William Benedict
Billy Benedict | |
|---|---|
 Benedict in Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941 serial) | |
| Born | William Benedict April 16, 1917 Haskell, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | November 25, 1999 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1935–1992 |
| Spouse(s) | Dolly Benedict (1969-?) |
William Benedict (April 16, 1917 – November 25, 1999) was an American actor, perhaps best known for playing "Whitey" in Monogram Pictures' The Bowery Boys series.[1]
Early years[]
Benedict was born in Haskell, Oklahoma,[2] After his father's death when William was 3 years old, his mother supported him and his two sisters.[3] He took part in school theatricals, and on leaving school he made his way to Hollywood.
Career[]
Benedict's first film was $10 Raise (1935) starring Edward Everett Horton, which launched the blond-haired young man on a busy career. He almost always played juvenile roles, such as newsboys, messengers, office boys, and farmhands.
In 1939, when Universal Pictures began its Little Tough Guys series to compete with the popular Dead End Kids features, Benedict was recruited into the cast. These films led him into the similar East Side Kids movies (usually playing a member of the East Side gang, but occasionally in villainous roles). The East Side Kids became The Bowery Boys in 1946, and Benedict stayed with the series (as "Whitey") through the end of 1951.
Other films included My Little Chickadee (1940) starring W. C. Fields and Mae West, The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster (1955), The Sting (1973) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975). Benedict never shook his juvenile image completely, and continued to play messengers and news vendors well into his sixties. He also worked often in television commercials.[4]
Death[]
Benedict died at age 82 on November 25, 1999, at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,[4] following heart surgery.[1]
Selected filmography[]
- $10 Raise (1935) as Jimmy
- College Scandal (1935) as 'Penny' Parker
- Silk Hat Kid (1935) as Uncle Sam (uncredited)
- Doubting Thomas (1935) as Caddie
- The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935) as Boy Announcing Dan's Arrival Before Fight (uncredited)
- Welcome Home (1935) as Bit (uncredited)
- Steamboat Round the Bend (1935) as Breck (uncredited)
- Ladies Love Danger (1935) as Newsboy (uncredited)
- Way Down East (1935) as Amos
- Three Kids and a Queen (1935) as Flash
- Bad Boy (1935) as Grocery Clerk (uncredited)
- Show Them No Mercy (1935) as Willie (uncredited)
- Your Uncle Dudley (1935) as Cyril Church
- The Country Doctor (1936) as The Gawker
- Captain January (1936) as Bud - Telegram Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- The Witness Chair (1936) as Benny Ryan
- Meet Nero Wolfe (1936) as Johnny - Barstow's Caddy
- M'Liss (1936) as Archer Morpher
- A Son Comes Home (1936) as Cabin Boy (uncredited)
- Ramona (1936) as Joseph Hyar
- Adventure in Manhattan (1936) as Office Boy (uncredited)
- Libeled Lady (1936) as Johnny
- Theodora Goes Wild (1936) as Henry (uncredited)
- Can This Be Dixie? (1936) as Shenandoah Peachtree (uncredited)
- Laughing at Trouble (1936) as Wilbur
- Crack-Up (1936) as Office Boy (uncredited)
- After the Thin Man (1936) as Blond Young Man Who Approaches Car (uncredited)
- They Wanted to Marry (1937) as Freckles
- Jim Hanvey, Detective (1937) as Copy Boy (uncredited)
- That I May Live (1937) as Kurt Plivens
- The Road Back (1937) as Boy Leader (uncredited)
- Rhythm in the Clouds (1937) as Clyde (uncredited)
- Love in a Bungalow (1937) as Telegraph boy
- Flying Fists (1937) as Monk, Tall Kid
- A Dangerous Adventure (1937) as Blister (uncredited)
- The Last Gangster (1937) as Freddy - the Office Boy (uncredited)
- Tim Tyler's Luck (1937) as Spud
- I Met My Love Again (1938) as Billy - Boy at Party (uncredited)
- No Time to Marry (1938) as Farm Boy (uncredited)
- Bringing Up Baby (1938) as David's Caddy (uncredited)
- Walking Down Broadway (1938) as Eddie
- King of the Newsboys (1938) as Squimpy
- There's Always a Woman (1938) as Bellhop (uncredited)
- Hold That Kiss (1938) as Boy Delivering Suit (uncredited)
- Young Fugitives (1938) as Jud
- Hold That Co-ed (1938) as Sylvester
- Little Tough Guys in Society (1938) as Trouble
- Say It in French (1938) as Red-Haired Boy (uncredited)
- Newsboys' Home (1938) as Trouble
- Code of the Streets (1939) as Trouble
- Man of Conquest (1939) as Tommy (uncredited)
- Timber Stampede (1939) as Tiny Tim - Printer's Devil (uncredited)
- Pack Up Your Troubles (1939) as Office Boy (uncredited)
- Call a Messenger (1939) as Trouble
- Legion of the Lawless (1940) as Eddie
- My Little Chickadee (1940) as Lem (uncredited)
- And One Was Beautiful (1940) as Delivery Man (uncredited)
- Prairie Law (1940) as Teenage Voter (uncredited)
- Grand Ole Opry (1940) as Newsboy (uncredited)
- Adventures of Red Ryder (1940, Serial) as Dan Withers [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
- The Great McGinty (1940) as Farm Boy (uncredited)
- Stage to Chino (1940) as Happy (uncredited)
- Lucky Partners (1940) as Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- Young People (1940) as Boy (uncredited)
- Rhythm on the River (1940) as Elevator Boy (uncredited)
- The Mad Doctor (1940) as Mickey Barnes - Copy Boy (uncredited)
- Melody Ranch (1940) as Slim
- Give Us Wings (1940) as Link
- Second Chorus (1940) as Ticket Taker (uncredited)
- Bowery Boy (1940) (uncredited)
- The Great Mr. Nobody (1941) as Jig
- Scattergood Baines (1941) as Lafe Hopper (uncredited)
- The Man Who Lost Himself (1941) as Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- Mr. District Attorney (1941) as Office Boy (uncredited)
- Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941, Serial) as Whitey Murphy
- In Old Cheyenne (1941) as Train Vendor (uncredited)
- She Knew All the Answers (1941) as Singing Telegraph Boy
- Time Out for Rhythm (1941) as Messenger (uncredited)
- Citadel of Crime (1941) as Wes Rankins
- The Richest Man in Town (1941) as Young Man (uncredited)
- Dressed to Kill (1941) as Telegram Boy (uncredited)
- Great Guns (1941) as Recruit at Corral (uncredited)
- Jesse James at Bay (1941) as Young Davis (uncredited)
- Unholy Partners (1941) as Copyboy Wanting Paper (uncredited)
- Tuxedo Junction (1941) as Thomas 'Piecrust' Murphy
- Cadet Girl (1941) as Soldier at Camp Show (uncredited)
- Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941) as Ice Cream Man
- A Tragedy at Midnight (1942) as Newsboy (uncredited)
- On the Sunny Side (1942) as Messenger
- Rings on Her Fingers (1942) as Newsboy
- Two Yanks in Trinidad (1942) as Messenger (uncredited)
- The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine (1942) as Bellboy
- Junior G-Men of the Air (1942, Serial) as Whitey [Ch. 11] (uncredited)
- Home in Wyomin' (1942) as Usher (uncredited)
- I Live on Danger (1942) as Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
- Lady in a Jam (1942) as Barker (uncredited)
- Perils of Nyoka (1942) as Red Davis
- The Talk of the Town (1942) as Western Union Boy (uncredited)
- Wildcat (1942) as Bud Smithers
- The Glass Key (1942) as Farr's Receptionist (uncredited)
- Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1942) as Usher in Opera House (uncredited)
- Get Hep to Love (1942) as Soda Jerk (uncredited)
- Valley of Hunted Men (1942) as Ranch Boy (uncredited)
- Heart of the Golden West (1942) as Telegraph Messenger (uncredited)
- A Night to Remember (1942) as Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- The Powers Girl (1943) as Office Boy (uncredited)
- Aerial Gunner (1943) as Pvt. Jackson 'Sleepy' Laswell
- Hangmen Also Die! (1943) as Kylar (uncredited)
- Clancy Street Boys (1943) as Butch - Cherry Street Leader
- The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) as Greene
- All by Myself (1943) as Telegraph Messenger (uncredited)
- Ghosts on the Loose (1943) as Benny
- Nobody's Darling (1943) as Sammy (uncredited)
- Adventures of the Flying Cadets (1943) as Cadet Zombie Parker
- Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) as Busboy (uncredited)
- Mr. Muggs Steps Out (1943) as Pinky
- Minesweeper (1943) as Inoculations Corpsman (uncredited)
- Moonlight in Vermont (1943) as Abel
- Whispering Footsteps (1943) as Jerry Murphy
- Million Dollar Kid (1944) as Skinny
- Cover Girl (1944) as Florist Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- The Whistler (1944) as The Deafmute (uncredited)
- Follow the Boys (1944) as Joe (uncredited)
- Follow the Leader (1944) as Spider O'Brien
- Goodnight Sweetheart (1944) as Bellboy
- Block Busters (1944) as Butch
- Janie (1944) as Soda Jerk (uncredited)
- That's My Baby! (1944) as Office Boy
- The Merry Monahans (1944) as Messenger (uncredited)
- They Live in Fear (1944) as Thomas 'Mack' Knight (uncredited)
- Bowery Champs (1944) as Skinny
- My Gal Loves Music (1944) as Bellboy (uncredited)
- Night Club Girl (1945) as Winnebago boy (uncredited)
- Youth on Trial (1945) as Soda Jerk (uncredited)
- Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Serial) as Pesky [Ch 1,3,5-8,11,13] (uncredited)
- Docks of New York (1945) as Skinny
- Patrick the Great (1945) as Joey (uncredited)
- Hollywood and Vine (1945) as Joe - Newsboy (uncredited)
- The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) as Pvt. Whitey (uncredited)
- Mr. Muggs Rides Again (1945) as Skinny
- Come Out Fighting (1945) as Skinny
- Road to Utopia (1945) as Second Newsboy (uncredited)
- People Are Funny (1946) as NBC Usher
- Live Wires (1946) as Whitey
- Gay Blades (1946) as Newsboy (uncredited)
- The Gentleman Misbehaves (1946) as Bellboy (uncredited)
- The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) as Newsboy #2 (uncredited)
- Without Reservations (1946) as Western Union Telegraph Boy (uncredited)
- Do You Love Me? (1946) as Singing Western Union Boy (uncredited)
- One More Tomorrow (1946) as Stakey - Bantam Office Boy (uncredited)
- In Fast Company (1946) as Whitey
- A Boy, a Girl and a Dog (1946) as Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- Bowery Bombshell (1946) as Whitey
- Spook Busters (1946) as Whitey
- No Leave, No Love (1946) as Expectant Father on Hospital Phone (uncredited)
- Never Say Goodbye (1946) as Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- Mr. Hex (1946) as Whitey
- The Pilgrim Lady (1947) as Bellboy
- Hard Boiled Mahoney (1947) as Whitey
- Fun on a Weekend (1947) as Hotel Bellboy (uncredited)
- The Hucksters (1947) as Bellboy at Blue Penguin Inn (uncredited)
- News Hounds (1947) as Whitey
- Bowery Buckaroos (1947) as Whitey
- Merton of the Movies (1947) as Von Strutt's Assistant (uncredited)
- Angels' Alley (1948) as Whitey
- Secret Service Investigator (1948) as Counterman
- Jinx Money (1948) as Whitey
- Night Wind (1948) as Irv Bennett (uncredited)
- Smugglers' Cove (1948) as Whitey
- Trouble Makers (1948) as Whitey
- Fighting Fools (1949) as Whitey
- Riders of the Pony Express (1949) as Eddie Lund
- Hold That Baby! (1949) as Whitey
- Angels in Disguise (1949) as Whitey
- Master Minds (1949) as Whitey
- Blonde Dynamite (1950) as Whitey
- Lucky Losers (1950) as Whitey
- Triple Trouble (1950) as Whitey
- Blues Busters (1950) as Whitey
- Bowery Battalion (1951) as Whitey
- Ghost Chasers (1951) as Whitey
- Let's Go Navy! (1951) as Whitey
- Crazy Over Horses (1951) as Whitey
- The Magnetic Monster (1953) as Albert
- Bride of the Monster (1955) as Newsboy
- The Killing (1956) as American Airlines Clerk
- Rally Round the Flag, Boys! (1958) as Bellhop (uncredited)
- The Hanging Tree (1959) as Trapper (uncredited)
- Last Train from Gun Hill (1959) as Small Man in Horseshoe (uncredited)
- Lover Come Back (1961) as Musician in Elevator (uncredited)
- Dear Heart (1964) as Stu (uncredited)
- Zebra in the Kitchen (1965) as Toy Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
- The Hallelujah Trail (1965) as Simpson - Miner
- Harlow (1965) as Bespectacled Hero in Movie (uncredited)
- What Am I Bid? (1967) as Clem
- Funny Girl (1968) as Western Union Boy (uncredited)
- Rogue's Gallery (1968) as Jocko
- Big Daddy (1969)
- Hello Dolly! (1969) as News Vendor (uncredited)
- The Dirt Gang (1972) as Station Attendant
- The Sting (1973) as Jimmy, Roulette dealer
- Homebodies (1974) as Watchman
- Farewell, My Lovely (1975) (uncredited)
- Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) as Man on Bus
- Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976) as Telegraph Office Manager
- The Last Hurrah (1977) as Willie Degman
- Born Again (1978) as Leon Jaworski
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lentz, Harris M. III (2000). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. p. 18. ISBN 9780786452040. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- ^ Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. p. 49. ISBN 9780786477623. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- ^ Keavy, Hubbard (May 3, 1935). "Screen Life In Hollywood". Altoona Tribune. PA, Altoona. p. 6. Retrieved May 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Staff. "William Benedict Character Actor, 82", The New York Times, November 30, 1999. Accessed March 30, 2009.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to William "Billy" Benedict. |
- William Benedict at IMDb
- William Benedict at Find a Grave
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Categories:
- American male film actors
- Male actors from Oklahoma
- 20th-century American male actors
- 1917 births
- 1999 deaths
- Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
- People from Haskell, Oklahoma