William O'Connell (May 12, 1929 – January 15, 2024) was an American film and television actor.

Biography

O'Connell was born in Los Angeles on May 12, 1929. He served in the U.S. Army during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

with the 45th Infantry Division. O'Connell worked often with

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...

, 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 ''High Plains Drifter'' is a 1973 American Western film directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Pictures. The film stars Eastwood as a mysterious stranger who ...

'', released the following year. In 1976, O'Connell appeared as ferryman Sim Carstairs in '' The Outlaw Josey Wales'', also directed by Eastwood. O'Connell's other roles include portrayals in ''

Every Which Way but Loose ''Every Which Way but Loose'' is a 1978 American action comedy film released by Warner Bros. starring Clint Eastwood in an uncharacteristic and offbeat comedy role. It was produced by Robert Daley and directed by James Fargo. Eastwood plays ...

'' and its sequel '' Any Which Way You Can'', where 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 1960s and '70s, appearing in about 50 different roles on such series such as ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...

'', ''

Rawhide Rawhide may refer to: *Rawhide (material), a hide or animal skin that has not been tanned * Whip made from rawhide Entertainment * ''Rawhide'' (1926 film), a Western directed by Richard Thorpe * ''Rawhide'' (1938 film), a Western starring baseball ...

'', ''

Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, an ...

'', '' Dennis the Menace '' and '' Quincy, M.E.'' O'Connell died at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, on January 15, 2024, at the age of 94.

Selected filmography

* '' 20,000 Eyes'' (1961) – Appraiser (uncredited) * '' Womanhunt'' (1962) * '' The Wheeler Dealers'' (1963) – Paid Weeper (uncredited) * '' Dennis the Menace'' (1963) - Senate secretary (uncredited) * '' The Outer Limits'' (1964) (Season 1 episode "The Chameleon" - Creature * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1965) (Season 3 Episode 29: "Off Season") - Art Summers * ''

The War Lord ''The War Lord'' is a 1965 American drama historical film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring Charlton Heston. The film, which concerns medieval warfare and culture in 11th-century Normandy, is an adaptation of the play ''The Lovers ...

'' (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 A game is a Structure, structured type of play (activity), play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an Educational game, educational tool. Many games are also considered to be Work (human activity), work (such as p ...

'' (1967) – Party Guest #1 * ''

'', in "

Journey to Babel "Journey to Babel" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on November 17, 1967. In the episod ...

" (1967, TV series) – Thelev * ''

'', in "All Sales Final" (1967, TV series) – Mr. Agnew * '' The Sweet Ride'' (1968) – Beach Resident (uncredited) * ''

Ice Station Zebra ''Ice Station Zebra'' is a 1968 American espionage thriller film directed by John Sturges and starring Rock Hudson, Patrick McGoohan, Ernest Borgnine, and Jim Brown. The screenplay is by Douglas Heyes, Harry Julian Fink, and W. R. Burnett, lo ...

'' (1968) – Survivor * '' Hook, Line & Sinker'' (1969) – Hotel Clerk (uncredited) * '' Paint Your Wagon'' (1969) – Horace Tabor * '' The Happy Ending'' (1969) – Minister * ''

Green Acres ''Green Acres'' is an American television absurdist sitcom starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm. Produced by Filmways as a sister show to ''Petticoat Junction'', the series was first br ...

'', 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 * ''

'' (1973) – the Barber * ''

Black Eye A periorbital hematoma, commonly called a black eye or a shiner (associated with boxing or stick sports such as hockey), is bruising around the eye commonly due to an injury to the face rather than to the eye. The name refers to the dark-colo ...

'' (1974) – Minister * '' Big Bad Mama'' (1974) – Crusade Preacher * '' The Outlaw Josey Wales'' (1976) – Sim Carstairs * ''

'' (1978) – Elmo (Black Widow) * '' Any Which Way You Can'' (1980) – Elmo (Black Widow) * ''

Stewardess School ''Stewardess School'' is a 1986 American comedy film directed by Ken Blancato and starring Brett Cullen and Don Most. It is also known for being one of voice actor, voice veteran Rob Paulsen's very few onscreen roles, and up until the early 2000 ...

'' (1986) – Attorney

References

External links

*
William O'Connell
at Hollywood.com
William O'Connell
at The Scott Rollins Film and TV Trivia Blog {{DEFAULTSORT:OConnell, William 1929 births 2024 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Los Angeles Military personnel from California Military personnel from Los Angeles United States Army personnel of the Korean War