Name
William Demarest
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1892-02-27
Deathday
1983-12-28 (91 years old)
Place of Birth
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
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After the death of a United States Senator, the idealistic Jefferson Smith is appointed as...
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A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them a...
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It's no accident when wealthy Charles falls for Jean. Jean is a con artist with her sights...
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Lucky Jackson arrives in Las Vegas with his car literally in tow ready for the first Grand...
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A young woman suspects foul play when her cat comes home wearing a wristwatch. Convincing ...
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J.B. Ball, a rich financier, gets fed up with his free-spending family. He takes his wife'...
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Beleaguered professor Ned Brainard has already run into a pile of misfortunes with his dis...
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A young soldier on a pass in New York City visits the famed Stage Door Canteen, where famo...
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A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned fami...
7
A manicurist and an engaged loafer, both planning to marry money, meet and fall in love....
- 1964 Viva Las Vegas as Mr. Martin
- 1939 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as Bill Griffith
- 1941 The Lady Eve as Muggsy
- 1963 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World as Police Chief Aloysius
- 1946 The Jolson Story as Steve Martin
- 1942 The Palm Beach Story as First Member Ale and Quail Club
- 1948 Night Has a Thousand Eyes as Lt. Shawn
- 1928 Sharp Shooters as 'Hi Jack' Murdock
- 1973 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark as Mr. Harris
- 1935 The Murder Man as 'Red' Maguire
- 1936 Charlie Chan at the Opera as Sergeant Kelly
- 1940 Christmas in July as Mr. Bildocker
- 1940 The Great McGinty as Skeeters - The Politician
- 1944 The Great Moment as Eben Frost
- 1944 Hail the Conquering Hero as Sgt. Heppelfinger
- 1941 Dressed to Kill as Inspector Pierson
- 1944 The Miracle of Morgan's Creek as Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
- 1942 All Through the Night as Sunshine
- 1961 King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein as Henry Hecht
- 1949 Jolson Sings Again as Steve Martin
- 1941 Sullivan's Travels as Mr. Jones
- 1928 The Butter and Egg Man as Jack McLure
- 1938 Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm as Henry Kipper
- 1927 Don't Tell the Wife as Ray Valerian
- 1944 Once Upon a Time as Brandt
- 1930 Seeing Things as The Heir
- 1939 The Gracie Allen Murder Case as Police Sgt. Ernest Heath
- 1951 Excuse My Dust as Harvey Bullitt
- 1937 Big City as Mr. Beecher
- 1945 Along Came Jones as George Fury
- 1960 Pepe as Movie Studio Gateman
- 1952 What Price Glory as Corporal Kiper
- 1955 Hell on Frisco Bay as Dan Bianco
- 1953 Escape from Fort Bravo as Campbell
- 1949 Sorrowful Jones as Regret
- 1956 The Mountain as Father Belacchi
- 1955 The Far Horizons as Sgt. Gass
- 1951 The Strip as Fluff
- 1961 Twenty Plus Two as Desmond Slocum
- 1942 My Favorite Spy as Flower Pot Policeman
- 1936 The Great Ziegfeld as Gene Buck (uncredited)
- 1939 The Cowboy Quarterback as Rusty Walker
- 1938 While New York Sleeps as Red Miller
- 1956 The Rawhide Years as Brand Comfort
- 1927 The Black Diamond Express as Train Engine Fireman
- 1955 The Private War of Major Benson as John
- 1945 Salty O'Rourke as Smitty
- 1950 Riding High as Happy
- 1955 Jupiter's Darling as Mago
- 1947 Variety Girl as Barker
- 1953 Here Come the Girls as Dennis Logan
- 1940 The Golden Fleecing as Swallow
- 1947 The Perils of Pauline as George 'Mac' McGuire
- 1950 He's a Cockeyed Wonder as Bob Sears
- 1940 Wolf of New York as Bill Ennis
- 1927 The Night Court as Defense Counsel
- 1951 Behave Yourself! as O'Ryan
- 1955 Sincerely Yours as Sam Dunne
- 1945 Pardon My Past as Chuck Gibson
- 1938 Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus as Daro
- 1949 Red, Hot and Blue as Charlie Baxter
- 1954 The Yellow Mountain as Jackpot Wray
- 1941 Ride on Vaquero as Bartender Barney
- 1936 Mind Your Own Business as Droopy
- 1937 The Hit Parade as Parole Officer
- 1948 The Sainted Sisters as Vern Tewilliger
- 1939 Miracles for Sale as Quinn
- 1943 True to Life as Uncle Jake
- 1942 Johnny Doughboy as Harry Fabian
- 1953 The Lady Wants Mink as Harvey Jones
- 1952 The Blazing Forest as Syd Jessup
- 1938 Romance on the Run as Police Lt. Eckhardt
- 1951 The First Legion as Monsignor Michael Carey
- 1939 The Great Man Votes as Charles Dole
- 1942 Life Begins at Eight-Thirty as Police Officer
- 1937 Don't Tell the Wife as Larry 'Horace' Tucker
- 1936 Wedding Present as 'Smiles' Benson
- 1936 Love on the Run as Editor
- 1927 The First Auto as The Village Cut-Up
- 1975 The Wild McCullochs as Father Gurkin
- 1938 Josette as Joe, Diner Owner
- 1937 Easy Living as Wallace Whistling
- 1978 The Millionaire as Oscar Pugh
- 1953 Dangerous When Wet as Pa Higgins
- 1948 Whispering Smith as Bill Dansing
- 1938 One Wild Night as Collins
- 1934 Fog Over Frisco as Spike Smith
- 1937 The Great Hospital Mystery as Mr. Beatty
- 1941 Glamour Boy as Papa Doran
- 1997 Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line as Self (archive footage)
- 1946 Our Hearts Were Growing Up as Peanuts Schultz
- 1950 Never a Dull Moment as Mears
- 1940 The Farmer's Daughter as Victor Walsh
- 1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home as Herman Kluggs
- 1941 Country Fair as Stogie McPhee
- 1935 After Office Hours as Police Detective (uncredited)
- 1927 The Jazz Singer as Buster Billings (uncredited)
- 1937 The Great Gambini as Sergeant Kirby
- 1928 A Girl in Every Port as Man in Bombay (uncredited)
- 1999 Television: The First Fifty Years as Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)
- 1937 Rosalie as Army Coach
- 1937 Time Out for Romance as Willoughby Sproggs
- 1943 Stage Door Canteen as William Demarest
- 1941 Rookies on Parade as Mike Brady
- 1937 Oh, Doctor as Marty Short
- 1942 Behind the Eight Ball as McKenzie
- 1942 Pardon My Sarong as Detective Kendall
- 1927 A Reno Divorce as James, the chauffeur
- 1928 Five and Ten Cent Annie as Briggs
- 1935 Hands Across the Table as Regi's Date Natty (uncredited)
- 1934 Fugitive Lady as Steve Rogers
- 1927 A Million Bid as George Lamont
- 1940 Little Men as Constable Tom Thorpe
- 1939 Laugh It Off as Barney 'Gimpy' Cole
- 1935 Bright Lights as Detective
- 1963 Son of Flubber as Mr. Hummel
- 1935 Diamond Jim as Harry Hill
- 1955 Lucy Gallant as Charles Madden
- 1961 Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon as Jeb
- 1945 Hollywood Victory Caravan as Bill, the Security Guard
- 1945 Duffy's Tavern as William Demarest
- 1965 That Darn Cat! as Mr. MacDougall
- 1948 On Our Merry Way as Floyd
- 1935 White Lies as Roberts
- 1942 True to the Army as Sgt. Butts
- 1944 Nine Girls as Walter Cummings
- 1943 Dangerous Blondes as Detective Gatling
- 1928 The Crash as Louie
- 1940 Comin' Round the Mountain as Gutsy Mann
- 1939 King of the Turf as Arnold
- 1927 What Happened To Father as Detective Dibbin
- 1937 Blonde Trouble as Paul Sears
- 1928 Pay as You Enter as 'Terrible Bill' McGovern
- 1927 Finger Prints as Cuffs Egan
- 1927 A Sailor's Sweetheart as Detective
- 1927 Simple Sis
- 1941 The Devil and Miss Jones as First Detective
- 1934 Many Happy Returns as Brinker
- 1937 Wake Up and Live as Radio Center Tour Guide
- 1976 Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood as Studio Gatekeeper
- 1927 The Bush Leaguer as John Gilroy
- 1927 The Gay Old Bird as Mr. Fixit
- 1927 Matinee Ladies as Man About Town
- 1935 The Casino Murder Case as Auctioneer (uncredited)
- 1954 Jamboree as Self
- 1963 Burke's Law ( 1 episode ) as Charlie Who
- 1960 My Three Sons ( 232 episodes ) as Charley O'Casey
- 1957 Tales of Wells Fargo ( 1 episode ) as Jeb Gaine (credit only)
- 1959 The Twilight Zone ( 1 episode ) as Joe Britt
- 1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( 1 episode ) as Tom Akins
- 1962 Going My Way ( 1 episode )
- 1959 The Rebel ( 1 episode ) as Ulysses Bowman
- 1961 Ben Casey ( 1 episode )
- 1959 Love and Marriage ( 26 episodes ) as William Harris
- 1961 Dr. Kildare ( 1 episode ) as Mr. Aimes
- 1951 The Red Skelton Show ( 1 episode ) as Senator Burnside
- 1957 Wagon Train ( 1 episode ) as Mr. Hennessey
- 1961 The Mike Douglas Show ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1959 Bonanza ( 1 episode ) as Enos Milford
- 1959 Bonanza ( 1 episode ) as Angus Tweedy
- 1971 McMillan & Wife ( 1 episode ) as Cyrus McFee
- 1975 Ellery Queen ( 1 episode ) as Alexander 'Pop' Denny
- 1971 McMillan & Wife ( 1 episode ) as Andy Kenesaw
- 1963 The Greatest Show on Earth ( 1 episode ) as Paul Keller
- 1954 The Wonderful World of Disney ( 1 episode ) as Mr. Hummel (archive footage)
- 1954 Studio 57 ( 1 episode )
- 1963 The Jerry Lewis Show ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1962 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ( 8 episodes ) as Self
