William Redfield

William Henry Redfield (January 26, 1927 – August 17, 1976) was an American actor and author who appeared in many theatrical, film, radio, and television roles.

Early years Born in New York City, Redfield was the son of Henry C. Redfield and the former Mareta A. George. His father was a conductor and arranger of music, and his mother was a chorus girl with the Ziegfeld Follies. He appeared in the original 1938 Broadway production of Our Town. A founding member of New York's Actors Studio, Redfield's additional theatre credits include A Man for All Seasons, Hamlet, You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running, and Dude. He also sang and danced the role of Mercury in Cole Porter's Out of This World.

Other Broadway credits include Excursion (1937), Virginia (1937), Stop-over (1938), Junior Miss, Snafu, U.S.A., Barefoot Boy With Cheek (1947), Montserrat (1949), Misalliance (1953), Double in Hearts (1956), Midgie Purvis (1961), A Minor Adjustment (1967) and The Love Suicide at Schofield Barracks (1972).

His film credits include Back Door to Heaven (as a child actor), The Connection, Such Good Friends, Fantastic Voyage, Morituri (alongside friend Marlon Brando), A New Leaf and For Pete's Sake. Redfield's best known film appearance was as Dale Harding in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

On television, Redfield played the title role in the DuMont series Jimmy Hughes, Rookie Cop (1953), and appeared in The Philco Television Playhouse, Lux Video Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, Studio One, As the World Turns, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, Naked City, Maude, Rich Man, Poor Man Book II, Bewitched , and The Bob Newhart Show. His best known TV appearance was as Floyd, the younger brother of Felix Unger (played by Tony Randall), on The Odd Couple.

Military service During his acting career, Redfield served as an infantryman during World War II, holding the rank of technician fifth grade. with the cause of death given as "a respiratory ailment complicated by leukemia."

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1939 Back Door to Heaven Charley Smith 1955 Conquest of Space Roy Cooper 1956 The Proud and Profane Chaplain Lieutenant (junior grade) Holmes 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Stephen Fontaine Season 2 Episode 18: "The Manacled"1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Richard Season 3 Episode 17: "The Motive"1958 I Married a Woman Eddie Benson - Elevator Operator 1958 Colgate Theatre Dr. Roger Boone Season 1 Episode 1: "Adventures of a Model"1961 Gunsmoke Joe Lime Season 6 Episode 18: “Unloaded Gun"1961 The Connection Jim Dunn 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Fred Logan Season 6 Episode 18: "The Greatest Monster of Them All"1961 The Connection Jim Dunn 1964 Hamlet Guildenstern 1964 Pão de Açúcar Gary Wills 1965 Morituri Baldwin 1966 Duel at Diablo Sergeant Ferguson 1966 Fantastic Voyage Captain Bill Owens 1967 All Woman Tod 1971 Pigeons Jonathan's Father 1971 A New Leaf Beckett 1971 Such Good Friends Barney 1972 The Hot Rock Lieutenant Hoover 1974 For Pete's Sake Fred Robbins 1974 Death Wish Sam Kreutzer 1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Dale Harding 1975 Fear on Trial Stan Hopp Television film1977 Mr. Billion Leopold Lacy Final film role; premiered after his death

Radio appearances Year Program Episode/source 1952 Grand Central Station It Makes a Difference 1955-57 X Minus One Numerous episodes Dec. 10, 1961 Suspense And So To Sleep My Love 1974-76 CBS Radio Mystery Theater 80 episodes