Bill Shirley
Biography
Bill Shirley was an American actor and tenor who began as a boy soprano in Indianapolis, where his pianist mother spotted his talent and sent him to a local chorale director. After studying voice in Hollywood, he signed a contract with Republic Studios in 1941 and played mostly small supporting parts, among them a wounded young pilot in Flying Tigers (1942). He sang uncredited for 20th Century-Fox, then had his only leading screen part, playing Stephen Foster in I Dream of Jeanie (1952), and appeared in Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952). For Disney he supplied both the dialogue and the singing of Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty (1959), and he dubbed Jeremy Brett's vocals in the 1964 film of My Fair Lady. He worked often in stage musicals and summer stock, and co-produced Dames at Sea. He died in 1989.
68years old at death
- Born Indianapolis
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Also credited as William Jesse Shirley
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 17 years1942 to 1959
Every film, newest first
- 1959Sleeping BeautyIMDb rating 7.2
- 1952Abbott and Costello Meet Captain KiddIMDb rating 5.7
- 1952I Dream of JeanieIMDb rating 5.8
- 1950Nancy Goes to RioIMDb rating 6.4
- 1942Flying TigersIMDb rating 6.7
Genres
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A change of course
Shirley was a ghost singer under contract at 20th Century-Fox, dubbing vocals for Oh, You Beautiful Doll as Mark Stevens' singing voice and for Dancing In The Dark, before the studio released him a few months later.
A first
Shirley's only leading role onscreen was Stephen Foster in the 1952 film I Dream of Jeanie, though actor Ray Middleton received top billing.
Big break
Shirley sang a few numbers for Republic Studios president Herbert Yates in early 1941 and was signed on the spot to a seven-year contract.
Bill Shirley movies on Netflix
Worked with
Bill Shirley made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Bess Flowers's page
John Wayne's page
Charles Lane's page
Richard Alexander's page
Charles Laughton's page
Pinto Colvig's page
Clyde GeronimiDirector, 1 film, 1959
All films by Clyde Geronimi
Les ClarkDirector, 1 film, 1959
All films by Les Clark
All films by David Miller
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.