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William O'Connell

William O'Connell

10 movies on Netflix

Biography

William O'Connell was an American film and television actor who was born in Los Angeles and worked often with Clint Eastwood. His first appearance with Eastwood came in the 1969 musical Paint Your Wagon. In 1972 he appeared as a nervous barber in High Plains Drifter (1973), Eastwood's second directorial effort. He played ferryman Sim Carstairs in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), also directed by Eastwood. His other roles included parts in Every Which Way but Loose (1978) and the sequel Any Which Way You Can (1980), where he was part of a biker gang that was comically inept and always outmatched by Eastwood. O'Connell was also active on television throughout the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in about 50 different roles on series such as Star Trek, Rawhide, Petticoat Junction, Dennis the Menace and Quincy, M.E.

94years old at death

Born May 12, 1929Los Angeles
Died January 15, 2024Sherman Oaks
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20

Movie Career

Films: 10
Career span: 26 years1965 to 1991

Genres

Comedy40%, 4 films
Drama30%, 3 films
Action20%, 2 films
Western20%, 2 films
History10%, 1 film

First and latest

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William O'Connell movies on Netflix

The Haunted1991IMDb rating 6.2as Father Kearney
Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1as Elmo
Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3as Elmo
The Outlaw Josey Wales1976IMDb rating 7.8as Sim Carstairs
High Plains Drifter1973IMDb rating 7.4as Barber
Paint Your Wagon1969IMDb rating 6.6as Horace Tabor
The Happy Ending1969IMDb rating 6.3as Minister
Games1967IMDb rating 6.4as Party Guest
Way... Way Out1966IMDb rating 5.3as Ponsonby
The War Lord1965IMDb rating 6.6as Volunteer Rejected by Chrysagon

Best known for

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

Every Which Way But Loose1978 Action, Comedyas Elmo
IMDb rating 6.332K votes
Any Which Way You Can1980 Action, Comedyas Elmo
IMDb rating 6.123K votes
The Outlaw Josey Wales1976as Sim Carstairs
IMDb rating 7.888K votes
High Plains Drifter1973as Barber
IMDb rating 7.474K votes
Paint Your Wagon1969as Horace Tabor
IMDb rating 6.616K votes
The Haunted1991as Father Kearney
IMDb rating 6.22.6K votes
The Happy Ending1969as Minister
IMDb rating 6.31.5K votes
Games1967as Party Guest
IMDb rating 6.41.7K votes

Most often with

Clint Eastwood directed two of these films. Clint Eastwood appears in five 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.

Clint Eastwood

Geoffrey Lewis

Bill McKinney

Sondra Locke

Clint EastwoodDirector, 2 films

Films together

Clint Eastwood5 films together, 1969 to 1980
Clint Eastwood's page
- Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1O'Connell as ElmoEastwood as Philo Beddoe
- Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as ElmoEastwood as Philo Beddoe
- The Outlaw Josey Wales1976IMDb rating 7.8O'Connell as Sim CarstairsEastwood as Josey Wales
- High Plains Drifter1973IMDb rating 7.4O'Connell as BarberEastwood as The Stranger
- Paint Your Wagon1969IMDb rating 6.6O'Connell as Horace TaborEastwood as Pardner
John Quade4 films together, 1973 to 1980
John Quade's page
- Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1O'Connell as ElmoQuade as Cholla
- Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as ElmoQuade as Cholla
- The Outlaw Josey Wales1976IMDb rating 7.8O'Connell as Sim CarstairsQuade as Comanchero Leader
- High Plains Drifter1973IMDb rating 7.4O'Connell as BarberQuade as Jake Ross
Geoffrey Lewis3 films together, 1973 to 1980
Geoffrey Lewis's page
- Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1O'Connell as ElmoLewis as Orville
- Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as ElmoLewis as Orville
- High Plains Drifter1973IMDb rating 7.4O'Connell as BarberLewis as Stacey Bridges
Bill McKinney3 films together, 1976 to 1980
Bill McKinney's page
- Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1O'Connell as ElmoMcKinney as Dallas
- Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as ElmoMcKinney as Dallas
- The Outlaw Josey Wales1976IMDb rating 7.8O'Connell as Sim CarstairsMcKinney as Terrill
Sondra Locke3 films together, 1976 to 1980
Sondra Locke's page
- Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1O'Connell as ElmoLocke as Lynn Halsey-Taylor
- Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as ElmoLocke as Lynn Halsey-Taylor
- The Outlaw Josey Wales1976IMDb rating 7.8O'Connell as Sim CarstairsLocke as Laura Lee
Dan Vadis3 films together, 1973 to 1980
Dan Vadis's page
- Any Which Way You Can1980IMDb rating 6.1O'Connell as ElmoVadis as Frank
- Every Which Way But Loose1978IMDb rating 6.3O'Connell as ElmoVadis as Frank
- High Plains Drifter1973IMDb rating 7.4O'Connell as BarberVadis as Dan Carlin
Clint EastwoodDirector, 2 films, 1973 to 1976
All films by Clint Eastwood
- The Outlaw Josey Wales1976IMDb rating 7.8O'Connell as Sim Carstairs
- High Plains Drifter1973IMDb rating 7.4O'Connell as Barber

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.