William Benedict
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- 16 April 1917 · Haskell, Oklahoma, USA
- Died
- 25 November 1999
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Benedict (April 16, 1917 – November 25, 1999) was an American actor, perhaps best known for playing "Whitey" in Monogram Pictures' The Bowery Boys series. Born in Haskell, Oklahoma, he took part in school theatricals, and on leaving school he made his way to Hollywood. His first film was $10 Raise (1935) starring Edward Everett Horton, which launched Benedict on a busy career. The blond-haired Benedict almost always played juvenile roles, such as newsboys, messengers, office boys, and farmhands. In 1939, when Universal Pictures began its Little Tough Guys series to compete with the popular Dead End Kids features, Billy Benedict was recruited into the cast. These films led him into the similar East Side Kids movies (usually playing a member of the East Side gang, but occasionally in villainous roles). The East Side Kids became The Bowery Boys in 1946, and Benedict stayed with the series (as "Whitey") through the end of 1951. Other films included My Little Chickadee (1940) starring W. C. Fields and Mae West, The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster (1955), The Sting (1973) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975). Benedict never shook his juvenile image completely, and continued to play messengers and news vendors well into his sixties. He also worked often in television commercials.
Known for
Acting 186
- 2020The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter as Himself
- 1988Bonanza: The Next Generation as Gus Morton
- 1982Computercide as Elderly Man
- 1979Goldie and the Boxer as Old Man
- 1978Born Again as Leon Jaworski
- 1976Sherlock Holmes in New York as Telegraph Office Manager
- 1976Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood as Man on Bus
- 1975Cop on the Beat as Lennie
- 1975The Dead Don't Die as Hotel Desk Clerk
- 1973The Sting as Roulette Dealer
- 1973The Secret Sharer as Mr. Burns
- 1972The Dirt Gang as Station Attendant
- 1972The Adventures of Nick Carter as Newsboy
- 1972Call Her Mom as Mr. Feigelbaum
- 1969Hello, Dolly! as News Vendor (uncredited)
- 1969The Over the Hill Gang as Joe, the Telegrapher (as Bill Benedict)
- 1969Big Daddy
- 1969The Lottery as Joe Summers
- 1968Funny Girl as Western Union Boy (uncredited)
- 1968Rogue's Gallery as Jocko (as William Benedict)
- 1967What Am I Bid? as Clem (as Bill Benedict)
- 1966Frankie and Johnny as Bum Sleeping on Bench (uncredited)
- 1965The Hallelujah Trail as Simpson
- 1965Dear Heart as Stu
- 1961Lover Come Back as Musician Exiting Elevator (uncredited)
- 1959The Hanging Tree as Trapper (uncredited)
- 1956The Killing as American Airlines Clerk
- 1956Mobs, Inc. as Telegraph Boy
- 1955Bride of the Monster as Newsboy
- 1953The Magnetic Monster as Albert
- 1951Crazy Over Horses as Whitey (as William Benedict)
- 1951Let's Go Navy! as Whitey
- 1951Ghost Chasers as Whitey
- 1951Bowery Battalion as Whitey
- 1950Blues Busters as Whitey (as William Benedict)
- 1950Triple Trouble as Whitey, Bowery Boy
- 1950Lucky Losers as Whitey
- 1950Blonde Dynamite as Whitey
- 1949Master Minds as Whitey
- 1949Angels in Disguise as Whitey
- 1949Hold That Baby! as Whitey
- 1949Riders of the Pony Express as Eddie Lund
- 1949Fighting Fools as Whitey
- 1948Trouble Makers as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1948Smuggler's Cove as Whitey
- 1948Night Wind as Irv Bennett
- 1948Jinx Money as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1948Secret Service Investigator as Counterman
- 1948Angels' Alley as Whitey
- 1947Bowery Buckaroos as Whitey
- 1947Merton of the Movies as Von Strutt's Assistant (uncredited)
- 1947News Hounds as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1947The Hucksters as Bellboy at Blue Penguin Inn (uncredited)
- 1947Fun on a Weekend as Hotel Bellboy (uncredited)
- 1947Hard Boiled Mahoney as Whitey
- 1947The Pilgrim Lady as Bellboy
- 1946Never Say Goodbye as Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- 1946Mr. Hex as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1946Spook Busters as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1946Bowery Bombshell as Whitey
- 1946In Fast Company as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1946One More Tomorrow as Stinky
- 1946Do You Love Me as Singing Western Union Boy (uncredited)
- 1946Without Reservations as Telegraph Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- 1946The Kid from Brooklyn as Newsboy (uncredited)
- 1946The Gentleman Misbehaves as Bellboy (uncredited)
- 1946Road to Utopia as Newsboy #2 (uncredited)
- 1946Gay Blades as Newsboy (uncredited)
- 1946Live Wires as Whitey (as Billy Benedict)
- 1946People Are Funny as NBC Usher
- 1945Come Out Fighting as Skinny
- 1945Mr. Muggs Rides Again as Skinny
- 1945Story of G.I. Joe as Pvt. Whitey (uncredited)
- 1945Hollywood and Vine as Joe the Newsboy
- 1945Docks of New York as Skinny
- 1945Brenda Starr, Reporter as Pesky (uncredited)
- 1944Bowery Champs as Skinny
- 1944I Won't Play as Florida
- 1944They Live in Fear as Thomas 'Mack' Knight (uncredited)
- 1944That's My Baby! as Office boy
- 1944Janie as Soda Jerk (uncredited)
- 1944Block Busters as Butch
- 1944Follow the Leader as Spider O'Brien
- 1944Follow the Boys as Joe (uncredited)
- 1944The Whistler as The Deafmute (Uncredited)
- 1944Million Dollar Kid as Skinny
- 1943Whispering Footsteps as Jerry Murphy
- 1943Moonlight in Vermont as Abel
- 1943Mr. Muggs Steps Out as Pinky
- 1943Thank Your Lucky Stars as Busboy (uncredited)
- 1943Adventures of the Flying Cadets as Zombie Parker
- 1943Nobody's Darling as Sammy (uncredited)
- 1943Ghosts on the Loose as Benny
- 1943All by Myself as Telegraph Messenger
- 1943Clancy Street Boys as Butch
- 1943Aerial Gunner as Jackson 'Sleepy' Laswell
- 1943The Ox-Bow Incident as Greene (uncredited)
- 1943The Powers Girl as Powers Agency Office Boy (uncredited)
- 1942A Night to Remember as Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- 1942Heart of the Golden West as Telegraph Messenger
- 1942Get Hep to Love as Soda Jerk
- 1942Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch as Theatre Usher
- 1942The Glass Key as Farr's Receptionist (uncredited)
- 1942Wildcat as Bud Smithers
- 1942The Talk of the Town as Western Union Boy (uncredited)
- 1942Junior G-Men of the Air as Whitey
- 1942Perils of Nyoka as Red Davis
- 1942Lady in a Jam as Barker (uncredited)
- 1942I Live on Danger as Bellboy (uncredited)
- 1942Home in Wyomin' as Usher (uncredited)
- 1942The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine as Bellboy
- 1942Two Yanks in Trinidad as Messenger (uncredited)
- 1942Rings on Her Fingers
- 1942On the Sunny Side as Messenger
- 1941Confessions of Boston Blackie as Ice Cream Man
- 1941Cadet Girl as Soldier at Camp Show (uncredited)
- 1941Tuxedo Junction as Thomas 'Piecrust' Murphy (as Billy Benedict)
- 1941Jesse James at Bay as Young Davis
- 1941Great Guns as Recruit at Corral
- 1941Dressed to Kill as Singing Telegram Boy
- 1941Time Out for Rhythm as Messenger (uncredited)
- 1941She Knew All the Answers as Singing Telegraph Boy
- 1941In Old Cheyenne as Train Vendor
- 1941Adventures of Captain Marvel as Whitey Murphy
- 1941Mr. District Attorney as Office Boy
- 1941The Man Who Lost Himself as Telegram Delivery Boy
- 1941Scattergood Baines as Lafe Hopper (uncredited)
- 1941The Great Mr. Nobody as Jig
- 1941Second Chorus as Ticket Taker (uncredited)
- 1940Bowery Boy as (uncredited)
- 1940Give Us Wings as Link (as Billy Benedict)
- 1940The Mad Doctor as Mickey Barnes (Uncredited)
- 1940Melody Ranch as Slim
- 1940Young People as Boy (uncredited)
- 1940Rhythm on the River as Elevator Boy
- 1940Lucky Partners as Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- 1940The Great McGinty as Farm Boy (uncredited)
- 1940Stage to Chino as Happy (uncredited)
- 1940Adventures of Red Ryder as Dan Withers
- 1940Grand Ole Opry as Newsboy (uncredited)
- 1940And One Was Beautiful as Delivery Man
- 1940My Little Chickadee as Lem (uncredited)
- 1940Legion of the Lawless as Eddie
- 1939Pack Up Your Troubles as Office Boy
- 1939Hollywood Hobbies as Tour Guide
- 1939Code of the Streets as Trouble
- 1938Newsboys' Home as Trouble
- 1938Say It in French as Midget Car Driver
- 1938Little Tough Guys in Society as Trouble
- 1938Hold That Co-ed as Sylvester
- 1938Young Fugitives as Jud (as William 'Billy' Benedict)
- 1938Hold That Kiss as Delivery Boy
- 1938There's Always a Woman as Bellboy
- 1938King of the Newsboys as Squimpy
- 1938Walking Down Broadway as Eddie
- 1938Bringing Up Baby as David's Caddy (uncredited)
- 1938I Met My Love Again as Billy (uncredited)
- 1937Tim Tyler's Luck as Spud
- 1937The Last Gangster as Freddy the Office Boy
- 1937That I May Live as Kurt Plivens
- 1937Tramp Trouble as Young Bindlestiff
- 1937Flying Fists as Monk, Tall Kid
- 1937Rhythm in the Clouds as Bellboy
- 1937Jim Hanvey, Detective as Copy Boy (uncredited)
- 1937They Wanted to Marry as Freckles
- 1936After the Thin Man as Newsboy (uncredited)
- 1936Crack-Up as Bunky, Office Boy (uncredited)
- 1936Laughing at Trouble as Wilbur
- 1936Can This Be Dixie? as Shenandoah Peachtree (uncredited)
- 1936Theodora Goes Wild as Henry - Copyboy (uncredited)
- 1936Libeled Lady as Johnny
- 1936Ramona as Joseph Hyar
- 1936M'Liss as Archer Morpher
- 1936The Witness Chair as Benny Ryan
- 1936Captain January as Telegram Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- 1936The Country Doctor as The Gawker
- 1935Your Uncle Dudley as Cyril Church
- 1935Show Them No Mercy! as Willie (uncredited)
- 1935Way Down East as Amos
- 1935Bad Boy as Grocery Clerk
- 19353 Kids and a Queen as Flash
- 1935Steamboat Round the Bend as Breck
- 1935Doubting Thomas as Caddie
- 1935The Farmer Takes a Wife as Boy Announcing Dan's Arrival Before Fight
- 1935College Scandal as 'Penny' Parker
- 1935$10 Raise as Jimmy