5 Fun Facts About William Windom
With more than 250 film and television credits, William Windom was one of those wonderfully familiar faces who seemed to turn up everywhere. He made his film debut in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), appeared in movies including The Americanization of Emily and Escape from the Planet of the Apes, and became a television favorite with roles in The Farmer’s Daughter, My World and Welcome to It, Murder, She Wrote and many more.
But there was quite a bit more to William Windom than his long list of screen credits. Here are five fun facts about William Windom 🙂
1. His Kindergarten Teacher Was the Wicked Witch of the West!
When William Windom was a little boy, one of his kindergarten teachers was none other than Margaret Hamilton — years before she terrified generations of moviegoers as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Interestingly, Windom didn’t discover the connection until many years later, when he and Hamilton were having lunch and began talking about Rye, New York. They realized that Hamilton had taught kindergarten at Rye Country Day School — and five-year-old William had been one of her students!
As Windom later joked, “I started my education under the Wicked Witch of the West.”
2. He Was a Serious Chess Player — And Even Played John Wayne
Acting wasn’t Windom’s only passion. He was an avid chess player and a lifetime member of the United States Chess Federation.
Over the years, he played against quite a few fellow actors — including John Wayne!
Windom’s interest in the game lasted throughout his life, and he even participated in celebrity chess events and exhibitions.
3. He Played a Minnesota Congressman — Just Like His Great-Grandfather
William Windom came by his name honestly. His great-grandfather, William Windom, was a prominent 19th-century politician who represented Minnesota in both the U.S. House and Senate and served twice as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
Here’s the fun coincidence: on The Farmer’s Daughter, Windom played Glen Morley, a congressman from Minnesota — the same state his real-life great-grandfather had represented in Congress!
Sometimes casting really does run in the family. 🙂
4. A Canceled TV Series Led to Years of James Thurber Performances
Windom won an Emmy for playing cartoonist John Monroe in the 1969–70 series My World and Welcome to It, which was inspired by the writings and cartoons of humorist James Thurber.
Despite the Emmy, the series lasted only one season.
But Windom’s connection to Thurber didn’t end with the show. His co-star Joan Hotchkiss “more or less dared” him to do something more with Thurber’s work, telling him that if he didn’t, he would always regret it.
Windom took her challenge to heart. With permission from Thurber’s widow, Helen, he created a one-man show based on Thurber’s writings and took it on the road.
And what began as a follow-up to a short-lived television series turned into a remarkably long second act. By 1982, Windom had been performing his Thurber show for 11 years, averaging some 40 to 50 performances a year — and had even created a second Thurber show.
So while My World and Welcome to It may have been short-lived, Windom’s connection to James Thurber certainly wasn’t.
5. He Bought an Island for $1!
Yes — one dollar.
During a visit to Windom, Minnesota — the town named for his great-grandfather — William Windom acquired a small island for the grand sum of $1. The island became a wildlife refuge.
And Windom apparently liked the deal. He joked that he was “open to any other islands at or near that price.” 🙂
William Windom’s career stretched across more than five decades, from To Kill a Mockingbird and The Twilight Zone to Murder, She Wrote and beyond. And whether he was acting, playing chess, performing James Thurber or buying the occasional one-dollar island, he certainly had plenty of interesting stories beyond the screen.
Which fact surprised you most?
–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
Sources & Further Reading
Los Angeles Times — “The Patriarch of ‘Parenthood’” (Nov. 4, 1990)
United States Chess Federation — “William Windom” (Aug. 21, 2012)
The Washington Post — “Windom: Back in Thurber’s World” (Dec. 7, 1982)
The Washington Post — William Windom obituary (Aug. 20, 2012)
The Official William Windom Website — Biography
United States Chess Federation Forum — “William Windom, 1923–2012 RIP” (Aug. 2012)
