William Pierson
William Pierson | |
|---|---|
| File:Cropped Photo of William Pierson.jpg | |
| Born | July 17, 1926 |
| Died | August 27, 2004 (aged 78) Newton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Other names | Billy Pierson |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1953–1984 |
William Pierson (July 17, 1926 – August 27, 2004) was an American television, motion picture and stage actor, best known for his raspy voice and his role as Marko the Mailman in the 1953 film Stalag 17 as well as a recurring role as Dean Travers on the 1970s ABC-TV series Three's Company.
Biography
[edit | edit source]Life and career
[edit | edit source]Pierson, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York originally played the role of Marko in the original Broadway production of Stalag 17, and was tapped by director Billy Wilder for the role in the 1953 motion picture production. Other Broadway appearances included in High Button Shoes, Make Mine Manhattan, Reuben, Reuben, and in a national touring company of The Odd Couple. Pierson, who was well recognized by his distinctive, raspy delivery, also appeared in the Off Broadway production Smile, Smile, Smile. After Wilder brought him to Hollywood, he appeared in films such as Operation Madball and Fun with Dick and Jane (1977).[1][2]
Pierson enjoyed a busy career in television and film, a career which spanned four decades from the 1950s through the 1980s, which included appearances on such TV shows such as Studio One and Kraft Theatre, The Jackie Gleason Show, All In The Family, One Day At A Time, Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life in addition to his role as Dean Travers on Three's Company.[3]
Pierson died from respiratory failure in Newton, New Jersey. He had been residing for years at the Valley View Care Center in Newton due to declining health. He was survived by two brothers, Jefferson Pierson of New Jersey and Howard Pierson of Florida.
Filmography
[edit | edit source]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | The Big Lift | Billy Pierson | |
| 1953 | Stalag 17 | Marko the Mailman | |
| 1957 | Operation Mad Ball | Sgt. Perkins | Uncredited |
| 1977 | Fun with Dick and Jane | Nesbitt | |
| 1977 | ‘’All in the Family’’ | Wino | ”Mike, the Pacifist” |
| 1977-81 | Three’s Company | Dean Travers | |
| 1978 | Corvette Summer | Gas Station Salesman | |
| 1993 | Sani no yuutsu | Car Fixer | (final film role) |
References
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ (Deathwatch) William Pierson, actor, 78, Slick.org, September 10, 2004, accessed February 22, 2013.
External links
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- William Pierson at IMDb
- William Pierson at the Internet Broadway DatabaseLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- William Pierson at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
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- 1926 births
- 2004 deaths
- Deaths from respiratory failure in the United States
- American male television actors
- American male stage actors
- American male film actors
- Male actors from Brooklyn
- People from Newton, New Jersey
- 20th-century American male actors
- American screen actor, 1920s birth stubs
- American theatre actor, 20th-century birth stubs