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William Schallert 1922 - 2016

William Schallert of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States was born on July 6, 1922, and died at age 93 years old on May 8, 2016.

William Schallert

Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States

July 6, 1922

May 8, 2016

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William Schallert William Schallert (1922 - 2016)

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William Schallert's History: 1922 - 2016

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Introduction

Schallert said in 2008 that his greatest accomplishment as SAG president was the formation of a committee for performers with disabilities. "We had established committees for all of the various ethnic minorities, women and seniors. I'm a big beneficiary of that right now because I'm 85 and I still work."
07/6

1922

Birthday

July 6, 1922

Birthdate

Unknown

Birthplace

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Early Life & Education

Early life and career William Schallert was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Edwin Francis Schallert, a longtime drama critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Elza Emily Schallert (née Baumgarten), a magazine writer and radio host. He began acting while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) but left to become an Army Air Corps fighter pilot in World War II. He returned to UCLA after the war and graduated in 1946. In 1946, he helped found the Circle Theatre with Sydney Chaplin and several fellow students. In 1948, Schallert was directed by Sydney's father, Charlie Chaplin, in a staging of W. Somerset Maugham's Rain. In 1949, Schallert served as the reciter in a concert performance of Arnold Schoenberg's Ode to Napoleon to celebrate the composer's 75th birthday.
Military Service

Army Air Corps fighter pilot in World War II. After military service, he graduated from UCLA and went to England on a Fulbright scholarship in 1952. He studied repertory theatre and lectured on American theatre at Oxford. In his early years, he was a founding member of the Circle Theater in Hollywood. The director was Charlie Chaplin, whose son Sydney was a cast member.
Professional Career

Film Year Title Role Notes 1947 Doctor Jim George Brant 1950 Lonely Heart Bandits Dave Clark 1951 The Man from Planet X Dr. Mears 1951 The Red Badge of Courage Union Soldier Uncredited 1952 Rose of Cimarron Gold Bullion Guard 1952 Just This Once Secretary Scenes deleted 1952 Storm Over Tibet Aylen 1952 Captive Women Carver 1952 Flat Top Ensign Longfellow 1953 Sword of Venus Valmont 1953 Port Sinister Collins 1954 Down Three Dark Streets Gas Station Attendant Uncredited 1954 Riot in Cell Block 11 Reporter 1954 Them! Ambulance Attendant Uncredited 1954 The High and the Mighty Dispatcher 1954 Gog Eagle 1954 Shield for Murder Assistant District Attorney 1955 Smoke Signal Private Livingston 1955 An Annapolis Story Tony's Instructor Scenes deleted 1955 Top of the World Captain Harding 1955 Hell's Horizon Ben Morgan 1956 Raw Edge Missionary 1956 Gunslinger Marshal Scott Hood 1956 Written on the Wind Reporter 1957 The Incredible Shrinking Man Arthur Bramson 1957 The Tattered Dress Court Clerk 1957 The Girl in the Kremlin Jacob Stalin 1957 The Story of Mankind Earl of Warwick 1957 The Tarnished Angels Ted Baker 1957 Man in the Shadow Jim Shaney 1958 Cry Terror! Henderson 1959 Pillow Talk Hotel Clerk 1960 The Gallant Hours Thomas George Lanphier Jr. 1962 Lonely Are the Brave Harry 1962 Paradise Alley Jack Williams 1963 Shotgun Wedding Theodore Parsons 1967 In the Heat of the Night Mayor Schubert 1967 Hour of the Gun Herman Spicer 1967 Will Penny Dr. Fraker 1968 Speedway Abel Esterlake 1969 Sam Whiskey Mr. Perkins 1969 The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes Professor Quigley 1970 Colossus: The Forbin Project CIA Director Grauber 1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! Harry Hopkins Scenes deleted 1972 The Trial of the Catonsville Nine Judge 1973 Charley Varrick Bill Horton 1973 Peege Dad Short film 1975 The Strongest Man in the World Professor Quigley 1976 Tunnel Vision Francis Cody 1980 Hangar 18 Professor Mills 1981 Peter-No-Tail Father (voice) English version 1983 Twilight Zone: The Movie Father Segment: "It's a Good Life" 1984 Teachers Horn 1987 Innerspace Dr. Greenbush 1991 House Party 2 Dean Kramer 2007 Sweetzer Barnaby 2009 Green Lantern: First Flight Appa Ali Apsa (voice) Direct-to-video[15]
Personal Life & Family

Personal life In a 2014 interview, Schallert said that he was suffering from peripheral neuropathy, forcing him to wear leg braces while effectively "confining" him to a wheelchair. He said about his condition and the leg braces: "They help me stay balanced if I use a walker, but it’s just easier to get around in a wheelchair." While not ruling out working on stage in the future, he said: "Working in film or TV would be too difficult now. Besides, I did my share!" Schallert was married to actress Leah Waggner (born Rosemarie Diann Waggner) from 1949 until her death in 2015. She appeared with him in various shows, including episodes of The Patty Duke Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show. They had four sons: William Joseph, Jr. (born 1949), Edwin G. (born 1952), Mark M. (born 1954), and Brendan C. Schallert (born 1961). Schallert died on May 8, 2016, at his home in Pacific Palisades at the age of 93, six weeks after the death of his on-screen daughter Patty Duke, on March 29.
05/8

2016

Death

May 8, 2016

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Unknown
Death location

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Obituary

William Schallert (1922–2016), “The Patty Duke Show” dad By Legacy Staff May 9, 2016 Actor played Patty Duke’s dad on her eponymous 1960s show. William Schallert, the ubiquitous character actor who portrayed Patty Duke’s father on her eponymous hit 1960s sitcom, died May 8 at his home in Pacific Palisades, California, according to multiple news sources, including The Associated Press. He was 93. The actor’s death was announced by his son, Edwin. He did not specify the cause of death. Schallert’s best-known role was Martin Lane, the father and uncle of Patty Duke, who also played the role of her look-alike teenage cousin Cathy, Lane’s daughter, on “The Patty Duke Show,” which ran from 1963 to 1966. Duke preceded Schallert in death on March 29, 2016. Schallert also played the old-fashioned high school English teacher on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” which ran from 1959 to 1963. The actor also appeared in films including “The Man From Planet X” (1951), “Pillow Talk” (1959) with Doris Day and Rock Hudson, “Speedway” (1968) with Elvis Presley, and “The Jerk” (1979) with Steve Martin. Get weekly celebrity death news delivered to your inbox. He was born July 6, 1922, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Edwin Francis Schallert, was a longtime drama critic for the Los Angeles Times, and his mother, Elza Schallert, was a magazine writer and radio host. He studied acting at the University of California at Los Angeles and began acting professionally in the 1940s. Schallert reflected on his career in a 2009 interview with the pop culture writer Sam Tweedle. “In terms of acting, I don’t think I was a great actor,” Schallert told the writer, “but I was a very versatile actor. I fit into a variety of things. I was what you called a ‘straight character’ actor. That turned out to be less of an advantage when you get old. It would be better if I were more gnarly looking.”

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William Schallert lived 18 years longer than the average family member when died at the age of 93.

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5 Memories, Stories & Photos about William

Amanda S. Stevenson

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04/13/2025

William J. Schallert

Character Actor.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

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04/13/2025

William Schallert

He played guitar.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

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04/13/2025

Patty Duke and William Schallert

He played her dad on the Patty Duke Show.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

04/13/2025

William Schallert

Character Actor.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

04/13/2025

William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016) was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957–1959), Death Valley Days (1955–1962), and The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966).

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