William Demarest
Acting • Born 1892-02-27 – Died 1983-12-28
Biography
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).
Filmography
167 credits
Viva Las Vegas
Movie • 1964
Mr. Martin
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Movie • 1939
Bill Griffith
The Lady Eve
Movie • 1941
Muggsy
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Movie • 1963
Police Chief Aloysius
The Jolson Story
Movie • 1946
Steve Martin
The Palm Beach Story
Movie • 1942
First Member Ale and Quail Club
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
Movie • 1948
Lt. Shawn
Sharp Shooters
Movie • 1928
'Hi Jack' Murdock
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Movie • 1973
Mr. Harris
The Murder Man
Movie • 1935
'Red' Maguire
Charlie Chan at the Opera
Movie • 1936
Sergeant Kelly
Christmas in July
Movie • 1940
Mr. Bildocker
The Great McGinty
Movie • 1940
Skeeters - The Politician
The Great Moment
Movie • 1944
Eben Frost
Hail the Conquering Hero
Movie • 1944
Sgt. Heppelfinger
Dressed to Kill
Movie • 1941
Inspector Pierson
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
Movie • 1944
Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
All Through the Night
Movie • 1942
Sunshine
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
Movie • 1961
Henry Hecht
Jolson Sings Again
Movie • 1949
Steve Martin
Sullivan's Travels
Movie • 1941
Mr. Jones
The Butter and Egg Man
Movie • 1928
Jack McLure
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Movie • 1938
Harry Kipper
Don't Tell the Wife
Movie • 1927
Ray Valerian
Once Upon a Time
Movie • 1944
Brandt
Seeing Things
Movie • 1930
The Heir
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
Movie • 1939
Police Sgt. Ernest Heath
Excuse My Dust
Movie • 1951
Harvey Bullitt
Big City
Movie • 1937
Mr. Beecher
Along Came Jones
Movie • 1945
George Fury
Pepe
Movie • 1960
Movie Studio Gateman
What Price Glory
Movie • 1952
Corporal Kiper
Hell on Frisco Bay
Movie • 1955
Dan Bianco
Escape from Fort Bravo
Movie • 1953
Campbell
Sorrowful Jones
Movie • 1949
Regret
The Mountain
Movie • 1956
Father Belacchi
The Far Horizons
Movie • 1955
Sgt. Gass
The Strip
Movie • 1951
Fluff
Twenty Plus Two
Movie • 1961
Desmond Slocum
My Favorite Spy
Movie • 1942
Flower Pot Policeman
The Great Ziegfeld
Movie • 1936
Gene Buck (uncredited)
The Cowboy Quarterback
Movie • 1939
Rusty Walker
While New York Sleeps
Movie • 1938
Red Miller
The Rawhide Years
Movie • 1956
Brand Comfort
The Black Diamond Express
Movie • 1927
Train Engine Fireman
The Private War of Major Benson
Movie • 1955
John
Salty O'Rourke
Movie • 1945
Smitty
Riding High
Movie • 1950
Happy
Jupiter's Darling
Movie • 1955
Mago
Variety Girl
Movie • 1947
Barker
Here Come the Girls
Movie • 1953
Dennis Logan
The Golden Fleecing
Movie • 1940
Swallow
The Perils of Pauline
Movie • 1947
George 'Mac' McGuire
He's a Cockeyed Wonder
Movie • 1950
Bob Sears
Wolf of New York
Movie • 1940
Bill Ennis
The Night Court
Movie • 1927
Defense Counsel
Behave Yourself!
Movie • 1951
O'Ryan
Sincerely Yours
Movie • 1955
Sam Dunne
Pardon My Past
Movie • 1945
Chuck Gibson
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
Movie • 1938
Daro
Red, Hot and Blue
Movie • 1949
Charlie Baxter
The Yellow Mountain
Movie • 1954
Jackpot Wray
Ride on Vaquero
Movie • 1941
Bartender Barney
Mind Your Own Business
Movie • 1936
Droopy
The Hit Parade
Movie • 1937
Parole Officer
The Sainted Sisters
Movie • 1948
Vern Tewilliger
Miracles for Sale
Movie • 1939
Quinn
True to Life
Movie • 1943
Uncle Jake
Johnny Doughboy
Movie • 1942
Harry Fabian
The Lady Wants Mink
Movie • 1953
Harvey Jones
The Blazing Forest
Movie • 1952
Syd Jessup
Romance on the Run
Movie • 1938
Police Lt. Eckhardt
The First Legion
Movie • 1951
Monsignor Michael Carey
The Great Man Votes
Movie • 1939
Charles Dole
Life Begins at Eight-Thirty
Movie • 1942
Police Officer
Don't Tell the Wife
Movie • 1937
Larry 'Horace' Tucker
Wedding Present
Movie • 1936
'Smiles' Benson
Love on the Run
Movie • 1936
Editor
The First Auto
Movie • 1927
The Village Cut-Up
The Wild McCullochs
Movie • 1975
Father Gurkin
Josette
Movie • 1938
Joe, Diner Owner
Easy Living
Movie • 1937
Wallace Whistling
The Millionaire
Movie • 1978
Oscar Pugh
Dangerous When Wet
Movie • 1953
Pa Higgins
Whispering Smith
Movie • 1948
Bill Dansing
One Wild Night
Movie • 1938
Collins
Fog Over Frisco
Movie • 1934
Spike Smith
The Great Hospital Mystery
Movie • 1937
Mr. Beatty
Glamour Boy
Movie • 1941
Papa Doran
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
Movie • 1997
Self (archive footage)
Our Hearts Were Growing Up
Movie • 1946
Peanuts Schultz
Never a Dull Moment
Movie • 1950
Mears
The Farmer's Daughter
Movie • 1940
Victor Walsh
When Willie Comes Marching Home
Movie • 1950
Herman Kluggs
Country Fair
Movie • 1941
Stogie McPhee
After Office Hours
Movie • 1935
Police Detective (uncredited)
The Jazz Singer
Movie • 1927
Buster Billings (uncredited)
The Great Gambini
Movie • 1937
Sergeant Kirby
A Girl in Every Port
Movie • 1928
Man in Bombay (uncredited)
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie • 1999
Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)
Rosalie
Movie • 1937
Army Coach
Time Out for Romance
Movie • 1937
Willoughby Sproggs
Stage Door Canteen
Movie • 1943
William Demarest
Rookies on Parade
Movie • 1941
Mike Brady
Oh, Doctor
Movie • 1937
Marty Short
Behind the Eight Ball
Movie • 1942
McKenzie
Pardon My Sarong
Movie • 1942
Detective Kendall
A Reno Divorce
Movie • 1927
James, the chauffeur
Five and Ten Cent Annie
Movie • 1928
Briggs
Hands Across the Table
Movie • 1935
Regi's Date Natty (uncredited)
Fugitive Lady
Movie • 1934
Steve Rogers
A Million Bid
Movie • 1927
George Lamont
Little Men
Movie • 1940
Constable Tom Thorpe
Laugh It Off
Movie • 1939
Barney 'Gimpy' Cole
Bright Lights
Movie • 1935
Detective
Son of Flubber
Movie • 1963
Mr. Hummel
Diamond Jim
Movie • 1935
Harry Hill
Lucy Gallant
Movie • 1955
Charles Madden
Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
Movie • 1961
Jeb
Hollywood Victory Caravan
Movie • 1945
Bill, the Security Guard
Duffy's Tavern
Movie • 1945
William Demarest
That Darn Cat!
Movie • 1965
Mr. MacDougall
On Our Merry Way
Movie • 1948
Floyd
White Lies
Movie • 1935
Roberts
True to the Army
Movie • 1942
Sgt. Butts
Nine Girls
Movie • 1944
Walter Cummings
Dangerous Blondes
Movie • 1943
Detective Gatling
The Crash
Movie • 1928
Louie
Comin' Round the Mountain
Movie • 1940
Gutsy Mann
King of the Turf
Movie • 1939
Arnold
What Happened To Father
Movie • 1927
Detective Dibbin
Blonde Trouble
Movie • 1937
Paul Sears
Pay as You Enter
Movie • 1928
'Terrible Bill' McGovern
Finger Prints
Movie • 1927
Cuffs Egan
A Sailor's Sweetheart
Movie • 1927
Detective
Simple Sis
Movie • 1927
The Devil and Miss Jones
Movie • 1941
First Detective
Many Happy Returns
Movie • 1934
Brinker
Wake Up and Live
Movie • 1937
Radio Center Tour Guide
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Movie • 1976
Studio Gatekeeper
The Bush Leaguer
Movie • 1927
John Gilroy
The Gay Old Bird
Movie • 1927
Mr. Fixit
Matinee Ladies
Movie • 1927
Man About Town
The Casino Murder Case
Movie • 1935
Auctioneer (uncredited)
Burke's Law
TV • 1963
Charlie Who
My Three Sons
TV • 1960
Charley O'Casey
Tales of Wells Fargo
TV • 1957
Jeb Gaine (credit only)
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1959
Joe Britt
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1955
Tom Akins
Going My Way
TV • 1962
The Rebel
TV • 1959
Ulysses Bowman
Ben Casey
TV • 1961
Love and Marriage
TV • 1959
William Harris
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Mr. Aimes
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Senator Burnside
Wagon Train
TV • 1957
Mr. Hennessey
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Enos Milford
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Angus Tweedy
McMillan & Wife
TV • 1971
Cyrus McFee
Ellery Queen
TV • 1975
Alexander 'Pop' Denny
McMillan & Wife
TV • 1971
Andy Kenesaw
The Greatest Show on Earth
TV • 1963
Paul Keller
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Mr. Hummel (archive footage)
Studio 57
TV • 1954
The Jerry Lewis Show
TV • 1963
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self