Dick Wilson

Dick Wilson (July 30, 1916 – November 18, 2007) was a British-American actor. He was best known as grocery store manager Mr. George Whipple in more than 500 Charmin bathroom tissue television commercials (1965–89, 1999–2000).

Biography Wilson was born on July 30, 1916, in Preston, Lancashire. His father soon moved the family to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He got his start in show business with a part-time job at CHML radio in Hamilton at age 15. He graduated from the Ontario College of Art & Design. Paid in dance lessons, he became a comedic acrobatic dancer and performed in vaudeville for 20 years, according to Procter & Gamble.

Wilson had taught himself to fly when he was 16 years old, working for a time as a bush pilot who flew supplies to mining camps in remote regions of Canada. His earlier experience got him into military flight training and he became a bomber pilot. After the Second World War where he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Air Force, he moved to the United States and became an American citizen in 1954, heading to California that same year to work as a film and television actor.

In an interview with ABC News on April 22, 1983, he mentioned that the first series of commercials for Charmin he appeared in were filmed in, appropriately enough, Flushing, New York City. He described acting in commercials as "the hardest thing to do in the entire acting realm. You've got 24 seconds to introduce yourself, introduce the product, say something nice about it and get off gracefully."

Death Wilson died on November 18, 2007, at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 91. He was survived by his wife, Meg; his son, Stuart F. Wilson (a stunt coordinator); his two daughters (Wendy Wilson and actress Melanie Wilson); and his five grandchildren. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.

Filmography

The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1956, TV Series) — Woodsman The Tattered Dress (1957) — First Jury Foreman (uncredited) Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (1958, TV Series) — Alex Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (1956–1958, TV Series) — Beaver Louie, Jake Lucas Wagon Train (1958, TV Series) — Bartender The Texan (1958, TV Series) — Norm Seevey Official Detective (1958, US series - Episode: "Loan Companies") — Injured Man (uncredited) Tales of Wells Fargo (1959, TV Series) — The Cafe Owner The Untouchables (1959, TV Series) — Sheriff Wilson M Squad (1958–1960, TV Series) — Max Maverick (1960, TV Series) — Crenshaw The Rifleman (1960, TV Series) — Fred — Buckshot Patient The Millionaire (1960, TV Series) — Sullvian Bat Masterson (1961, TV Series) — Tobias Tinker The Deputy (1961, TV Series) — Barber The Lawless Years (1959–1961, TV Series) — Charley The Bob Cummings Show (1961, TV Series) X-15 (1961) — Flight Engineer (uncredited) Checkmate (1962, TV Series) — Clerk Our Man Higgins (1962, TV Series) — Fletcher The Virginian (1962, TV Series) — Bartender Perry Mason (1963, TV Series) — Prisoner Diary of a Madman (1963) — Martin Ben Casey (1963, TV Series) — Jake Martin Glynis (1963, TV Series)' — Danny The Twilight Zone Episode: Escape Clause (1959) — Insurance Man #1 Episode: Ninety Years Without Slumbering S5 E12 (1963) — Clock Mover The Great Adventure (1964, TV Series) — Mr. Metcalf What a Way to Go! (1964) — Driscoll (uncredited) Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1964, TV Series) My Living Doll (1964, TV Series) — Salesman My Favorite Martian Episode: How to be a Hero Without Really Trying (1963) — Patrol Man No. 2 Episode: Uncle Martin's Broadcast (1964) - Charlie Episode: The Night Life of Uncle Martin (1964) — Davey Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964, TV Series) — Clerk #3 John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965) — Frobish (Whitepaper's assistant) (as Richard Wilson) The Fugitive (1965, TV Series) — Berger The Loner (1965, TV Series) — Bartender Gidget (1965, TV Series) — Mr. Lefferts Bewitched (1965, Episode 8 "The Very Informal Dress") — Montague The Munsters (1965, TV Series) — Al McHale's Navy (1965–1966, TV Series) — Dino Baroni Our Man Flint (1966) — Supervisor of conditioning (uncredited) The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) — Bandmaster (uncredited) My Mother the Car (1966, TV Series) — Jenkins Bewitched (1966, TV Series) - Mr Solow The Jean Arthur Show (1966, TV Series) — Angelo Liguori The Hero (1966, TV Series) Occasional Wife (1967, TV Series) — Waiter That Girl (1967, TV Series) — Clerk Caprice (1967) — Headwaiter (uncredited) Petticoat Junction (1967, TV Series) — Airline Clerk The Flying Nun (1967, TV Series) — Joe Stay Away, Joe (1968) — Car salesman (uncredited) The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) — Black Eagle (Indian chief) (uncredited) Star! (1968) — Drunk (uncredited) Get Smart (1966–1968, TV Series) — Creevley, Spiegel Mayberry R.F.D. (1968, TV Series) — Ralph Carr Bewitched (1968, Episode 8 "Is It Magic Or Imagination") — man in bar The Queen and I (1969, TV Series) — Man I Dream of Jeannie(1966–1969, TV Series) — Dockweiler Bracken's World (1969) — Harry The Good Guys (1969, TV Series) — Ira The Partridge Family (1971, TV Series) — Cowboy Hogan's Heroes (1966–1971, TV Series) — Captain Gruber. Wilson also played Count von Hertzel, as listed in the credits in season five Hogan's Heroes episode 19 entitled "Gowns by Yvette" (most recently airing 8/11/25 on MeTV). Marcus Welby, M.D. (1971, TV Series) — Health Faddist Nanny and the Professor (1971, TV Series) — Simon Mehlin Love, American Style (1971, TV Series) — Mr. Hutton (segment Love and the Bashful Groom) McMillan & Wife (1972, TV Series) — Simon Mehlin Getting Away from It All (1972, TV Movie) — Kirk Lecount Bewitched (1965–1972, TV Series) — Drunk The World's Greatest Athlete (1973, TV Movie) — Drunk in bar Love Thy Neighbor (1973, TV Series) Adam-12 (1973, TV Series) — Louis Nelson The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton (1974, TV Series) — Mr. Hodges Disneyland (1974, TV Series) — Mr. Hodges The Bob Newhart Show (1973–1975, TV Series) — Man Maude (1975–1976, TV Series) — Man Tabitha (1977, TV Series) — Mr. Green Fantasy Island (1978, TV Series) — Minister The Pirate (1978, TV Series) — Drunk Alice (1979, TV Series) — Drunk Presenting Susan Anton (1979, TV Series) — Regular Better Late Than Never (1979, TV Movie) Quincy, M.E. (1980, TV Series) — Car salesman The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) — Store Manager Get Out of My Room (1985) Mathnet (1987) — Grocer Square One TV (1987, TV Series) — Grocer