William Demarest
Carl William Demarest was an American actor, known especially for his supporting roles in screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and as Uncle Charley in the sitcom My Three Sons from 1965 until 1972. Demarest, who frequently played crusty but good-hearted roles, was a prolific film and television actor, appearing in over 140 films, beginning in 1926 and ending in the late 1970s. Before his career in movies, he performed in vaudeville for two decades.
Early life
Carl William Demarest was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the youngest of three sons of Wilhelmina and Samuel Demarest. During William's infancy, the family moved to New Bridge, a hamlet in Bergen County, New Jersey. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I.Career
Demarest started in show business working in vaudeville, performing initially in his youth with his two older brothers and later with his wife Estelle Collette as "Demarest and Colette". He then moved to work on Broadway, and by 1926 also began working in films. By the 1940s he was a member of an informal troupe of actors whom director Preston Sturges often featured in his screwball comedies, appearing in 10 films written by Sturges, eight of which were under his direction. Among these he had prominent roles in The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, Hail the Conquering Hero, and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Demarest was such a familiar figure at the Paramount studio that just his name was used in the movie Sunset Boulevard as a potential star for William Holden's unsold baseball screenplay.In 1951 Demarest had a featured role in The Strip opposite Mickey Rooney as a philosophic nightclub owner and pianist fronting for a band composed of Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Earl "Fatha" Hines, and Rooney himself on drums.
He played folksy Jeb Gaine, an occasional sidekick to the main character, in the 1961–62 season of the Western series Tales of Wells Fargo.
Demarest appeared as Police Chief Aloysius of the Santa Rosita Police Department in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and in 1964 he co-starred in an episode originally aired in the final season of The Twilight Zone, portraying a hen-pecked husband who murders his wife, played by Joan Blondell. Several years later, Blondell and Demarest reunited on an episode of My Three Sons.
His most famous television role was in the sitcom My Three Sons from 1965 to 1972, playing Uncle Charley O'Casey. He replaced William Frawley, who was in failing health. Demarest had worked with Fred MacMurray previously in the films Hands Across the Table, Pardon My Past, On Our Merry Way, and The Far Horizons and was a personal friend.
Awards
Demarest received a single Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in The Jolson Story, playing Al Jolson's fictional mentor. He shared the screen with the real Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer.Demarest also received an Emmy nomination for the 1968–1969 season of My Three Sons as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Role.
Demarest has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to motion pictures, bestowed upon him on August 8, 1979, by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. In attendance at the ceremony and then later at Musso & Frank Grill for celebrations were his My Three Sons co-stars Fred MacMurray and his wife June Haver, Tina Cole, Stanley Livingston, Barry Livingston, and Dawn Lyn.
In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.
Personal life
Demarest was married twice. His first wife was his vaudeville partner Estelle Collette, born Esther Zichlin. Demarest helped raise her daughter, author Phyllis Gordon Demarest, from her earlier marriage, in 1907, to English poet and novelist Samuel Gordon, who had divorced Zichlin before his death. Demarest's second wife was Lucille Thayer, born Lucille Theurer, whom he married in Prescott, Arizona, on August 31, 1942. Thayer, who later became an activist on health issues in the motion picture industry, was appointed California's lay-chairman of the American Nurses Association in October 1960.Death
Demarest died at his home in Palm Springs, California on December 28, 1983, and his body is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.Partial filmography
Features
When the Wife's Away Finger Prints as Cuffs EganDon't Tell the Wife as Ray ValerianThe Gay Old Bird as Mr. FixitMatinee Ladies as Man-About-TownA Million Bid as George LamontSimple Sis as OscarThe Black Diamond Express as FiremanWhat Happened to Father? as Detective DibbinThe First Auto as The Village Cut-UpThe Bush Leaguer as John GilroyA Sailor's Sweetheart as DetectiveThe Jazz Singer as Buster Billings A Reno Divorce as James, the chauffeurSharp Shooters as 'Hi Jack' MurdockA Girl in Every Port as Man in Bombay The Escape as Trigger CaswellPay as You Enter as 'Terrible Bill' McGovernFive and Ten Cent Annie as BriggsThe Butter and Egg Man as Jack McLureThe Crash as LouieSeeing Things Fog Over Frisco as Spike SmithMany Happy Returns as BrinkerThe Circus Clown Fugitive Lady as Steve RogersAfter Office Hours as Police Detective The Casino Murder Case as Auctioneer The Murder Man as 'Red' MaguireBright Lights as DetectiveDiamond Jim as Harry HillHands Across the Table as Natty White Lies as RobertsThe Great Ziegfeld as Gene Buck Wedding Present as 'Smiles' BensonLove on the Run as Editor Lees BergerCharlie Chan at the Opera as Sergeant KellyMind Your Own Business as DroopyTime Out for Romance as Willoughby SproggsDon't Tell the Wife as Larry 'Horace' TuckerOh, Doctor as Marty ShortThe Hit Parade as Parole OfficerThe Great Hospital Mystery as Mr. BeattyThe Great Gambini as Sergeant KirbyEasy Living as Wallace WhistlingBlonde Trouble as Paul SearsWake Up and Live as Radio Station AttendantBig City as BeecherRosalie as Army CoachRebecca of Sunnybrook Farm as Henry KipperRomance on the Run as Police Lieutenant EckhardtOne Wild Night as Editor CollinsJosette as Joe, Diner OwnerPeck's Bad Boy with the Circus as DaroWhile New York Sleeps as Red MillerThe Great Man Votes as Charles DaleKing of the Turf as ArnoldThe Gracie Allen Murder Case as Police Sergeant Ernest HeathThe Cowboy Quarterback as Rusty WalkerMiracles for Sale as QuinnMr. Smith Goes to Washington as Bill GriffithLaugh It Off as Barney 'Gimpy' ColeWolf of New York as Bill EnnisThe Farmer's Daughter as Victor WalshThe Great McGinty as Skeeters – The PoliticianComin' Round the Mountain as Gutsy MannThe Golden Fleecing as SwallowChristmas in July as Mr. BildockerLittle Men as Constable Tom ThorpeThe Lady Eve as MuggsyThe Devil and Miss Jones as First DetectiveRookies on Parade as Mike BradyRide on Vaquero as Bartender BarneyCountry Fair as Stogie McPheeDressed to Kill as Inspector PiersonAll Through the Night as SunshineSullivan's Travels as Mr. JonasGlamour Boy as Papa DoranTrue to the Army as Sergeant ButtsMy Favorite Spy as Flower Pot PolicemanPardon My Sarong as Detective KendallThe Palm Beach Story as First Member Ale and Quail ClubBehind the Eight Ball as McKenzieLife Begins at Eight-Thirty as Police OfficerJohnny Doughboy as Harry FabianStage Door Canteen as William DemarestDangerous Blondes as Detective GatlingTrue to Life as Uncle JakeThe Miracle of Morgan's Creek as Constable Edmund KockenlockerNine Girls as Walter CummingsOnce Upon a Time as BrandtHail the Conquering Hero as Sergeant HeffelfingerThe Great Moment as Eben FrostSalty O'Rourke as SmittyAlong Came Jones as George FuryDuffy's Tavern as HimselfPardon My Past as Chuck GibsonOur Hearts Were Growing Up as Peanuts SchultzThe Jolson Story as Steve MartinThe Perils of Pauline as George 'Mac' McGuireVariety Girl as BarkerOn Our Merry Way as FloydThe Sainted Sisters as Vern TewilligerNight Has a Thousand Eyes as Lieutenant ShawnWhispering Smith as Bill DansingSorrowful Jones as RegretJolson Sings Again as Steve MartinRed, Hot and Blue as Charlie Baxter, Press AgentWhen Willie Comes Marching Home as Herman KluggsRiding High as HappyNever a Dull Moment as MearsHe's a Cockeyed Wonder as Bob SearsThe First Legion as Monsignor Michael CareyExcuse My Dust as Harvey BullittThe Strip as FluffBehave Yourself! as Officer O'RyanWhat Price Glory as Corporal KiperThe Blazing Forest as Syd JessupThe Lady Wants Mink as Harvey JonesDangerous When Wet as Pa HigginsHere Come the Girls as Dennis LoganEscape from Fort Bravo as CampbellThe Yellow Mountain as Jackpot WrayJupiter's Darling as MagoThe Far Horizons as Sergeant GassThe Private War of Major Benson as JohnLucy Gallant as Charles MaddenSincerely Yours as Sam DunneHell on Frisco Bay as Dan BiancoThe Rawhide Years as Brand ComfortThe Mountain as Father BelacchiPepe as Movie Studio GatemanThe Big Bankroll as Henry HechtTwenty Plus Two as Desmond SlocumSon of Flubber as Mr. HummelIt's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World as Aloysius, Chief of the Santa Rosita Police DepartmentViva Las Vegas as Mr. MartinThat Darn Cat as Mr. MacDougallDon't Be Afraid Of The Dark as Mr. HarrisThe Wild McCullochs as Father GurkinWon Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood as Studio GatekeeperShort subjects
A Night at Coffee Dan's as M.C.Amateur Night as Theatre ManagerThe Night Court as Defense Counsel Seeing Things- ''The Run Around''