“Frankenstein,(year unknown): Bill played Ygor in this play performed by his Boy Scout troop.
Minstrel Show at Camp Overall, VA(1932): This was at a boys summer camp in Skyton, Virginia.
Admiral Billard Academy(1937-1942): Various roles in productions. Bill said the roles were jokes and he usually got the girl parts.
The Royal Family(April 1942): This play was performed by the Wig and Candle theater group at the Connecticut College for Women (now just Connecticut College) in New London. The play was a parody of the famous Barrymore acting family. Bill played Oscar Wolfe, a family friend who provides the only sort of normalcy for the family. The college recruited male actors from Billard and area factories. Bill received good reviews and he enjoyed being made up into character with the help of several women.
Richard III in Biarrtiz, France/Europe(1945): Bill’s first official performance when he decided acting would be his chosen career. He spent a total of two months at the University. At first Bill was thrown out of his audition…he really only showed up to meet the actresses. They were the only women on campus. Bill conned his way into a second audition and got the roles of the Earl of Gloucester. When the actor playing Richard had to return to the states, Bill beat out allegedly hundreds to get the title role. Bill took the show around Europe for a total of 33 performances. The director was Albert McCleery and it was produced by Richard Whorf. McCleery, like Bill, was serving in the 82nd Airborne and that’s how they met. This was one of Bill’s favorite roles throughout his entire career.
Richard III Fordham University(1946): When Bill returned to the states his former director/brother in arms, Mr. McCleery, was in the theater department at Fordham University. He invited Bill to perform in the play as part of the Fordham Seminar Theater of Practice. A review of the play mentioned Bill’s Richard was not hunchbacked but a, “fantastically misshapen leg made him spider-like.” Back then it was not uncommon for the department to enroll an actor as a non-matriculating student just for the performance. Bill spent about 2 months at the Fordham Summer School. He was in four performances. Bill then studied with the American Repertory Theater and also went to Columbia University for a short time.
Henry VIII(Nov. 1946 to Feb. 1947): Bill’s debut Broadway performance as part of the American Repertory Theater. He played the Earl of Surrey and sergeant of the guard. It appeared at the Columbus Circle Theatre. The show then traveled to Boston’s Colonial Theatre where Bill played the Sergeant of The Guard and Garter King of Arms.
What Every Woman Knows(Nov. 1946 to Feb. 1947): A play originally written before the suffrage movement. The theme: every woman knows SHE is the success behind the man. Bill was part of the ensemble cast as a member of the town, specifically Electors of Glasgow and Members of the Cowcaddens. The American Repertory Theatre was known to produce several programs at one time so this kept Bill busy. Bill was in the ensemble with Eli Wallach whom he worked with in “Mademoiselle Columbe” and Efrem Zimbalist, jr. whom he’d later work with in television. They became good friends.
John Gabriel Borkman(Nov. 1946 to Feb 1947): A banker imprisoned for embezzlement returns home. There he finds his wife and her twin sister fighting over son, Erhart’s, future. Father wants his son to follow in dad’s footsteps, mom wants to keep her son by her side while twin sister wants her nephew to become “her” son. Bill played the son, Erhart Borkman. One critic panned the show, calling Bill’s role as “amateurish stage gaucheries.” The show later played in Boston.
Androcles and the Lion(Dec. 1946 to Feb. 1947): The classic George Bernard Shaw play about a slave who is saved from the jaws of a lion after removing a thorn from its paw. Bill played Retiarius, a Roman gladiator.
Yellow Jack(Feb. 1947 to Mar. 1947): A play about the Yellow fever (aka Yellow Jack) and how it killed so many U.S. soldiers after the Spanish-American war. Bill played Pvt. McLelland one of four soldiers who volunteered to try out a vaccine for the disease.
Alice in Wonderland(Mar 1947 to Jun 1947):A two-part play co-written by Florida Friebus(the mother in “Dobie Gillis”). Bill played the White Rabbit and The Man in White Paper. Bill mentioned that after the show closed in Boston he quit acting. Lucky for the world he returned 3 years later. While playing chess one night, backstage, Bill almost missed his cue. He tripped down the stairs and cut his head open. He always had a scar to remind him of that night…better than breaking a leg. Bill’s first wife was an understudy in the play.
Dream Girl(1947): An amusing play about a woman who runs a book store but gets carried away in Walter Mitty-type day dreams. There’s no mention about the character Bill played. It appeared at The Cape Playhouse on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The Marquise(1947): Unknown plot or what character Bill played. It appeared at The Cape Playhouse on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Joan of Lorraine(1947): A play about a play. A company of actors stage a re-telling of the story of Joan of Arc. The play looks at how each actor is affected by the performance. Bill played a poet and the show appeared at The Cape Playhouse on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The Voice of the Turtle(1948): A story about a soldier who is stood up by his date so he spends the time with her best friend, an actres who has sworn off romance after breaking up with her boyfriend. She’s done with love but can the soldier change her mind? Bill played the lead, soldier Bill Page, at the Brookfield Center in Brookfield, CT.
My Sister Eileen(1948): Based on a series of short stories that appeared in “The New Yorker.” It focused on two sisters who were trying to find successful careers while living in a basement apartment in Greenwich Village. Bill played the role of janitor at the Brookfield Center in Brookfield, CT.
Romeo and Juliet(Feb. 1949): Bill had signed a two year contract with the ART and when it was up, his friend Albert McCleery (the producer he met at Biarritz) invited him back to Fordham University. Bill played Romeo to Patricia Breslin’s Juliet. They did 8 shows in February as part of a feature presentation in the 1948-1949 acting season. This was around the time Bill was an insurance broker. A blurb in the University’s newspaper suggested Bill would, hopefully, become as good an actor as he is an insurance salesman. He was a broker so he oversaw several accounts instead of going around selling policies.
The Jailor’s Wench(1949): Bill returned to the Cape Playhouse on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. No information about the plot or his character other than it was set in Restoration England.
Light Up the Sky(1950): A comedy about a theatre troupe in the hotel room of a famous actress just before the national tryout of their new show. They’re sure it’s going to be a flop but are surprised by the critic’s review. Bill played the author of the play within the play. It appeared at the Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
Blithe Spirit(1950): Hysterics abound as a socialite novelist hires a medium to perform a séance. Soon the ghost of his first wife appears and wreaks havoc on his current marriage. What’s worse…he’s the only one that can see her! Bill played Dr. Bradman, a family friend. A critic said, “handsome William Windom rounds out the cast.” The critic was also optimistic about the play’s potential. However another critic didn’t think the show gelled. He did give praises for Bill’s performance. This was performed at the Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
It’s a Wise Child(1950): A young woman living in small time is believed by everybody to be pregnant when she is really helping her sister-in-law who is the one hiding a pregnancy. No word on the character Bill played but the male characters he could have played are Roger, a bank teller the main character is in love with, Bill, the main character’s brother who is married to the maid, and Cool Kelly, the maid’s ex boyfriend who still loves her and vice versa. The play appeared at The Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
Meet the Wife(1950): A romantic comedy about a woman and her second husband enjoying life…until her FIRST husband returns. It was assumed he was dead. Meanwhile her sister is having a relationship with two men. No mention of Bill’s character but he was mentioned as “once again” supplying the romantic interest. He was likely one of the two boyfriends of the main character’s sister. Bill’s first wife appeared with him in this show. It appeared at The Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
The Three-Cornered Moon(1950): The story of a rich family and how they are affected after losing all their money in the stock market crash of the 1920s. No mention of Bill’s character. However he received praise for his performance. It appeared at The Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
The Vinegar Tree(1950): A comedic play of manners set in three acts. No mention of Bill’s character. Appeared at The Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
Your Uncle Dudley(1950): A comedy about a man named Dudley Dixon and his ability to do good deeds AND get into sizable debt. His biggest problem is his family and he just wants to marry a nice, Norwegian girl. Bill played a man who is in love with Dudley’s niece. The show appeared at The Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT.
When the Bough Breaks(1950); A play about a self-centered husband and his abused wife who gives birth to a special needs child. Bill is the husband, Bob Sanford. A critic panned the play and called Sanford a “hard-shelled, self-centered young husband.” The critic said Bill “projects ably.” The play opened at the Master Institute Theatre, off Broadway.
Charm(1951): Set in the 1920’s it’s the story of a young girl, Ida Mae, who finds the need to leave her small town for some excitement. Her boyfriend won’t let her go so he learns about a “charm” spell to keep her in town…and it works. Bill played Joe, Ida Mae’s brother who is also the soda jerk/drug clerk who discovers the charming potion. Bill’s wife played the minister’s wife. It appeared at The Southbury Playhouse in Southbury, CT. One critic said Bill was making hay as a yokel who out-slicked a city-slicker.
Bell, Book and Candle(1951-1953): Bill played Nicky Holroyd in the National Touring company of this bewitching comedy. He was the male warlock and brother to the heroine of the play. The show ran for about 15 months and kicked off the tour on Christmas Night. A critic in Philadelphia called Bill’s performance amusing. Another critic called him youthful and saturnine. Yet another said Bill started off good and then goofed off. Still others called his Nicky as a fresh performance. The show ran a record 6 months in Chicago. There’s an interesting story about one of his stopovers during the summer of 1953. Bill was to appear at The Casino Theatre in Newport, RI (my home state!). Apparently Bill decided to travel by boat with a friend but hit a bad storm. They had to seek safety on Long Island and then set sail. It took four days to get to Newport. Bill’s boat was called the Wika. He named it for a 10 year old girl, the first person he met after parachuting into the Netherlands during WWII. After this show Bill and his friend set sail for Dennis, MA for another acting engagement. The show originally featured Rosalind Russell (“Auntie Mame”) as the lead and then she was replaced by actress Joan Bennett. In a book about Bennett, Bill said she was terrified to do the play in LA but that he enjoyed working with her. He said Bennett played the role more darkly than Russell did. Unfortunately the show had poor receipts in LA, which solidified Bennett’s original fear. Ironically when the show was made into a film actor Jack Lemmon played Nicky. In the 70’s after Bill played the James Thurber character on tv in “My World” he was told he wouldn’t play the character in the film…it went to Jack Lemmon.
A Girl Can Tell(Oct. 1953 to Dec. 1953): A comedy in three acts. Bill played David, a voice on the telephone. It appeared at the Royale Theatre on Broadway.
Claudia(1954): The story of a naïve, immature bride and her mature husband and how they learn to grow and love one another. Bill played the role of the husband, David, at the Putnam Playhouse in Putnam, CT.
The Starcross Story(Jan. 13 1954): This play appeared at the Royale Theatre on Broadway. It open and closed the same day due to a plagiarism lawsuit. No word on Bill’s role. However a critic wrote an article poking fun at The Oscars. He nominated several shows for different awards. He singled out Bill with “The poorest juvenile” award for the theatre season because of his appearance in the play.
Mademoiselle Colombe(Jan. 1954 to Feb. 1954): Bill’s First major role on Broadway. The story centers on an eccentric actress named Madame Alexandra. She has two sons, one estranged and the other an actor. Son Julien hates the lifestyle of actors but he is married and must serve in the military. He leaves his wife with his family because he has no one else to care for her. Soon Colombe learns to relish in the lifestyle of the theater. Bill played Edouard, the womanizing actor- brother who doesn’t mind seducing his own sister-in-law. But, as one critic mentioned, he’s irresistibly charming and sensual. This was the second time Bill worked with actress Julie Harris as they worked on Broadway in “Alice in Wonderland.” The show appeared at The Longacre Theatre.
Sabrina Fair(1954): This is the story of young Sabrina who is the daughter of a chauffeur to a wealth family. The play was later made into two films. Bill played the Frenchman in this play at the Sacandaga Theater in Sacandaga, NY. Coincidentally, a year earlier, the play appeared on Broadway with actress Cathleen Nesbitt. She would play Bill’s TV mother, Agatha Morley, on the show “The Farmer’s Daughter.”
My Three Angels(1954): The story takes place in French Guiana and focuses on three prisoners and their interactions with a family of French Colonists. Bill played Snake Man but there is no character in this play. It’s possible he played the convict, Alfred, who owned a pet snake. Bill lists his credit in his autobiography and he was not known to have a good memory. This play was at the Putnam Playhouse in Putnam, CT.
Affairs of State(1954): No information about the plot or Bill’s role but he appeared with his wife. Appeared at Theatre in the Round in Glen Falls, NY.
The Automobile Man(1954): The play was about a car salesman who turns out to be the automobile he’s hawking. Bill played the physicist-fiancé of the salesman’s daughter. It appeared at The Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA.
I Am a Camera(1954): Bill played the male lead along side his wife who was the female lead. It appeared at Theatre in the Round in Glen Falls, NY. **Bill mentioned this in his autobiography “Journeyman Actor.” I’d like to thank Chantal Bissonnette Morton for finding the info and passing it along.
Private Lives(1954): A romantic comedy about two exes who learn they’re both staying at the same hotel, on their honeymoon, with their new spouses. The exes fall back in love and try to dump their new spouses. Bill played the husband, Elyot, and his first wife, Carol, played the wife…Amanda. The show appeared at Theatre in the Round in Glen Falls, NY
Voice of the Turtle(1954): It’s assumed Bill once again played the lead role of the soldier but no information is given. Appeared at Theatre in the Round in Glen Falls, NY
The Shoemaker’s Children(FALL 1954): Bill’s autobiography listed the year of his appearance as 1955, however a Playbill shows that he was co-starring in the show as part of the Fall Season of 1954. He was one of the Shoemaker’s children, Andrew VanBowen. Also appearing in the show, Bill’s good friends Efram Zimbalist, jr, Kevin McCarthy and Patricia Breslin. They performed at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA.
The Grand Prize(Jan. 1955 to Feb. 1955): The story is about a working woman who wins a game show. The grand prize is to be boss of her boss for 24 hours. Soon the power goes to her head. Bill played the announcer/scout for the game show, John Condon Mitchell.
The Heiress(1955): The story of love and betrayal as a young women is verbally abused by her father, then falls in love only to have her love leave her. Bill played Morris Townsend, the cad, at the Tent Theater in Philadelphia, PA. The critic noted Bill had some trouble with his lines but delivered the role with a combination of grace, unction and sympathy.
Mrs. Gibbon’s Boys(1955): A woman finally finds happiness and love only to have it ruined when her escaped convict sons turn up asking for a place to hide. Bill played Rodla, one of the convict sons who will only wear Brooks Brothers suits bought with a stolen credit card. Also co-starring in the play, Walter Matthau as a fourth convict. The show appeared at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA.
You Never Can Tell(1955): A comedy of errors involving a woman who’s three children return to England after spending most of their lives in Madeira. Comedy ensues as the children invite their dentist, Valentine, to lunch along with his cankerous patient. Turns out the patient is their long lost father. Meanwhile the dentist courts the children’s older sister and the two go through the motions learning about each other’s past indiscretions before seeking forgiveness. Bill played Valentine, the penniless and lovelorn dentist. The show appeared at the Olney Theatre in Olney, MD.
Fallen Angels(Jan. 1956 to Aug. 1956): The story is set in a London flat, focusing on two couples. The husbands go away on a trip and the women each receive a postcard from a former lover(the same man). The woman can’t decide if they should meet him and soon they’re fighting over it. Bill returned to Broadway to play one of the husbands, Frederick Starbuck. Before that he and the show had tryouts at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA. His second wife was also in this performance. Bill and his good friend, actor Henry Jones, would travel from NYC on the weekends to work at the Bucks County Playhouse. When Fallen Angels made its appearance on Broadway Bill was joined by actress Nancy Walker (“Rhoda”). Actor Efrem Zimbalist, jr. also co-starred. He and Bill worked together on several tv shows through the 60s and 70s. They became good friends and Zimbalist gave Bill a straight-edged razor as a gift. The show appeared at The Playhouse Theatre on Broadway. It had also appeared in New Haven, CT. Bill would later appear with Nancy Walker in an episode of “McMillan & Wife” called Game of Survival. A critic reviewing the play said Bill’s character (a golfer) should not be practicing golf swings during the play as it showed Bill did know much about golf. One time, while bringing the show from Boston to Washington, the cast was stuck on a train for 13 hours. They needed to rehearse so they did an entire run-through for the passengers.
Double in Hearts(Oct. 1956): A comedy that takes place one day in the apartment of two roommates. This show lasted 4 days. Bill was not only in the cast as Mack Daniels (one of the roommates) he was also the Assistant Stage Manager.
Candide(1956): Bill was only a stage hand during this show at The Martin Beck Theatre.
Career(1957): An off-Broadway show. The plot involves the story of a man determined to make it as an actor. Bill played Sam Lawson by replacing the original actor. He was needed in a version of the same play in Philadelphia so Bill stepped in. Bill got to work with Larry Hagman. They would later appear together on two episodes of “Dallas” but did not have scenes together. The show appeared at The Seventh Avenue Playhouse, NYC.
Anniversary Waltz(Apr. 1957): Produced by the North Jersey Playhouse, Bill starred in this show at the Grant Lee Theatre. It was billed as a funny family comedy.
Hotel Paradiso(1957): A colorful play about the goings on at a French hotel. It appeared at the Henry Miller’s Theatre. This was the first time Bill worked with actress Angela Lansbury. No word on his role although he may have been an understudy or replacement as a Playbill from the show does not list him in the original cast.
The Greatest Man Alive(May 1957): This show lasted 3 days and 5 performances. It was about a 72 year old man who decided to hang himself while wearing a derby hat. Bill had duel responsibilities: Stage Manager and one of the Hospital Aide roles in the play. The play had its original tryout at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia before its disasterous opening on Broadway. Coincidentally the Playbill featured a cartoon by James Thurber!
No Laughing Matter(Aug. 1957): A French play done in three acts. It took a close look at relationships and how they should really work. Bill played a character named Jean Louis. The critic panned it saying the cast worked as hard as outfielders wearing snowshoes. The show opened in East Hampton, NY. “Variety” mentioned Bill twice in the review and mis-spelled his name once (Windum).
Time Remembered(Nov. 1957 to June 1958). Bill mentioned that he was Richard Burton’s understudy in one article and, in another, he mentioned playing a character named Edward. However, the Playbill does not list a character named Edward. One of the smaller roles was played by E.W. Swackhamer. He later directed and produced the un-sold tv show “Is There a Doctor in the House?” which starred Bill. Helen Hayes was the star of “Time Remembered.” Bill had worked with her daughter in his very early stage days and he remembers Ms. Hayes going up to him and introducing herself. This show appeared at The Morosco Theatre in NYC.
Twelfth Night(1958): The Shakespeare story of two twins separated by a shipwreck. Viola, disguised as a man, falls for Duke Orsino who is in love with another woman who is in love with Viola as a man! Bill played Duke Orsino at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Belvedere Lake Theatre, NYC. Jonathan Hillerman also appeared in the play. He and Bill would later appear in the “Magnum, P.I.” episode All Thieves on Deck.
The World of Suzie Wong(1958): This is an interesting one. Bill was actually the understudy for the lead actor…William Shatner. Bill mentioned the two had some animosity towards each other and that it showed when Bill appeared in his famous guest-star role on “Star Trek.” Neither Bill Shatner or Windom liked the play and Shatner reportedly treated Bill badly. Bill Shatner mentioned that people were always laughing during the show so he and the female lead made it more comedic. Critics panned it but audiences loved it and Shatner won an award. It’s possible that Bill Windom didn’t like the romantic aspect of the show. The play appeared at The Broadhurst Theatre and lasted a few months. The story focused on an artist, Robert Lomax, who takes residence in an apartment building in Hong Kong. It’s also used as a bordello by the local street workers. Lomax initially asks to paint one of the girls, Suzie Wong, and they soon fall in love with each other. It was later made into a film starring William Holden and Nancy Kwan. Shatner was supposed to play the role on film but lost out to Holden.
U.S.A.(1959): This was based on three books by John Dos Passos: the 42nd parallel, 1919 and The Big Money. Bill and five other actors sat upon stools and each actor portrayed several characters. It appeared at the Martinique Theatre, NYC.
Viva Madison Avenue!(April 1960): The show opened and closed after two days. Bill played Jim Leary, a demonic ad accountant in this parody of Madison Avenue ad offices. Think “Mad Men” but as a farce with Buddy Hackett as the star. One critic called the ad-men cardboard cutouts but heaped praise upon the actors who portrayed them, like Bill.
Drums Under the Window(Oct. 1960): Based on the autobiography of Sean O’Casey about life in Dublin around the Easter fires of 1916. Bill played both Adam and Cockney Officer in this play at the Cherry Lane Theatre in NYC. The show ran for 110 performances. One critic found the subject matter dull.
The Rules of the Game(Dec. 1960): The story of a man who’s wife is having an affair. The husband manipulates the lover into participating in a duel. Bill played Guido Venanzi (the wife’s lover) in this play at the Gramercy Arts Theatre in NYC. One critic mentioned the three actors, “to be given to outrageous mugging and posturing.”
Come Blow Your Horn(1961): A Neil Simon play about a young man who moves into the apartment of his swinging bachelor brother. No information on Bill’s role as he is not listed in the Playbill or as an understudy. However, Bill did list it on his resume. It appeared at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in NYC.
U.S.A.(1961-1962): After Bill performed the show in New York, he performed it with the theatre group at UCLA. One of Bill’s characters was named Joe Williams, an alcoholic addicted to health food. A critic had this to say, “what a talent this is! He’s the archetypal Babit, Mr. Normalcy himself. His masculine jaw couldn’t be more four square, his honest Anglo-Midwestern twang more beautifully tuned up.” Also in the cast, John Astin (“The Addams Family”) whom Bill worked with later on “The Farmer’s Daughter” and on “Murder, She Wrote.” It was here that a casting agent invited Bill to play the Major in “The Twilight Zone” episode Five Characters in Search of an Exit. Bill worked with the UCLA Theatre company through 1962, including the time he was shooting the film “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
The Child Buyer(1961-1962): A rather creepy story about a man who buys children as part of a sinister plot to engineer super-humans. The play is told as if it was minutes from a Senate Committee hearing. Bill said he was a narrator, off stage, and had a whole 6 minutes of lines. It appeared at The Theatre Group at UCLA.
Period of Adjustment(1961-1962): A story about two former GI’s and their marriages. One has recently married the nurse who took care of him and the other has married a rich yet unattractive woman. It’s Christmas Eve and George and Isabel Haverstick arrive at Ralph Bate’s home. Ralph is alone after his wife left with their young son. Ralph accused her of making the boy into a sissy and Ralph admits to quitting his job with his father-in-law. Meanwhile George drops off Isabel and just takes off. Ralph and Isabel get to know each other and talk a lot. Ralph talks about marrying Dorothea for her money and that he’s not physically attracted to her. This upset Dorothea who wants a sex life with her husband. Meanwhile, virgin Isabel admits she was scarred about her “wedding night” since she knew nothing about sex. George, who brags about his sexual prowess, gets drunk. This upset Isabel so they slept separately. The problem is, George is a blowhard. He
claimed to have laid all these women but he has undiagnosed shakes that only get worse when he gets excited, especially around women. Ralph thinks George experienced some PTSD in the war. It’s okay to be anxious and high strung during a war but when it comes to making love, it could be horrible for the girl. George doesn’t know how to be gentle. Still, George does return to Ralph’s and tries to avoid the honeymoon situation by acting like a little boy paling around with his best friend.
(CONT.) The two talk and reminisce and play football. Then Dorothea shows up and explains she always wanted intimacy with her husband. He admits he felt she was homely at first but since marriage she has changed her looks and is quite beautiful. He is really worried about his own inadequacy as a husband and father. At the end all is forgiven as both couples were going through a period of adjustment. It’s implied that George is a few years younger than Ralph. However Bill, who played George, was two years older than Mark Miller, who played Ralph. The two first worked together when Bill came to California to do another play. Miller was starring in the sitcom, “Guestward Ho!” and Bill made his first Hollywood appearance on an episode. Bill and Collin are seen in a publicity photo and it makes one think she was Isabel. However Bill described Collin’s character as a rich socialite which would imply she played Dorothea. Sadly, not much information is available so it remains a mystery. Collin and Bill were also filming “To Kill A Mockingbird” in the day time. Wilcox appeared as the rape victim in the film. The play was performed with The Theatre Group at UCLA.
The Bertolt Brecht Festival(1969): Bill performed with several other actors as part of Brecht’s experimental theatre experience. Brecht, who died in 1956, called this “epic theatre.” The festival was in California and clips from it aired on KPFK Public Radio.
Thurber(1970s-1990s): Bill took his love for Thurber on the road after the cancellation of his tv show “My World.” He tried it out in San Francisco on December 30th, 1972 before premiering it in Bridgeport, CT. Thurber’s wife was even in the audience that night. Bill traveled North America, London and Hong Kong bringing the shows to small venues like colleges and high schools. He even performed Thurber on a Viking Cruise along New England and Canada. In 1982, Bill was performing his show in Toronto and it was referred to as “Thurber and I.” Bill said, overall, he did about 4 versions of Thurber shows. Bill traveled 100 days a year for the shows. By the mid 80’s he reduced that to 50 days a year.
Thurber II(1970s-1990s): Bill extended the show as there was so much material. He premiered it in January of 1976 at Perdue Unversity, Thurber’s alma mater. Bill also added about 200+ slides of Thurber’s cartoons so to that the audience had something else to look at.
Famous Poems Illustrated(1970s-1980s). Another Thurber show featuring even more material by the prolific writer/cartoonist/humorist. Bill wanted an orchestra to accompany him but it never sold.
Ernie Pyle(1970s-1990s): Bill also performed this one-man show about the WWII correspondent. In 1976 a friend of his asked him to do a show at a local college and said, “Anything but Thurber!” He wanted to do something about WWII. When Bill was doing a Thurber show at IU he came upon the journalism school named after Pyle. Then he thumbed through some of Pyle’s articles and decided to make him the subject of a new one-man show. Bill spent a year doing the research, many of it at I.U.’s library as Pyle was a native of Indiana. Bill premiered the show which was originally called “Ernie Pyle:The Pre-War Years.” It later went by other names like “By-Line: Ernie Pyle” and then just “Ernie Pyle.” In the simplified “Ernie Pyle,” Bill split the show into the pre-war years and the wartime years. Sometimes Bill would perform one version one night and then the other on a second night.
Ernie Pyle II(1970s-1990s): Like the Thurber shows, Bill extended the Ernie Pyle show into a part two.
A Christmas Carol at Knott’s Berry Farm (1988): According to a fan, Bill made an appearance as Scrooge during the park’s annual performance of the play at The Bird Cage Theatre. The person who saw Bill perform says this was likely a one-time event as there was no prior announcement that Bill was going to be in the play. Call it a nice surprise!
Harvey (1991): Bill starred a Elwood P. Dowd, the man who is friends with an invisible rabbit. He appeared at Radford University in Radford, Virginia from April 19-April 27. Bill said he had been a fan of the role since he saw it while working on Broadway. He also saw the film with his one-time co-star Jimmy Stewart however Bill said he did not like the film.
On Golden Pond(1997): The play centered around Norman Thayer and his wife who are spending time at their cottage on Golden Pond. Norman and his daughter have an estranged relationship. It’s put to the test when the daughter asks the elder couple to look after her boyfriend’s teen son while she goes on a trip with said boyfriend. Upon return the daughter learns her future stepson has developed a bond with Norman that she never could. Bill played Norman Thayer. The show appeared at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in LA.
Camping With Henry and Tom(1999): This play was loosely based on a true life camping trip between Thomas Edison, President Harding and Henry Ford in 1921. This comedy drama looks at what might have happened on the camping trip. Bill played Edison in the play at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse in Pennsylvania. Bill had previously played Thomas Edison on a NBC tv special in 1980 that looked at the history of 20th century music.
The Windbreakers: According to a website dedicated to Bill’s paratrooper company he performed in this comedy musical. Bill said in an interview, “I had cracked the ‘Windtalkers’ code while serving with the 508th in WWII. I was known in S2 as the WINDBREAKER.” Sorry to burst your bubble, but it wasn’t a real show. It was a joke that Bill sent into the 508th’s newsletter.