William Hickey

Biography

William Hickey was an American actor and acting teacher who worked in film, television, and theater. Born in Brooklyn, he started as a child actor and made his Broadway debut in a 1951 production of Saint Joan. During television's golden age he appeared on Studio One and the Philco Playhouse, and he taught at HB Studio, where students included George Segal, Sandy Dennis, and Barbra Streisand. He often played cantankerous older men. In The Boston Strangler (1968) he played a suspect; in Little Big Man (1970) he was a historian; and in Mikey and Nicky (1976) he appeared as a gangster. For Prizzi's Honor (1985), in which he played the cunning Don Corrado Prizzi, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He voiced Dr. Finkelstein in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and played Uncle Lewis in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), while also appearing as the master puppeteer in Puppet Master (1989). He died in 1997.

69years old at death

Born September 19, 1927Brooklyn
Died June 29, 1997New York City
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as William Edward Hickey

Movie Career

Films: 30
Career span: 53 years1957 to 2010

Genres

Comedy50%, 15 films
Drama33%, 10 films
Crime27%, 8 films
Horror23%, 7 films
Thriller17%, 5 films

First and latest

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First role
Hickey's Broadway debut came in 1951, when he appeared as a walk-on in George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, a production that starred Uta Hagen.
Early training
Hickey taught acting at HB Studio in Greenwich Village, where George Segal, Sandy Dennis and Barbra Streisand were among his students.
Beyond film
Hickey appeared often in Ben Bagley's New York musical revues, and his voice is on multiple recordings of them, including Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter.

William Hickey movies on Netflix

Charles Band's Puppet Master: Axis of Evil2010IMDb rating 4.1as Andre Toulon
Puppet Master: The Legacy2003IMDb rating 2.7as Andre Toulon (trailer only)
Mousehunt1997IMDb rating 6.5as Rudolph Smuntz
Love Is All There Is1996IMDb rating 5.1as Monsignor(Bill Hickey)
Forget Paris1995IMDb rating 6.5as Arthur
Major Payne1995IMDb rating 6.3as Dr. Phillips
The Jerky Boys1995IMDb rating 4.8as Don 'Uncle Freddy' Frederico
The Maddening1995IMDb rating 4.8as Daddy
The Nightmare Before Christmas1993IMDb rating 7.9as Evil Scientist (voice)
The Runestone1991IMDb rating 4.8as Lars Hagstrom
My Blue Heaven1990IMDb rating 6.3as Billy Sparrow
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie1990IMDb rating 6.2as Drogan (segment "Cat From Hell")
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation1989IMDb rating 7.5as Lewis
Pink Cadillac1989IMDb rating 5.4as Mr. Barton
Puppet Master1989IMDb rating 5.5as Andre Toulon
Sea of Love1989IMDb rating 6.8as Frank Keller Sr.
Bright Lights, Big City1988IMDb rating 5.7as Ferret Man
A Hobo's Christmas1987IMDb rating 6.5as Cincinnati Harold
One Crazy Summer1986IMDb rating 6.4as Old Man Beckersted
The Name of the Rose1986IMDb rating 7.7as Ubertino da Casale
Prizzi's Honor1985IMDb rating 6.7as Don Corrado Prizzi
A Stranger Is Watching1982IMDb rating 5.4as Maxi
Wise Blood1979IMDb rating 6.9as Preacher
Mikey and Nicky1976IMDb rating 7.3as Sid Fine
92 in the Shade1975IMDb rating 5.8as Mr. Skelton
A New Leaf1971IMDb rating 7.3as Smith
Little Big Man1970IMDb rating 7.5as Historian
The Boston Strangler1968IMDb rating 7.0as Eugene T. O'Rourke
Invitation to a Gunfighter1964IMDb rating 6.3as Jo-Jo
A Hatful of Rain1957IMDb rating 7.1as Apples

Best known for

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

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The Nightmare Before Christmas1993 Animation, Family, Fantasyas Evil Scientistvoice
IMDb rating 7.9416K votes
Major Payne1995 Comedyas Dr. Phillips
IMDb rating 6.344K votes
The Name of the Rose1986as Ubertino da Casale
IMDb rating 7.7129K votes
Sea of Love1989as Frank Keller Sr.
IMDb rating 6.849K votes
Prizzi's Honor1985as Don Corrado Prizzi
IMDb rating 6.729K votes
Puppet Master1989as Andre Toulon
IMDb rating 5.515K votes
One Crazy Summer1986as Old Man Beckersted
IMDb rating 6.419K votes
My Blue Heaven1990as Billy Sparrow
IMDb rating 6.324K votes

Most often with

John Huston directed two of these films, Elaine May two. Eighteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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M. Emmet Walsh

Christian Slater

Harry Dean Stanton

Ned Beatty

Jeff Corey

Doris Roberts

John HustonDirector, 2 films

Elaine MayDirector, 2 films

Films together

M. Emmet Walsh2 films together, 1970 to 1976
M. Emmet Walsh's page
- Mikey and Nicky1976IMDb rating 7.3Hickey as Sid FineWalsh as Bus Driver
- Little Big Man1970IMDb rating 7.5Hickey as HistorianWalsh as Shotgun Guard
Christian Slater2 films together, 1986 to 1990
Christian Slater's page
- Tales from the Darkside: The Movie1990IMDb rating 6.2Hickey as Drogan (segment "Cat From Hell")Slater as Andy (segment "Lot 249")
- The Name of the Rose1986IMDb rating 7.7Hickey as Ubertino da CasaleSlater as Adso of Melk
Harry Dean Stanton2 films together, 1975 to 1979
Harry Dean Stanton's page
- Wise Blood1979IMDb rating 6.9Hickey as PreacherStanton as Asa Hawks
- 92 in the Shade1975IMDb rating 5.8Hickey as Mr. SkeltonStanton as Carter
Ned Beatty2 films together, 1976 to 1979
Ned Beatty's page
- Wise Blood1979IMDb rating 6.9Hickey as PreacherBeatty as Hoover Shoates
- Mikey and Nicky1976IMDb rating 7.3Hickey as Sid FineBeatty as Kinney
Jeff Corey2 films together, 1968 to 1970
Jeff Corey's page
- Little Big Man1970IMDb rating 7.5Hickey as HistorianCorey as Wild Bill Hickok
- The Boston Strangler1968IMDb rating 7.0Hickey as Eugene T. O'RourkeCorey as John Asgeirsson
Doris Roberts2 films together, 1971 to 1989
Doris Roberts's page
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation1989IMDb rating 7.5Hickey as LewisRoberts as Francis
- A New Leaf1971IMDb rating 7.3Hickey as SmithRoberts as Mrs. Traggert
John HustonDirector, 2 films, 1979 to 1985
All films by John Huston
- Prizzi's Honor1985IMDb rating 6.7Hickey as Don Corrado Prizzi
- Wise Blood1979IMDb rating 6.9Hickey as Preacher
Elaine MayDirector, 2 films, 1971 to 1976
All films by Elaine May
- Mikey and Nicky1976IMDb rating 7.3Hickey as Sid Fine
- A New Leaf1971IMDb rating 7.3Hickey as Smith
Also two films together12 more actors
- Lawrence TierneyThe Runestone (1991) and Prizzi's Honor (1985)
- Ian AbercrombiePuppet Master: The Legacy (2003) and Mousehunt (1997)
- Mike KellinThe Boston Strangler (1968) and Invitation to a Gunfighter (1964)
- Renée TaylorLove Is All There Is (1996) and A New Leaf (1971)
- Gordon CurriePuppet Master: The Legacy (2003) and My Blue Heaven (1990)
- John RandolphNational Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) and Prizzi's Honor (1985)
- John SpencerForget Paris (1995) and Sea of Love (1989)
- Annabelle GurwitchMousehunt (1997) and Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
- Barbara BaxleySea of Love (1989) and A Stranger Is Watching (1982)
- Jimmie F. SkaggsPink Cadillac (1989) and Puppet Master (1989)
- Gary Howard KlarPink Cadillac (1989) and A Stranger Is Watching (1982)
- Rose ArrickMikey and Nicky (1976) and A New Leaf (1971)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What William Hickey's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$650 million

16 of the 30 films have a worldwide figure.

16Worldwide figure
3US gross only
1Never in cinemas
10Figure not found

Top grosser

Mousehunt1997Rudolph Smuntz$122 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 85% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Mousehunt1997as Rudolph Smuntz
$122M18.8% of the total
2
Sea of Love1989as Frank Keller Sr.
$111M17.0% of the total
3
The Name of the Rose1986as Ubertino da Casale
$77M11.9% of the total
4
The Nightmare Before Christmas1993as Evil Scientist (voice)
$76M11.6% of the total
5
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation1989as Lewis
$75M11.5% of the total
6
Forget Paris1995as Arthur
$33M5.1% of the total
7
Little Big Man1970as Historian
$32M4.9% of the total
8
Major Payne1995as Dr. Phillips
$30M4.6% of the total