William Demarest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 27, 1983) was an American character actor, known for playing Uncle Charley in My Three Sons. A veteran of World War I, Demarest became a prolific film and television actor, appearing in over 140 films, beginning in 1926 and ending in the 1970s. He frequently played crusty but good-hearted roles. Demarest started in show business working in vaudeville, appearing with his wife Estelle Collette (real name Esther Zychlin) as "Demarest and Colette", then moved on to Broadway. Demarest worked regularly with director Preston Sturges, becoming part of a "stock" troupe of actors that Sturges repeatedly cast in his films. He appeared in ten films written by Sturges, eight of which were under his direction, including The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Demarest was such a familiar figure at the Paramount studio that just his name was used in the movie Sunset Boulevard as a potential star for William Holden's unsold baseball screenplay. Demarest appeared with veteran western film star Roscoe Ates in the 1958 episode "And the Desert Shall Blossom" of CBS's Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In the story line, Ates and Demarest appear as old timers living in the Nevada desert. The local sheriff, played by Ben Johnson, appears with an eviction notice, but he agrees to let the pair stay on their property if they can make a dead rosebush bloom within the next month. In 1959 Demarest was named the lead actor of the 18-week sitcom Love and Marriage on NBC in the 1959–1960 season. Demarest played William Harris, the owner of a failing music company who refuses to handle popular rock and roll music, which presumably might save the firm from bankruptcy. Joining Demarest on the series were Jeanne Bal, Murray Hamilton and Stubby Kaye. Demarest appeared as Police Chief Aloysius of the Santa Rosita Police Department in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), as well as on a memorable episode ("What's in the Box") of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone as a hen-pecked husband driven to the murder of his wife. His most famous television role was in the ABC and then CBS sitcom My Three Sons from 1965 to 1972, playing Uncle Charley O'Casey. He replaced William Frawley, whose failing health had made procuring insurance impossible. Demarest had worked with Fred MacMurray previously in the films Hands Across the Table (1935), Pardon My Past (1945), On Our Merry Way (1948), and The Far Horizons (1955) and was a personal friend of MacMurray. Also, he worked with Irene Dunne in Never a Dull Moment (1950).
Filmography
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
as Self (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
as Self (archive footage)
The Millionaire
as Oscar Pugh
The Millionaire
as Oscar Pugh
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
as Studio Gatekeeper
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
as Studio Gatekeeper
The Wild McCullochs
as Father Gurkin
The Wild McCullochs
as Father Gurkin
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
as Mr. Harris
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
as Mr. Harris
Son of Flubber
as Mr. Hummel
Son of Flubber
as Mr. Hummel
Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
as Jeb
Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
as Jeb
Twenty Plus Two
as Desmond Slocum
Twenty Plus Two
as Desmond Slocum
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
as Henry Hecht
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
as Henry Hecht
Pepe
as Movie Studio Gateman
Pepe
as Movie Studio Gateman
The Rawhide Years
as Brand Comfort
The Rawhide Years
as Brand Comfort
The Mountain
as Father Belacchi
The Mountain
as Father Belacchi
Hell on Frisco Bay
as Dan Bianco
Hell on Frisco Bay
as Dan Bianco
Sincerely Yours
as Sam Dunne
Sincerely Yours
as Sam Dunne
Lucy Gallant
as Charles Madden
Lucy Gallant
as Charles Madden
The Private War of Major Benson
as John
The Private War of Major Benson
as John
The Far Horizons
as Sgt. Gass
The Far Horizons
as Sgt. Gass
Jupiter's Darling
as Mago
Jupiter's Darling
as Mago
The Yellow Mountain
as Jackpot Wray
The Yellow Mountain
as Jackpot Wray
Jamboree
as Self
Jamboree
as Self
Escape from Fort Bravo
as Campbell
Escape from Fort Bravo
as Campbell
Here Come the Girls
as Dennis Logan
Here Come the Girls
as Dennis Logan
Dangerous When Wet
as Pa Higgins
Dangerous When Wet
as Pa Higgins
The Lady Wants Mink
as Harvey Jones
The Lady Wants Mink
as Harvey Jones
The Blazing Forest
as Syd Jessup
The Blazing Forest
as Syd Jessup
What Price Glory
as Corporal Kiper
What Price Glory
as Corporal Kiper
Behave Yourself!
as O'Ryan
Behave Yourself!
as O'Ryan
The Strip
as Fluff
The Strip
as Fluff
Excuse My Dust
as Harvey Bullitt
Excuse My Dust
as Harvey Bullitt
The First Legion
as Monsignor Michael Carey
The First Legion
as Monsignor Michael Carey
He's a Cockeyed Wonder
as Bob Sears
He's a Cockeyed Wonder
as Bob Sears
Never a Dull Moment
as Mears
Never a Dull Moment
as Mears
Riding High
as Happy
Riding High
as Happy
When Willie Comes Marching Home
as Herman Kluggs
When Willie Comes Marching Home
as Herman Kluggs
Red, Hot and Blue
as Charlie Baxter
Red, Hot and Blue
as Charlie Baxter
Jolson Sings Again
as Steve Martin
Jolson Sings Again
as Steve Martin
Sorrowful Jones
as Regret
Sorrowful Jones
as Regret
Whispering Smith
as Bill Dansing
Whispering Smith
as Bill Dansing
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
as Lt. Shawn
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
as Lt. Shawn
The Sainted Sisters
as Vern Tewilliger
The Sainted Sisters
as Vern Tewilliger
On Our Merry Way
as Floyd
On Our Merry Way
as Floyd
Variety Girl
as Barker
Variety Girl
as Barker
The Perils of Pauline
as George 'Mac' McGuire
The Perils of Pauline
as George 'Mac' McGuire
The Jolson Story
as Steve Martin
The Jolson Story
as Steve Martin
Our Hearts Were Growing Up
as Peanuts Schultz
Our Hearts Were Growing Up
as Peanuts Schultz
Pardon My Past
as Chuck Gibson
Pardon My Past
as Chuck Gibson
Hollywood Victory Caravan
as Bill, the Security Guard
Hollywood Victory Caravan
as Bill, the Security Guard
Duffy's Tavern
as William Demarest
Duffy's Tavern
as William Demarest
Along Came Jones
as George Fury
Along Came Jones
as George Fury
Salty O'Rourke
as Smitty
Salty O'Rourke
as Smitty
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
as Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
as Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
Hail the Conquering Hero
as Sgt. Heppelfinger
Hail the Conquering Hero
as Sgt. Heppelfinger
The Great Moment
as Eben Frost
The Great Moment
as Eben Frost
Once Upon a Time
as Brandt
Once Upon a Time
as Brandt
Nine Girls
as Walter Cummings
Nine Girls
as Walter Cummings
True to Life
as Uncle Jake
True to Life
as Uncle Jake
Dangerous Blondes
as Detective Gatling
Dangerous Blondes
as Detective Gatling
Stage Door Canteen
as William Demarest
Stage Door Canteen
as William Demarest
Johnny Doughboy
as Harry Fabian
Johnny Doughboy
as Harry Fabian
Life Begins at Eight-Thirty
as Police Officer
Life Begins at Eight-Thirty
as Police Officer
Behind the Eight Ball
as McKenzie
Behind the Eight Ball
as McKenzie
The Palm Beach Story
as First Member Ale and Quail Club
The Palm Beach Story
as First Member Ale and Quail Club
Pardon My Sarong
as Detective Kendall
Pardon My Sarong
as Detective Kendall
My Favorite Spy
as Flower Pot Policeman
My Favorite Spy
as Flower Pot Policeman
True to the Army
as Sgt. Butts
True to the Army
as Sgt. Butts
All Through the Night
as Sunshine
All Through the Night
as Sunshine
Glamour Boy
as Papa Doran
Glamour Boy
as Papa Doran
Sullivan's Travels
as Mr. Jones
Sullivan's Travels
as Mr. Jones
Dressed to Kill
as Inspector Pierson
Dressed to Kill
as Inspector Pierson
Country Fair
as Stogie McPhee
Country Fair
as Stogie McPhee
Ride on Vaquero
as Bartender Barney
Ride on Vaquero
as Bartender Barney
Rookies on Parade
as Mike Brady
Rookies on Parade
as Mike Brady
The Devil and Miss Jones
as First Detective
The Devil and Miss Jones
as First Detective
The Lady Eve
as Muggsy
The Lady Eve
as Muggsy
Little Men
as Constable Tom Thorpe
Little Men
as Constable Tom Thorpe
Christmas in July
as Mr. Bildocker
Christmas in July
as Mr. Bildocker
The Golden Fleecing
as Swallow
The Golden Fleecing
as Swallow
Comin' Round the Mountain
as Gutsy Mann
Comin' Round the Mountain
as Gutsy Mann
The Great McGinty
as Skeeters - The Politician
The Great McGinty
as Skeeters - The Politician
Wolf of New York
as Bill Ennis
Wolf of New York
as Bill Ennis
Laugh It Off
as Barney 'Gimpy' Cole
Laugh It Off
as Barney 'Gimpy' Cole
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Bill Griffith
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Bill Griffith
Miracles for Sale
as Quinn
Miracles for Sale
as Quinn
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
as Police Sgt. Ernest Heath
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
as Police Sgt. Ernest Heath
King of the Turf
as Arnold
King of the Turf
as Arnold
The Great Man Votes
as Charles Dole
The Great Man Votes
as Charles Dole
While New York Sleeps
as Red Miller
While New York Sleeps
as Red Miller
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
as Daro
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
as Daro
Josette
as Joe, Diner Owner
Josette
as Joe, Diner Owner
Romance on the Run
as Police Lt. Eckhardt
Romance on the Run
as Police Lt. Eckhardt
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
as Henry Kipper
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
as Henry Kipper
Big City
as Mr. Beecher
Big City
as Mr. Beecher
Blonde Trouble
as Paul Sears
Blonde Trouble
as Paul Sears
The Great Hospital Mystery
as Mr. Beatty
The Great Hospital Mystery
as Mr. Beatty
The Hit Parade
as Parole Officer
The Hit Parade
as Parole Officer
Oh, Doctor
as Marty Short
Oh, Doctor
as Marty Short
Time Out for Romance
as Willoughby Sproggs
Time Out for Romance
as Willoughby Sproggs
Mind Your Own Business
as Droopy
Mind Your Own Business
as Droopy
The Great Ziegfeld
as Gene Buck (uncredited)
The Great Ziegfeld
as Gene Buck (uncredited)
White Lies
as Roberts
White Lies
as Roberts
After Office Hours
as Police Detective (uncredited)
After Office Hours
as Police Detective (uncredited)
Many Happy Returns
as Brinker
Many Happy Returns
as Brinker
Fog Over Frisco
as Spike Smith
Fog Over Frisco
as Spike Smith
The Crash
as Louie
The Crash
as Louie
Sharp Shooters
as 'Hi Jack' Murdock
Sharp Shooters
as 'Hi Jack' Murdock
Don't Tell the Wife
as Ray Valerian
Don't Tell the Wife
as Ray Valerian