People
William Schallert
Acting · follow into films and chains
Biography
William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016) was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957–1959), Death Valley Days (1955–1962), and The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966). Schallert was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edwin Francis Schallert, a longtime drama critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Elza Emily Schallert (née Baumgarten), a magazine writer and radio host. He began acting while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) but left to become an Army Air Corps fighter pilot in World War II. He returned to UCLA after the war and graduated in 1946. After graduating from UCLA, Schallert began his acting career in the theater. He appeared in several productions at the Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, including a staging of W. Somerset Maugham's Rain in 1948, which was directed by Charlie Chaplin. Schallert made his television debut in 1951, and he quickly became a familiar face on the small screen. He appeared in numerous guest roles on shows such as The Adventures of Superman, The Twilight Zone, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also had recurring roles on The Patty Duke Show, The Nancy Drew Mysteries, and The Torkelsons. In addition to his work on television, Schallert also appeared in several films, including The Bridges of Toko-Ri (1954), The Apartment (1960), and The Sting (1973). Schallert died in Pacific Palisades, California, in 2016, at the age of 93. He was survived by his wife, Leah Waggner, and their four children.
Notable films
Where to start
Highlights from credits and KinoChain journeys.
Singin' in the Rain
Appears in a KinoChain journey
War and Remembrance
As Harry Hopkins
Innerspace
As Dr. Greenbush
Twilight Zone: The Movie
As Father
Bag of Bones
As Max Devore
In the Heat of the Night
As Mayor Schubert
Them!
As Ambulance Attendant
Colossus: The Forbin Project
As CIA Director Grauber
Chains
KinoChain journeys
Public chains that pass through their films — or name them as a bridge.
Related people
Collaborators & neighbours
Acted
Bag of Bones
2011 · Max Devore
War and Remembrance
1988 · Harry Hopkins
Innerspace
1987 · Dr. Greenbush
Twilight Zone: The Movie
1983 · Father
Hangar 18
1980 · Professor Mills
Colossus: The Forbin Project
1970 · CIA Director Grauber
In the Heat of the Night
1967 · Mayor Schubert
The Monolith Monsters
1957 · Weatherman
The Raid
1954 · Rebel Soldier (uncredited)
Them!
1954 · Ambulance Attendant
Singin' in the Rain
1952 · Messenger on Screen (uncredited)