---
name: "Bill Henderson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/bill-henderson"
fi1m_id: "bill-henderson"
imdb_id: "nm0376347"
tmdb_id: 80746
wikidata_id: "Q862184"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 August 1926"
died: "3 April 2016"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-07T04:24:11.400787+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Bill Henderson

## Identity

Bill Henderson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/bill-henderson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** bill-henderson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0376347
- **TMDB ID:** 80746
- **Wikidata ID:** Q862184
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Henderson_(performer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862184, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376347/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/80746

Actor. Born 9 August 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 3 April 2016.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 August 1926, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 3 April 2016
- **Active:** 1976–1994
- **Also known as:** Bill Handerson, William Randall Henderson
- **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 63 (1), 1980s 71 (1), 1990s 74 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 66 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 4, Action 2, Crime 2, Drama 2, Western 2, Adventure 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $473m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Henderson_(performer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862184, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376347/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/80746

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*City Slickers*](https://film.one/film/city-slickers.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Bill Henderson was an American actor and jazz singer. Born William Randall Henderson in Chicago, Illinois, he began his professional music career in 1952 and later moved into acting, appearing in minor and supporting roles on television and in film from the mid-1970s onwards.

His film credits include *Clue* (1985), *City Slickers* (1991) as Ben Jessup, and *White Men Can't Jump* (1992). He also appeared in television series such as *ER*, *My Name Is Earl* and *MacGyver*. Henderson died in Los Angeles, California, on 3 April 2016.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Maverick* (1994), Fi1m 64, as Riverboat Poker Player — [page](https://film.one/film/maverick.md)
- *NYPD Blue* (1993), Fi1m 82, as Verdis — [page](https://film.one/tv/nypd-blue.md)
- *City Slickers* (1991), Fi1m 76, as Ben Jessup — [page](https://film.one/film/city-slickers.md)
- *Fletch* (1985), Fi1m 71, as Speaker — [page](https://film.one/film/fletch.md)
- *Silver Streak* (1976), Fi1m 63, as Red Cap — [page](https://film.one/film/silver-streak.md)

## Complete filmography (72)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *My Name Is Earl* (2005), series, as Charlie — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/my-name-is-earl.md)
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as George Polk
- *Hard Ground* (2003), as Junior Gunn
- *Kiss of a Stranger* (1999), as Buster
- *Family Law* (1999), series, as Mr. Perlis
- *Smiling Fish & Goat On Fire* (1999), as Clive Winter
- *Trippin'* (1999), as Gramps Reed
- *Lethal Weapon 4* (1998), as Angry Patient — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-4.md)
- *Timecop* (1997), series, Actor
- *Hoodlum* (1997), as Mr. Redmond
- *Conspiracy Theory* (1997), as Hospital Security
- *Ghosts of Mississippi* (1996), as Minister
- *'Weird Al' Yankovic: (There's No) Going Home* (1996), as Blind Lemon Yankovic
- *Promised Land* (1996), series, as Mel Roylance
- *7th Heaven* (1996), series, as Caleb
- *Malcolm & Eddie* (1996), series, Actor
- *ER* (1994), series, as Charley Barnes — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Maverick* (1994), as Riverboat Poker Player — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/maverick.md)
- *NYPD Blue* (1993), series, as Verdis — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/nypd-blue.md)
- *Marked for Murder* (1993), Actor
- *Mad About You* (1992), series, as Mets Shortstop
- *Picket Fences* (1992), series, as Toobah Varney
- *White Men Can't Jump* (1992), as Bill Henderson
- *Roc* (1991), series, as Matthew
- *City Slickers* (1991), as Ben Jessup — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/city-slickers.md)
- *No Holds Barred* (1989), as Charlie
- *How I Got Into College* (1989), as Detroit High School Coach
- *Cousins* (1989), as Valhalla Band
- *Dear John* (1988), series, as Pete
- *The George McKenna Story* (1988), as Goodman
- *Wisdom* (1986), as Theo
- *Murphy's Law* (1986), as Ben Wilcove
- *Smart Alec* (1986), as Julie's Agent
- *Clue* (1985), as Cop
- *MacGyver* (1985), series, as Gas Station Cashier
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as (segment "Night of the Meek")
- *227* (1985), series, Actor
- *Fletch* (1985), as Speaker — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/fletch.md)
- *Do You Remember Love* (1985), as Wendell
- *Dreams* (1984), series, as Torpedo
- *The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension* (1984), as Casper Lindley
- *Fear City* (1984), as Nicky's Doctor
- *Get Crazy* (1983), as King Blues
- *Ace Crawford, Private Eye* (1983), series, as Mello
- *One Shoe Makes it Murder* (1982), as Chick
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, Actor — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Continental Divide* (1981), as Train Conductor
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, as Maynard — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Inside Moves* (1980), as Blue Lewis
- *Flesh & Blood* (1979), as Fight Reporter
- *The Kid from Left Field* (1979), as Brad Linquist
- *Hart to Hart* (1979), series, as 2nd Player
- *Benson* (1979), series, Actor
- *Hazell* (1978), series, as Alec Gilbraith
- *The Incredible Hulk* (1977), series, as Antoine Moray /Babalao
- *Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid* (1977), Actor
- *Fire Sale* (1977), as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
- *Silver Streak* (1976), as Red Cap — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/silver-streak.md)
- *What's Happening!!* (1976), series, as Clarence Hopkins
- *Mother, Jugs & Speed* (1976), as Charles Taylor
- *Louis Armstrong: Chicago Style* (1976), Actor
- *Joe Forrester* (1975), series, Actor
- *Cornbread, Earl and Me* (1975), as Watkins
- *A Shadow in the Streets* (1975), as Leroy Marcus Benson
- *Harry O* (1974), series, as Spencer Johnson, Teak, Spencer Johnson 'Spence'
- *Good Times* (1974), series, Actor
- *Get Christie Love!* (1974), as Sgt. Stoner Martin
- *Happy Days* (1974), series, as Mr. Davis
- *Late Night Theatre* (1972), series, as Bobby Mills
- *Cool Breeze* (1972), as Minister (uncredited)
- *Sanford and Son* (1972), series, Actor
- *The Bill Cosby Show* (1969), series, as First Teacher, Male Teacher #5, Man #3

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/bill-henderson