William Campbell (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Campbell
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Campbell in The High and the Mighty (1954)
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| Born | October 30, 1923 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Died | April 28, 2011 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1950–1996 |
| Spouse(s) |
Judith Exner
(m. 1952; div. 1958)Barbara Bricker
(m. 1960; div. 1961)Tereza Campell
(m. 1962) |
William Campbell (born October 30, 1923 – died April 28, 2011) was an American actor. He was known for playing supporting roles in big movies. He also starred in many smaller movies, especially horror films.
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William Campbell's Acting Journey
William Campbell started his acting career in 1950. His first small part was in the movie The Breaking Point. For several years, he played supporting characters. One of these was a co-pilot in the 1954 film The High and the Mighty.
First Main Roles
In 1955, Campbell got his first main role in Cell 2455 Death Row. In this movie, he played a character on death row. Critics thought his acting was very strong. However, this role did not immediately make him a big star. He continued to play supporting roles.
One famous role was in Love Me Tender (1956). In this movie, he was the first person to lip-sync part of a song on screen with Elvis Presley.
Television and Later Films
In 1958, Campbell co-starred in a short TV series called Cannonball. It was about truck drivers. He also appeared twice on the popular TV show Perry Mason. He played different characters in these episodes.
Working with Roger Corman
In 1963, Campbell started working with director Roger Corman. He starred in Corman's movie The Young Racers. This film was about car racing and was filmed in Ireland.
After The Young Racers, Campbell starred in a low-budget horror film called Dementia 13 (1963). This movie was made by Francis Ford Coppola, who later became a very famous director. Campbell played a moody character who becomes a suspect in some scary axe killings.
Campbell also starred in another horror film produced by Corman. This movie was filmed in Yugoslavia. It was later changed and released as Blood Bath in 1966. It was also known as Track of the Vampire.
Star Trek Appearances
William Campbell is well-known to fans of the Star Trek series. He played two different characters in the Star Trek universe.
Trelane in The Original Series
His first Star Trek role was as the playful and powerful alien Trelane. He appeared in an episode of the original series called "The Squire of Gothos".
Koloth the Klingon
Campbell also played the Klingon Captain Koloth. He first appeared as Koloth in the original Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles". Many years later, he returned to play Koloth again. This was in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode called "Blood Oath". This meant he played the same character almost 30 years apart!
Campbell often attended Star Trek fan conventions in the 1980s and 1990s. His last convention appearance was in 2006.
William Campbell's Life
William Campbell served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was on a ship that cleared mines in the Pacific Ocean.
He was married three times. His first marriage was to Judith Exner from 1952 to 1958. His second wife was Barbara Bricker, from 1960 to 1961. He married his third wife, Tereza, in 1962. They were married until he passed away.
William Campbell passed away on April 28, 2011. He was at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
