---
name: "Bill Idelson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/bill-idelson"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "21 August 1919"
died: "31 December 2007"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 84
updated: "2026-09-16T16:17:13.238141+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 Idelson

Writer. Born 21 August 1919 in Forest Park, Illinois, USA. Died 31 December 2007.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 21 August 1919, Forest Park, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 31 December 2007
- **Active:** 1959–1972
- **Works often with:** Don Weis, James Sheldon

## Biography

Bill Idelson (21 August 1919 – 31 December 2007) was an American actor and television writer. He began his career as a child performer on Chicago radio, playing Skeezix in a Gasoline Alley adaptation and later the role of Rush Gook on the long-running series Vic and Sade. After serving as a night fighter pilot in the US Navy during the Second World War, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Air Medals, he moved into television acting and writing.

Idelson gained prominence as an actor with a recurring role as Herman Glimscher on The Dick Van Dyke Show. He appeared in guest roles on series including Perry Mason, Dragnet, The Twilight Zone, Happy Days and Will & Grace. As a writer he sold his first major script, the Twilight Zone episode 'Long Distance Call' (1961, co-written with Charles Beaumont). He went on to write episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, M*A*S*H and other series, winning two Writers Guild of America Awards for episodic comedy and receiving an Emmy nomination for Love, American Style. He also worked as a producer on programmes such as The Bob Newhart Show.

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

## On Fi1m (2)

- *M*A*S*H* (1972), Fi1m 85, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/m-a-s-h-1972.md)
- *The Twilight Zone* (1959), Fi1m 84, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md)

## Also known for

- *Bewitched* (1964), Writer
- *Will & Grace* (1998), Ben
- *Get Smart* (1965), Writer
- *Happy Days* (1974)
- *The Andy Griffith Show* (1960), Writer
- *Perry Mason* (1957), Ellis - Forensics Technicia, Autopsy Surgeon, Ticket Agent
- *The Dick Van Dyke Show* (1961), Bellboy, Writer
- *Leave It to Beaver* (1957)

---
© 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-idelson