
William Schallert
1 FOLLOWER • 110 CREDITS • JUL 6, 1922 - MAY 8, 2016 • 93
Biography
William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016, Height 6 feet 1 inch [1.85 meters]) was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957–1959), Death Valley Days (1955–1962), and The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966).
Schallert was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edwin Francis Schallert, a longtime drama critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Elza Emily Schallert (née Baumgarten), a magazine writer and radio host. He began acting while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) but left to become an Army Air Corps fighter pilot in World War II. He returned to UCLA after the war and graduated in 1946.
After graduating from UCLA, Schallert began his acting career in the theater. He appeared in several productions at the Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, including a staging of W. Somerset Maugham's Rain in 1948, which was directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Schallert made his television debut in 1951, and he quickly became a familiar face on the small screen. He appeared in numerous guest roles on shows such as The Adventures of Superman, The Twilight Zone, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also had recurring roles on The Patty Duke Show, The Nancy Drew Mysteries, and The Torkelsons.
In addition to his work on television, Schallert also appeared in several films, including The Bridges of Toko-Ri (1954), The Apartment (1960), and The Sting (1973).
Schallert died in Pacific Palisades, California, in 2016, at the age of 93. He was survived by his wife, Leah Waggner, and their four children.
Known For

Gunsmoke

Perry Mason

Four Star Playhouse

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Rawhide

General Electric Theater

The F.B.I.

Lux Video Theatre

Mission: Impossible

Hawaii Five-O

ER

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

Police Story

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

CHiPs

The Wild Wild West

St. Elsewhere

Melrose Place

Bat Masterson

Dream On

Simon & Simon

Have Gun, Will Travel

Little House on the Prairie

Switch

Kung Fu

Murphy Brown

Peter Gunn

Letter to Loretta

The Dick Van Dyke Show

Desperate Housewives

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Lou Grant

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Star Trek

Quantum Leap

Banacek

What's New, Scooby-Doo?

Get Smart

The Texan

Matinee Theater

Thriller

Sam Benedict

The Twilight Zone

Hazel

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Lassie

How I Met Your Mother

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The Virginian

The Waltons

Family Law

The Six Million Dollar Man

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

87th Precinct

My Name Is Earl

Magnum, P.I.

Ensign O'Toole

Son of the Beach

Wichita Town

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

The Rat Patrol

Johnny Ringo

Leave It to Beaver

Land of the Giants

The Manhunter

The Andy Griffith Show

True Blood

A Year in the Life

CBS Playhouse

The Good Life

Mr. & Mrs. North

Medium

The Lloyd Bridges Show

Pistols 'n' Petticoats

Climax!

Matlock

The Angry Beavers

Grandpa Goes to Washington

Highway to Heaven

Ironside

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody

The Twilight Zone

The Debbie Reynolds Show

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

All's Fair

Ellery Queen

Little Women

The Lucy Show

Gremlins

Beethoven's 2nd

The Jerk

Shake, Rattle and Rock!

Blind Ambition

The Raid

Singin' in the Rain

War and Remembrance

The Second Civil War

Will Penny

House Party 2

Cross of Fire

Charley Varrick

The Torkelsons

Green Lantern: First Flight

Harvey

Escape

Massacre at Sand Creek

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Colossus: The Forbin Project

Legends of the Superheroes

Dr. Kildare
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