Bill Williams
William Herman Katt (born Herman August Wilhelm Katt; May 15, 1915 – September 21, 1992), known as Bill Williams, was an American television and film actor. He is best known for his starring role in the early television series The Adventures of Kit Carson, which aired in syndication from 1951 to 1955. Williams was born in Brooklyn, New York to German immigrant parents. He attended the Pratt Institute, and became a professional swimmer, performing in underwater shows. He landed a walk-on role as a theater usher in King Kong (1933). He enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, but was discharged before the end and became an actor. His credited debut was in The Blue Room in 1944, using the professional name Bill Williams. His first starring role was opposite Susan Hayward in Deadline at Dawn (1946). Williams appeared in ten films before he landed the lead role in television's The Adventures of Kit Carson, which ran for 105 episodes. When the series ended, Williams' star power faded. It was revived in 1957 when he co-starred with Betty White on television in Date with the Angels. Williams portrayed Federal agent Martin Flaherty in The Scarface Mob (1959), the pilot for ABC's The Untouchables. However, when the series was accepted, the role went to Jerry Paris. Williams turned down the lead in Sea Hunt in 1958, believing that an underwater show would not work on television. Lloyd Bridges accepted the part and turned it into a hit. Williams did star as a former Navy frogman in Assignment: Underwater, which ran for just one season. He played a variety of roles on Perry Mason, in which his wife Barbara Hale co-starred as Raymond Burr's secretary Della Street. In a 1962 episode, "The Case of the Crippled Cougar," he played defendant Mike Preston. In 1963, he was murder victim Floyd Grant in "The Case of the Bluffing Blast." In 1965 Williams played murderer Charles Shaw in "The Case of the Murderous Mermaid," and was murderer Burt Payne in "The Case of the 12th Wildcat". Williams appeared with his son in a final season episode of Ironside, bringing him together again with Raymond Burr. He also made numerous guest appearances on television and worked in low-budget science fiction films until his retirement.
Filmography
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood
as Cowboy Bob
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood
as Cowboy Bob
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
as Self
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
as Self
A Fire in the Sky
as Dale Turner
A Fire in the Sky
as Dale Turner
69 Minutes
69 Minutes
The Flight of the Grey Wolf
as The Sheriff
The Flight of the Grey Wolf
as The Sheriff
The Giant Spider Invasion
as Dutch
The Giant Spider Invasion
as Dutch
125 Rooms of Comfort
125 Rooms of Comfort
Scandalous John
as Sheriff Hart
Scandalous John
as Sheriff Hart
Rio Lobo
as Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
Rio Lobo
as Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
Buckskin
as Frank Cody
Buckskin
as Frank Cody
Eight on the Lam
as Cop at Roadblock (uncredited)
Eight on the Lam
as Cop at Roadblock (uncredited)
Spaceflight IC-1
as Capt. Mead Ralston
Spaceflight IC-1
as Capt. Mead Ralston
Tickle Me
as Deputy Sturdivant
Tickle Me
as Deputy Sturdivant
The Hallelujah Trail
as Lt. Brady (uncredited)
The Hallelujah Trail
as Lt. Brady (uncredited)
A Letter to Nancy
as George Reed
A Letter to Nancy
as George Reed
Law of the Lawless
as Silas Miller
Law of the Lawless
as Silas Miller
Stampede at Bitter Creek
as Paul Forbes
Stampede at Bitter Creek
as Paul Forbes
The Sergeant Was a Lady
as Col. House
The Sergeant Was a Lady
as Col. House
The Alamo
as Tennessean (uncredited)
The Alamo
as Tennessean (uncredited)
Hell to Eternity
as Leonard
Hell to Eternity
as Leonard
Oklahoma Territory
as Temple Houston
Oklahoma Territory
as Temple Houston
A Dog's Best Friend
as Wesley 'Wes' Thurman
A Dog's Best Friend
as Wesley 'Wes' Thurman
The Scarface Mob
as Martin Flaherty
The Scarface Mob
as Martin Flaherty
Alaska Passage
as Al Graham
Alaska Passage
as Al Graham
Legion of the Doomed
Legion of the Doomed
Space Master X-7
as John Hand
Space Master X-7
as John Hand
Slim Carter
as Frank Hanneman
Slim Carter
as Frank Hanneman
Pawnee
as Matt Delaney
Pawnee
as Matt Delaney
The Storm Rider
as Sheriff Colton
The Storm Rider
as Sheriff Colton
The Halliday Brand
as Clay Halliday
The Halliday Brand
as Clay Halliday
The Broken Star
as Deputy Marshal Bill Gentry
The Broken Star
as Deputy Marshal Bill Gentry
The Wild Dakotas
as Jim Henry
The Wild Dakotas
as Jim Henry
Hell's Horizon
as Paul Jenkins
Hell's Horizon
as Paul Jenkins
Apache Ambush
as James Kingston
Apache Ambush
as James Kingston
Wiretapper
as James Arthur Vaus, Jr.
Wiretapper
as James Arthur Vaus, Jr.
The Outlaw's Daughter
as Jess Raidley aka Big Red
The Outlaw's Daughter
as Jess Raidley aka Big Red
Racing Blood
as Tex
Racing Blood
as Tex
Torpedo Alley
as Tom Graham
Torpedo Alley
as Tom Graham
Son of Paleface
as Kirk
Son of Paleface
as Kirk
The Pace That Thrills
as Richard L. 'Dusty' Weston
The Pace That Thrills
as Richard L. 'Dusty' Weston
Rose of Cimarron
as George Newcomb
Rose of Cimarron
as George Newcomb
Havana Rose
as Tex Thompson
Havana Rose
as Tex Thompson
The Last Outpost
as Sgt. Tucker
The Last Outpost
as Sgt. Tucker
The Great Missouri Raid
as Jim Younger
The Great Missouri Raid
as Jim Younger
Blue Blood
as Bill Manning
Blue Blood
as Bill Manning
California Passage
as Bob Martin
California Passage
as Bob Martin
Rookie Fireman
as Joe Blake
Rookie Fireman
as Joe Blake
The Cariboo Trail
as Mike Evans
The Cariboo Trail
as Mike Evans
Operation Haylift
as Bill Masters
Operation Haylift
as Bill Masters
Blue Grass of Kentucky
as Lin McIvor
Blue Grass of Kentucky
as Lin McIvor
A Dangerous Profession
as Claude Brackett
A Dangerous Profession
as Claude Brackett
Fighting Man of the Plains
as Marshall Johnny Tancred
Fighting Man of the Plains
as Marshall Johnny Tancred
The Stratton Story
as Eddie Dibson
The Stratton Story
as Eddie Dibson
The Clay Pigeon
as Jim Fletcher
The Clay Pigeon
as Jim Fletcher
A Woman's Secret
as Lee Crenshaw
A Woman's Secret
as Lee Crenshaw
A Likely Story
as Bill
A Likely Story
as Bill
Till the End of Time
as Perry Kincheloe
Till the End of Time
as Perry Kincheloe
Deadline at Dawn
as Alex Winkler
Deadline at Dawn
as Alex Winkler
Sing Your Way Home
as Officer (uncredited)
Sing Your Way Home
as Officer (uncredited)
Johnny Angel
as Big Sailor (uncredited)
Johnny Angel
as Big Sailor (uncredited)
West of the Pecos
as Tex Evans
West of the Pecos
as Tex Evans
Those Endearing Young Charms
as Jerry
Those Endearing Young Charms
as Jerry
Back to Bataan
as (uncredited)
Back to Bataan
as (uncredited)
The Body Snatcher
as Survis - Medical Student (uncredited)
The Body Snatcher
as Survis - Medical Student (uncredited)
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
as Bud Felton
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
as Bud Felton
Murder in the Blue Room
as Larry (as Bill MacWilliams)
Murder in the Blue Room
as Larry (as Bill MacWilliams)
King Kong
as Theatre Usher (uncredited)
King Kong
as Theatre Usher (uncredited)