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Whit Bissell

October 17, 2023

Whitner Nutting Bissell (October 25, 1909 – March 5, 1996) was an American character actor.

Whit Bissell
Bissel in 1946
Born
Whitner Nutting Bissell

(1909-10-25)October 25, 1909
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 1996(1996-03-05) (aged 86)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
EducationDalton School
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina
OccupationActor
Years active1933–1984
Known forThe Time Tunnel
The Time Machine
Spouses
Adrienne Marden
​
​
(m. 1938; div. 1954)​
Dilys Mary Shan Jukes
​
​
(m. 1954; died 1958)​
Jennifer Raine
​
​
(m. 1967; died 1993)​
Children4

Early life Edit

Born in New York City, Bissell was the son of surgeon Dr. J. Dougal Bissell and Helen Nutting Bissell. He was educated at the Allen-Stevenson School and the Dalton School in New York City.[1] He was related to Daniel Bissell, who was awarded the Badge of Military Merit, the predecessor of the Purple Heart, by George Washington.[2]

He trained with the Carolina Playmakers,[citation needed] a theatrical organization associated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in drama and English.[1]

Career Edit

Bissell had a number of roles in Broadway theatre, including the Air Force show Winged Victory,[3] when he was an airman serving in the United States Army Air Forces.

In a film career that began with Holy Matrimony (1943), Bissell appeared in hundreds of films and television episodes as a prominent character actor. Regularly cast in low-budget science fiction and horror films, his roles include a mad scientist in the film I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) and Professor Frankenstein in I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (also 1957).

He played the attending psychiatrist who treats the protagonist, Dr. Miles Bennell, played by Kevin McCarthy, in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and appeared in Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).

Bissell appeared as a guest star in many television drama series between the early 1950s and the mid-1970s, with more sporadic appearances after that. He guest-starred in a couple of episodes of The Lone Ranger. He appeared on other syndicated series, including Sheriff of Cochise, Whirlybirds, Peyton Place and The Brothers Brannagan. He was cast in the religion series Crossroads and Going My Way, and in the NBC education drama series Mr. Novak.

Bissell played murderer Larry Sands on CBS's Perry Mason ("The Case of the Crooked Candle", 1957), along with Max Pompey in "The Case of the Lavender Lipstick" (1960), Laurence Barlow in "The Case of the Nautical Knot" (1964) and Dennison Groody in "The Case of the Carefree Coronary" (1965). He appeared in an episode of Mr. Adams and Eve in 1957 and of Peter Gunn in 1958. He played different roles in multiple episodes of the ABC series The Rifleman, and as Sinclair Bruder in "The Great Guy" (1956) on Father Knows Best.

Bissell portrayed the undertaker (who sees every man, no matter his race, as "just another future customer") in the film The Magnificent Seven (1960).

In 1960, Bissell had appeared in George Pal's production of The Time Machine, as Walter Kemp, one of the Time Traveller's dining friends. He also appeared in a 1978 TV movie adapting the H. G. Wells novel for a more modern setting. Bissell's Time Tunnel co-star John Zaremba also appeared in the telemovie. Thirty-three years later, in 1993 the documentary film Time Machine: The Journey Back (which featured Bissell, Rod Taylor and Alan Young), Bissell recreated his 1960 role as Walter in the opening sequence. It was Bissell's last acting performance.

From 1959 to 1961, Bissell was a regular for the third and fourth seasons of the television series Bachelor Father, costarring John Forsythe, Noreen Corcoran, and Sammee Tong. He appeared in an episode of Straightaway in 1961. He was cast three times on the long-running NBC western series The Virginian.

Bissell played General Heywood Kirk in 30 episodes in the 1966–1967 season of the science-fiction television series The Time Tunnel. He often played silver-haired figures of authority, here as in many other roles (as described by AllMovie), "instantly establishing his standard screen characterization of fussy officiousness", leavened in many instances with a military bearing. Other examples of such authoritative roles as military or police officials, include appearances in The Caine Mutiny, The Manchurian Candidate, The Outer Limits (1963), Hogan's Heroes (1966), and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1966). Bissell also appeared in the Barnaby Jones episode, "Murder in the Doll's House" (March 25, 1973).

Bissell appeared in the classic episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" of Star Trek, footage of which was re-used in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Trials and Tribble-ations".

In 1978 and 1980, Bissell appeared in two episodes of The Incredible Hulk, first in the second-season episode "Kindred Spirits" as Professor Williams, and later as Professor John Zeiderman in the second part of the fourth season two-parter "Prometheus".

Bissell was a guest of honor at New York City's Tele-Fantasy Con 1975 on August 1 - 3, along with celebrities Noel Neill, Jim Danforth and Joseph Stefano, and spent the weekend meeting his fans and signing hundreds of autographs free of charge. He also received a life career award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films in 1994. He also served for many years on the board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild, and represented the actors' branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors.

Personal life Edit

Bissell was married three times and had three daughters (Kathy Marden, Victoria Brown and Amanda Whiteley) and a stepson, Brian Forster.[4] Forster was the second actor to play the role of Chris Partridge on The Partridge Family TV series.[5]

Wives:

  • Adrienne Marden (November 23, 1938 – 1954; divorced); 2 children
  • Dilys Mary Shan Jukes (December 5, 1954 – January 11, 1958; her death); 1 child
  • Jennifer Raine (November 24, 1967 – January 5, 1993; her death)

Death Edit

Bissell died on March 5, 1996 (aged 86) at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.[6] He had suffered from Parkinson's disease. He was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.[7]

Broadway roles Edit

  • The Star-Wagon (1937) as Park
  • The American Way (1939) as Karl
  • Two On An Island (1940) Frederic Winthorp
  • Cafe Crown (1942) as Walter
  • Winged Victory (1943) as Lt. Jules Hudson

Selected filmography Edit

(1963) as murder, Fairchild episode: The Burning tree

References Edit

  1. ^ a b Goldrup, Tom and Jim (2012). The Encyclopedia of Feature Players of Hollywood, Volume 1. BearManor Media. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "Bissell Writing Story". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. November 9, 1947. p. Part III – 3. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Whitner Bissell". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "Whit Bissell, Stage and Screen Actor, 86". The New York Times. March 11, 1996. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  5. ^ "An Interview with Brian Forster" at CmonGetHappy.com
  6. ^ Oliver, Myrna (March 7, 1996). "Whit Bissell; Movie, TV Character Actor". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. p. A 18. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons. "Bissell, Whit (Whitner Nutting Bissell)". Jefferson, North Carolina, 2016, third edition, p. 65. Retrieved via Google Books, March 9, 2022. ISBN 9781476625997.

External links Edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Whit Bissell.

October 17, 2023
whit, bissell, whitner, nutting, bissell, october, 1909, march, 1996, american, character, actor, bissel, 1946bornwhitner, nutting, bissell, 1909, october, 1909new, york, city, york, diedmarch, 1996, 1996, aged, woodland, hills, angeles, california, resting, p. Whitner Nutting Bissell October 25 1909 March 5 1996 was an American character actor Whit BissellBissel in 1946BornWhitner Nutting Bissell 1909 10 25 October 25 1909New York City New York U S DiedMarch 5 1996 1996 03 05 aged 86 Woodland Hills Los Angeles California U S Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park CemeteryEducationDalton SchoolAlma materUniversity of North CarolinaOccupationActorYears active1933 1984Known forThe Time TunnelThe Time MachineSpousesAdrienne Marden m 1938 div 1954 wbr Dilys Mary Shan Jukes m 1954 died 1958 wbr Jennifer Raine m 1967 died 1993 wbr Children4 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 Broadway roles 6 Selected filmography 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditBorn in New York City Bissell was the son of surgeon Dr J Dougal Bissell and Helen Nutting Bissell He was educated at the Allen Stevenson School and the Dalton School in New York City 1 He was related to Daniel Bissell who was awarded the Badge of Military Merit the predecessor of the Purple Heart by George Washington 2 He trained with the Carolina Playmakers citation needed a theatrical organization associated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he majored in drama and English 1 Career EditBissell had a number of roles in Broadway theatre including the Air Force show Winged Victory 3 when he was an airman serving in the United States Army Air Forces In a film career that began with Holy Matrimony 1943 Bissell appeared in hundreds of films and television episodes as a prominent character actor Regularly cast in low budget science fiction and horror films his roles include a mad scientist in the film I Was a Teenage Werewolf 1957 and Professor Frankenstein in I Was a Teenage Frankenstein also 1957 He played the attending psychiatrist who treats the protagonist Dr Miles Bennell played by Kevin McCarthy in Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1956 and appeared in Creature from the Black Lagoon 1954 Bissell appeared as a guest star in many television drama series between the early 1950s and the mid 1970s with more sporadic appearances after that He guest starred in a couple of episodes of The Lone Ranger He appeared on other syndicated series including Sheriff of Cochise Whirlybirds Peyton Place and The Brothers Brannagan He was cast in the religion series Crossroads and Going My Way and in the NBC education drama series Mr Novak Bissell played murderer Larry Sands on CBS s Perry Mason The Case of the Crooked Candle 1957 along with Max Pompey in The Case of the Lavender Lipstick 1960 Laurence Barlow in The Case of the Nautical Knot 1964 and Dennison Groody in The Case of the Carefree Coronary 1965 He appeared in an episode of Mr Adams and Eve in 1957 and of Peter Gunn in 1958 He played different roles in multiple episodes of the ABC series The Rifleman and as Sinclair Bruder in The Great Guy 1956 on Father Knows Best Bissell portrayed the undertaker who sees every man no matter his race as just another future customer in the film The Magnificent Seven 1960 In 1960 Bissell had appeared in George Pal s production of The Time Machine as Walter Kemp one of the Time Traveller s dining friends He also appeared in a 1978 TV movie adapting the H G Wells novel for a more modern setting Bissell s Time Tunnel co star John Zaremba also appeared in the telemovie Thirty three years later in 1993 the documentary film Time Machine The Journey Back which featured Bissell Rod Taylor and Alan Young Bissell recreated his 1960 role as Walter in the opening sequence It was Bissell s last acting performance From 1959 to 1961 Bissell was a regular for the third and fourth seasons of the television series Bachelor Father costarring John Forsythe Noreen Corcoran and Sammee Tong He appeared in an episode of Straightaway in 1961 He was cast three times on the long running NBC western series The Virginian Bissell played General Heywood Kirk in 30 episodes in the 1966 1967 season of the science fiction television series The Time Tunnel He often played silver haired figures of authority here as in many other roles as described by AllMovie instantly establishing his standard screen characterization of fussy officiousness leavened in many instances with a military bearing Other examples of such authoritative roles as military or police officials include appearances in The Caine Mutiny The Manchurian Candidate The Outer Limits 1963 Hogan s Heroes 1966 and The Man from U N C L E 1966 Bissell also appeared in the Barnaby Jones episode Murder in the Doll s House March 25 1973 Bissell appeared in the classic episode The Trouble with Tribbles of Star Trek footage of which was re used in Star Trek Deep Space Nine s Trials and Tribble ations In 1978 and 1980 Bissell appeared in two episodes of The Incredible Hulk first in the second season episode Kindred Spirits as Professor Williams and later as Professor John Zeiderman in the second part of the fourth season two parter Prometheus Bissell was a guest of honor at New York City s Tele Fantasy Con 1975 on August 1 3 along with celebrities Noel Neill Jim Danforth and Joseph Stefano and spent the weekend meeting his fans and signing hundreds of autographs free of charge He also received a life career award from the Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Films in 1994 He also served for many years on the board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild and represented the actors branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors Personal life EditBissell was married three times and had three daughters Kathy Marden Victoria Brown and Amanda Whiteley and a stepson Brian Forster 4 Forster was the second actor to play the role of Chris Partridge on The Partridge Family TV series 5 Wives Adrienne Marden November 23 1938 1954 divorced 2 children Dilys Mary Shan Jukes December 5 1954 January 11 1958 her death 1 child Jennifer Raine November 24 1967 January 5 1993 her death Death EditBissell died on March 5 1996 aged 86 at the Motion Picture amp Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills Los Angeles California 6 He had suffered from Parkinson s disease He was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles 7 Broadway roles EditThe Star Wagon 1937 as Park The American Way 1939 as Karl Two On An Island 1940 Frederic Winthorp Cafe Crown 1942 as Walter Winged Victory 1943 as Lt Jules HudsonSelected filmography EditThe Sea Hawk 1940 as Gate Guard at Palace Entrance uncredited Holy Matrimony 1943 as Harry Leek uncredited Destination Tokyo 1943 as Yo Yo uncredited Winged Victory 1944 as Lt Hudson uncredited The Horn Blows at Midnight 1945 as Heavenly Piccolo Player uncredited Cluny Brown 1946 as Archie Dowager s Son uncredited Somewhere in the Night 1946 as John uncredited It Shouldn t Happen to a Dog 1946 as Chester Frye uncredited The Sea of Grass 1947 as Ted the Clerk uncredited Brute Force 1947 as Tom Lister Night Song 1947 as Party Guest uncredited A Double Life 1947 as Dr Stauffer The Senator Was Indiscreet 1947 as Oakes Another Part of the Forest 1948 as Jugger Raw Deal 1948 as Murderer Canon City 1948 as Richard Heilman That Lady in Ermine 1948 as Giulio He Walked by Night 1948 as Paul Reeves Chicken Every Sunday 1949 as Mr Robinson Robby The Crime Doctor s Diary 1949 as Pete Bellem Anna Lucasta 1949 as Stanley Tokyo Joe 1949 as Capt Winnow uncredited And Baby Makes Three 1949 as Party Guest uncredited Side Street 1949 as Harold Simpson When Willie Comes Marching Home 1950 as Lt M J Hanley Psychiatrist uncredited Perfect Strangers 1950 as Mr Lister Defense Attorney uncredited Convicted 1950 as States Attorney Owens uncredited A Life of Her Own 1950 as Rental Agent uncredited Wyoming Mail 1950 as Sam The Killer That Stalked New York 1950 as Sid Bennet The Du Pont Story 1950 as Dr Wallace Carothers For Heaven s Sake 1950 as Doctor uncredited The Great Missouri Raid 1951 as Bob Ford The Red Badge of Courage 1951 as Wounded Officer uncredited Tales of Robin Hood 1951 as Will Stutely Sealed Cargo 1951 as Schuster uncredited Night into Morning 1951 as Monument Salesman uncredited Lost Continent 1951 as Stanley Briggs The Family Secret 1951 as Joe Elsner Red Mountain 1951 as Miles Boots Malone 1952 as Lou Dyer uncredited Hoodlum Empire 1952 as Filby The Pickpocket uncredited Skirts Ahoy 1952 as Mr Yarbrough uncredited The Sellout 1952 as Wilfred Jackson The Turning Point 1952 as Buck uncredited Devil s Canyon 1953 as Virgil Gates It Should Happen to You 1954 as Robert Grau Creature from the Black Lagoon 1954 as Dr Edwin Thompson Riot in Cell Block 11 1954 as Snader The Shanghai Story 1954 as Paul Grant The Caine Mutiny 1954 as Navy psychiatrist Lt Commander Dickson uncredited Three Hours to Kill 1954 as Deke Target Earth 1954 as Tom Chief research scientist Masterson of Kansas 1954 as Joe the Poker Player winning against Doc Holliday uncredited The Atomic Kid 1954 as Dr Edgar Pangborn The Big Combo 1955 as Doctor scenes deleted Not as a Stranger 1955 as Dr Dietrich The Naked Street 1955 as Dist Atty Blaker The Desperate Hours 1955 as FBI Agent Carson Trial 1955 as Sam Wiltse Shack Out on 101 1955 as Eddie At Gunpoint 1955 as Clem Clark Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1956 as Dr Hill uncredited The Proud Ones 1956 as Mr Sam Bolton Dakota Incident 1956 as Mark Chester Man from Del Rio 1956 as Breezy Morgan Cheyenne The Broken Pledge Season 2 Episode 20 06 04 1956 as Gen Custer credited as Whit Bissel The Young Stranger 1957 as Grubbs Theater Manager Gunfight at the O K Corral 1957 as John P Clum I Was a Teenage Werewolf 1957 as Dr Alfred Brandon Johnny Tremain 1957 as Josiah Quincy The Wayward Girl 1957 as Ira Molson The Tall Stranger 1957 as Adam Judson Mr Adams and Eve 1957 as Manager Episode The Business Manager I Was a Teenage Frankenstein 1957 as Prof Frankenstein Have Gun Will Travel 1957 as store owner Mr Jonas Episode No Visitors 1963 as murder Fairchild episode The Burning tree Perry Mason 1957 1965 as Larry Sands 1957 episode The Case of the Crooked Candle Max Pompey 1960 episode The Case of the Lavender Lipstick Laurence Barlow 1964 episode The Case of the Nautical Knot Dennison Groody 1965 episode The Case of the Carefree Coronary Gang War 1958 as Mark scenes deleted The Defiant Ones 1958 as Lou Gans The Black Orchid 1958 as Mr Harmon Monster on the Campus 1958 as Dr Oliver Cole No Name on the Bullet 1959 as Pierce Warlock 1959 as Petrix Never So Few 1959 as Capt Alofson Psychiatrist The Time Machine 1960 as Walter Kemp The Magnificent Seven 1960 as Chamlee the Undertaker The Tom Ewell Show 1961 episode Advice to the Lovelorn as Harry Burton Birdman of Alcatraz 1962 as Dr Ellis Hemingway s Adventures of a Young Man 1962 as Ludstrum scenes deleted The Manchurian Candidate 1962 as Medical Officer uncredited The Virginian 1963 episode The Final Hour as Burns Spencer s Mountain 1963 as Dr Campbell Hud 1963 as Mr Burris Seven Days in May 1964 as Sen Frederick Prentice Advance to the Rear 1964 as Capt Queeg Where Love Has Gone 1964 as Professor Bell The Hallelujah Trail 1965 as Hobbs Fluffy 1965 as Dr Braden I Dream of Jeannie 1966 as Horace Sedgwick in episode The Fastest Gun in the East The Time Tunnel 1966 1967 as Lt General Heywood Kirk A Covenant with Death 1967 as Bruce Donnelly The Invaders 1967 as Col Harris in episode Dark Outpost 5 Card Stud 1968 as Dr Cooper Once You Kiss a Stranger 1969 as Dr Haggis Airport 1970 as Mr Davidson Justin Morgan Had a Horse 1972 as Mr Mays The Salzburg Connection 1972 as Jim Newhart Pete n Tillie 1972 as Minister Soylent Green 1973 as Gov Santini Barnaby Jones 1973 as Mr Bantree Cannon 1973 as Warden Sheppard Psychic Killer 1975 as Dr Paul Taylor Flood 1976 as Dr Ted Horne The Lincoln Conspiracy 1977 as Sen John Conness The Last of the Mohicans 1977 TV Movie as Gen Webb Casey s Shadow 1978 as Dr Williamson The Time Machine 1978 TV Movie as Ralph BranlyReferences Edit a b Goldrup Tom and Jim 2012 The Encyclopedia of Feature Players of Hollywood Volume 1 BearManor Media Retrieved October 6 2018 Bissell Writing Story The Los Angeles Times California Los Angeles November 9 1947 p Part III 3 Retrieved October 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Whitner Bissell Internet Broadway Database The Broadway League Archived from the original on October 6 2018 Retrieved October 6 2018 Whit Bissell Stage and Screen Actor 86 The New York Times March 11 1996 Retrieved August 9 2017 An Interview with Brian Forster at CmonGetHappy com Oliver Myrna March 7 1996 Whit Bissell Movie TV Character Actor The Los Angeles Times California Los Angeles p A 18 Retrieved October 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Wilson Scott Resting Places The Burial Sites of More Than 14 000 Famous Persons Bissell Whit Whitner Nutting Bissell Jefferson North Carolina 2016 third edition p 65 Retrieved via Google Books March 9 2022 ISBN 9781476625997 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Whit Bissell nbsp New York City portal nbsp California portal nbsp Theatre portal nbsp Film portal nbsp Television portalWhit Bissell at IMDb Whit Bissell at AllMovie Whit Bissell at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp as Whitner Bissell Whit Bissell at Find a GraveWhit Bissell at Memory Alpha Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Whit Bissell amp oldid 1155017565, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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