CTVA - Profile - Actor - Whit Bissell (1909-1996)
Profile - Actor - Whit Bissell imdb
* CHARACTER ACTOR WHIT BISSELL IS BEST
REMEMBERED BY MOST FILM FANS FOR
HIS PERFORMANCE AS THE EVIL SCIENTIST, IN THE 50'S HORROR CULT CLASSIC:
"I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF"(1957),
THAT ALSO STARRED A YOUNG MICHAEL LANDON
(BONANZA, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE), WHO PLAYED THE WEREWOLF.
WHIT BISSELL'S CAREER AS AN ACTOR BEGAN ON STAGE WITH A NORTH CAROLINA
THEATER GROUP.
FROM THERE WHIT HEADED FOR BROADWAY AND INTO FILM. LIKE MOST YOUNG
UNKNOWN ACTORS, WHIT BISSELL'S EARY SCREEN APPEARANCES WERE
UNCREDITED ROLES.
HIS FIRST ROLE WAS A EARLY 40'S FILM TITLED:
"DESTINATION TOKYO"(1943).
THEN WHIT'S CAREER STARTED TO TAKE A MORE POSITIVE DIRECTION WITH
ROLES IN SOME OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST BEST REMEMBERED CLASSIC AND FILM NOIR
PRODUCTIONS. FILMS LIKE:
"BRUTE FORCE"(1947),
"A DOUBLE LIFE"(1947),
"HE WALKED BY NIGHT"(1948).
LATER CAME:
"ANNA LUCASTA"(1949),
"THE CAINE MUTINY"(1954),
"INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS"(1956),
"THE DEFIANT ONES"(1958),
"THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN'(1960),
"BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ"(1962),
"HUD"(1963).
BESIDES DOING FEATURE FILMS,WHIT BISSELL WORKED EXTENSIVELY IN
TELEVISION, WITH OVER 118 GUEST APPEARANCES BEGININING IN 1948 IN
THE SERIES, "STUDIO ONE"(1948-1958).
WHIT BISSELL'S RANGE AS AN ACTOR WAS HIS NUMBER ONE ASSET. HIS CHARACTER
ROLES HAVE CONSISTED OF:
ATTORNEYS, BANK TELLERS, BARTENDER'S, DOCTORS, CLERK'S,
MILITARY OFFICERS, MINISTERS, MURDERERS, PROFESSORS, SCIENTISTS,
UNDERTAKES AND WESTERN SHERIFFS JUST TO NAME A FEW.
WHIT BISSELL'S OTHER CHARACTERISTICS THAT WERE PRESENT, WAS HIS ALWAYS
POLISHED LOOK AND DISTINCT VOICE. WHIT WAS ALWAYS IN DEMAND BY TV
CASTING DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS.
HIS TELEVISION CREDITS INCLUDED:
"THE LONE RANGER'(1949-1957),
"SCIENCE FICTION THEATER"(1955-1957),
"THE GALE STORM SHOW"(1956-1960),
"HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL"(1957-1963),
"SEA HUNT"(1958-1961),
"BACHELOR FATHER"(1957-1962),
"VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA"(1964-1968),
"HOGAN'S HEROES"(1964-1970),
"The Time Tunnel" (1966-1967) (series regular cast member)
"HERE'S LUCY"(1968-1974),
"MARCUS WELBY,M.D."(1969-1976),
"KOJAK"(1973-1978),
"THE DUKES OF HAZZARD"(1979-1985),
"HART TO HART"(1979-1984),
AND MANY MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES.
BESIDES HIS MEMORABLE CHARACTER ROLES,WHIT BISSELL ALSO SERVED ON THE
SCREEN ACTORS GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 18 YEARS, AND REPRESENTED
THE BRANCH OF THE IN THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURES ARTS AND SCIENCES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS. WHIT BISSELL WAS A GIFTED AND TRUE PROFESSIONAL
THAT REPRESENTED THE CRAFT OF ACTING TO THE FULLEST.