Biography
William Bendix (14 January 1906 – 14 December 1964) was an American actor known for supporting roles in films, radio and television. Born in New York City, he began his career in the theatre with the New Jersey Federal Theatre Project and made his Broadway debut in the late 1930s. His film career started in the early 1940s.
Bendix appeared in numerous Hollywood productions, often as blue-collar or rough-hewn characters. He played Pvt. Aloysius K. 'Smacksie' Randall in Wake Island (1942), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other film credits include Woman of the Year (1942), The Glass Key (1942), Lifeboat (1944) and The Blue Dahlia (1946). He frequently co-starred with Alan Ladd.
Bendix is also remembered for portraying Chester A. Riley in the radio and television versions of The Life of Riley, and for playing Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story (1948).
