William Reynolds (actor)
Encyclopedia
William Reynolds is a retired American
television
and film
actor
. He is best known for television roles in the 1960s and 1970s.
Reynolds’ mother died when he was five years old, and he was sent to boarding schools. He eventually attended Pasadena City College
and worked in their radio department. After a talent agent spotted the handsome, capable actor in some minor theatrical roles, Reynolds signed with Universal Studios
in 1952 and began appearing in pictures such as Carrie (1952). Reynolds was drafted in 1952 but enroute to Korea stayed in Japan doing radio work.. He returned to Universal making All That Heaven Allows
(1955) and There's Always Tomorrow
(1956). He often played the son of the leading character.
Reynolds tired of his dull, stereotyped roles in the movies and began his move to television in the late 1950s with the soon-cancelled Pete Kelly's Blues
. In 1960–1961, he starred in the ABC
series The Islanders
with James Philbrook
and Diane Brewster
. He then costarred on ABC's The Gallant Men
in 1962–1963. Reynolds caught his big break co-starring with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
, in another ABC series, the long-running The F.B.I.. Reynolds first made guest appearances in seasons one and two in 1966, before he appeared as series regular Special Agent Tom Colby from 1967 to 1973. He was replaced by actor Shelly Novack for the final season, because the network considered Reynolds too old at age 41. Still, he managed to make two appearances as Colby in the ninth season (1973-74), which included the final network-aired episode, a rerun of "The Animal," on 8 September 1974.
He also did guest roles in Jack Webb
-produced shows such as Dragnet, and in other series like Rod Serling’s
The Twilight Zone
, starring in the episode "The Purple Testament" (Season 1, Episode 19) .
He more or less dropped out of show business after The F.B.I. ended its run, and became a businessman. In 2004 he made an appearance at a Twilight Zone convention in Los Angeles
. He married actress Molly Sinclair in 1950 and remained with her until her death in 1992. The couple had a daughter born in 1958 and a son born the following year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is best known for television roles in the 1960s and 1970s.
Reynolds’ mother died when he was five years old, and he was sent to boarding schools. He eventually attended Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...
and worked in their radio department. After a talent agent spotted the handsome, capable actor in some minor theatrical roles, Reynolds signed with Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
in 1952 and began appearing in pictures such as Carrie (1952). Reynolds was drafted in 1952 but enroute to Korea stayed in Japan doing radio work.. He returned to Universal making All That Heaven Allows
All That Heaven Allows
All That Heaven Allows is a romance feature film starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson in a tale about a well-to-do widow and a younger landscape designer falling in love. The screenplay was written by Peg Fenwick based upon a story by Edna L. Lee and Harry Lee...
(1955) and There's Always Tomorrow
There's Always Tomorrow
There's Always Tomorrow is a 1956 drama film made by Universal Pictures, directed by Douglas Sirk, starring by Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was written by Bernard C...
(1956). He often played the son of the leading character.
Reynolds tired of his dull, stereotyped roles in the movies and began his move to television in the late 1950s with the soon-cancelled Pete Kelly's Blues
Pete Kelly's Blues (TV series)
Pete Kelly's Blues was a television series starring William Reynolds that aired in 1959. It was created by Jack Webb, based on his 1951 radio series of the same name.-Synopsis:...
. In 1960–1961, he starred in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series The Islanders
The Islanders (TV series)
The Islanders, an adventure television series on ABC from 1960-1961, starred William Reynolds , James Philbrook , and Diane Brewster ....
with James Philbrook
James Philbrook
James Philbrook was an American actor who appeared in supporting roles in three short-lived television series between 1959 and 1963: The Islanders on ABC and The Investigators and The New Loretta Young Show, both on CBS...
and Diane Brewster
Diane Brewster
Diane Brewster was an American television actress most noted for playing three distinctively different roles in US TV series of the 1950s and 60s: confidence trickster Samantha Crawford in Maverick; pretty young second-grade teacher Miss Canfield in Leave It to Beaver; and doomed wife Helen...
. He then costarred on ABC's The Gallant Men
The Gallant Men
The Gallant Men is a 1962-1963 ABC television series which depicted an infantry company of American soldiers fighting their way through Italy in World War II.-Description:...
in 1962–1963. Reynolds caught his big break co-starring with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. is an American actor known for his starring roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I. He is also known as recurring character "Dandy Jim Buckley" in the series Maverick and as the voice behind the character Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series...
, in another ABC series, the long-running The F.B.I.. Reynolds first made guest appearances in seasons one and two in 1966, before he appeared as series regular Special Agent Tom Colby from 1967 to 1973. He was replaced by actor Shelly Novack for the final season, because the network considered Reynolds too old at age 41. Still, he managed to make two appearances as Colby in the ninth season (1973-74), which included the final network-aired episode, a rerun of "The Animal," on 8 September 1974.
He also did guest roles in Jack Webb
Jack Webb
John Randolph "Jack" Webb , also known by the pseudonym John Randolph, was an American actor, television producer, director and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the radio and television series Dragnet...
-produced shows such as Dragnet, and in other series like Rod Serling’s
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
, starring in the episode "The Purple Testament" (Season 1, Episode 19) .
He more or less dropped out of show business after The F.B.I. ended its run, and became a businessman. In 2004 he made an appearance at a Twilight Zone convention in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He married actress Molly Sinclair in 1950 and remained with her until her death in 1992. The couple had a daughter born in 1958 and a son born the following year.