Job Actor
Years active 1926-1978
Known for Brooklynese characters; brooding suspicion and tight-lipped sarcasm
Top Roles Carl Griffith, Pa Higgins, Father Belacchi, Editor Lees Berger, Henry Kipper
Top GenresComedy, Drama, Musical, Romance, Mystery, Crime
Top TopicsScrewball Comedy, Show Business, Romance (Comic)
Top Collaborators (Director), , ,
Shares birthday with Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Bennett, Franchot Tone  see more..

Fan Favorites:
See Full Filmography

Jolson Sings Again

Jolson Sings Again

Fan rating: 9.00
The Mountain

The Mountain

Fan rating: 9.00
Love on the Run

Love on the Run

Fan rating: 8.50

William Demarest Overview:

Character actor, William Demarest, was born Carl William Demarest on Feb 27, 1892 in St. Paul, MN. Demarest appeared in over 165 film and TV roles. His best known films include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Sullivan's Travels, The Lady Eve, Easy Living, That Darn Cat -- and of course Uncle Charley on TV's My Three Sons (1965-1972). Demarest died at the age of 91 on Dec 28, 1983 in Palm Springs, CA and was laid to rest in Forest Lawn (Glendale) Cemetery in Glendale, CA.

MINI BIO:

Craggy and grizzled, William Demarest was a veteran actor of well over 100 films who became, from the 1930's to the 1960's, one of Hollywood's best-known and best-loved familiar faces. He began in vaudeville as a song-and-dance act with his brother Rubin (1886-1962), but moved into films right at the beginning of sound and, after a hiatus from 1929 to 1933, established himself with dozens of Brooklynese character studies. Although often a soft-hearted and slightly dense policeman, he also excelled at brooding suspicion and tight-lipped sarcasm. Oscar nomination for "The Jolson Story".  

 (Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Illustrated Dictionary of Film Character Actors).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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Although Demarest was nominated for one Oscar, he never won a competitive Academy Award.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1946Best Supporting ActorThe Jolson Story (1946)Steve MartinNominated
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He was honored with one star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Motion Pictures.

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William Demarest Quotes:

George Fury: Look Melody, you couldn't hit the hind end of your horse with a handful of buckshot and you know it. And you ain't a gunfighter, that's all. You ain't even a good shot. You're just a plain no good bronc stomper that's been hit in the seat of the pants so many times....

Constable Kockenlocker: [to his 14-year-old daughter, gruffly but jokingly] Listen, Zipper-puss! Some day they're just gonna find your hair ribbon and an axe someplace. Nothing else! The Mystery of Morgan's Creek!

Charlie Chan: Case still wide open like swinging gate.
Sergeant Kelly: Watta yuh mean?
Charlie Chan: Gravelle not murderer.
Inspector Regan: Not Gravelle?
Charlie Chan: Excuse please, will demonstrate hypothesis.
Sergeant Kelly: What?
Charlie Chan: Word of Greek origin, hypo meaning...
Sergeant Kelly: [interrupting] Hypo! I get it! He's hittin' the pipe again!

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See All Pisces >>
Best Supporting Actor Oscar 1946
WINNER
Harold Russell
(as Homer Parrish)
in The Best Years of Our Lives
Nominee
Charles Coburn
(as Alexander Gow)
in The Green Years
Nominee

(as Steve Martin)
in The Jolson Story
Nominee
Claude Rains
(as Alexander Sebastian)
in Notorious
Nominee
Clifton Webb
(as Elliott Templeton)
in The Razor's Edge
See more Best Supporting Actor awards>>
William Demarest on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame

6667 Hollywood Blvd.


Ceremony Date: Feb 8, 1960
Category: Motion Pictures
See All Walk of Fame Stars >>
William Demarest Facts
Began his career in vaudeville.
Played a character with the name Steve Martin in two movies The Jolson Story (1946) and Jolson Sings Again (1949).
Interestingly, Mr. Demarest appeared in "The Jazz Singer" (albeit uncredited) starring Al Jolson and also appeared in the "The Jolson Story" (and later "Jolson Sings Again") which recounts (among other things) the making of "The The Jazz Singer." He appears to be the only performer to have appeared in both movies.
See All Related Facts >>