William Elliott (actor, born 1934) facts for kids

William David Elliott (born June 4, 1934 – died September 30, 1983) was an American actor and a talented jazz musician. He was known for his acting roles in TV shows like Bridget Loves Bernie and Adam-12. He also appeared in a film with the famous singer Elvis Presley.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

William David Elliott was born in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was younger, he spent four years serving in the United States Navy. He worked as an electrician during his time in the Navy.

After leaving the Navy, he worked for a company called US Steel. However, he decided to leave that job to follow his passion for music. He even turned down a chance to study at a famous school, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, because he wanted to be a drummer. He eventually started his own music group.

In 1966, he married Dionne Warwick, who was a background singer in his music group. They had two sons together, named David and Damon. They divorced in 1967 but remarried soon after. They later divorced again in 1975.

Acting on Television

William Elliott made his first television appearance in a series called Dragnet. This episode, titled Community Relations: DR-10, aired in 1968.

In the early 1970s, Elliott had a regular role in the TV show Bridget Loves Bernie. He played the character of Otis Foster in this series. He also had another regular role as Officer Gus Grant on the TV show Adam-12.

Acting in Movies

William Elliott also appeared in several movies. In 1968, he had an early, uncredited role in the film Uptight. This means his name was not shown in the movie's credits.

In 1969, he played the part of Robbie in the Elvis Presley film Change of Habit. He then appeared as Leon in The Old Man Who Cried Wolf, which was released in 1970. This movie was about an old man who saw a murder, but no one believed him.

His next film was a movie made for television called They Call It Murder. In this film, Elliott played the role of Deputy Bob Terry. In 1974, he played the main character, Ken Ramsey, in the movie Hangup.

His Music Career

William Elliott was a talented drummer. He played drums on the album Together Again! with musicians Willis Jackson and Jack McDuff. His drumming can be heard on four songs that were recorded in 1960.

By 1961, he was playing drums for organist DeeDee Ford. Later, Rhoda Scott took over for DeeDee Ford, and they formed the Rhoda Scott Trio. This group released two albums: "Hey! Hey! Hey!" in 1962 and "Live! at the Key Club" in 1963. In 1964, Elliott and Joe Thomas released their own album called Speak Your Piece.

In 1974, it was announced that William Elliott was opening his own studio. This studio was designed for both recording music and making movies. It had recording facilities, a sound stage, and rehearsal rooms.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of the movies William Elliott appeared in:

Television Appearances

Here is a list of some of the television shows William Elliott appeared in: