List of Probable Suspects: Bill Zuckert

ill Zuckert (Dec 18. 1915 - Jan 23. 1997)
Height: 6' 1" (1,85 m) Weight: 220 lbs Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue (Hazel on draft registration) Marriages: (1) Margaret Lottie Wallace (Jul.16 or 17 1936 - around 1958, divorce) Children: Richard Zuckert (b. Jun 28. 1949) Mary Margaret (Meg) Faber (b. Dec 13. 1951) (2) Gladys Holland, actress (Jul 7. 1958 - Jan 23. 1997, his death) Daughter: Kimberly Mary Joan Zuckert, actress (aka Kymm) (b. Aug 23. 1964) Siblings: Anna Siliegy and Helen Scrotch
Above right: Publicity shot for Bill Zuckert (1948).

Bill Zuckert was born on December 18, 1915 in the Bronx, New York, as William Frederick Zuckert Jr. son of William Frederick Zuckert, Sr., an elevator constructor (in ships), and Ellen Hughes Connoly. Father and mother had German and Irish parents, respectively. He went through local public schools - "but not very far." He quit to run an elevator, passed a Civil Service exam, moved to Washington D.C. to work in the Office of Indian Affairs, there and in neighboring Virginia and Maryland, Bill began to try out with Little Theater groups. He married Margaret Lottie Wallace (born in Northern Ireland) on Jul 16 or 17. 1936 in Washington, D.C. Rev. J.H. Dunham officiated the marriage. Bill counted up and discovered he'd done 50 or 60 community-service shows on the networks for free, in his spare time for such organizations at the Red Cross, US Navy and March of Dimes. Initially he also joined the Theater Group of IDRA (Interior Department Recreation Association) and played in the two one-act performances of The Next Installment & Afterwards (North Interior Auditorium, Jan. 28. 1938). On March 23. 1938 he even competed in a spelling contest. One year later William (now also director of publicity for the Theater Group of IDRA) and the Interior Players won the third prize in a one-act play tournament with the play Submerged. Trelawney of the Wells (IDRA, Roosevelt High School, Jan .26. 1939) IDRA's first full length production, The White Phantom (IDRA, New Interior Building, Nov 14. 1939) Then he found he way to The Washington Civic Players for the regular season. During Summer Bill joined the Roadside Theater Players. Awake and Sing (Wardman Park Theater, Dec. 10. - Dec. 23. 1939) as Moe Aelrod, The Washington Civic Theater presented Saint Joan (Belasco Theater, Mar. 10. 1940) starring Luise Rainer and William playing "La Tremouille". Edgar Wallace mystery The Frog (Roadside Theater, July 22. - Aug 4. 1940), The Virginian (Roadside Theater, Aug 1940). His address in D.C. was 1121 24th Street N.W. Apt 302. While in January 1941 was mentioned as a member of the board for The Washington Civic Theater for which he also performed at the Wardman Park Theater. During the summer, he worked with the Roadside Players. The Civic’s 1941-42 season was marked by a continuous presentation of 10 plays without hiatus. Each was given 12 performances in Wardman Park again under the direction of Leon Askin. The Gentle People (Wardman Park Theater, Jan. 31 - Feb. 5. 1941) as Lammanawitz, Men in White (Wardman Park Theater, Apr. 21 - May 3. 1941) as Mr. Spencer, Too Much Johnson (Roadside Theater, Jun. 30. - Jul. 13. 1941) as the "real" Mr. Johnson, The Bat (Roadside Theater, July 28. -Aug. 10. 1941) William played the detective Anderson, Kiss the Boys Goodbye (Wardman Park Theater, Nov 12. - Nov. 29 1941) Zuckert was praised as being "unquestionably the finest" in his role as the scheming producer, complete with Brooklynese and suave "Hollywood" manner. The play was repeated for the Armed Forces Dec 18. & 19. 1941 at Fort Meade. Troilus and Cressida (Wardman Park Theater, Dec 5. - Dec 16. 1941) met William as Ajax.
He intended to go back to New York, to make a living at acting. His boss at the Office of Indian Affairs nearly fainted when he told him he was going to resign, although he did build in some insurance. Since Bill was in the Civil Service for five and a half years, he would retain his Civil Service status and could always go back into the service. "If the acting business ever goes bad on me, I can always go back to the Indians. It was interesting!" It took him four months in New York to get a radio job. It was just luck that this was radio because he was trying anything: theater, film, industrials, and more. There were a lot of 15-minute sustainers around; after four months, he was glad to get them. His very first show he did was a half hour show with Fay Wray and Raymond Edward Johnson in which he had very little to do. He regularly visited the Young & Rubicam advertising agency, which had a lot of shows, and met many directors there. He was making no progress with them until one day he received a call from the director Henry Hull Jr., who was working on the Kate Smith Hour, asking if Bill could work as an extra. An extra did off-mike sounds, they were paid not much but were called back. Bill was too inexperienced to know that once you worked as an extra, you would be labeled as "an extra" and wouldn't get any other jobs. For Bill, it seemed easy; an extra paid $30, and the sustainer paid $15. It disappointed him that he wasn't able to take this job because of a prior engagement that same night. Two weeks later, Henry Hull Jr. called him again with the same offer. For the same reason, Bill had to decline, thinking he would never hear from him again. But one week later, Hull offered him "a part" on the Kate Smith Hour (CBS, 1942). When he showed up for rehearsal, he received a big script on Daniel Boone with several characters. To his surprise, he was cast in the lead role. Luckily for him, no one in the room knew how Daniel Boone should sound. His performance as Daniel Boone worked so well that the following week he was on March of Time, and then Manhattan at Midnight, and then back on the Kate Smith Hour (11). Ever since he lent his voice to hundreds of dramas over the next two decades. His characterizations ranged from the punch-drunk pugs and whining hoods, to honest judges and crooked political bosses. He excelled also in such vocal gimmicks as laughs and sneezes. His dialects included Irish and Southern. Among his first radio contributions were: Dough-Re-Mi (Sep 1942, regular) with Pert Kelton, Ralph Dumke, The Avenger (WHN, Sep 1942), The Triumphant Egg (NBC, Sep 1942), The Columbia Workshop (CBS, Sep 21. 1942, min. 1 episode), Theatre of Today (CBS, Oct 1942), This Is Our Enemy (Mutual, Jan 24. 1943 - Feb 21. 1943, min. 2 episodes). During World War II, starting in 1943 at Camp Peary, Va., he served nineteen months with the 25th Special Seabee Battalion on New Guinea.

Above left: Bill served nineteen months with the 25th Special Seabee Battalion on New Guinea. - Courtesy Kymm Zuckert. Above right: Bill Zuckert (L-R) with his parents Bill Sr. and Ellen Hughes Zuckert (exact date unknown) - Courtesy Kymm Zuckert.

Wending his way back to civilian life, he began to play both sides of the law on such radio shows as: Gang Busters (ABC-CBS, Jan 24. 1948 - Apr 16. 1955, he tried out for five years. When he made it, he rarely missed one), The Ford Theatre (NBC, Mar 21. - May 16. 1948, min. 2 episodes), The Cavalcade Of America (NBC, Nov. 8. 1948 -Jan. 27. 1953, min. 14 episodes), The Shadow (Mutual-Don Lee, Jan. 2. 1949 - Feb. 20. 1949, min. 2 episodes), Murder By Experts (Mutual, Jun 13. - Dec 26. 1949, min. 3 episodes), Dimension X (NBC, Jul. 7. 1950 - Jul 26. 1951, min. 6 episodes), Now Hear This (NBC, Jul. 8. - Oct. 21. 1951, min. 3 episodes), The Mysterious Traveler (Mutual, Jan. 8. - June 4. 1952, min. 2 episodes), Best Plays (NBC, Jun 29. 1952 - Sep. 6. 1953, min. 4 episodes), 21st Precinct (CBS, Sep 15. 1953 - May 17. 1956, min. 2 episodes), Crime and Peter Chambers (NBC, Apr 6. - Sep. 7. 1954, min. 20 episodes), Treasury Agent (ABC), Counterspy, This Is Your FBI (ABC), Official Detective (Mutual), and FBI In Peace and War (CBS, - 1954 -). Various real-life police officers, working on the shows in technical capacities, claimed Bill "sounded like all the cops in the world." His mother Ellen died on January 12. 1952* in her home in Mombasha Lake, Monroe.

Above left: Bill Zuckert and Richard Widmark before the mike for an episode of Cavalcade of America (NBC, 1948). Above right: Starting in 1949 Bill Zuckert was on Gang Busters, the show boasted an all-star cast. Seated (L to R) Larry Haines, Ken Lynch, Bob Haag, Bryna Raeburn, Bill Zuckert. Standing, director Leonard Bass and announcer Russ Dunbar. Seen here as TV Radio Mirror Award Winners, 1955-56 as favorite Radio Mystery-Adventure Program.
Above left: Squad Room (1954) another Mutual Radio program had Chuck Webster (L) playing with Bill Zuckert. Above right: TV's SF-series Tom Corbett, Space Cadet was set during the middle of the 24th Century at the Space Academy. In the episode "Ambush in Space "(Dumont, May 21. 1955) Bill Zuckert played Brock one of three men, who break out of prison by hijacking a space freighter.

X Minus One (NBC, May 8. 1955 - Sep. 12. 1957, min. 10 episodes). With the demise of dramatic radio, Bill moved naturally and easily into live TV in its pioneer days - and interspaced this with work in the theater on-Broadway, off-Broadway, and in stock. The Gimmick, a Comedy of Lies (West Country Playhouse, July 27. & 28. 1956) In 1956 he played in Sixth Finger in a Five Finger Glove (Longacre Theatre, Oct. 8. - Oct. 9. 1956), a short-lived Broadway comedy where actress Gladys Holland also had a part. They were married two years later.

Above left: Peter Iving puts a stellar cast through the paces of True Detective Mysteries (Mutual, 1957): (L-R) - announcer Dan McCullough, top radio cop Bill Zuckert (standing), T.D.M. narrator Robert Haag, actress Ethel Everett, actor William Redfield. Above right: With Sergeant Brad Peters on duty, the game of cops and robbers is decidedly unequal. Bill Zuckert plays this hard-hitting, honest policeman in Mystery Time on ABC radio, (1957-1958).

"When he's not pursuing male-factors, Bill pursues the fish at Montauk Point, off Long Island. Otherwise, he's at home at Mombasha Lake, three miles outside of the town of Monroe, New York. Here he lives in a comfortable three-bedroom house and his hobbies are gardening, reading and "the kids" - a seven-year-old son and a daughter going on six. The Zuckerts have an acre of ground, two dogs, and a wonderful time." (1957) He did an occasional radio stint in The Eternal Light (NBC, Feb 24. 1957 - Apr. 30. 1961, min. 6 episodes). Arthur Miller's The man who had all the luck (Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, Pa. July 1957), A Shadow of My Enemy (Anta Theatre, Dec 11. - Dec 14. 1957) William Zuckert as the prosecutor, No Time for Sergeants (Berkshire Playhouse, June 23. 1958).

On July 7. 1958 Bill married Gladys Holland. Born in Texas, she spent most of her life with her Belgian-born mother in Antwerp. Born into a family of artists, Gladys gravitated towards the theater. Right: Press Photo for Gladys Holland with Siamese Cat, dated Sep 8. 1956.
While appearing in the Broadway plays The Gang's All Here (Ambassador Theatre, Oct. 1. 1959 - Jan 23. 1960) with Melvyn Douglas, and The Andersonville Trial (Henry Miller's Theatre, Dec 29. 1959 - Jun. 1. 1960) with George C. Scott he also performed in a few Off-Broadway plays. This was the case on Feb. 2, 1960 when he performed at the Theatre de Lys in a double bill "farce" The Gay Apprentice/Too Close for Comfort. (8) Family Portrait (May 6. 1959) That same year he also took to the stage with Gladys Holland, James Forster and Carl Low in Bernard Shaw's interlude from his "Man and Superman" called Don Juan in Hell (Jan Hus Playhouse, Oct. 3. - Oct. 16. 1960). Now he deserted "The Great White Way" for glamorous Hollywood, and there his career continued to flourish. He went on to star mainly on television, having many guest and character roles. On Perry Mason (CBS, Mar. 17. 1962 - May 6. 1965, min. 4 episodes) he was Judge Edward Simpson and he was featured in a regular role of faculty member "Art Bradwell" on Mr. Novak (NBC, Sep 22. 1964 - Mar 30. 1965, min. 6 episodes). Finally he appeared more or less regularly in the featured role of "General Cross" on Wackiest Ship in the Army (NBC, Sep 19. - Dec 19. 1965, min. 7 episodes). Jean Anouilh's The Rehearsal (Stage Society Theatre, May 20. 1964), A Man for All Seasons (Actor's Theatre - Los Angeles, Oct. 1964).

Above left: Bill with Steve McQueen in The Cincinnati Kid (MGM, Oct. 15. 1965). Above right: In the Batman episode, "The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra" (ABC, 7 March 1968) David Lewis (R) played Warden Crichton, whilst Bill Zuckert was the Prison Captain.

Film roles were scarce. In 1965, while uncredited, Bill did manage to play opposite Steve McQueen in The Cincinnati Kid (MGM, Oct. 15. 1965). Bill played a poker player who got beaten by Steve (in both senses of the word meaning!) (Picture above left). After The Fall (Actor's Theatre - Los Angeles, 1966), The Crucible (Actor's Theatre - Los Angeles, 1966). He co-starred as "Chief Segal" on Captain Nice (NBC, Jan 9. - May 1. 1967, min. 14 episodes) and played the sheriff in the Star Trek episode, "Spectre of the Gun." (NBC, Oct. 25. 1968) (Picture below left). In the Batman episode, "The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra" (ABC, March 7. 1968) David Lewis (R) played Warden Crichton, whilst Bill Zuckert was the Prison Captain. (Picture above right). He also once tried his hand at directing a play, choosing one in which he himself had previously acted: The Gang's All Here (Theatre Rapport, Oct 1968).

Above left: Bill Zuckert played the sheriff in the Star Trek episode, "Spectre of the Gun" (NBC, Oct. 25. 1968). Above right: Bill Zuckert as Mayor Gilchrist opposite Elvis in The Trouble with Girls (MGM, Sep 3. 1969).

Bill Zuckert played opposite Elvis no less then two times. Once uncredited as O'Grady in Kid Galahad (United Artists, Aug 11. 1962) and once as Mayor Gilchrist in The Trouble with Girls (MGM, Sep 3. 1969) (Picture above right). The Bill Cosby Show (NBC, Oct 26. 1969) where Bill Zuckert delivered a hilarious aria as Phil, a candy shop owner.
In 1964 he and Gladys Holland, were blessed with a daughter Kymm. Seen here with her father somewhere around 1970. (Picture right)
The Bathtub Bandicoot (Gallery Theatre, Jun 1970) He is the only one of the actors in the film Tora! Tora! Tora! (20th Century-Fox, 23 sep. 1970) to have a very noticeable speaking role and not receive any screen credit at all. He is seen near the beginning of the film flying in a plane with Admiral Husband E. Kimmel (played by Martin Balsam) and commenting on the safety measures at Pearl Harbor. (Picture below top left) In December 1970, his father William F. Zuckert Sr. died at UCLA Medical Center at the age of 84. A widower, he had been living in part of Los Angeles for 2 years. Played Sergeant Velie in easily forgettable murder mystery *Ellery Queen*, Don't Look Behind You (NBC, Nov. 19. 1971), this pilot with Peter Lawford and Harry Morgan didn't lead to the start of a series. The Mark Taper Forum presented a Forum Laboratory which had workshop productions, one of them was What are you doing after the War? ( Music Center Los Angeles, 1972) presented by the Center Theatre Group with William Zuckert. Zuckert played a judge in the 1973 Kojak Pilot "The Marcus Nelson Murders" (CBS, Mar. 8. 1973) (Picture below top right).

Above left: Bill Zuckert in the film Tora! Tora! Tora! (20th Century-Fox, 23 sep. 1970). Above right: Zuckert as Judge in the Kojak Pilot " The Marcus Nelson Murders" (CBS, Mar. 8. 1973).
Above left: Zuckert as Tom Cassidy opposite Michael Landon in Little House on the Prairie (NBC, Sep 25. 1974). Above right: As a lifesaving Ranger in The Colbys (ABC, Sep 24. 1986).

Zuckert played Tom Cassidy opposite Michael Landon in "100 Mile Walk" a 1974 episode of The Little House on the Prairie (NBC, Sep 25. 1974). (Picture above bottom left) Dylan (L.A. Actors' Forum, Jan. 1976), Gog and Magog (ANTA West Coronet Theater, Aug 1977), Pennyman (Megaw Theatre Northridge, Nov 1978) by Joe Morella and Bill Edwards, directed by Elaine Moe. Sears Radio Theatre was an anthology radio drama series which ran nightly Monday through Friday on CBS Radio in 1979, sponsored by the Sears chain. Bill appeared in at least 2 episodes broadcast on Feb. 19 and June 27. 1979. Although his television work is certainly not to be missed, it seems that the theatrical work to which Bill has devoted himself is somewhat underexposed. Then the listing below proves otherwise: The premiere of the play First Monday in October (The Huntington Hartford Theater, Feb. 27 - Mar. 25. 1979) with Henry Fonda and Eva Marie Saint was attended by Hollywood's beau monde. Bill had a supporting role, The Rape of Maria Perez (Hyperion Theatre, March 1980) Bill as the judge, Year One of the Empire (Odyssey Theatre, L.A., Aug 9. - Nov. 23. 1980), Swan Songs (The Cast Theatre Complex, Dec 7. - 29. 1982) as the Professor, Wanda Wanda (Landmark Alliance Theater-Hollywood, Nov 11. - Dec 18. 1983) a musical by Frank De Felitta. Peter Weiss’ documentary drama, The Investigation, (Megaw Theatre, May - June 23. 1985) was taken from the record of a 1963-64 German investigation into the Auschwitz death camp again Bill and Gladys were members of the cast. The Greeks (Back Alley Theater, Van Nuys, CA., April 1986), a condensation of nine plays by Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus, with some Homer thrown in for good measure, that chronicles the fall of Troy and the House of Atreus opened in 1986. The lavish production by Allan Miller and Laura Zucker was described as a mixed bag it had both Bill and Gladys Holland in it. Bill playing a lifesaving Ranger in "The Gathering Storm" from The Colbys (ABC, Sep 24. 1986) (Picture above bottom right)

Above left: The Greeks (Back Alley Theater, Van Nuys, CA., April 1986) with (L-R) Sharonlee McLean, Alden Millikan and Bill Zuckert. Above right: "Murder in Malibu" was a Columbo episode (NBC, May 14. 1990) with (L-R) Andrew Stevens, Bill Zuckert and Peter Falk.

Zuckert was an avid aquarist who was active with the Los Angeles Aquarium Society and a member of the Advanced Cichlid Aquarists of Southern California. His television career spanned four decades with appearances on popular series such as Columbo (NBC, Oct. 15. 1974, Oct. 12. 1975 and May 14. 1990), Sledge Hammer! (ABC, Nov 5. 1987), St. Elsewhere (NBC, Sep 30. 1987), and In The Heath of the Night (NBC, Mar 19. & Nov 12. 1991). Disability: a Comedy (Odyssey Theatre, L.A., June 1989).

Above left: One of Zuckert’s last parts before his death in 1997 was a small one (Miami Dolphins nut job kicker Ray Finkle's father) in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (Warner Bros., Feb. 4. 1994). Above right: Bill Zuckert was last seen on TV in a Diagnosis Murder (CBS, Feb. 16. 1996).

One of Zuckert’s last movie roles before his death in 1997 was a small one in Ace Ventura Pet Detective. (Warner Bros., Feb. 4. 1994) (Picture above left) His last movie, an independent film, Happy Together (1996), was produced and directed by Bill Lansford. He was last seen on TV in a Diagnosis Murder (CBS, Feb. 16. 1996) episode called "Living on the Streets Can Be Murder" (Picture above right) Zuckert was on the board of directors of both the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild. Having instituted casting showcases at both unions, Zuckert was an active part of AFTRA'S new member orientation program. Bill died January 23, 1997 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (cancer and pneumonia). Gladys Edna Holland passed away October 21. 2017**.



Notes: * Kymm gave February 26. 1877 as Ellen's birthday. An obituary published on Jan 17. 1952 in The Monroe Gazette states that Ellen was born on February 19. 1877. She was 74 when she died. While her memorial card indicated Gladys was born 1928 daughter Kymm attested Gladys always lied about her age... She was born on July 7. 1923 in Ponta, Texas. * Plays still in need of confirmation (dates, location): Hollywood: The Egg (ANTA West, 1975), Diplomacy (Odyssey Theatre), Abraham Lincoln (Actor's Theatre), Room Service (Chamber). Stock, Off-Broadway: On Golden Pond (Las Vegas), Mr. Roberts, Lenny, The Male Animal, Orpheus Descending. All dates for movies are for the official US release. All dates for TV programs are original first airdates. All dates for (radio) plays are for the time span the actor was involved. Facts in red still need confirmation.

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Other references (1) IMDb (2) Wikipedia (3) IBDB - Bill Zuckert - IBDB - William Zuckert (4) Scott Rollins Film and TV Trivia blog profile page (5) RUSC (6) OTRRPedia (7) Kymm Zuckert (8) IOBDB (9) Playbill.com - Bill Zuckert - Playbill.com - William Zuckert (10) Radiogoldindex (11) SPERDVAC Presents November 11, 1978 Bill Zuckert interview Additional video & audio sources (1) Old Time Radio Downloads (2) Shock Corridor - The Plan Tv Clip from series (3) Space Cadet Full episode "Ambush in Space" (1955)

This actor profile is a part of Ellery Queen a website on deduction. The actor above played Velie in a Tv-Pilot for an Ellery Queen series. Click Uncle Sam if you think you can help out...! Many of the profiles on this site have been compiled after very careful research of various sources. Please quote and cite ethically!
Page first published on March 18. 2018 Last updated May 14. 2024