William Hickey (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Hickey
William Hickey, c. 1960s
Born	William Edward Hickey (1927-09-19)September 19, 1927 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	June 29, 1997(1997-06-29) (aged 69) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1997
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)

William Edward Hickey (born September 19, 1927 – died June 29, 1997) was an American actor. He was famous for his unique voice and interesting characters. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Prizzi's Honor. Many kids might know him best as Uncle Lewis in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He also voiced Dr. Finkelstein in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Early Life and First Roles

William Hickey was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Edward and Nora, were from Ireland. He had an older sister named Dorothy. William started acting on the radio when he was just 11 years old in 1938. He grew up in different parts of Brooklyn and Queens.

A Long Acting Career

William Hickey had a long and successful career in movies, television, and on stage. He began as a child actor performing in variety shows. His first appearance on Broadway was in 1951. He had a small role in the play Saint Joan.

Teaching and Unique Style

Besides acting, Hickey was a respected teacher at the HB Studio in New York City. Many famous actors studied with him, including Barbra Streisand. He was known for his unique, gravelly voice. He also had a somewhat unusual appearance. In his later years, he often played "grumpy but smart old man" roles. His characters sometimes seemed a bit spooky. But they usually ended up being cleverer than the other characters.

Famous Movie Roles

One of his most famous movie roles was Don Corrado Prizzi in Prizzi's Honor (1985). For this role, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He played Don Corrado as a very sharp and cunning character. This was true even though the character was physically weak. He shared important scenes with Anjelica Huston and Jack Nicholson.

Later Years and Legacy

William Hickey continued acting until his death. He passed away in 1997 from lung problems. He was buried in the Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn. He was still filming a movie called Better Than Ever when he died. Another movie he appeared in, Mouse Hunt, was dedicated to his memory. His final movie, Knocking on Death's Door, came out almost two years after he passed away.

Notable Works

Movies

• A Hatful of Rain (1957)
• The Producers (1967)
• Little Big Man (1970)
• Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1971)
• Prizzi's Honor (1985)
• One Crazy Summer (1986)
• The Name of the Rose (1986)
• Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
• Pink Cadillac (1989)
• Sea of Love (1989)
• Puppet Master (1989)
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) – Uncle Lewis
• Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)
• My Blue Heaven (1990)
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Dr. Finkelstein (voice)
• The Jerky Boys: The Movie (1995)
• Major Payne (1995)
• Forget Paris (1995)
• Mouse Hunt (1997)

Television Shows

• Tales from the Darkside (1986)
• The Equalizer (1987)
• Moonlighting (1987)
• Miami Vice (1989)
• Tales From The Crypt (1990)
• The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1993) – Grandpa Wrigley
• The Outer Limits (1995)
• Wings (1995)

Awards and Nominations

William Hickey was recognized for his acting talent.

• In 1985, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Prizzi's Honor.
• He was also a runner-up for two other awards for Prizzi's Honor: the LAFCA Award and the NSFC Award for Best Supporting Actor.
• In 1990, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in an episode of Tales from the Crypt.