1892-02-27 Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 27, 1983) was an American character actor, known for playing Uncle Charley in My Three Sons. A veteran of World War I, Demarest became a prolific film and television actor, appearing in over 140 films, beginning in 1926 and ending in the 1970s. He frequently played crusty but good-hearted roles. Demarest started in show business working in vaudeville, appearing with his wife Estelle Collette (real name Esther Zychlin) as "Demarest and Colette", then moved on to Broadway. Demarest worked regularly with director Preston Sturges, becoming part of a "stock" troupe of actors that Sturges repeatedly cast in his films. He appeared in ten films written by Sturges, eight of which were under his direction, including The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Demarest was such a familiar figure at the Paramount studio that just his name was used in the movie Sunset Boulevard as a potential star for William Holden's unsold baseball screenplay. Demarest appeared with veteran western film star Roscoe Ates in the 1958 episode "And the Desert Shall Blossom" of CBS's Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In the story line, Ates and Demarest appear as old timers living in the Nevada desert. The local sheriff, played by Ben Johnson, appears with an eviction notice, but he agrees to let the pair stay on their property if they can make a dead rosebush bloom within the next month. In 1959 Demarest was named the lead actor of the 18-week sitcom Love and Marriage on NBC in the 1959–1960 season. Demarest played William Harris, the owner of a failing music company who refuses to handle popular rock and roll music, which presumably might save the firm from bankruptcy. Joining Demarest on the series were Jeanne Bal, Murray Hamilton and Stubby Kaye. Demarest appeared as Police Chief Aloysius of the Santa Rosita Police Department in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), as well as on a memorable episode ("What's in the Box") of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone as a hen-pecked husband driven to the murder of his wife. His most famous television role was in the ABC and then CBS sitcom My Three Sons from 1965 to 1972, playing Uncle Charley O'Casey. He replaced William Frawley, whose failing health had made procuring insurance impossible. Demarest had worked with Fred MacMurray previously in the films Hands Across the Table (1935), Pardon My Past (1945), On Our Merry Way (1948), and The Far Horizons (1955) and was a personal friend of MacMurray. Also, he worked with Irene Dunne in Never a Dull Moment (1950).
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Television: The First Fifty Years | Charlie O'Casey (archive footage) | 1999-01-01 |
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Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line | Self (archive footage) | 1997-05-12 |
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The Millionaire | Oscar Pugh | 1978-12-19 |
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Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood | Studio Gatekeeper | 1976-07-26 |
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The Wild McCullochs | Father Gurkin | 1975-05-21 |
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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark | Mr. Harris | 1973-10-10 |
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That Darn Cat! | Mr. MacDougall | 1965-12-02 |
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Viva Las Vegas | Mr. Martin | 1964-02-08 |
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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World | Police Chief Aloysius | 1963-11-07 |
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Son of Flubber | Mr. Hummel | 1963-01-16 |
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Twenty Plus Two | Desmond Slocum | 1961-08-13 |
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King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein | Henry Hecht | 1961-06-11 |
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Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon | Jeb | 1961-10-17 |
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Pepe | Movie Studio Gateman | 1960-12-21 |
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The Rawhide Years | Brand Comfort | 1956-07-01 |
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The Mountain | Father Belacchi | 1956-05-31 |
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The Private War of Major Benson | John | 1955-08-02 |
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Lucy Gallant | Charles Madden | 1955-10-20 |
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The Far Horizons | Sgt. Gass | 1955-07-04 |
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Jupiter's Darling | Mago | 1955-02-18 |
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Sincerely Yours | Sam Dunne | 1955-11-05 |
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Hell on Frisco Bay | Dan Bianco | 1955-12-31 |
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The Yellow Mountain | Jackpot Wray | 1954-11-16 |
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Jamboree | Self | 1954-10-15 |
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Escape from Fort Bravo | Campbell | 1953-12-04 |
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The Lady Wants Mink | Harvey Jones | 1953-03-29 |
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Dangerous When Wet | Pa Higgins | 1953-06-18 |
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Here Come the Girls | Dennis Logan | 1953-10-22 |
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What Price Glory | Corporal Kiper | 1952-08-22 |
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The Blazing Forest | Syd Jessup | 1952-12-01 |
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Behave Yourself! | O'Ryan | 1951-09-22 |
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The Strip | Fluff | 1951-08-31 |
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The First Legion | Monsignor Michael Carey | 1951-05-04 |
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Excuse My Dust | Harvey Bullitt | 1951-06-27 |
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When Willie Comes Marching Home | Herman Kluggs | 1950-02-17 |
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Never a Dull Moment | Mears | 1950-08-19 |
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Riding High | Happy | 1950-04-12 |
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He's a Cockeyed Wonder | Bob Sears | 1950-12-02 |
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Jolson Sings Again | Steve Martin | 1949-08-17 |
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Red, Hot and Blue | Charlie Baxter | 1949-09-05 |
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Sorrowful Jones | Regret | 1949-07-04 |
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The Sainted Sisters | Vern Tewilliger | 1948-04-30 |
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Night Has a Thousand Eyes | Lt. Shawn | 1948-08-20 |
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Whispering Smith | Bill Dansing | 1948-12-09 |
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On Our Merry Way | Floyd | 1948-02-03 |
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The Perils of Pauline | George 'Mac' McGuire | 1947-07-04 |
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Variety Girl | Barker | 1947-08-29 |
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The Jolson Story | Steve Martin | 1946-10-10 |
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Our Hearts Were Growing Up | Peanuts Schultz | 1946-06-14 |
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Pardon My Past | Chuck Gibson | 1945-12-24 |
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Along Came Jones | George Fury | 1945-07-19 |
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Duffy's Tavern | William Demarest | 1945-09-28 |
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Salty O'Rourke | Smitty | 1945-03-22 |
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Hollywood Victory Caravan | Bill, the Security Guard | 1945-09-30 |
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Once Upon a Time | Brandt | 1944-06-29 |
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The Great Moment | Eben Frost | 1944-07-18 |
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The Miracle of Morgan's Creek | Constable Edmund Kockenlocker | 1944-09-18 |
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Hail the Conquering Hero | Sgt. Heppelfinger | 1944-08-09 |
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Nine Girls | Walter Cummings | 1944-02-17 |
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True to Life | Uncle Jake | 1943-12-24 |
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Stage Door Canteen | William Demarest | 1943-06-24 |
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Dangerous Blondes | Detective Gatling | 1943-09-23 |
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Johnny Doughboy | Harry Fabian | 1942-12-31 |
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Pardon My Sarong | Detective Kendall | 1942-08-07 |
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The Palm Beach Story | First Member Ale and Quail Club | 1942-08-28 |
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True to the Army | Sgt. Butts | 1942-03-21 |
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My Favorite Spy | Flower Pot Policeman | 1942-06-12 |
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Life Begins at Eight-Thirty | Police Officer | 1942-12-09 |
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Behind the Eight Ball | McKenzie | 1942-12-04 |
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All Through the Night | Sunshine | 1942-01-10 |
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Country Fair | Stogie McPhee | 1941-05-05 |
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The Devil and Miss Jones | First Detective | 1941-04-11 |
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Rookies on Parade | Mike Brady | 1941-04-16 |
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The Lady Eve | Muggsy | 1941-02-25 |
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Glamour Boy | Papa Doran | 1941-12-05 |
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Dressed to Kill | Inspector Pierson | 1941-08-08 |
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Ride on Vaquero | Bartender Barney | 1941-04-18 |
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Sullivan's Travels | Mr. Jones | 1941-11-30 |
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The Farmer's Daughter | Victor Walsh | 1940-03-29 |
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Comin' Round the Mountain | Gutsy Mann | 1940-08-16 |
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Little Men | Constable Tom Thorpe | 1940-11-29 |
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Christmas in July | Mr. Bildocker | 1940-10-25 |
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Wolf of New York | Bill Ennis | 1940-01-23 |
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The Golden Fleecing | Swallow | 1940-08-16 |
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The Great McGinty | Skeeters - The Politician | 1940-08-01 |
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Miracles for Sale | Quinn | 1939-08-10 |
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King of the Turf | Arnold | 1939-02-17 |
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The Gracie Allen Murder Case | Police Sgt. Ernest Heath | 1939-06-02 |
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The Cowboy Quarterback | Rusty Walker | 1939-07-29 |
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Bill Griffith | 1939-10-19 |
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The Great Man Votes | Charles Dole | 1939-01-13 |
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Laugh It Off | Barney 'Gimpy' Cole | 1939-12-01 |
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Romance on the Run | Police Lt. Eckhardt | 1938-05-11 |
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Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Harry Kipper | 1938-03-18 |
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Josette | Joe, Diner Owner | 1938-06-03 |
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Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus | Daro | 1938-12-02 |
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One Wild Night | Collins | 1938-06-02 |
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While New York Sleeps | Red Miller | 1938-12-16 |
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Time Out for Romance | Willoughby Sproggs | 1937-02-10 |
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Don't Tell the Wife | Larry 'Horace' Tucker | 1937-03-05 |
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Oh, Doctor | Marty Short | 1937-03-31 |
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Big City | Mr. Beecher | 1937-09-03 |
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The Hit Parade | Parole Officer | 1937-04-26 |
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Rosalie | Army Coach | 1937-12-24 |
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Easy Living | Wallace Whistling | 1937-07-16 |
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Wake Up and Live | Radio Center Tour Guide | 1937-08-23 |
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Blonde Trouble | Paul Sears | 1937-08-06 |
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The Great Gambini | Sergeant Kirby | 1937-06-24 |
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The Great Hospital Mystery | Mr. Beatty | 1937-05-14 |
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Wedding Present | 'Smiles' Benson | 1936-10-09 |
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Love on the Run | Editor | 1936-11-20 |
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The Great Ziegfeld | Gene Buck (uncredited) | 1936-04-08 |
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Mind Your Own Business | Droopy | 1936-12-18 |
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Charlie Chan at the Opera | Sergeant Kelly | 1936-12-04 |
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White Lies | Roberts | 1935-12-27 |
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The Casino Murder Case | Auctioneer (uncredited) | 1935-03-15 |
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Hands Across the Table | Regi's Date Natty (uncredited) | 1935-10-18 |
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Diamond Jim | Harry Hill | 1935-09-01 |
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Bright Lights | Detective | 1935-07-27 |
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The Murder Man | 'Red' Maguire | 1935-07-12 |
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After Office Hours | Police Detective (uncredited) | 1935-02-22 |
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Many Happy Returns | Brinker | 1934-06-08 |
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Fog Over Frisco | Spike Smith | 1934-06-02 |
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Fugitive Lady | Steve Rogers | 1934-12-10 |
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Seeing Things | The Heir | 1930-11-25 |
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Pay as You Enter | 'Terrible Bill' McGovern | 1928-05-12 |
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Five and Ten Cent Annie | Briggs | 1928-05-26 |
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Sharp Shooters | 'Hi Jack' Murdock | 1928-01-15 |
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The Butter and Egg Man | Jack McLure | 1928-09-22 |
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The Crash | Louie | 1928-10-07 |
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A Girl in Every Port | Man in Bombay (uncredited) | 1928-02-26 |
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The Jazz Singer | Buster Billings (uncredited) | 1927-10-06 |
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Matinee Ladies | Man About Town | 1927-04-09 |
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The Gay Old Bird | Mr. Fixit | 1927-02-26 |
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The Bush Leaguer | John Gilroy | 1927-08-20 |
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The First Auto | The Village Cut-Up | 1927-06-27 |
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What Happened To Father | Detective Dibbin | 1927-06-25 |
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A Million Bid | George Lamont | 1927-05-27 |
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The Black Diamond Express | Train Engine Fireman | 1927-06-04 |
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Don't Tell the Wife | Ray Valerian | 1927-01-22 |
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A Reno Divorce | James, the chauffeur | 1927-10-22 |
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The Night Court | Defense Counsel | 1927-11-15 |
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A Sailor's Sweetheart | Detective | 1927-09-24 |
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Finger Prints | Cuffs Egan | 1927-01-08 |
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Simple Sis | 1927-06-01 |
