
William Bakewell
Known for Acting · 137 credits
- Born
- 1908-05-02
- Died
- 1993-04-15
- Place of birth
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Also known as
- Billy Bakewell · William Bakewell Jr. · Bill Bakewell
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.
Known For
TV Shows (32)

Love, American Style
1969
as Elroy

Maverick
1957

The Virginian
1962
as Sam Branch / Nate Eastman

The Beverly Hillbillies
1962

Petticoat Junction
1963
as Ralph Craig / Actor / Herbert

Leave It to Beaver
1957

Green Acres
1965

I Dream of Jeannie
1965
as Colonel Harris

Run for Your Life
1965
as County Attorney Lassiter

Peter Gunn
1958

That Girl
1966

Highway Patrol
1955

Hazel
1961

Sea Hunt
1958

Alias Smith and Jones
1971

Mister Ed
1961

M Squad
1957
as Detective

It Takes a Thief
1968
as Hotel Clerk

87th Precinct
1961
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Major Dort / Robert Cooper / Michael Dailey

Pete and Gladys
1960

Nanny and the Professor
1970
as Carnival Host / Norm

The Roaring 20's
1960

Boston Blackie
1951
as Ron Taylor
Profiles in Courage
1964
as Wythe
Official Detective
1957
as Sam Graves

Casey Jones
1957
as Ben Slater

Harbor Command
1957
as Officer Maxwell

Guestward, Ho!
1960
Bringing Up Buddy
1960

I'm the Law
1953
The Great Gildersleeve
1955
Movies (105)

Gone with the Wind
1939
as Mounted Officer

All Quiet on the Western Front
1930
as Albert Kropp

The Capture
1950
as Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil

Quality Street
1937
as Lieutenant Spicer

Night Wind
1948
as Capt. Kingston

Strangers All
1935
as Dick Carter

Jungle Menace
1937
as Tom Banning

Lucky Devils
1933
as Slugger Jones

The Strongest Man in the World
1975
as Professor

Straightaway
1933
as Billy Dawson

Seven Sinners
1940
as Ensign

Lady Luck
1936
as Dave Haines

Crimson Romance
1934
as Adolph

Daybreak
1931
as Otto

Zenobia
1939
as Townsman at Zeke's Recitation

On Probation
1935
as Bill Coleman

The Farmer's Daughter
1947
as Windor

Mother
1927
as Jerry Ellis

The Saint Takes Over
1940
as Shipboard Card Player

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
1955
as Maj. Tobias Norton

Sons of Steel
1934
as Roland Chadburne

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
1947
as Winters

The Show of Shows
1929
as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

West Point
1928
as 'Tex' McNeil

Lucky Me
1954
as Motorist (uncredited)

Radar Men from the Moon
1952
as Ted Richards

Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
1955
as Norton

Paid
1930
as Carney

Romance on the High Seas
1948
as Dudley (Travel Agent)

Beyond Tomorrow
1940
as David Chadwick

Back Street
1932
as Richard Saxel

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
1956
as Official at Keel Boat Race (uncredited)

Jungle Terror
1946
as Tom Branning

Arthur Takes Over
1948
as Lawrence White

Hotel Imperial
1939
as Cadet (uncredited)

The Iron Mask
1929
as Louis XIV / Twin Brother

Politics
1931
as Benny Emerson

Not With My Wife, You Don't!
1966
as Brig. Gen. Swift (uncredited)

The Fabulous Dorseys
1947
as Eddie

The Curtain Falls
1934
as Barry Graham

Old Ironsides
1926
as Young Philadelphian (uncredited)

Playing Around
1930
as Jack

Dance, Fools, Dance
1931
as Rodney Jordan

Sea Spoilers
1936
as Lieut. Commander Mays

The Duke of West Point
1938
as Committee Captain

Trapped by G-Men
1937
as Dick Withers

Guilty Hands
1931
as Tommy Osgood

Dangerous Holiday
1937
as Tom Connor

So This Is Love
1953
as Charles, Waiter (uncredited)

Three Cornered Moon
1933
as Douglas Rimplegar

Exiled to Shanghai
1937
as Andrew

You Gotta Stay Happy
1948
as Dick Hebert

So This Is New York
1948
as Hotel Clerk

Green Eyes
1934
as Cliff Miller

The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
1942
as Hugh Pleasant

The Quitter
1934
as Russell Tilford

The Spirit of Notre Dame
1931
as Jim Stewart

Set This Town on Fire
1973
as Desk Clerk

On With the Show!
1929
as Jimmy

I Live on Danger
1942
as Mac

Come Fill the Cup
1951
as Hal Ortman

The Bat Whispers
1930
as Brook

Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
1946
as Hop Harrigan

Messenger of Peace
1947
as Pastor Willie von Adel

King of the Mounties
1942
as Cpl. Hall Ross

Bruised Celluloid
1984
as Himself

A Woman of Experience
1931
as Count Karl Runyi

Dr. Kildare's Victory
1942
as Mr. Hubbell

Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
1954
as Major Norton

Speed Wings
1934
as Jerry

The Party's Over
1934
as Clay

Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
1926
as Salesman

Together We Live
1935
as Billy

The Dawn Express
1942
as Tom Fielding

Wells Fargo Gunmaster
1951
as Charlie Lannon

King of the Bandits
1947
as Captain Frank Mason

The Higgins Family
1938
as Eddie Davis

Annapolis
1928
as Skippy

The Heart Thief
1927

Call Her Mom
1972
as Jeremy's Father

A Man of Sentiment
1933
as John Russell

Happiness C.O.D.
1935
as Ken Sherridan

The Trespasser
1947
as Bruce Coleman

When the Redskins Rode
1951
as Appleby

Straight Is the Way
1934
as Dr. Wilkes

Laddie
1935
as Robert Pryor

You Can't Buy Everything
1934
as Don Bell (adult)

While Paris Sleeps
1932
as Paul Renoir

The Shield of Honor
1927
as Jerry MacDowell

Lady of the Pavements
1929
as A Pianist

King of the Turf
1939
as Intern

Cheaters at Play
1932
as Maurice Perry

Hot Stuff
1929
as Mack Moran

Gold Diggers of Broadway
1929
as Wally Saunders

Reducing
1931
as Tommy Haverly

Yanks Ahoy
1943
as Ens. Crosby (uncredited)

Mile a Minute Love
1937
as Bob

Whispering Wires
1926

The Latest from Paris
1928
as Bud Dolan

The Postman Didn't Ring
1942
as Robert Harwood Jr.

Harold Teen
1928
as Percival

The Devil's Trademark
1928
as Tom Benton

The Battle of the Sexes
1928
as The Son

The Last Edition
1925
as 'Ink' Donovan

Down Liberty Road
1957
as Waldo (Uncredited)
About William Bakewell
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 playi… With 137 credits spanning from 1925 to 1984, William Bakewell has appeared in 105 films and 32 TV shows.
Fans searching for William Bakewell movies, William Bakewell filmography, or the latest projects starring William Bakewell can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular William Bakewell Movies
- Gone with the Wind (1939) — as Mounted Officer
- All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) — as Albert Kropp
- The Capture (1950) — as Herb Tolin, Bolsa Grande Oil
- Quality Street (1937) — as Lieutenant Spicer
- Night Wind (1948) — as Capt. Kingston
Where to Watch William Bakewell Films
Most William Bakewell movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring William Bakewell, check our movies catalogue and browse page.