William Demarest

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William Demarest

Demarest with Cheryl Walker in the film Stage Door Canteen (1943)
Born February 27, 1892(1892-02-27)
St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Died December 28, 1983 (aged 91)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.

William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 28, 1983) was an American character actor.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, he was a very prolific film and TV actor, having worked on over 140 films. He worked frequently with director Preston Sturges, becoming part of a "stock" troupe of actors that Sturges repeatedly cast in his films. He started in show business working in vaudeville, then moved on to Broadway. His film career began in 1926 and spanned the decades up to the 1970s. His most famous TV role was in My Three Sons from 1965 to 1972, playing Uncle Charley and replacing William Frawley, whose failing health had made procuring insurance impossible.

Demarest received a single Academy Award nomination, for his supporting role in The Jolson Story, playing Al Jolson's fictional mentor. He had previously shared the screen with the real Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer.

Demarest died in Palm Springs, California and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Contents

[edit] Partial filmography

[edit] Features

[edit] Short subjects

  • A Night at Coffee Dan's (1927)
  • Amateur Night (1927)
  • The Night Court (1927)
  • Seeing Things (1930)
  • The Run Around (1932)

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Demarest, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Actor
DATE OF BIRTH 1892-2-27
PLACE OF BIRTH St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH 1983-12-28
PLACE OF DEATH Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Languages