Chill Wills

Biography

Chill Wills was an American actor and singer who performed from early childhood and led the Avalon Boys, a vocal group, in the 1930s. Born in Seagoville, Texas, he supplied the deep voice used when Stan Laurel performed The Trail of the Lonesome Pine in Way Out West (1937). After some Westerns, Wills broke up the group in 1938 and pursued a solo acting career. During the 1940s he was a contract player at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, often cast in Westerns, and he later took dramatic parts, including a phantom police sergeant in City That Never Sleeps (1953) and Uncle Bawley in Giant (1956). His role as Beekeeper in The Alamo (1960) earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also voiced Francis the Talking Mule in 1950s comedies and appeared on television in Frontier Circus and Gunsmoke. He died in 1978.

76years old at death

Born July 18, 1902Seagoville
Died December 15, 1978Encino
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Theodore Childress Wills (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 35
Career span: 40 years1937 to 1977

Genres

Western51%, 18 films
Drama43%, 15 films
Comedy31%, 11 films
Romance26%, 9 films
Action17%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Getting ready for a role
In Way Out West (1937), the Avalon Boys Quartet appeared, and Chill Wills supplied the deep voice heard when Stan Laurel performed "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine."
Beyond film
Wills gave Francis the Talking Mule its voice in a run of comedy films during the 1950s. The mule's cynical, sardonic personality fit his rough, deep voice and its Western twang.

Chill Wills movies on Netflix

Mr. Billion1977IMDb rating 5.4as Col. Clayton T. Winkle
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2as Lemuel
The Liberation of L.B. Jones1970IMDb rating 6.8as Mr. Ike
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again1970IMDb rating 5.7as Gentleman George Agnew
Fireball 5001966IMDb rating 5.1as Big Jaw Harris
The Rounders1965IMDb rating 6.1as Jim Ed Love
McLintock!1963IMDb rating 7.1as Drago
The Cardinal1963IMDb rating 6.8as Monsignor
The Wheeler Dealers1963IMDb rating 6.5as Jay R. Spinelby
The Deadly Companions1961IMDb rating 6.0as Turk
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come1961IMDb rating 6.0as Major Buford
The Alamo1960IMDb rating 6.8as Beekeeper
Where the Boys Are1960IMDb rating 6.7as Police Captain
From Hell to Texas1958IMDb rating 6.9as Amos Bradley
Gun Glory1957IMDb rating 6.2as Preacher
Giant1956IMDb rating 7.6as Uncle Bawley
Kentucky Rifle1955IMDb rating 4.3as TobiTaylor
City That Never Sleeps1953IMDb rating 6.7as Sgt. Joe, the 'Voice of Chicago'
The Man from the Alamo1953IMDb rating 6.4as John Gage
Francis1950IMDb rating 6.5as Francis the Talking Mule (voice)
High Lonesome1950IMDb rating 5.4as Boatwhistle - Ranch Cook
Rio Grande1950IMDb rating 7.0as Dr. Wilkins (regimental surgeon)
The Sundowners1950IMDb rating 5.6as Sam Beers
The Harvey Girls1946IMDb rating 7.0as H.H. Hartsey
The Yearling1946IMDb rating 7.1as Buck Forrester
Leave Her to Heaven1945IMDb rating 7.6as Leick Thome
I'll Be Seeing You1944IMDb rating 7.1as Swanson
Meet Me in St. Louis1944IMDb rating 7.5as Mr. Neely
Best Foot Forward1943IMDb rating 6.4as Chester Short
Tarzan's New York Adventure1942IMDb rating 6.5as Manchester Montford
Western Union1941IMDb rating 6.7as Homer Kettle
Boom Town1940IMDb rating 7.0as Harmony Jones
The Westerner1940IMDb rating 7.2as Southeast
Allegheny Uprising1939IMDb rating 6.3as M'Cammon
Way Out West1937IMDb rating 7.6as Lead Singer of the Singing Quartette

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Giant1956 Dramaas Uncle Bawley
IMDb rating 7.644K votes
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973 Biography, Drama, Romanceas Lemuel
IMDb rating 7.223K votes
Rio Grande1950as Dr. Wilkins (regimental surgeon)
IMDb rating 7.020K votes
McLintock!1963as Drago
IMDb rating 7.119K votes
The Alamo1960as Beekeeper
IMDb rating 6.820K votes
The Yearling1946as Buck Forrester
IMDb rating 7.17.1K votes
Way Out West1937as Lead Singer of the Singing Quartette
IMDb rating 7.69.7K votes
The Deadly Companions1961as Turk
IMDb rating 6.03.2K votes

Most often with

Sam Peckinpah directed two of these films, Andrew V. McLaglen two and William Wyler two. John Wayne appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

John Wayne

Jack Elam

R.G. Armstrong

Edgar Buchanan

Maureen O'Hara

Dennis Hopper

Sam PeckinpahDirector, 2 films

Andrew V. McLaglenDirector, 2 films

William WylerDirector, 2 films

Films together

John Wayne4 films together, 1939 to 1963
John Wayne's page
- McLintock!1963IMDb rating 7.1Wills as DragoWayne as George Washington McLintock
- The Alamo1960IMDb rating 6.8Wills as BeekeeperWayne as Col. Davy Crockett
- Rio Grande1950IMDb rating 7.0Wills as Dr. Wilkins (regimental surgeon)Wayne as Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke
- Allegheny Uprising1939IMDb rating 6.3Wills as M'CammonWayne as Jim Smith
Jack Elam3 films together, 1950 to 1973
Jack Elam's page
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2Wills as LemuelElam as Alamosa Bill Kermit
- High Lonesome1950IMDb rating 5.4Wills as Boatwhistle - Ranch CookElam as Smiling Man
- The Sundowners1950IMDb rating 5.6Wills as Sam BeersElam as Earl Boyce
R.G. Armstrong3 films together, 1958 to 1977
R.G. Armstrong's page
- Mr. Billion1977IMDb rating 5.4Wills as Col. Clayton T. WinkleArmstrong as Sheriff T.C. Bishop
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2Wills as LemuelArmstrong as Ollinger
- From Hell to Texas1958IMDb rating 6.9Wills as Amos BradleyArmstrong as Hunter Boyd
Edgar Buchanan3 films together, 1963 to 1970
Edgar Buchanan's page
- The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again1970IMDb rating 5.7Wills as Gentleman George AgnewBuchanan as Jason Fitch
- The Rounders1965IMDb rating 6.1Wills as Jim Ed LoveBuchanan as Vince Moore
- McLintock!1963IMDb rating 7.1Wills as DragoBuchanan as Bunny Dull
Maureen O'Hara3 films together, 1950 to 1963
Maureen O'Hara's page
- McLintock!1963IMDb rating 7.1Wills as DragoO'Hara as Katherine Gilhooley McLintock
- The Deadly Companions1961IMDb rating 6.0Wills as TurkO'Hara as Kit Tilden
- Rio Grande1950IMDb rating 7.0Wills as Dr. Wilkins (regimental surgeon)O'Hara as Mrs. Kathleen Yorke
Dennis Hopper2 films together, 1956 to 1958
Dennis Hopper's page
- From Hell to Texas1958IMDb rating 6.9Wills as Amos BradleyHopper as Tom Boyd
- Giant1956IMDb rating 7.6Wills as Uncle BawleyHopper as Jordan Benedict III
Sam PeckinpahDirector, 2 films, 1961 to 1973
All films by Sam Peckinpah
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2Wills as Lemuel
- The Deadly Companions1961IMDb rating 6.0Wills as Turk
Andrew V. McLaglenDirector, 2 films, 1961 to 1963
All films by Andrew V. McLaglen
- McLintock!1963IMDb rating 7.1Wills as Drago
- The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come1961IMDb rating 6.0Wills as Major Buford
William WylerDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1970
All films by William Wyler
- The Liberation of L.B. Jones1970IMDb rating 6.8Wills as Mr. Ike
- The Westerner1940IMDb rating 7.2Wills as Southeast
Also two films together39 more actors
- Paul FixPat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) and Giant (1956)
- Glenn FordThe Rounders (1965) and The Man from the Alamo (1953)
- Harry Carey Jr.From Hell to Texas (1958) and Rio Grande (1950)
- Morris AnkrumThe Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come (1961) and Best Foot Forward (1943)
- Fred AldrichFrancis (1950) and I'll Be Seeing You (1944)
- Walter BrennanThe Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970) and The Westerner (1940)
- Barton MacLaneThe Rounders (1965) and Western Union (1941)
- Denver PyleThe Rounders (1965) and The Alamo (1960)
- Russell HicksTarzan's New York Adventure (1942) and Western Union (1941)
- Strother MartinMcLintock! (1963) and The Deadly Companions (1961)
- Slim PickensMr. Billion (1977) and Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
- Hank WordenMcLintock! (1963) and The Alamo (1960)
- Ray CollinsFrancis (1950) and Leave Her to Heaven (1945)
- Judy GarlandThe Harvey Girls (1946) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
- Hank BellThe Westerner (1940) and Way Out West (1937)
- Chuck RobersonThe Rounders (1965) and Kentucky Rifle (1955)
- Jack KruschenMcLintock! (1963) and Where the Boys Are (1960)
- Marjorie MainThe Harvey Girls (1946) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
- June LockhartThe Yearling (1946) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
- Sara HadenBest Foot Forward (1943) and Boom Town (1940)
- Arthur AylesworthWestern Union (1941) and The Westerner (1940)
- Forrest TuckerThe Yearling (1946) and The Westerner (1940)
- Patrick WayneMcLintock! (1963) and The Alamo (1960)
- Eddie QuillanThe Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970) and Allegheny Uprising (1939)
- Ken CurtisThe Alamo (1960) and Rio Grande (1950)
- Charles WattsThe Wheeler Dealers (1963) and Giant (1956)
- Frankie AvalonFireball 500 (1966) and The Alamo (1960)
- Arch JohnsonThe Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970) and Gun Glory (1957)
- Jon LormerWhere the Boys Are (1960) and From Hell to Texas (1958)
- C.E. AndersonWestern Union (1941) and The Westerner (1940)
- Cathy DownsKentucky Rifle (1955) and The Sundowners (1950)
- John Drew BarrymoreHigh Lonesome (1950) and The Sundowners (1950)
- Claude Jarman Jr.Rio Grande (1950) and The Yearling (1946)
- Clem FullerHigh Lonesome (1950) and The Sundowners (1950)
- Dave KashnerHigh Lonesome (1950) and The Sundowners (1950)
- Frank CordellHigh Lonesome (1950) and The Sundowners (1950)
- Helen GibsonCity That Never Sleeps (1953) and The Man from the Alamo (1953)
- Bill BeaumanWestern Union (1941) and The Westerner (1940)
- Kenny BowersI'll Be Seeing You (1944) and Best Foot Forward (1943)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.