William Schallert
William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016, Height 6 feet 1 inch [1.85 meters]) was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957–1959), Death Valley Days (1955–1962), and The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966).
Schallert was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edwin Francis Schallert, a longtime drama critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Elza Emily Schallert (née Baumgarten), a magazine writer and radio host. He began acting while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) but left to become an Army Air Corps fighter pilot in World War II. He returned to UCLA after the war and graduated in 1946.
After graduating from UCLA, Schallert began his acting career in the theater. He appeared in several productions at the Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, including a staging of W. Somerset Maugham's Rain in 1948, which was directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Schallert made his television debut in 1951, and he quickly became a familiar face on the small screen. He appeared in numerous guest roles on shows such as The Adventures of Superman, The Twilight Zone, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also had recurring roles on The Patty Duke Show, The Nancy Drew Mysteries, and The Torkelsons.
In addition to his work on television, Schallert also appeared in several films, including The Bridges of Toko-Ri (1954), The Apartment (1960), and The Sting (1973).
Schallert died in Pacific Palisades, California, in 2016, at the age of 93. He was survived by his wife, Leah Waggner, and their four children.
Schallert was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edwin Francis Schallert, a longtime drama critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Elza Emily Schallert (née Baumgarten), a magazine writer and radio host. He began acting while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) but left to become an Army Air Corps fighter pilot in World War II. He returned to UCLA after the war and graduated in 1946.
After graduating from UCLA, Schallert began his acting career in the theater. He appeared in several productions at the Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, including a staging of W. Somerset Maugham's Rain in 1948, which was directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Schallert made his television debut in 1951, and he quickly became a familiar face on the small screen. He appeared in numerous guest roles on shows such as The Adventures of Superman, The Twilight Zone, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also had recurring roles on The Patty Duke Show, The Nancy Drew Mysteries, and The Torkelsons.
In addition to his work on television, Schallert also appeared in several films, including The Bridges of Toko-Ri (1954), The Apartment (1960), and The Sting (1973).
Schallert died in Pacific Palisades, California, in 2016, at the age of 93. He was survived by his wife, Leah Waggner, and their four children.
Known for
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
Monster Madness: Mutants, Space Invaders, and Drive-Ins
Bag of Bones
The Deep End
Green Lantern: First Flight
True Blood
My Name Is Earl
How I Met Your Mother
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
Medium
Desperate Housewives
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
The Zeta Project
Son of the Beach
Family Law
The Patty Duke Show: Still Rockin' in Brooklyn Heights
The Second Civil War
The Angry Beavers
To Dance with Olivia
Harvey
A Century of Science Fiction
ER
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
Rebel Highway
Beethoven's 2nd
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's
Matinee
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Melrose Place
House Party 2
The Torkelsons
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Dinosaurs
Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levis Story
Dream On
The Incident
Cross of Fire
Quantum Leap
Murphy Brown
War and Remembrance
Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis
The Smurfs: 'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy
A Year in the Life
Innerspace
Under the Influence
The New Gidget
Matlock
North and South
The Twilight Zone
Teachers
Highway to Heaven
Gremlins
Amazons
Through Naked Eyes
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Twilight Zone: The Movie
Grace Kelly
St. Elsewhere
Matt Houston
Hotel
Simon & Simon
Magnum, P.I.
Hangar 18
Blind Ambition
Ike
Legends of the Superheroes
The Stableboy's Christmas
Little Women
Confessions of the D.A. Man
Lou Grant
CHiPs
Tail Gunner Joe
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
The Nancy Walker Show
Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway
All's Fair
Tunnel Vision
The Bionic Woman
Ellery Queen
Switch
Promise Him Anything
The Strongest Man in the World
Death Sentence
The Manhunter
Remember When
The Six Million Dollar Man
Hijack!
Charley Varrick
Partners in Crime
Police Story
Kung Fu
The Waltons
Banacek
Man On A String
Escape
Colossus: The Forbin Project
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Room 222
Sam Whiskey
Here Come the Brides
The Mod Squad
Land of the Giants
Hawaii Five-O
Speedway
Will Penny
Hour of the Gun
The Guns of Will Sonnett
In the Heat of the Night
Ironside
Mission: Impossible
The Rat Patrol
That Girl
The F.B.I.
Get Smart
The Wild Wild West
Bewitched
The Patty Duke Show
Philbert (Three's a Crowd)
Shotgun Wedding
Combat!
Stoney Burke
Ensign O'Toole
The Virginian
Sam Benedict
The Lloyd Bridges Show
Lonely Are the Brave
Paradise Alley
The New Breed
Dr. Kildare
87th Precinct
Surfside 6
Stagecoach West
The Andy Griffith Show
Thriller
Coronado 9
The Gallant Hours
Pillow Talk
Philip Marlowe
The Rebel
Johnny Ringo
Wichita Town
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Lock-Up
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Blue Denim
The Beat Generation
Day of the Outlaw
One Step Beyond
Black Saddle
Rawhide
Some Came Running
Torpedo Run
77 Sunset Strip
Bat Masterson
Lawman
The Rifleman
The Texan
Peter Gunn
Steve Canyon
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Cry Terror!
Sea Hunt
Man in the Shadow
The Monolith Monsters
The Tarnished Angels
Leave It to Beaver
Maverick
Perry Mason
Sugarfoot
Have Gun, Will Travel
The Hired Man
Man on Fire
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
The Girl in the Kremlin
The Tattered Dress
The Incredible Shrinking Man
Massacre at Sand Creek
Friendly Persuasion
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Written on the Wind
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
Gunslinger
Raw Edge
The Lone Ranger
Hell's Horizon
Matinee Theater
Bobby Ware Is Missing
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Gunsmoke
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe
Top of the World
Smoke Signal
Black Tuesday
Climax!
Lassie
Down Three Dark Streets
Tobor the Great
Shield for Murder
The Raid
The High and the Mighty
Them!
Gog
Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl
Riot in Cell Block 11
Letter to Loretta
Port Sinister
Sword of Venus
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe
The Jazz Singer
General Electric Theater
Flat Top
Captive Women
Mr. & Mrs. North
The Ford Television Theatre
Death Valley Days
Storm Over Tibet
Paula
Hoodlum Empire
Singin' in the Rain
Rose of Cimarron
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Bannerline
The Red Badge of Courage
The People Against O'Hara
The Man from Planet X
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
Lux Video Theatre
Lonely Heart Bandits
The Reckless Moment
Mighty Joe Young