William Reynolds (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Reynolds
Reynolds in 1969
Born	William de Clerq Regnolds (1931-12-09)December 9, 1931 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	August 24, 2022(2022-08-24) (aged 90) Wildomar, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Pasadena City College
Occupation	Actor, businessman
Years active	1951–1978, 1989
Spouse(s)	Molly Sinclair ​ ​ (m. 1950; died 1992)​
Children	2

William Reynolds (born William de Clerq Regnolds) was an American actor. He lived from December 9, 1931, to August 24, 2022. He was most famous for playing Special Agent Tom Colby in the 1960s TV show The F.B.I.. He also had many roles in movies and TV shows from the 1950s to the 1970s.

William Reynolds' Early Life

William Reynolds was born on December 9, 1931. He was the youngest of three brothers. When he was five years old, his mother passed away. After this, he went to live at boarding schools.

Later, he attended Pasadena City College. While there, he worked in the college's radio department.

Family History and Ancestry

William's family had a long history in America. His father was a direct descendant of Nathaniel Reynolds, a hero from the American Revolution. Both his parents were part of groups that celebrated their family's history in the United States.

His father's family came from passengers on the Mayflower, like John Howland and John Billington. His mother's family was related to Thomas Hinckley. William said that this history was "neat to know about," but it wasn't as important to him as it was to his parents.

William Reynolds' Film Career

A talent agent noticed William Reynolds in some small plays. In 1952, he signed a contract with Universal Studios. He started acting in movies, including Carrie (1952). In this film, he played the son of famous actor Laurence Olivier.

Serving in the Army

In 1952, Reynolds was drafted into the United States Army. He was supposed to go to Korea, but he ended up staying in Japan. There, he worked in radio.

Returning to Movies

After his time in the Army, Reynolds returned to Universal Studios. He appeared in the horror film Cult of the Cobra (1955). He also acted in dramas like All That Heaven Allows (1955) and There's Always Tomorrow (1956).

He often played the son of the main characters. For example, he was the son of Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows and Fred MacMurray in There's Always Tomorrow.

William Reynolds' Television Roles

William Reynolds started to get tired of playing similar roles in movies. So, in 1958, he began acting in television shows. He appeared as a guest star in an episode of the Maverick TV series.

Early TV Series Roles

In 1959, he played the main character in Pete Kelly's Blues. During this show, he became good friends with actor and producer Jack Webb. From 1960 to 1961, he starred as Sandy Wade in The Islanders.

In 1961, he was also a guest star in an episode of The Roaring 20s. The next year, from 1962 to 1963, Reynolds co-starred in The Gallant Men on ABC. In 1966, he played an adult Hoodoo Henderson in the Walt Disney film Follow Me, Boys!.

Becoming a Lawyer

After two years without acting jobs, Reynolds decided to study more. He passed exams to become a lawyer. He specialized in real estate law.

His Big Break: The F.B.I.

William Reynolds got his biggest role when he co-starred with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. in The F.B.I.. This was a very popular and long-running series on ABC.

He first appeared as a guest in the first two seasons in 1966. Then, from 1967 to 1973, he became a regular cast member. He played Special Agent Tom Colby. He was replaced in the final season because the network thought he was too old for the part at 41. However, he still appeared twice as Colby in the ninth season.

Reynolds also had guest roles in other shows produced by Jack Webb, like Dragnet. He also appeared in an episode of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone called "The Purple Testament".

Later Years and Personal Life

After The F.B.I. ended, William Reynolds left acting. He became a businessman instead. In 2004, he made a rare public appearance at a Twilight Zone convention in Los Angeles.

Family Life

William Reynolds married actress Molly Sinclair in 1950. They stayed together until she passed away in 1992. They had two children: a daughter born in 1958 and a son born in 1959.

Plane Crash Incident

On February 12, 1960, Reynolds and Richard L. Bare were in a plane crash. They were flying back to Miami after filming The Islanders. The plane crashed into the Caribbean Sea.

Reynolds was hurt, suffering several broken ribs and a broken right ankle. He, Bare, and two others survived by swimming four miles to the coast of Jamaica. Reynolds later said this accident caused a delay in filming his Twilight Zone episode, "The Purple Testament."

William Reynolds passed away from pneumonia in Wildomar, California, on August 24, 2022. He was 90 years old.

Partial Filmography