William Demarest
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Feb 27, 1892
- Died
- Dec 28, 1983 (aged 91)
- Place of birth
- Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Credits
- 166
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 27, 1983) was an American character actor, known for playing Uncle Charley in My Three Sons. A veteran of World War I, Demarest became a prolific film and television actor, appearing in over 140 films, beginning in 1926 and ending in the 1970s. He frequently played crusty but good-hearted roles. Demarest started in show business working in vaudeville, appearing with his wife Estelle Collette (real name Esther Zychlin) as "Demarest and Colette", then moved on to Broadway. Demarest worked regularly with director Preston Sturges, becoming part of a "stock" troupe of actors that Sturges repeatedly cast in his films. He appeared in ten films written by Sturges, eight of which were under his direction, including The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Demarest was such a familiar figure at the Paramount studio that just his name was used in the movie Sunset Boulevard as a potential star for William Holden's unsold baseball screenplay.
Demarest appeared with veteran western film star Roscoe Ates in the 1958 episode "And the Desert Shall Blossom" of CBS's Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In the story line, Ates and Demarest appear as old timers living in the Nevada desert. The local sheriff, played by Ben Johnson, appears with an eviction notice, but he agrees to let the pair stay on their property if they can make a dead rosebush bloom within the next month.
In 1959 Demarest was named the lead actor of the 18-week sitcom Love and Marriage on NBC in the 1959–1960 season. Demarest played William Harris, the owner of a failing music company who refuses to handle popular rock and roll music, which presumably might save the firm from bankruptcy. Joining Demarest on the series were Jeanne Bal, Murray Hamilton and Stubby Kaye.
Demarest appeared as Police Chief Aloysius of the Santa Rosita Police Department in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), as well as on a memorable episode ("What's in the Box") of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone as a hen-pecked husband driven to the murder of his wife.
His most famous television role was in the ABC and then CBS sitcom My Three Sons from 1965 to 1972, playing Uncle Charley O'Casey. He replaced William Frawley, whose failing health had made procuring insurance impossible. Demarest had worked with Fred MacMurray previously in the films Hands Across the Table (1935), Pardon My Past (1945), On Our Merry Way (1948), and The Far Horizons (1955) and was a personal friend of MacMurray. Also, he worked with Irene Dunne in Never a Dull Moment (1950).
Known for
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939Movie
Bill Griffith
The Twilight Zone
1959TV
Joe Britt
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963Movie
Police Chief Aloysius
Sullivan's Travels
1941Movie
Mr. Jones
Bonanza
1959TV
Angus Tweedy, Enos Milford
The Lady Eve
1941Movie
Muggsy
Filmography
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999Movie
Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
1997Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Millionaire
1978Movie
Oscar Pugh
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976Movie
Studio Gatekeeper
Ellery Queen
1975TV
Alexander 'Pop' Denny
The Wild McCullochs
1975Movie
Father Gurkin
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
1973Movie
Mr. Harris
McMillan & Wife
1971TV
Andy Kenesaw, Cyrus McFee
That Darn Cat!
1965Movie
Mr. MacDougall
Viva Las Vegas
1964Movie
Mr. Martin
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963Movie
Police Chief Aloysius
The Jerry Lewis Show
1963TV
Self
Burke's Law
1963TV
Charlie Who
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963TV
Paul Keller
Son of Flubber
1963Movie
Mr. Hummel
Going My Way
1962TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962TV
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961TV
Self
Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
1961Movie
Jeb
Ben Casey
1961TV
Dr. Kildare
1961TV
Mr. Aimes
Twenty Plus Two
1961Movie
Desmond Slocum
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
1961Movie
Henry Hecht
Pepe
1960Movie
Movie Studio Gateman
My Three Sons
1960TV
Charley O'Casey
The Rebel
1959TV
Ulysses Bowman
The Twilight Zone
1959TV
Joe Britt
Love and Marriage
1959TV
William Harris
Bonanza
1959TV
Angus Tweedy, Enos Milford
Wagon Train
1957TV
Mr. Hennessey
Tales of Wells Fargo
1957TV
Jeb Gaine (credit only)
The Rawhide Years
1956Movie
Brand Comfort
The Mountain
1956Movie
Father Belacchi
Hell on Frisco Bay
1955Movie
Dan Bianco
Sincerely Yours
1955Movie
Sam Dunne
Lucy Gallant
1955Movie
Charles Madden
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955TV
Tom Akins
The Private War of Major Benson
1955Movie
John
The Far Horizons
1955Movie
Sgt. Gass
Jupiter's Darling
1955Movie
Mago
The Yellow Mountain
1954Movie
Jackpot Wray
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954TV
Mr. Hummel (archive footage)
Jamboree
1954Movie
Self
Studio 57
1954TV
Escape from Fort Bravo
1953Movie
Campbell
Here Come the Girls
1953Movie
Dennis Logan
Dangerous When Wet
1953Movie
Pa Higgins
The Lady Wants Mink
1953Movie
Harvey Jones
The Blazing Forest
1952Movie
Syd Jessup
What Price Glory
1952Movie
Corporal Kiper
The Red Skelton Show
1951TV
Senator Burnside
Behave Yourself!
1951Movie
O'Ryan
The Strip
1951Movie
Fluff
Excuse My Dust
1951Movie
Harvey Bullitt
The First Legion
1951Movie
Monsignor Michael Carey
He's a Cockeyed Wonder
1950Movie
Bob Sears
Never a Dull Moment
1950Movie
Mears
Riding High
1950Movie
Happy
When Willie Comes Marching Home
1950Movie
Herman Kluggs
Red, Hot and Blue
1949Movie
Charlie Baxter
Jolson Sings Again
1949Movie
Steve Martin
Sorrowful Jones
1949Movie
Regret
Whispering Smith
1948Movie
Bill Dansing
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
1948Movie
Lt. Shawn
The Sainted Sisters
1948Movie
Vern Tewilliger
On Our Merry Way
1948Movie
Floyd
Variety Girl
1947Movie
Barker
The Perils of Pauline
1947Movie
George 'Mac' McGuire
The Jolson Story
1946Movie
Steve Martin
Our Hearts Were Growing Up
1946Movie
Peanuts Schultz
Pardon My Past
1945Movie
Chuck Gibson
Hollywood Victory Caravan
1945Movie
Bill, the Security Guard
Duffy's Tavern
1945Movie
William Demarest
Along Came Jones
1945Movie
George Fury
Salty O'Rourke
1945Movie
Smitty
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
1944Movie
Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
Hail the Conquering Hero
1944Movie
Sgt. Heppelfinger
The Great Moment
1944Movie
Eben Frost
Once Upon a Time
1944Movie
Brandt
Nine Girls
1944Movie
Walter Cummings
True to Life
1943Movie
Uncle Jake
Dangerous Blondes
1943Movie
Detective Gatling
Stage Door Canteen
1943Movie
William Demarest
Johnny Doughboy
1942Movie
Harry Fabian
Life Begins at Eight-Thirty
1942Movie
Police Officer
Behind the Eight Ball
1942Movie
McKenzie
The Palm Beach Story
1942Movie
First Member Ale and Quail Club
Pardon My Sarong
1942Movie
Detective Kendall
My Favorite Spy
1942Movie
Flower Pot Policeman
True to the Army
1942Movie
Sgt. Butts
All Through the Night
1942Movie
Sunshine
Glamour Boy
1941Movie
Papa Doran
Sullivan's Travels
1941Movie
Mr. Jones
Dressed to Kill
1941Movie
Inspector Pierson
Country Fair
1941Movie
Stogie McPhee
Ride on Vaquero
1941Movie
Bartender Barney
Rookies on Parade
1941Movie
Mike Brady
The Devil and Miss Jones
1941Movie
First Detective
The Lady Eve
1941Movie
Muggsy
Little Men
1940Movie
Constable Tom Thorpe
Christmas in July
1940Movie
Mr. Bildocker
The Golden Fleecing
1940Movie
Swallow
Comin' Round the Mountain
1940Movie
Gutsy Mann
The Great McGinty
1940Movie
Skeeters - The Politician
The Farmer's Daughter
1940Movie
Victor Walsh
Wolf of New York
1940Movie
Bill Ennis
Laugh It Off
1939Movie
Barney 'Gimpy' Cole
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939Movie
Bill Griffith
Miracles for Sale
1939Movie
Quinn
The Cowboy Quarterback
1939Movie
Rusty Walker
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
1939Movie
Police Sgt. Ernest Heath
King of the Turf
1939Movie
Arnold
The Great Man Votes
1939Movie
Charles Dole
While New York Sleeps
1938Movie
Red Miller
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
1938Movie
Daro
Josette
1938Movie
Joe, Diner Owner
One Wild Night
1938Movie
Collins
Romance on the Run
1938Movie
Police Lt. Eckhardt
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
1938Movie
Henry Kipper
Rosalie
1937Movie
Army Coach
Big City
1937Movie
Mr. Beecher
Wake Up and Live
1937Movie
Radio Center Tour Guide
Blonde Trouble
1937Movie
Paul Sears
Easy Living
1937Movie
Wallace Whistling
The Great Gambini
1937Movie
Sergeant Kirby
The Great Hospital Mystery
1937Movie
Mr. Beatty
The Hit Parade
1937Movie
Parole Officer
Oh, Doctor
1937Movie
Marty Short
Don't Tell the Wife
1937Movie
Larry 'Horace' Tucker
Time Out for Romance
1937Movie
Willoughby Sproggs
Mind Your Own Business
1936Movie
Droopy
Charlie Chan at the Opera
1936Movie
Sergeant Kelly
Love on the Run
1936Movie
Editor
Wedding Present
1936Movie
'Smiles' Benson
The Great Ziegfeld
1936Movie
Gene Buck (uncredited)
White Lies
1935Movie
Roberts
Hands Across the Table
1935Movie
Regi's Date Natty (uncredited)
Diamond Jim
1935Movie
Harry Hill
Bright Lights
1935Movie
Detective
The Murder Man
1935Movie
'Red' Maguire
The Casino Murder Case
1935Movie
Auctioneer (uncredited)
After Office Hours
1935Movie
Police Detective (uncredited)
Fugitive Lady
1934Movie
Steve Rogers
Many Happy Returns
1934Movie
Brinker
Fog Over Frisco
1934Movie
Spike Smith
Seeing Things
1930Movie
The Heir
The Crash
1928Movie
Louie
The Butter and Egg Man
1928Movie
Jack McLure
Five and Ten Cent Annie
1928Movie
Briggs
Pay as You Enter
1928Movie
'Terrible Bill' McGovern
A Girl in Every Port
1928Movie
Man in Bombay (uncredited)
Sharp Shooters
1928Movie
'Hi Jack' Murdock
The Night Court
1927Movie
Defense Counsel
A Reno Divorce
1927Movie
James, the chauffeur
The Jazz Singer
1927Movie
Buster Billings (uncredited)
A Sailor's Sweetheart
1927Movie
Detective
The Bush Leaguer
1927Movie
John Gilroy
The First Auto
1927Movie
The Village Cut-Up
What Happened To Father
1927Movie
Detective Dibbin
The Black Diamond Express
1927Movie
Train Engine Fireman
Simple Sis
1927Movie
A Million Bid
1927Movie
George Lamont
Matinee Ladies
1927Movie
Man About Town
The Gay Old Bird
1927Movie
Mr. Fixit
Don't Tell the Wife
1927Movie
Ray Valerian
Finger Prints
1927Movie
Cuffs Egan