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William Reynolds (actor)

November 28, 2023

William DeClercq Reynolds (né Regnolds;[1] December 9, 1931 – August 24, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Special Agent Tom Colby in the 1960s television series The F.B.I. and his film and television roles during the 1950s through the 1970s.

William Reynolds
Reynolds in 1969
Born
William DeClercq Regnolds

(1931-12-09)December 9, 1931
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 24, 2022(2022-08-24) (aged 90)
Wildomar, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materPasadena City College
Occupation(s)Actor, businessman
Years active1951–1978, 1989
Spouse
Molly Sinclair
​
​
(m. 1950; died 1992)​
Children2

Early years edit

Reynolds was born in Los Angeles[2] on December 9, 1931, the youngest of three sons.[3] His 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.[4] Through his father he was a direct descendant of American Revolution hero Nathaniel Reynolds, his father was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the General Society of Colonial Wars and his mother was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, however, William said "that sort of thing was never as important to me as it was to them," adding "It's kind of neat to know about, but that's as far as that goes for me." His father was descended from Mayflower passengers John Howland and John Billington, his mother was descended from Thomas Hinckley. Though he was of "almost entirely English ancestry" his mother also believed he was partially of Huguenot ancestry, which is why she gave him a French middle name, however, unlike his more famous ancestry, his Huguenot roots could not be confirmed.[4][5]

Film edit

After a talent agent spotted him in minor theatrical roles, Reynolds signed with Universal Studios in 1952 and began appearing in pictures such as Carrie (1952), where he had a prominent role as the son of Laurence Olivier. Reynolds was drafted into the United States Army in 1952, but en route to Korea he stayed in Japan doing radio work.[6] He returned to Universal making horror film Cult of the Cobra (1955). He also appeared in the Douglas Sirk melodramas All That Heaven Allows (1955) and There's Always Tomorrow (1956), as well as in Sirk's comedy Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1953). He often played the son of the leading character, for example of Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows, Fred MacMurray in There's Always Tomorrow and Laurence Olivier in Carrie.

Television edit

Reynolds became tired of his dull, stereotyped roles in the movies and began his move to television in 1958 when he guest starred in the episode "Rope of Cards" of the Maverick TV series with James Garner. He also served as the lead actor in episodes "Holiday at Hollow Rock" and "The Cure For Johnny Rain".

In 1959, he played the title role in Pete Kelly's Blues.[7]: 826-827  During this series, he developed a close friendship with actor and producer Jack Webb. In 1960–1961, he starred as Sandy Wade on the ABC/Warner Bros. television series The Islanders.[7] He also guest starred in 1961 as Jerry Bolton on the episode "Nobody's Millions" of another ABC/WB drama series, The Roaring 20s.

In 1961, Reynolds appeared as Johnny Tremayne in an episode of Cheyenne, “The Brahma Bull”.

In 1962–1963, Reynolds costarred on ABC's The Gallant Men. He then played Hoodoo Henderson as an adult in 1966's Walt Disney film Follow Me, Boys!.

Two years with no acting jobs led Reynolds to enhance his education, and he passed the examinations to become a lawyer specializing in real estate.[8]

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.[9] He was replaced by actor Shelly Novack for the final season, because the network considered Reynolds, then at the age of forty-one, too old for the part. 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 September 8, 1974.[nb 1]

He also appeared in guest roles in Jack Webb-produced shows such as Dragnet, and in other series of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, starring in the episode "The Purple Testament" (Season 1, Episode 19).

Later years edit

Reynolds left show business after The F.B.I. ended its run and became a businessman.[2]

Personal life edit

Reynolds married Molly Sinclair, an actress, in 1950 and remained with her until her death in 1992.[10] The couple had a daughter and two sons. One son died shortly after his birth.[2]

On February 12, 1960, Reynolds and Richard L. Bare were injured when a plane, flying back to Miami after a filming of The Islanders, crashed in the Caribbean Sea.[3] Reynolds suffered several broken ribs and broke his right ankle. The pair, along with two others, survived after swimming four miles to the coast of Jamaica.[11] Reynolds has claimed this resulted in the postponement of "The Purple Testament", a Twilight Zone episode in which Reynolds' character sees his own death.[12]

Reynolds died of pneumonia in Wildomar, California, on August 24, 2022, at the age of 90.[13][14]

Partial filmography edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ "The Animal" originally aired February 17, 1974. Not to be confused with the Season 1 episode of the same name, which first aired April 17, 1966.

References edit

  1. ^ "William Regnolds Obituary - Menifee, CA".
  2. ^ a b c "William Reynolds, 90". Classic Images. November 2022. p. 46.
  3. ^ a b Rubin, Steven Jay (2017). The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 9781613738887.
  4. ^ a b An Illustrated History of the Horror Films by Carlos Clarens Putnam, 1967
  5. ^ An Illustrated History of the Horror Film by Carlos Clarens
  6. ^ http://www.classicimages.com/articles/2009/10/02/past_articles/reynoldswilliam.txt[dead link]
  7. ^ a b Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. Pp. 512-513.
  8. ^ Crosby, Joan (October 15, 1967). "From Flops To FBI Hit". Kingsport Times-News. Tennessee, Kingsport. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 35. Retrieved December 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Aaker, Everett (2006). Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6409-8. P. 603.
  10. ^ Weaver, Tom (2009). I Talked with a Zombie: Interviews with 23 Veterans of Horror and Sci-Fi Films and Television. McFarland. p. 233. ISBN 9780786452682.
  11. ^ Zicree, Marc (1992). The Twilight Zone Companion. Silman James Press. ISBN 9781879505094.
  12. ^ Grams, Martin (2008). The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. OTR Publishing.
  13. ^ Tinoco, Armando. "William Reynolds Dies: 'The F.B.I.' Actor Was 90". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  14. ^ Barnes, Mike. "William Reynolds, Special Agent Tom Colby on 'The F.B.I.,' Dies at 90". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 30, 2022.

External links edit

  • William Reynolds at IMDb  
  • TV.com page for William Reynolds 2008-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
  • The 1965 FBI Show Tribute Site

November 28, 2023
william, reynolds, actor, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, articl. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources William Reynolds actor news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article uses citations that link to broken or outdated sources Please improve the article by addressing link rot or discuss this issue on the talk page May 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message William DeClercq Reynolds ne Regnolds 1 December 9 1931 August 24 2022 was an American actor He was best known for his role as Special Agent Tom Colby in the 1960s television series The F B I and his film and television roles during the 1950s through the 1970s William ReynoldsReynolds in 1969BornWilliam DeClercq Regnolds 1931 12 09 December 9 1931Los Angeles California U S DiedAugust 24 2022 2022 08 24 aged 90 Wildomar California U S NationalityAmericanAlma materPasadena City CollegeOccupation s Actor businessmanYears active1951 1978 1989SpouseMolly Sinclair m 1950 died 1992 wbr Children2 Contents 1 Early years 2 Film 3 Television 4 Later years 5 Personal life 6 Partial filmography 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksEarly years editReynolds was born in Los Angeles 2 on December 9 1931 the youngest of three sons 3 His 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 4 Through his father he was a direct descendant of American Revolution hero Nathaniel Reynolds his father was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the General Society of Colonial Wars and his mother was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution however William said that sort of thing was never as important to me as it was to them adding It s kind of neat to know about but that s as far as that goes for me His father was descended from Mayflower passengers John Howland and John Billington his mother was descended from Thomas Hinckley Though he was of almost entirely English ancestry his mother also believed he was partially of Huguenot ancestry which is why she gave him a French middle name however unlike his more famous ancestry his Huguenot roots could not be confirmed 4 5 Film editAfter a talent agent spotted him in minor theatrical roles Reynolds signed with Universal Studios in 1952 and began appearing in pictures such as Carrie 1952 where he had a prominent role as the son of Laurence Olivier Reynolds was drafted into the United States Army in 1952 but en route to Korea he stayed in Japan doing radio work 6 He returned to Universal making horror film Cult of the Cobra 1955 He also appeared in the Douglas Sirk melodramas All That Heaven Allows 1955 and There s Always Tomorrow 1956 as well as in Sirk s comedy Has Anybody Seen My Gal 1953 He often played the son of the leading character for example of Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows Fred MacMurray in There s Always Tomorrow and Laurence Olivier in Carrie Television editReynolds became tired of his dull stereotyped roles in the movies and began his move to television in 1958 when he guest starred in the episode Rope of Cards of the Maverick TV series with James Garner He also served as the lead actor in episodes Holiday at Hollow Rock and The Cure For Johnny Rain In 1959 he played the title role in Pete Kelly s Blues 7 826 827 During this series he developed a close friendship with actor and producer Jack Webb In 1960 1961 he starred as Sandy Wade on the ABC Warner Bros television series The Islanders 7 He also guest starred in 1961 as Jerry Bolton on the episode Nobody s Millions of another ABC WB drama series The Roaring 20s In 1961 Reynolds appeared as Johnny Tremayne in an episode of Cheyenne The Brahma Bull In 1962 1963 Reynolds costarred on ABC s The Gallant Men He then played Hoodoo Henderson as an adult in 1966 s Walt Disney film Follow Me Boys Two years with no acting jobs led Reynolds to enhance his education and he passed the examinations to become a lawyer specializing in real estate 8 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 9 He was replaced by actor Shelly Novack for the final season because the network considered Reynolds then at the age of forty one too old for the part 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 September 8 1974 nb 1 He also appeared in guest roles in Jack Webb produced shows such as Dragnet and in other series of Rod Serling s The Twilight Zone starring in the episode The Purple Testament Season 1 Episode 19 Later years editReynolds left show business after The F B I ended its run and became a businessman 2 Personal life editReynolds married Molly Sinclair an actress in 1950 and remained with her until her death in 1992 10 The couple had a daughter and two sons One son died shortly after his birth 2 On February 12 1960 Reynolds and Richard L Bare were injured when a plane flying back to Miami after a filming of The Islanders crashed in the Caribbean Sea 3 Reynolds suffered several broken ribs and broke his right ankle The pair along with two others survived after swimming four miles to the coast of Jamaica 11 Reynolds has claimed this resulted in the postponement of The Purple Testament a Twilight Zone episode in which Reynolds character sees his own death 12 Reynolds died of pneumonia in Wildomar California on August 24 2022 at the age of 90 13 14 Partial filmography editDear Brat 1951 Robbie No Questions Asked 1951 Floyd The Desert Fox The Story of Rommel 1951 Manfred Rommel uncredited The Cimarron Kid 1952 Will Dalton uncredited The Battle at Apache Pass 1952 Lem Bent Has Anybody Seen My Gal 1952 Howard Blaisdell Francis Goes to West Point 1952 Wilbur Van Allen Carrie 1952 George Hurstwood Jr Son of Ali Baba 1952 Mustapha The Raiders 1952 Frank Morrell The Mississippi Gambler 1953 Pierre Loyette Gunsmoke 1953 Brazos Cult of the Cobra 1955 Pete Norton There s Always Tomorrow 1955 Vinnie Groves All That Heaven Allows 1955 Ned Scott Away All Boats 1956 Ens Kruger Mister Cory 1957 Alex Wyncott The Land Unknown 1957 Lt Jack Carmen The Big Beat 1958 John Randall The Thing That Couldn t Die 1958 Gordon Hawthorne Maverick 1958 1959 TV Series 4 episodes Bill Gregg Johnny Rain Ted Blake Pete Kelly s Blues 1959 TV Series 13 episodes Pete Kelly The Twilight Zone 1960 TV Series 1 episode Lt Fitzgerald The Islanders 1960 1961 TV Series 24 episodes Sandy Wade The Gallant Men 1962 1963 TV Series 26 episodes Capt Jim Benedict A Distant Trumpet 1964 1st Lt Teddy Mainwarring Follow Me Boys 1966 Hoodoo Henderson Man The F B I 1966 1974 TV Series 161 episodes Special Agent Tom Colby 1967 1974 SAC Kendall Lisbon Franklin Benton supporting roles 1966 1967 Notes edit The Animal originally aired February 17 1974 Not to be confused with the Season 1 episode of the same name which first aired April 17 1966 References edit William Regnolds Obituary Menifee CA a b c William Reynolds 90 Classic Images November 2022 p 46 a b Rubin Steven Jay 2017 The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia Chicago Review Press ISBN 9781613738887 a b An Illustrated History of the Horror Films by Carlos Clarens Putnam 1967 An Illustrated History of the Horror Film by Carlos Clarens http www classicimages com articles 2009 10 02 past articles reynoldswilliam txt dead link a b Terrace Vincent 2011 Encyclopedia of Television Shows 1925 through 2010 McFarland amp Company Inc ISBN 978 0 7864 6477 7 Pp 512 513 Crosby Joan October 15 1967 From Flops To FBI Hit Kingsport Times News Tennessee Kingsport Newspaper Enterprise Association p 35 Retrieved December 9 2016 via Newspapers com nbsp Aaker Everett 2006 Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters McFarland amp Company Inc ISBN 978 0 7864 6409 8 P 603 Weaver Tom 2009 I Talked with a Zombie Interviews with 23 Veterans of Horror and Sci Fi Films and Television McFarland p 233 ISBN 9780786452682 Zicree Marc 1992 The Twilight Zone Companion Silman James Press ISBN 9781879505094 Grams Martin 2008 The Twilight Zone Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic OTR Publishing Tinoco Armando William Reynolds Dies The F B I Actor Was 90 Deadline Hollywood Retrieved August 30 2022 Barnes Mike William Reynolds Special Agent Tom Colby on The F B I Dies at 90 The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved August 30 2022 External links editWilliam Reynolds at IMDb nbsp TV com page for William Reynolds Archived 2008 07 19 at the Wayback Machine The 1965 FBI Show Tribute Site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Reynolds actor amp oldid 1158153721, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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