Biography
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.
Acted in 135
1970s
- 1975
- 1973
Set This Town on Fire
Desk Clerk
- 1972
Call Her Mom
Jeremy's Father
- 1971
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
- 1968
- 1966
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)
- 1965
- 1963
- 1962
- 1961
- 1960
Bringing Up Buddy
TV
Guestward, Ho!
TV
1950s
- 1958
- 1957
Harbor Command
Officer Maxwell · 1 episode
Casey Jones
Ben Slater · 1 episode
Down Liberty Road
Waldo (Uncredited)
- 1956
- 1955
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Norton
- 1954
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Major Norton
Lucky Me
Motorist (uncredited)
- 1953
So This Is Love
Charles, Waiter (uncredited)
I'm the Law
TV
- 1952
- 1951
Come Fill the Cup
Hal Ortman
When the Redskins Rode
Appleby
Wells Fargo Gunmaster
Charlie Lannon
- 1950
The Capture
Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil
1940s
- 1948
You Gotta Stay Happy
Dick Hebert
Night Wind
Capt. Kingston
So This Is New York
Hotel Clerk
Arthur Takes Over
Lawrence White
- 1947
King of the Bandits
Captain Frank Mason
Messenger of Peace
Pastor Willie von Adel
The Trespasser
Bruce Coleman
The Farmer's Daughter
Windor
The Fabulous Dorseys
Eddie
- 1946
Jungle Terror
Tom Branning
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
Hop Harrigan
- 1943
Yanks Ahoy
Ens. Crosby (uncredited)
- 1942
King of the Mounties
Cpl. Hall Ross
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
Hugh Pleasant
The Postman Didn't Ring
Robert Harwood Jr.
I Live on Danger
Mac
Dr. Kildare's Victory
Mr. Hubbell
- 1940
The Saint Takes Over
Shipboard Card Player
1930s
- 1939
Hotel Imperial
Cadet (uncredited)
King of the Turf
Intern
- 1938
The Duke of West Point
Honor Committee Spokesman
The Higgins Family
Eddie Davis
- 1937
Exiled to Shanghai
Andrew
Trapped by G-Men
Dick Withers
Jungle Menace
Tom Banning
Dangerous Holiday
Tom Connor
Mile a Minute Love
Bob
Quality Street
Lieutenant Spicer
- 1936
Sea Spoilers
Lieut. Commander Mays
Lady Luck
Dave Haines
- 1935
Happiness C.O.D.
Ken Sherridan
Together We Live
Billy
Strangers All
Dick Carter
On Probation
Bill Coleman
Laddie
Robert Pryor
- 1934
Sons of Steel
Roland Chadburne
Crimson Romance
Adolph
The Curtain Falls
Barry Graham
The Party's Over
Clay
Straight Is the Way
Dr. Wilkes
Green Eyes
Cliff Miller
Speed Wings
Jerry
The Quitter
Russell Tilford
You Can't Buy Everything
Don Bell (adult)
- 1933
Straightaway
Billy Dawson
A Man of Sentiment
John Russell
Three Cornered Moon
Douglas Rimplegar
Lucky Devils
Slugger Jones
- 1932
Back Street
Richard Saxel
While Paris Sleeps
Paul Renoir
Cheaters at Play
Maurice Perry
- 1931
The Spirit of Notre Dame
Jim Stewart
Guilty Hands
Tommy Osgood
A Woman of Experience
Count Karl Runyi
Daybreak
Otto
Politics
Benny Emerson
Dance, Fools, Dance
Rodney Jordan
Reducing
Tommy Haverly
- 1930
Paid
Carney
The Bat Whispers
Brook
Playing Around
Jack
1920s
- 1929
The Show of Shows
Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of Broadway
Wally Saunders
On With the Show!
Jimmy
Hot Stuff
Mack Moran
Lady of the Pavements
A Pianist
- 1928
Annapolis
Skippy
The Battle of the Sexes
The Son
Harold Teen
Percival
The Devil's Trademark
Tom Benton
The Latest from Paris
Bud Dolan
West Point
'Tex' McNeil
- 1927
The Shield of Honor
Jerry MacDowell
Mother
Jerry Ellis
The Heart Thief
Movie
- 1926
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
Salesman
Old Ironsides
Young Philadelphian (uncredited)
Whispering Wires
Movie
- 1925
The Last Edition
'Ink' Donovan
Appearances1
1980s
- 1984
Bruised Celluloid
Himself