William Bendix (January 14, 1906 â€" December 14, 1964) was an
American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played
rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered in films for the
title role in The Babe Ruth Story. He also portrayed the clumsily
earnest aircraft plant worker Chester A. Riley in both the radio and
television versions of The Life of Riley. He received an Academy Award
nomination as Best Supporting Actor for Wake Island (1942).Bendix,
named William after his paternal German grandfather, was born in
Manhattan, the only child of Oscar and Hilda (Carnell) Bendix. His
uncle was composer, conductor, and violinist Max Bendix. In the early
1920s, Bendix was a batboy for the New York Yankees and said he saw
Babe Ruth hit more than 100 home runs at Yankee Stadium. However, he
was fired after fulfilling Ruth's request for a large order of hot
dogs and soda before a game, which resulted in Ruth being unable to
play that day. In 1927, Bendix married Theresa Stefanotti. He worked
as a grocer until the Great Depression.Bendix began his acting career
at age 30 in the New Jersey Federal Theatre Project. He made his film
debut in 1942. He played in supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood
films, usually as a warm-hearted gangster, detective or serviceman. He
began with appearances in film noir, including a supporting role in
The Glass Key (1942), which featured Brian Donlevy, Alan Ladd and
Veronica Lake in the leads. He soon gained attention after appearing
in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944) as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor.Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story (1948) â€" a film
roundly considered one of the worst sports biopics in film history and
Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the trio, "Busy Doing
Nothing". He played Nick the bartender in the film version of William
Saroyan's The Time of Your Life (1948) starring James Cagney. Bendix
had appeared in the stage version, but in the role of Officer Krupp (a
role played on film by Broderick Crawford). He was cast in The Blue
Dahlia (1946), appearing for the second time alongside Ladd and Lake.
American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played
rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered in films for the
title role in The Babe Ruth Story. He also portrayed the clumsily
earnest aircraft plant worker Chester A. Riley in both the radio and
television versions of The Life of Riley. He received an Academy Award
nomination as Best Supporting Actor for Wake Island (1942).Bendix,
named William after his paternal German grandfather, was born in
Manhattan, the only child of Oscar and Hilda (Carnell) Bendix. His
uncle was composer, conductor, and violinist Max Bendix. In the early
1920s, Bendix was a batboy for the New York Yankees and said he saw
Babe Ruth hit more than 100 home runs at Yankee Stadium. However, he
was fired after fulfilling Ruth's request for a large order of hot
dogs and soda before a game, which resulted in Ruth being unable to
play that day. In 1927, Bendix married Theresa Stefanotti. He worked
as a grocer until the Great Depression.Bendix began his acting career
at age 30 in the New Jersey Federal Theatre Project. He made his film
debut in 1942. He played in supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood
films, usually as a warm-hearted gangster, detective or serviceman. He
began with appearances in film noir, including a supporting role in
The Glass Key (1942), which featured Brian Donlevy, Alan Ladd and
Veronica Lake in the leads. He soon gained attention after appearing
in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944) as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor.Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story (1948) â€" a film
roundly considered one of the worst sports biopics in film history and
Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the trio, "Busy Doing
Nothing". He played Nick the bartender in the film version of William
Saroyan's The Time of Your Life (1948) starring James Cagney. Bendix
had appeared in the stage version, but in the role of Officer Krupp (a
role played on film by Broderick Crawford). He was cast in The Blue
Dahlia (1946), appearing for the second time alongside Ladd and Lake.
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