William Bakewell (May 2, 1908 – April 15, 1993), also known as Billy Bakewell, was an American actor, who achieved his greatest fame as one of the premiere juvenile performers of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Bakewell, educated at Los Angeles Harvard Military School, began his film career as an extra in the silent movie Fighting Blood (1924), and went on to appear in some 170 films and television shows. He had supporting roles at the end of the silent era and reached the peak of his career around 1930. He is perhaps best remembered for playing German soldier Albert Kropp in the film classic All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), and Rodney Jordan, Joan Crawford's brother, in Dance, Fools, Dance (1931). He also co-starred in Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929) with Winnie Lightner and Lilyan Tashman. In 1933, he contributed to the founding of the Screen Actors Guild, and was member 44 of the original 50. He never achieved stardom after the Depression years, although he became familiar in dozens of films, including his short appearance as a mounted soldier in Gone with the Wind (1939) whom Scarlett O'Hara asks when the Yankee soldiers are coming to Atlanta. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army with the rank of second lieutenant. He was stationed at the 73rd Evacuation Hospital and at the Radio Section of the Special Service Division as the Post Intelligence Officer. He also worked under the department that handled distribution of recorded programs to overseas station circuits. He starred in the Columbia Pictures serial Hop Harrigan (1946), where he played a top Air Corps pilot. He also portrayed Major Tobias Norton and a Keelboat Race Master of Ceremonies in the phenomenally popular Disney series Davy Crockett (1954-1955). In the 1960s, he guest starred in numerous situation comedy television series, including Guestward, Ho!, Pete and Gladys, Bringing Up Buddy, The Tab Hunter Show, Mister Ed, Leave It to Beaver, The Jack Benny Program, Petticoat Junction , and Hazel. He also was cast in episodes of Peter Gunn, Sea Hunt, Wagon Train, The Roaring 20s, The Virginian, Arrest and Trial, and 87th Precinct He played the Virginia statesman George Wythe in the episode "George Mason" in the 1965 NBC documentary series, Profiles in Courage. He made his last film in 1975. For four decades, Bakewell served on the board of Motion Picture and Television Fund. He died on April 15, 1993 of leukemia at the age of 84.
105 movies · 32 shows
Bruised Celluloid
1984·0.0
The Strongest Man in the World
1975·6.2
Set This Town on Fire
1973·7.0
Call Her Mom
1972·6.0
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
1966·5.8
Down Liberty Road
1957·9.0
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
1956·6.3
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
1955·6.4
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
1955·10.0
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
1954·6.5
Lucky Me
1954·6.8
So This Is Love
1953·4.3
Radar Men from the Moon
1952·4.7
Come Fill the Cup
1951·7.0
When the Redskins Rode
1951·5.3
Wells Fargo Gunmaster
1951·10.0
The Capture
1950·6.2
You Gotta Stay Happy
1948·6.8
Night Wind
1948·9.0
Romance on the High Seas
1948·6.7
So This Is New York
1948·6.7
Arthur Takes Over
1948·3.7
King of the Bandits
1947·7.0
Messenger of Peace
1947·8.0
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
1947·6.9
The Trespasser
1947·5.0
The Farmer's Daughter
1947·7.1
The Fabulous Dorseys
1947·5.8
Jungle Terror
1946·7.0
Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
1946·4.7
Yanks Ahoy
1943·6.6
King of the Mounties
1942·8.0
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
1942·6.1
The Postman Didn't Ring
1942·7.0
I Live on Danger
1942·6.1
The Dawn Express
1942·5.1
Dr. Kildare's Victory
1942·6.2
Seven Sinners
1940·5.9
The Saint Takes Over
1940·6.7
Beyond Tomorrow
1940·6.1
Gone with the Wind
1939·7.9
Hotel Imperial
1939·7.0
Zenobia
1939·5.0
King of the Turf
1939·7.0
The Duke of West Point
1938·4.5
The Higgins Family
1938·7.0
Exiled to Shanghai
1937·5.5
Trapped by G-Men
1937·7.0
Jungle Menace
1937·7.0
Dangerous Holiday
1937·5.3
Mile a Minute Love
1937·7.0
Quality Street
1937·5.8
Sea Spoilers
1936·5.0
Lady Luck
1936·6.3
Happiness C.O.D.
1935·7.5
Together We Live
1935·7.0
Strangers All
1935·6.8
On Probation
1935·10.0
Laddie
1935·10.0
Sons of Steel
1934·7.0
Crimson Romance
1934·5.5
The Curtain Falls
1934·6.0
The Party's Over
1934·5.0
Straight Is the Way
1934·6.3
Green Eyes
1934·5.8
Speed Wings
1934·9.0
The Quitter
1934·9.0
You Can't Buy Everything
1934·8.0
Straightaway
1933·8.0
A Man of Sentiment
1933·7.0
Three Cornered Moon
1933·6.0
Lucky Devils
1933·6.4
Back Street
1932·6.4
While Paris Sleeps
1932·6.7
Cheaters at Play
1932·7.0
The Spirit of Notre Dame
1931·7.3
Guilty Hands
1931·5.9
A Woman of Experience
1931·6.2
Daybreak
1931·4.3
Politics
1931·6.9
Dance, Fools, Dance
1931·6.4
Reducing
1931·5.1
Paid
1930·6.7
The Bat Whispers
1930·6.6
All Quiet on the Western Front
1930·7.8
Playing Around
1930·5.0
The Show of Shows
1929·6.6
Gold Diggers of Broadway
1929·7.7
On With the Show!
1929·6.2
Hot Stuff
1929·10.0
The Iron Mask
1929·6.7
Lady of the Pavements
1929·5.2
Annapolis
1928·5.5
The Battle of the Sexes
1928·5.3
Harold Teen
1928·7.0
The Devil's Trademark
1928·9.0
The Latest from Paris
1928·8.0
West Point
1928·7.5
The Shield of Honor
1927·6.0
Mother
1927·10.0
The Heart Thief
1927·10.0
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
1926·9.0
Old Ironsides
1926·6.4
Whispering Wires
1926·10.0
The Last Edition
1925·6.2