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William Tracy 1917 - 1967

William Tracy was born on December 1, 1917 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania United States, and died at age 49 years old on June 18, 1967 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA.

William Tracy

Clarence William Tracy.

December 1, 1917

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States

June 18, 1967

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States

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William Tracy William Tracy (1917 - 1967)

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William Tracy's History: 1917 - 1967

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12/1

1917

Birthday

December 1, 1917

Birthdate

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania United States

Birthplace

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Religious Beliefs

Christian.
Military Service

Served in World War II having enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in September 1942, eventually becoming a Tech Sergeant with the 39th Base Unit (perhaps the 39th Bombardment Group).
Professional Career

William Tracy Born December 1, 1917 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Died June 18, 1967 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA Pittsburgh-born actor William Tracy was born on December 1, 1917, and began performing professionally as a youth. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, he appeared in musical and comedy roles until his big break arrived in 1937 at age 19 when he took over the role of fidgety military school "plebe" Misto Bottome in the hit Broadway show "Brother Rat." The following year he recreated the role in the film version of Brother Rat (1938) that had him in good standing company alongside up-and-coming Warner Bros. actors Wayne Morris, Priscilla Lane, Eddie Albert (also from the Broadway show) and both Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman, who would marry a short time later. William's second film assignment for Warners was playing 'Pat O'Brien' (I)'s as a young adult in the classic yarn Angels with Dirty Faces (1938). Hal Roach saw promise in the tousle-haired, innocent-looking youth with the slightly squeaky voice and signed him up for some WWII comedy programmers teamed up with actor Joe Sawyer. He and the tough-looking Sawyer played Sgts. "Dodo" Doubleday and William Ames, respectively, in the flimsy but amusing misadventures of two soldiers at odds with each other. Tracy's character has a photographic memory that steers him into all sorts of unexpected trouble. Audiences took to the harmless escapism and Roach obliged by churning out more of these low budgets, recreating the characters in About Face (1942), Hay Foot (1942), Fall In (1942) and Yanks Ahoy (1943). Tracy is best remembered for playing the lead role in the film adaptation of the popular comic strip Terry and the Pirates (1940). Featured roles in such classics as The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Tobacco Road (1941), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) and George Washington Slept Here (1942) also endeared him to the public usually enacting an amiable but somewhat dull-witted fellow. Offers started drying up in post war years, however, and an attempt to re-team Tracy and Sawyer's sergeant characters with As You Were (1951) and Mr. Walkie Talkie (1952) fell flat. Tracy went on to appear on TV and was featured in the series cast of Terry and the Pirates (1952), not as the lead this time but in the role of Hotshot Charlie. From there he faded away into relative obscurity. He died in 1967 at age 49 in Los Angeles. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / [contact link] Family (1) Spouse Lois James (26 March 1945 - 26 February 1954) (divorced) (1 child) Trivia (3) As an actor he appeared in the title role of the serial adaptation of the Milton Caniff comic strip Terry and the Pirates (1940) and, a dozen years later, co-starred in the television series adapted from the same strip, Terry and the Pirates (1952), this time as Terry's sidekick, Hot Shot Charlie (Charles C. Charles) to John Baer's Terry. Served in World War II having enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in September 1942, eventually becoming a Tech Sergeant with the 39th Base Unit (perhaps the 39th Bombardment Group). Daughter, Patricia Ann, was born in Los Angeles on September 27, 1951.
Personal Life & Family

William Tracy Photo added by AJ Picture of Added by USCgirl William Tracy ORIGINAL NAME Clarence William Tracy BIRTH 1 Dec 1917 Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA DEATH 18 Jun 1967 (aged 49) Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California, USA BURIAL Valhalla Memorial Park North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California, USA MEMORIAL ID 7981463 · View Source MEMORIAL PHOTOS 2 FLOWERS 59 Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayals of Pepi Katona in "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940) and as Hotshot Charlie in the television series, "Terry and the Pirates". After attaining his degree in theatrical arts from The American Academy of Dramatic Art, he appeared in several comedies and musicals on the Broadway stage. Discovered by a film director Hal Roach while performing in the original stage production of "Brother Rat" he relocated to California and was given a 5 year film contract with Warner Bros. Studios where he recreated his part in the 1938 film adaptation of the same name opposite Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman, and Eddie Albert (who co-starred with him in the theatrical version). Often typecast as boyfriends, blue-collar guys, and military men, he appeared in over 30 films between 1938 and 1959; some of which include "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938), "Million Dollar Legs" (1939), "Strike Up the Band" (1940), "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (1941), "Tobacco Road" (1941), "She Knew All the Answers" (1941), "George Washington Slept Here" (1942), "Yanks Ahoy!" (1943), "The Walls of Jericho" (1948), "Sunny Side of the Street" (1951), and "The Wings of Eagles" (1957). In 1964, he retired from acting following a guest appearance on "Perry Mason" to focus on marriage and fatherhood. Bio by: Lowell Thurgood Family Members Children Photo Patricia Ann Tracy 1951–1985
06/18

1967

Death

June 18, 1967

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

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