Job Film, radio, television actor
Years active 1936-64
Top Roles 'Pinkie' Peters, 'Frenchy' Shapiro, Buddy of Roscoe Karns, Wechsberg, Sir Sagramore
Top GenresDrama, Comedy, Film Noir, War, Crime, Thriller/Suspense
Top TopicsWorld War II, Book-Based, Baseball
Top Collaborators , (Director), (Producer), (Producer)
Shares birthday with Bebe Daniels, Hal Roach, Harold Russell  see more..

William Bendix Overview:

Legendary character actor, William Bendix, was born on Jan 14, 1906 in New York City, NY. Bendix died at the age of 58 on Dec 14, 1964 in Los Angeles, CA and was laid to rest in San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, CA.

MINI BIO:

Likeable American character star, with fair, wavy hair and soft, Brooklynese voice, built like a barrel, and often cast as amiable, dimwitted thugs. Appeared in a memorable series of Paramount thrillers in the forties, but his later success in comedy meant his virtual loss to TV from 1953 on. Died from lobar pneumonia. Oscar nominee for Wake Island.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Stars).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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Although Bendix was nominated for one Oscar, he never won a competitive Academy Award.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1942Best Supporting ActorWake Island (1942)Smacksie RandallNominated
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He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the categories of Radio and Television.

BlogHub Articles:

Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, and star in “Detective Story”

By Stephen Reginald on Apr 18, 2025 From Classic Movie Man

Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, and star in “Detective Story” Detective Story (1951) is an American drama directed by William Wyler and starring Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, and . The supporting cast includes Cathy O’Donnell, George Macready, Lee Gr... Read full article


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William Bendix Quotes:

Gus Smith: My name is Schmidt, but I changed it to Smith. That's what I got against these guys more than anything else. They make me ashamed of the name I was born with. I got a lot of relatives in Germany. For all I know this guy may be one of them. I say throw him to the sharks!


Stauffer, alias Fred Foss: It didn't work. It was a busto crusto.
Hardy Cathcart: [Cathcart is at a total loss as to what this means] A what?
Stauffer, alias Fred Foss: A flop.


Hardy Cathcart: [whispering] Tell him you need two hundred dollars to leave town.
Stauffer, alias Fred Foss: [on the phone to Galt] I need two yards, powder money.


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Best Supporting Actor Oscar 1942






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William Bendix on the
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William Bendix Facts
In the summer of 1961 the residents of Aurora East, Ohio, voted to name the town park after their favorite television performer, William Bendix. He made a personal appearance to dedicate "William Bendix Park".

Graduated from Public School 5 in the Bronx and attended Townsend Harris High School for a brief spell.

Claims Babe Ruth had an affinity for hot dogs and young Bendix often was called upon to fetch them for him.

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