Chill Wills
(1903 - 1978)Chill Wills was a multi-talented actor with an abundance of credits. Born Chill Theodore Wills on July 18, 1903 in Seagoville, Texas and named jokingly for the weather, he began entertaining in early childhood as a singer with his four brothers; the Wills Brothers Quartet. He appeared in tent shows, vaudeville and stock companies throughout the southwest. He had an unusual but charming foghorn type voice and eventually formed the singing group Chill Wills and the Avalon Boys which appeared in many western films including Laurel & Hardy's "Way Out West" (1937). Later, after disbanding the group, he began a long and successful acting career. He was most often cast as a cantankerous, shifty, wayward character in films, many of which were westerns. He also had the dubious distinction of being the "voice" of Francis the Talking Mule in that film series. His film roles include: "It's A Gift" (1934) with W.C. Fields, uncredited, as Campfire Singer, his first film appearance; "At Sea Ashore" (1936) and "Anything Goes" (1936) with the Avalon Boys; "Bar 20 Rides Again" (1935) again as a Background Singer; "Lawless Valley" (1938) as Speedy McGow, probably his acting debut; "Arizona Legion" (1939) as Whopper Hatch, a role he played in other westerns; "Allegheny Uprising" (1939) as McCammon; "Boom Town" (1940) as Harmony Jones; "Sorority House" (1939) as Mr. Johnson; "The Westerner" (1940) as Southeast Wyatt; "Tugboat Annie Sails Again" (1940) as Shiftless; "Sky Murder" (1940) as Sheriff Beckwith; "Western Union" (1941) as Homer Kettle; "Billy the Kid" (1941) as Tom Patterson; "Honky Tonk" (1941) as The Sniper; "Belle Starr" (1941) as Blue Duck; "Her Cardboard Lover" (1942) as Judge; "The Omaha Trail" (1942) as Henry Hawkins; "Tarzan's New York Adventure" (1942) as Manchester Montford, an Animal Trainer; "A Stranger in Town" (1943) as Charles Craig; "Best Foot Forward" (1943) as Chester Shoat; "See Here, Private Hargrove" (1944) as Sgt. Cramp; "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944) as Mr. Neely; "The Immortal Blacksmith" (1944) as Tom Davenport; "I'll Be Seeing You" (1944) as Swanson; "Leave Her to Heaven" (1945) as Leick Thome; "The Yearling" (1946) as Buck Forrester; "Gallant Bess" (1946) as C.P.O.; "Heartaches" (1947) as Breezy Mann; "High Barbaree" (1947) uncredited, as Lars; "Northwest Stampede" (1948) as Mileaway James; "That Saxon Charm" (1948) as Captain Chatham; "That Wonderful Urge" (1948) as Homer Beggs, Justice of the Peace; "Red Canyon" (1949) as Brackton; "Tulsa" (1949) as Pinky; "Trailin' West" (1949) as Old Man Coffey; "Francis" (1950) as Voice of Francis the Talking Mule, a role which he performed in a series of 6 films; "Rock Island Trail" (1950) as Hogger McCoy; John Ford's "Rio Grande" (1950) as Dr. Wilkins, Regimental Surgeon; "The Sundowners" (1950) as Sam; "High Lonesome" (1950) as Boatwhistle; "Oh! Susanna" (1951) as Sgt. Barhydt; "The Sea Hornet" (1951) as Swede; "Bronco Buster" (1952) as Dan Bream; "Ride the Man Down" (1952) as Ike Adams; "Small Town Girl" (1953) as Happy, the Jailer; "City That Never Sleeps" (1953) as Sgt. Joe, the Voice of Chicago; "The Man from the Alamo" (1953) as Fred Gage; "Ricochet Roamnce" (1954) as Tom Williams; "Timberjack" (1955) as Steve Rilka; "Kentucky Rifle" (1956) as Tobias Taylor; "Santiago" (1956) as Sidewheel; "Giant" (1956) as Uncle Bawley Benedict; "Gun Glory" (1957) as Preacher; "From Hell to Texas" (1958) as Amos Bradley; "The Sad Horse" (1959) as Captain Connors; "The Alamo" (1960) as Beekeeper; "Where the Boys Are" (1960) as Police Captain; "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come" (1961) as Maj. Buford; "McLintock!" (1963) as Drago; "The Wheeler Dealers" (1963) as Jay Ray; "The Cardinal" (1963) as Monsignor Whittle; "The Rounders" (1965) as Jim Ed Love; "Fireball 500" (1966) as Big Jaw; "The Liberation of L.B. Jones" (1970) as McIke; "The Steagle" (1971) as Tall-Guy McCoy; "The Guns of a Stranger" (1973) as Tom Duncan; "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973) as Lemuel; "Mr. Billion" (1977) as Col. Clayton T. Winkle, his last theatrical film. He also starred on two TV series: "Frontier Circus" (1961-62) as Col. Casey Thompson and on "The Rounders" (1966-67) as Jim Ed Love. He also guested on many TV series including "Gunsmoke"; "Wagon Train"; "The Virginian"; "Night Gallery" and "The Hallmark Hall of Fame." He was married to Betty Chappelle in 1928 and they had two children: a son Will and a daughter Jill. Betty Died in 1971. He married his second wife, Novadeen, in 1973 and they remained together until his death. He died of cancer on December 15, 1978 in Encino, California at age 75.
From Great Character Actors, Page 2.
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