William Demarest
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 27, 1892
- Died
- December 28, 1983 (aged 91)
- Birthplace
- Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Biography
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).
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie · as Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Millionaire
Movie · as Oscar Pugh
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Movie · as Studio Gatekeeper
The Wild McCullochs
Movie · as Father Gurkin
Ellery Queen
TV · as Alexander 'Pop' Denny · 1 ep
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Movie · as Mr. Harris
McMillan & Wife
TV · as Cyrus McFee, Andy Kenesaw · 1 ep
That Darn Cat!
Movie · as Mr. MacDougall
Viva Las Vegas
Movie · as Mr. Martin
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Movie · as Police Chief Aloysius
Son of Flubber
Movie · as Mr. Hummel
Burke's Law
TV · as Charlie Who · 1 ep
The Greatest Show on Earth
TV · as Paul Keller · 1 ep
The Jerry Lewis Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Going My Way
TV · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 8 eps
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
Movie · as Henry Hecht
Twenty Plus Two
Movie · as Desmond Slocum
Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
Movie · as Jeb
Ben Casey
TV · 1 ep
Dr. Kildare
TV · as Mr. Aimes · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Pepe
Movie · as Movie Studio Gateman
My Three Sons
TV · as Charley O'Casey · 232 eps
The Twilight Zone
TV · as Joe Britt · 1 ep
The Rebel
TV · as Ulysses Bowman · 1 ep
Love and Marriage
TV · as William Harris · 26 eps
Bonanza
TV · as Enos Milford, Angus Tweedy · 1 ep
Tales of Wells Fargo
TV · as Jeb Gaine (credit only) · 1 ep
Wagon Train
TV · as Mr. Hennessey · 1 ep
The Mountain
Movie · as Father Belacchi
The Rawhide Years
Movie · as Brand Comfort
Hell on Frisco Bay
Movie · as Dan Bianco
The Far Horizons
Movie · as Sgt. Gass
The Private War of Major Benson
Movie · as John
Jupiter's Darling
Movie · as Mago
Sincerely Yours
Movie · as Sam Dunne
Lucy Gallant
Movie · as Charles Madden
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV · as Tom Akins · 1 ep
The Yellow Mountain
Movie · as Jackpot Wray
Jamboree
Movie · as Self
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV · as Mr. Hummel (archive footage) · 1 ep
Studio 57
TV · 1 ep
Escape from Fort Bravo
Movie · as Campbell
Here Come the Girls
Movie · as Dennis Logan
The Lady Wants Mink
Movie · as Harvey Jones
Dangerous When Wet
Movie · as Pa Higgins
What Price Glory
Movie · as Corporal Kiper
The Blazing Forest
Movie · as Syd Jessup
Excuse My Dust
Movie · as Harvey Bullitt
The Strip
Movie · as Fluff
Behave Yourself!
Movie · as O'Ryan
The First Legion
Movie · as Monsignor Michael Carey
The Red Skelton Show
TV · as Senator Burnside · 1 ep
Riding High
Movie · as Happy
He's a Cockeyed Wonder
Movie · as Bob Sears
Never a Dull Moment
Movie · as Mears
When Willie Comes Marching Home
Movie · as Herman Kluggs
Jolson Sings Again
Movie · as Steve Martin
Sorrowful Jones
Movie · as Regret
Red, Hot and Blue
Movie · as Charlie Baxter
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
Movie · as Lt. Shawn
The Sainted Sisters
Movie · as Vern Tewilliger
Whispering Smith
Movie · as Bill Dansing
On Our Merry Way
Movie · as Floyd
Variety Girl
Movie · as Barker
The Perils of Pauline
Movie · as George 'Mac' McGuire
The Jolson Story
Movie · as Steve Martin
Our Hearts Were Growing Up
Movie · as Peanuts Schultz
Along Came Jones
Movie · as George Fury
Salty O'Rourke
Movie · as Smitty
Pardon My Past
Movie · as Chuck Gibson
Hollywood Victory Caravan
Movie · as Bill, the Security Guard
Duffy's Tavern
Movie · as William Demarest
The Great Moment
Movie · as Eben Frost
Hail the Conquering Hero
Movie · as Sgt. Heppelfinger
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
Movie · as Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
Once Upon a Time
Movie · as Brandt
Nine Girls
Movie · as Walter Cummings
True to Life
Movie · as Uncle Jake
Stage Door Canteen
Movie · as William Demarest
Dangerous Blondes
Movie · as Detective Gatling
The Palm Beach Story
Movie · as First Member Ale and Quail Club
All Through the Night
Movie · as Sunshine
My Favorite Spy
Movie · as Flower Pot Policeman
Johnny Doughboy
Movie · as Harry Fabian
Life Begins at Eight-Thirty
Movie · as Police Officer
Behind the Eight Ball
Movie · as McKenzie
Pardon My Sarong
Movie · as Detective Kendall
True to the Army
Movie · as Sgt. Butts
The Lady Eve
Movie · as Muggsy
Dressed to Kill
Movie · as Inspector Pierson
Sullivan's Travels
Movie · as Mr. Jones
Ride on Vaquero
Movie · as Bartender Barney
Glamour Boy
Movie · as Papa Doran
Country Fair
Movie · as Stogie McPhee
Rookies on Parade
Movie · as Mike Brady
The Devil and Miss Jones
Movie · as First Detective
Christmas in July
Movie · as Mr. Bildocker
The Great McGinty
Movie · as Skeeters - The Politician
The Golden Fleecing
Movie · as Swallow
Wolf of New York
Movie · as Bill Ennis
The Farmer's Daughter
Movie · as Victor Walsh
Little Men
Movie · as Constable Tom Thorpe
Comin' Round the Mountain
Movie · as Gutsy Mann
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Movie · as Bill Griffith
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
Movie · as Police Sgt. Ernest Heath
The Cowboy Quarterback
Movie · as Rusty Walker
Miracles for Sale
Movie · as Quinn
The Great Man Votes
Movie · as Charles Dole
Laugh It Off
Movie · as Barney 'Gimpy' Cole
King of the Turf
Movie · as Arnold
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Movie · as Henry Kipper
While New York Sleeps
Movie · as Red Miller
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
Movie · as Daro
Romance on the Run
Movie · as Police Lt. Eckhardt
Josette
Movie · as Joe, Diner Owner
One Wild Night
Movie · as Collins
Big City
Movie · as Mr. Beecher
The Hit Parade
Movie · as Parole Officer
Don't Tell the Wife
Movie · as Larry 'Horace' Tucker
Easy Living
Movie · as Wallace Whistling
The Great Hospital Mystery
Movie · as Mr. Beatty
The Great Gambini
Movie · as Sergeant Kirby
Rosalie
Movie · as Army Coach
Time Out for Romance
Movie · as Willoughby Sproggs
Oh, Doctor
Movie · as Marty Short
Blonde Trouble
Movie · as Paul Sears
Wake Up and Live
Movie · as Radio Center Tour Guide
Charlie Chan at the Opera
Movie · as Sergeant Kelly
The Great Ziegfeld
Movie · as Gene Buck (uncredited)
Mind Your Own Business
Movie · as Droopy
Wedding Present
Movie · as 'Smiles' Benson
Love on the Run
Movie · as Editor
The Murder Man
Movie · as 'Red' Maguire
After Office Hours
Movie · as Police Detective (uncredited)
Hands Across the Table
Movie · as Regi's Date Natty (uncredited)
Bright Lights
Movie · as Detective
Diamond Jim
Movie · as Harry Hill
White Lies
Movie · as Roberts
The Casino Murder Case
Movie · as Auctioneer (uncredited)
Fog Over Frisco
Movie · as Spike Smith
Fugitive Lady
Movie · as Steve Rogers
Many Happy Returns
Movie · as Brinker
Seeing Things
Movie · as The Heir
Sharp Shooters
Movie · as 'Hi Jack' Murdock
The Butter and Egg Man
Movie · as Jack McLure
A Girl in Every Port
Movie · as Man in Bombay (uncredited)
Five and Ten Cent Annie
Movie · as Briggs
The Crash
Movie · as Louie
Pay as You Enter
Movie · as 'Terrible Bill' McGovern
Don't Tell the Wife
Movie · as Ray Valerian
The Black Diamond Express
Movie · as Train Engine Fireman
The Night Court
Movie · as Defense Counsel
The First Auto
Movie · as The Village Cut-Up
The Jazz Singer
Movie · as Buster Billings (uncredited)
A Reno Divorce
Movie · as James, the chauffeur
A Million Bid
Movie · as George Lamont
What Happened To Father
Movie · as Detective Dibbin
Finger Prints
Movie · as Cuffs Egan
A Sailor's Sweetheart
Movie · as Detective
Simple Sis
Movie
The Bush Leaguer
Movie · as John Gilroy
The Gay Old Bird
Movie · as Mr. Fixit
Matinee Ladies
Movie · as Man About Town