William O'Connell (actor)
William O'Connell (born William L. O'Connell Jr. on August 20, 1933) is an American film and television actor.
William O'Connell | |
|---|---|
| Born | William L. O'Connell Jr. August 20, 1933 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
Biography
William O'Connell was born in Richmond, Virginia, on August 20, 1933.
O'Connell may be best known for his work with Clint Eastwood, with whom he first appeared in the 1969 musical Paint Your Wagon. In 1972, O'Connell was cast as a nervous barber in Eastwood's second directorial effort, High Plains Drifter, released the following year. In 1976, O'Connell appeared as ferryman Sim Carstairs in The Outlaw Josey Wales, also directed by Eastwood. One of O'Connell's most memorable roles was in the blockbuster hit Every Which Way But Loose and its sequel Any Which Way You Can. He played a member of a comically inept biker gang constantly being outmatched by Eastwood.
In addition to his film career, O'Connell was very active on TV throughout the '60s and '70s, appearing in about 50 different roles on such series such as Star Trek, Rawhide, Petticoat Junction, and Quincy, M.E.
Selected filmography
- 20,000 Eyes (1961) – Appraiser (uncredited)
- Womanhunt (1962)
- The Wheeler Dealers (1963) – Paid Weeper (uncredited)
- The War Lord (1965) – Volunteer rejected by Chrysagon (uncredited)
- Do Not Disturb (1965) – Cecil Graves (uncredited)
- Way... Way Out (1966) – Ponsonby
- It's a Bikini World (1967) – McSnigg
- The Big Mouth (1967) – Psychiatrist (uncredited)
- Games (1967) – Party Guest #1
- Star Trek, in "Journey to Babel" (1967, TV Series) – Thelev
- Petticoat Junction, in "All Sales Final" (1967, TV Series) – Mr. Agnew
- The Sweet Ride (1968) – Beach Resident (uncredited)
- Ice Station Zebra (1968) – Survivor
- Hook, Line & Sinker (1969) – Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
- Paint Your Wagon (1969) – Horace Tabor
- The Happy Ending (1969) – Minister
- Green Acres, in "A Tale of a Tail" (1969, TV Series) – Hotel Clerk
- Which Way to the Front? (1970) – Mr. Prescott (uncredited)
- Scandalous John (1971) – Men's Store Clerk
- The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972) – Bartender in Piercetown
- High Plains Drifter (1973) – the barber
- Black Eye (1974) – Minister
- Big Bad Mama (1974) – Crusade Preacher
- The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – Sim Carstairs
- Every Which Way but Loose (1978) – Elmo (Black Widow)
- Any Which Way You Can (1980) – Elmo (Black Widow)
- Stewardess School (1986) – Attorney
External links
- William O'Connell on IMDb
- William O'Connell at Hollywood.com
- William O'Connell at The Scott Rollins Film and TV Trivia Blog