Willard B. Koontz (August 28, 1917 – April 7, 1978), also known as Bill Foster, was an American actor and

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

. Coontz was born in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. His film career started in 1949, when he worked as a stuntman on the film ''

Apache Chief Apache Chief is a Native American superhero from the various Hanna-Barbera ''Super Friends'' cartoons and the DC comic book series of the same name. He was one of the new heroes added (along with Black Vulcan, Rima the Jungle Girl, El Dorado and ...

'', and he spent almost a quarter of a century working as a stunt double in films and television. Coontz played numerous roles in numerous television programs including ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'', ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before ''Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely base ...

'', '' The Fugitive'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...

'', ''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels w ...

'', ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour e ...

'', ''

Johnny Ringo John Peters Ringo (May 3, 1850 – July 13, 1882), known as Johnny Ringo, was an American Old West outlaw loosely associated with the Cochise County Cowboys in frontier boomtown Tombstone, Arizona Territory. He took part in the Mason County War ...

'', '' The Californians'', ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded to ...

'', '' Mission: Impossible'', ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'' and '' Rawhide''. Coontz appeared in numerous films such as ''

Outlaw Gold ''Outlaw Gold'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Wallace Fox and written by Jack Lewis. The film stars Johnny Mack Brown, Jane Adams, Milburn Morante, Hugh Prosser, Marshall Reed and Myron Healey. The film was released on November ...

'' (1950), starring

Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western (genre), Western films. Early lif ...

; ''

Gold Raiders ''Gold Raiders'' is a 1951 comedy Western film starring George O'Brien and The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). The picture was O'Brien's last starring role and the only feature film released during Shemp Howard's 1947� ...

'' (1951), starring George O'Brien and

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

; ''

Night Stage to Galveston ''Night Stage to Galveston'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Norman S. Hall. The film stars Gene Autry, Virginia Huston, Thurston Hall, Judy Nugent, Robert Livingston and Harry Cording. The film w ...

'' (1952), starring

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...

; ''

The Law vs. Billy the Kid ''The Law vs. Billy the Kid'' is a 1954 American western film directed by William Castle and starring Scott Brady, Betta St. John and Paul Cavanagh. It was produced by Sam Katzman for distribution by Columbia Pictures. Plot Cheated out of a h ...

'' (1954), starring

Scott Brady Scott Brady (born Gerard Kenneth Tierney; September 13, 1924 – April 16, 1985) was an American film and television actor best known for his roles in Western films and as a ubiquitous television presence. He played the title role in the televi ...

and Betta St. John; ''

Hidden Guns ''Hidden Guns'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Albert C. Gannaway and written by Samuel Roeca and Albert C. Gannaway. The film stars Bruce Bennett, Richard Arlen, John Carradine, Faron Young, Lloyd Corrigan and Angie Dickinson. Th ...

'' (1956), starring

Bruce Bennett Bruce Bennett (born Harold Herman Brix, also credited Herman Brix; May 19, 1906February 24, 2007) was an American film and television actor who prior to his screen career was a highly successful college athlete in football and in both intercol ...

Richard Arlen Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television. Biography Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Arlen attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served in Canada as a ...

and

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later Jo ...

; ''

The Badge of Marshal Brennan ''The Badge of Marshal Brennan'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Albert C. Gannaway and written by Tom Hubbard. The film stars Jim Davis, Arleen Whelan, Carl Smith, Harry Lauter, Marty Robbins, Douglas Fowley, Lee Van Cleef and L ...

'' (1957), starring Jim Davis; ''

Gunsmoke in Tucson ''Gunsmoke in Tucson'' is a 1958 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Thomas Carr and written by Paul Leslie Peil and Robert L. Joseph. The film stars Mark Stevens, Forrest Tucker, Gale Robbins, Vaughn Taylor, John Ward and Kevin H ...

'' (1958), starring Mark Stevens,

Forrest Tucker Forrest Meredith Tucker (February 12, 1919 – October 25, 1986) was an American actor in both movies and television who appeared in nearly a hundred films. Tucker worked as a vaudeville straight man at the age of fifteen. A mentor provided fund ...

and

Gale Robbins Gale Robbins (born Betty Gale Robbins or Betty Gale Murphy, May 7, 1921 – February 18, 1980) was an American actress and singer. Early years Born in Chicago, Illinois, although one source claims she was born in Mitchell, Indiana and her fami ...

; ''

Lone Texan ''Lone Texan'' is a 1959 American Western film directed by Paul Landres and written by James Landis and Jack W. Thomas. The film stars Willard Parker, Grant Williams, Audrey Dalton, Douglas Kennedy, June Blair and Dabbs Greer. The film was re ...

'' (1959), starring

Willard Parker Willard Parker (born Worster Van Eps; February 5, 1912 – December 4, 1996) was an American film and television actor. He was a leading man under contract to Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and starred in the TV series ''Tales of the Texas Rang ...

; ''

Gunfight at Comanche Creek ''Gunfight at Comanche Creek'' is a 1963 American Western film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Audie Murphy.p. 194 Larkins, Bob & Magers, Boyd ''The Films of Audie Murphy'' McFarland, 19 Aug. 2009 Plot A gang of Colorado bank robber ...

'' (1963), starring

Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...

and ''

Heaven with a Gun ''Heaven with a Gun'' is a 1969 American Western film starring Glenn Ford and directed by Lee H. Katzin. Plot Jim Killian arrives at the town of Vinegaroon, which is divided between cattlemen and sheepherders, and purchases a vacant barn. Cattl ...

'' (1969), starring

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as ...

. His final credit was from the 1978 film ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

'', where he had played as the Old Iguana. Coontz starred in the 1973 film ''

Guns of a Stranger ''Guns of a Stranger'' is a 1973 American Western film directed by Robert Hinkle and written by Charles W. Aldridge. The film stars Marty Robbins, Chill Wills, Dovie Beams, Steven Tackett, Bill Coontz and Shug Fisher. The film was released on ...

'', where he played as Ace Gorenum. He was credited as William Foster. Coontz died in April 1978 of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

, at the age of 60.

References

External links

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Rotten Tomatoes profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coontz, Bill 1917 births 1978 deaths People from Iowa Male actors from Iowa American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors Male Western (genre) film actors Western (genre) television actors American stunt performers