William 'Billy' Benedict's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) I Married Joan Flower Deli… Hondo Willie Nancy Telephone Man Our Man Higgins Commodore The Blue Knight Toby

Main Movie Roles 1975 - Farewell, My Lovely 1973 - The Sting 1969 - Hello, Dolly! 1968 - Funny Girl 1966 - Frankie and Johnny 1965 - The Hallelujah Trail 1959 - The Hanging Tree 1959 - Last Train from Gun Hill 1956 - The Killing 1955 - Bride of the Monster 1953 - The Magnetic Monster 1946 - Without Reservations 1946 - Road to Utopia 1944 - Million Dollar Kid 1944 - The Whistler 1944 - Cover Girl 1944 - Follow the Boys 1943 - The Ox-Bow Incident 1943 - Hangmen Also Die! 1943 - Thank Your Lucky Stars 1943 - Whispering Footsteps 1942 - The Talk of the Town 1942 - The Glass Key 1941 - Dressed to Kill 1941 - The Mad Doctor 1940 - The Great McGinty 1940 - Second Chorus 1940 - My Little Chickadee 1938 - Bringing Up Baby 1937 - The Last Gangster 1936 - Libeled Lady 1936 - After the Thin Man

BIOGRAPHY:

William Benedict was active in the drama department of his Tulsa, Oklahoma, high school, and at the height of the Depression (1934) decided to relocate to California. At first he wanted to be a dancer, but when he discovered that dancers were a dime-a -dozen in Hollywood, he concentrated on acting. He made his film debut in Fox's "$10 Raise" (1935) and went onto the Fox payroll as a "featured player." After leaving Fox, he played some of his larger parts in serials and in the East Side Kids/Bowery Boys features in which he was a regular. During his half-century-plus career, Benedict has had roles in practically every type of movie; there's only one thing that the ex-hoofer might have enjoyed doing in a movie, but never had the chance: "Strange as it seems, I've never once danced in a picture!"


TRIVIA:

• After leaving the Bowery Boys series, Benedict worked predominantly as an assistant in making miniature sets.
• Interviewed in Tom Weaver's book "They Fought in the Creature Features" (McFarland & Co., 1994).
• Married for the first time in 1969, while working on "Hello, Dolly" - to a girl named Dolly.