (uncredited)
The Powers Girl
Powers Agency Office Boy (uncredited)
- 1942
A Night to Remember
Messenger Boy (uncredited)
Heart of the Golden West
Telegraph Messenger
Get Hep to Love
Soda Jerk
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Theatre Usher
The Glass Key
Farr's Receptionist (uncredited)
Wildcat
Bud Smithers
Junior G-Men of the Air
Whitey
Perils of Nyoka
Red Davis
Lady in a Jam
Barker (uncredited)
I Live on Danger
Bellboy (uncredited)
Home in Wyomin'
Usher (uncredited)
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Bellboy
Two Yanks in Trinidad
Messenger (uncredited)
On the Sunny Side
Messenger
- 1941
Confessions of Boston Blackie
Ice Cream Man
Cadet Girl
Soldier at Camp Show (uncredited)
Tuxedo Junction
Thomas 'Piecrust' Murphy (as Billy Benedict)
Jesse James at Bay
Young Davis
Great Guns
Recruit at Corral
Dressed to Kill
Singing Telegram Boy
Time Out for Rhythm
Messenger (uncredited)
She Knew All the Answers
Singing Telegraph Boy
In Old Cheyenne
Train Vendor
Adventures of Captain Marvel
Whitey Murphy · 12 episodes
The Man Who Lost Himself
Telegram Delivery Boy
Scattergood Baines
Lafe Hopper (uncredited)
The Great Mr. Nobody
Jig
- 1940
Bowery Boy
(uncredited)
The Mad Doctor
Mickey Barnes (Uncredited)
Give Us Wings
Link (as Billy Benedict)
Young People
Boy (uncredited)
Rhythm on the River
Elevator Boy
Lucky Partners
Delivery Boy (uncredited)
The Great McGinty
Farm Boy (uncredited)
Stage to Chino
Happy (uncredited)
Adventures of Red Ryder
Dan Withers
Grand Ole Opry
Newsboy (uncredited)
And One Was Beautiful
Delivery Man
My Little Chickadee
Lem (uncredited)
Legion of the Lawless
Eddie
1930s
- 1939
Pack Up Your Troubles
Office Boy
Hollywood Hobbies
Tour Guide
Code of the Streets
Trouble
- 1938
Newsboys' Home
Trouble
Say It in French
Midget Car Driver
Little Tough Guys in Society
Trouble
Hold That Co-ed
Sylvester
Young Fugitives
Jud
Hold That Kiss
Delivery Boy
King of the Newsboys
Squimpy
Walking Down Broadway
Eddie
I Met My Love Again
Billy (uncredited)
- 1937
Tim Tyler's Luck
Spud
That I May Live
Kurt Plivens
Flying Fists
Monk, Tall Kid
Rhythm in the Clouds
Bellboy
Jim Hanvey, Detective
Copy Boy (uncredited)
They Wanted to Marry
Freckles
- 1936
After the Thin Man
Newsboy (uncredited)
Crack-Up
Bunky, Office Boy (uncredited)
Laughing at Trouble
Wilbur
Can This Be Dixie?
Shenandoah Peachtree (uncredited)
Theodora Goes Wild
Henry - Copyboy (uncredited)
Ramona
Joseph Hyar
M'Liss
Archer Morpher
The Witness Chair
Benny Ryan
Captain January
Telegram Delivery Boy (uncredited)
The Country Doctor
The Gawker
- 1935
Your Uncle Dudley
Cyril Church
Show Them No Mercy!
Willie (uncredited)
Way Down East
Amos
Bad Boy
Grocery Clerk
3 Kids and a Queen
Flash
Doubting Thomas
Caddie
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Boy Announcing Dan's Arrival Before Fight
College Scandal
'Penny' Parker
$10 Raise
Jimmy
Appearances1
2020s
- 2020
The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter
Himself