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William Fawcett (1894-1974)

At right - with James Arness' brother, Peter Graves.

Box o' Rocks, December 5, 1959 Written by Les Crutchfield, Directed by R.G. Bud Springsteen, Guest Cast: Vaughn Taylor, Larry Blake, William Fawcett, Gertrude Flynn, Howard McNear.

Twenty Miles From Dodge, April 10, 1965 Written by Clyde Ware, Directed by Mark Rydell, Guest Cast: Darren McGavin, Everett Sloane, Aneta Corsault, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Tony Haig, Pat Cardi, Val Avery, Stafford Repp, William Fawcett, Noam Pitlik, Paul Barselow, Jennifer Lea, Danny Fowler

A Man Called Smith, October 27, 1969 Written by Calvin Clements, Directed by Vincent McEveety, Guest Cast: Earl Holliman, Jacqueline Scott, Susan Olsen, Vai Avery, Michael Durkin, William Fawcett, Margarita Cordova, Sid Haig

The Judas Gun, January 19, 1970 Written by Harry Kronman, Directed by Vincent Mc.Eveety, Guest Cast: Ron Hayes, Peter Jason, Richard X. Slattery, Laurie Mock, Sean McClory, Margarita Cordova, William Fawcett, Brad David, Ralph Neff

The Noose, September 21, 1970 Written by Arthur Browne, Directed by Vincent McEveery, Guest Cast: Tom Skerritt, William Fawcett

William Fawcett was born on September 8, 1894 in High Forest, Minnesota. After obtaining a Phd he became a Professor of Theatre Arts at Michigan State University. In the 1940s he decided to try out the career he taught. He was a thin, wiry man and soon was cast playing virtually the same type character in all his films; an ornery, cantankerous, yet fiercely loyal, old coot. Among his film credits were: "Stars Over Texas" (1946) as Judge Smith, his film debut; "Green Dolphin Street" (1947) as Nat; "The Sea Hound" (1947) as Andre the beachcomber; "Pioneer Justice" (1947) as Uncle Bob; "Check Your Guns" (1948) as Judge Hammond; "Superman" (1948) a serial, as an unbilled Newshawker; "Batman and Robin" (1949) a serial, as Prof. Hammil; "The Adventures of Sir Galahad" (1949) as Merlin; "Barbary Pirate" (1949) as Ezra Fielding; "Ride, Ryder, Ride!" (1949) as Judge; "Chain Gang" (1950) as Zeke; "Cody of the Pony Express" (1950) as Ezra; "Pirates of the High Seas" (1950) as Wharton; "The Mating Season" (1951) as Mr. Tuttle; "Mysterious Island" (1951) as Mr. Jackson; "Comin' Round the Mountain" (1951) as Old Mountain Man; "Cattle Queen" (1951) as Alkali; "Captain Video, Master of the Stratosphere" (1951) as Alpha; "Kansas Territory" (1952) as Weatherbee; "King of the Congo" (1952) as High Priest; "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" (1952) as Caretaker; "Blackhawk" (1952) a serial, as Dr. Rolph; "Neanderthal Man" (1953) as Dr. Fairchild; "Run for the Hills" (1953)as Orin Hadley; "Riding with Buffalo Bill" (1954) as Rocky Ford; "Gang Busters" (1954) as Old Pickup Driver; "Seminole Uprising" (1955) as Cubby Crouch; "Dakota Incident" (1956) as Matthew Barnes; "Canyon River" (1956) as Jergens; "No Time For Sergeants" (1958) as Pa; "Good Day for a Hanging" (1958) as Farmer; "The Music Man" (1962) as Lester Lonnergan; "The Quick Gun" (1964) as Mike; a Prisoner of War in "King Rat" (1965) as Steinmetz; "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966) as Jensen, the Pharmacist; "Hostile Guns" (1967) as Ollie Jensen and "Blackbeard's Ghost" (1968) his last film. To generations of TV viewers he will always be remembered as Pete, the ranch hand, on the "Fury" (1955-60) television series. He also guest starred on numerous TV series including: "Annie Oakley"; "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin"; "Circus Boy"; "Maverick"; "Gunsmoke"; "Mr. Lucky"; "Wagon Train"; "Perry Mason" and "The Wild, Wild West." He died on January 25, 1974 in Sherman Oaks, California at age 79 of natural causes.

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