Stars & Players · Biography

William Bendix

1906–1964 · Actor

Biography

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, best remembered in movies for the title role in the movie The Babe Ruth Story and for portraying clumsily earnest aircraft plant worker Chester A. Riley in radio and television's The Life of Riley. He also received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for Wake Island (1942).

Notable Noir Roles

The Glass Key

1942Dir. Stuart Heisler · Jeff

A crooked politician finds himself being accused of murder by a gangster from whom he refused help during a re-election campaign.

The Blue Dahlia

1946Dir. George Marshall · Buzz Wanchek

Soon after a veteran returns from war, his cheating wife is found dead. He evades police in an attempt to find the real murderer.

The Dark Corner

1946Dir. Henry Hathaway · Stauffer, a.k.a. Fred Foss

Ex-con turned private investigator Bradford Galt suspects someone is following him and maybe even trying to kill him. With the assistance of his spunky secretary, Kathleen Stewart, he dives deep into …

The Web

1947Dir. Michael Gordon · Lt. Damico

A brash young lawyer takes a short-term, high-paying job as bodyguard for a slick business exec being threatened by a former partner, and quickly realizes he may be in over his head.

Full Noir Filmography

6 films · 1942–1954