William Schallert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Schallert
Schallert in the 1960 episode "Mr. Bevis" on the television series The Twilight Zone
Born	William Joseph Schallert (1922-07-06)July 6, 1922 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	May 8, 2016(2016-05-08) (aged 93) Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Other names	Bill Schallert
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1947–2014
Spouse(s)	Leah Waggner ​ ​ (m. 1949; died 2015)​
Children	4
20th President of the Screen Actors Guild
In office 1979–1981
Preceded by	Kathleen Nolan
Succeeded by	Ed Asner

William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016) was an American actor. He appeared in many television shows and films over a career that lasted more than 60 years. He was well-known for his roles in shows like Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957–1959), Death Valley Days (1955–1962), and The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966).

Early Life and Acting Career

William Schallert was born in Los Angeles, California. His father, Edwin Francis Schallert, was a well-known drama critic for the Los Angeles Times. His mother, Elza Emily Schallert, was a writer for magazines and a radio host.

Starting in Theater and War Service

William began acting when he was a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). However, he left college to become a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war, he returned to UCLA and graduated in 1946.

In 1946, he helped start the Circle Theatre with Sydney Chaplin and other students. In 1948, William Schallert was directed by Charlie Chaplin (Sydney's father) in a play called Rain.

Early TV and Film Roles

Schallert started appearing in television shows in the early 1950s. He had supporting roles in many programs. For example, he was in four episodes of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre and three episodes of The Rifleman. He also appeared in four episodes of Gunsmoke.

In 1961, he played a farmer named Sam Becker in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. He also appeared in The Partridge Family in 1971 as a humble folk singer.

William Schallert also acted in several movies. Some of his film roles include The Man from Planet X (1951), Pillow Talk (1959) with Doris Day and Rock Hudson, and In The Heat Of The Night (1967) with Sidney Poitier. He also appeared in Speedway (1968) with Elvis Presley and The Jerk (1979) with Steve Martin.

Famous TV Appearances

Schallert was perhaps best known for playing Martin Lane on The Patty Duke Show. He also played a wise teacher, Mr. Leander Pomfritt, on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Another famous role was "The Admiral" on Get Smart.

He made three guest appearances on CBS's Perry Mason between 1957 and 1962. He also played Nilz Baris in the Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles". Later, he was Varani, a musician, in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Sanctuary".

Schallert played Carson Drew in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979). Besides acting on screen, he also did voice-over work for many TV and radio commercials. He was the voice of "Milton the Toaster" in commercials for Kellogg's Pop-Tarts.

In 2004, TV Guide ranked his role as Martin Lane on The Patty Duke Show as No. 39 on their list of "50 Greatest TV Dads."

Later Career and Leadership Role

Schallert at the 62nd Academy Awards in 1990

William Schallert served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) from 1979 to 1981. This is a union that represents actors. After his time as president, he continued to be involved in SAG projects. He served as a trustee for the SAG Pension and Health Plans since 1983. He also helped create the Committee for Performers with Disabilities. In 1993, he received the Ralph Morgan Award for his service to the Guild.

Schallert kept acting steadily in his later years. He appeared in an episode of How I Met Your Mother in 2007. He also played U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens in the HBO film Recount (2008). His unique voice also led to more voiceover work for commercials and cartoons.

In 2009, he guest-starred on Desperate Housewives and According to Jim. In 2010, he appeared in the pilot episode of The Deep End as a CEO with Alzheimer's disease. He also made an appearance on Medium and a cameo on True Blood. His last TV appearance was in 2014 on an episode of the sitcom 2 Broke Girls.

Personal Life and Family

In a 2014 interview, Schallert shared that he was dealing with peripheral neuropathy. This condition made him wear leg braces and often use a wheelchair. He said the braces helped him balance with a walker, but a wheelchair was easier. He felt he had done enough acting in films and TV.

Schallert was married to actress Leah Waggner from 1949 until she passed away in 2015. They appeared together in some shows, including The Patty Duke Show. They had four sons: William Joseph Jr., Edwin G., Mark M., and Brendan C. Schallert.

William Schallert passed away on May 8, 2016, at his home in Pacific Palisades. He was 93 years old. His on-screen daughter, Patty Duke, had passed away just six weeks earlier.

Selected Filmography

Television Appearances

Video Games

• The Bard's Tale (2004)