William Elliott
Biography
William Elliott was an American actor and jazz drummer from Baltimore. He served four years in the U.S. Navy as an electrician and worked for US Steel, but chose to pursue drumming rather than study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As a musician, he formed his own group, recorded with Willis Jackson and Jack McDuff, backed organists DeeDee Ford and Rhoda Scott, and released the 1964 album Speak Your Piece with Joe Thomas. On screen, he made an early television appearance in Dragnet in 1968 and took recurring roles as Otis Foster in Bridget Loves Bernie and Officer Gus Grant in Adam-12. His films included an uncredited part in Uptight (1968), Robbie in Change of Habit (1969), Leon in The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970), Deputy Bob Terry in They Call It Murder (1971), and the lead in Hangup (1974). He died in 1983.
49years old at death
- Born Baltimore
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as William David Elliott
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 4 years1969 to 1973
Every film, newest first
- 1973CoffyIMDb rating 6.8
- 1972Night of the LepusIMDb rating 4.2
- 1971They Call It MurderIMDb rating 5.6
- 1969Change of HabitIMDb rating 6.0
Genres
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A change of course
Elliott declined a chance to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, choosing instead to chase his goal of becoming a drummer.
Beyond film
Elliott's drumming was recorded in August 1960 and heard on four tracks, three of which came out on the Cookin' Sherry album in 1961.
Behind the camera
In 1974, Billboard's August 3 issue announced that Elliott was opening a studio on the old Brooks Randall Motor Club site at Bronson Avenue and Sunset Boulevard. It would serve the motion picture and recording industry and include rehearsal and dressing rooms, a sound stage and recording facilities.
William Elliott movies on Netflix
Worked with
William Elliott shares two films with Edward Asner, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Edward Asner's page
Paul Fix's page
Elvis Presley's page
Regis Toomey's page
Leslie Nielsen's page
Pam Grier's page
All films by Jack Hill
William F. ClaxtonDirector, 1 film, 1972
All films by William F. Claxton
William A. GrahamDirector, 1 film, 1969
All films by William A. Graham
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.