William Tyler McVey (February 14, 1912 – July 4, 2003) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

of film and television.

Early years

McVey was born

Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city and county seat of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and it is the principal city of the Bay City Met ...

, to William David McVey and his wife, the former Jessie Arvilla Tyler. His mother died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

when he was one year old and his father allowed his maternal grandparents to raise him. He gained early acting experience in amateur productions in his hometown.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 179. He began acting when he was a student at Bay City High School.

Career

His first screen role, uncredited, came in 1951, where he portrayed Brady in ''

The Day the Earth Stood Still ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (a.k.a. ''Farewell to the Master'' and ''Journey to the World'') is a 1951 American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise. It stars Michael Re ...

''. He was uncredited in two 1953 military films, '' From Here to Eternity'' as Major Stern and in ''Mission over Korea'' as Colonel Colton. He made one of his first television appearances in a 1953 episode of '' Four Star Playhouse''. During the 1950s, McVey guest starred in episodes of many series, including '' The Restless Gun'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'', '' Dragnet'', '' The Lone Ranger'', '' I Love Lucy'', ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded t ...

'', '' Colt .45'', ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...

'', '' My Friend Flicka'', '' Highway Patrol'', '' It's a Great Life'' and '' Annie Oakley''. From 1953 to 1956, he guest starred on the CBS educational series '' You Are There'', narrated by

Walter Cronkite Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the ''CBS Evening News'' for 19 years (1962–1981). During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the mo ...

. From 1959 to 1960, McVey portrayed Major General Norgath in the CBS series '' Men into Space''. In 1964, McVey was cast as General Hardesty in the political thriller film ''

Seven Days in May ''Seven Days in May'' is a 1964 American political thriller film about a military-political cabal's planned takeover of the United States government in reaction to the president's negotiation of a disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. The ...

''. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, McVey continued guest starring in episodic television, including roles on ''

The Tom Ewell Show ''The Tom Ewell Show'', also known as ''The Trouble With Tom'', is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS during the 1960-61 television season. It depicts the challenges a husband and father faces as he resides in a household otherwise c ...

'', '' Kentucky Jones'', '' National Velvet'', ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...

'', '' The Rebel'', '' The Everglades'', ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'', ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'' (as

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

baron John Chisum in the 1956 episode, "Pat Garrett's Side of It"), ''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'', '' Ripcord'', ''

The Wild, Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels w ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', ''

'', '' Ironside'' and ''

Eight Is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who ...

''. His last roles were in 1985 and 1986 as different ministers in two episodes of ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Vi ...

''. McVey also acted on

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...

programs, including '' Gene Autry's Melody Ranch'', ''

Glamour Manor ''Glamour Manor'' is an American daytime radio program that was broadcast on the Blue Network from July 3, 1944 until June 27, 1947. Cliff Arquette starred in ''Glamour Manor'', which varied in format depending on the day of the week. Mondays, Wed ...

'', and ''

One Man's Family ''One Man's Family'' is an American radio soap opera, heard for almost three decades, from 1932 to 1959. Created by Carlton E. Morse, it was the longest-running uninterrupted dramatic serial in the history of American radio. Television versions ...

''.

Other professional activities

In the 1960s, McVey was president of the

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, local of the

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) was a performers' union that represented a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording a ...

, later served as national President. He was a founding member of the AFTRA/SAG Credit Union.

Personal life and death

McVey was married three times; first to Lorraine Budge in 1937. After their divorce, he married Rita Ann Stickelmaier in 1950 before they divorced in 1970. In 1971, McVey married Esther Geddes. He died of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...

Rancho Mirage Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal (part-time) population can exceed 20,000. Incorporated in 1973 and located ...

, California. He is interred in Elm Lawn Cemetery in

.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Selected filmography

*''

'' (aka ''Farwell to the Master'') (1951) - Brody (uncredited) *''

Washington Story ''Washington Story'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Robert Pirosh and starring Van Johnson and Patricia Neal. The screenplay concerns a reporter in search of government corruption who falls for a congressman. Plot On her first trip to ...

'' (1952) - Reporter in Senate Chamber (uncredited) *''

Diplomatic Courier A diplomatic courier is an official who transports diplomatic bags as sanctioned under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Couriers are granted diplomatic immunity and are thereby protected by the receiving state from arrest and d ...

'' (1952) - Watch Officer *''

Confidence Girl ''Confidence Girl'' is a 1952 American crime film written and directed by Andrew L. Stone. The film stars Tom Conway, Hillary Brooke, Eddie Marr, John Gallaudet, Jack Kruschen, Dan Riss and Walter Kingsford. It was released on June 20, 1952 by ...

'' (1952) - 2nd Detective *'' Horizons West'' (1952) - Poker Player (uncredited) *'' Back at the Front'' (1952) - Colonel Daley (uncredited) *'' My Man and I'' (1952) - Defense Attorney (uncredited) *'' O. Henry's Full House'' (1952) - O. Henry - Prologue (uncredited) *''

One Minute to Zero ''One Minute to Zero'' is a 1952 American romantic war film starring Robert Mitchum and Ann Blyth, set during the opening phases of the Korean War, and produced by Howard Hughes as his last film as producer. Victor Young's score for the film incl ...

'' (1952) - Joint Operation's Officer (uncredited) *''

All the Brothers Were Valiant ''All the Brothers Were Valiant'' is a 1953 Technicolor adventure drama film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Richard Thorpe. The film's screenplay was written by Harry Brown and based on the 1919 novel '' All the Brothers Were Va ...

'' (1953) - John Shore (uncredited) *'' From Here To Eternity'' (1953) - Major Stern (uncredited) *'' Mission Over Korea'' (1953) - Colonel Colton (uncredited) *'' A Blueprint for Murder'' (1953) - Police Lab Technician *''

Column South ''Column South'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Audie Murphy and Joan Evans.''C ...

'' (1953) - Miller - a Southerner (uncredited) *''

Code Two ''Code Two'' is a 1953 American film noir crime film about men training to be motorcycle cops. It stars Ralph Meeker, Sally Forrest, Elaine Stewart, Robert Horton and Keenan Wynn, and was directed by Fred M. Wilcox. Plot Classmates at the Los ...

'' (1953) - Chief of Police (uncredited) *'' Small Town Girl'' (1953) - Minister *''

Day of Triumph ''Day of Triumph'' is a 1954 American drama film directed by Irving Pichel and John T. Coyle, from a screenplay by Arthur T. Horman. The film stars Lee J. Cobb, Robert Wilson, James Griffith, and Joanne Dru. This was the last film directed by I ...

'' (1954) - Peter *''Dynamite, the Story of Alfred Nobel'' (1954, TV Movie) *''

Francis Joins the WACS ''Francis Joins the WACS'' is a 1954 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Ted Richmond, directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Donald O'Connor, Julie Adams, ZaSu Pitts, Mamie Van Doren and Chill Wills in tw ...

'' (1954) - Referee (uncredited) *'' The Caine Mutiny'' (1954) - Court-martial Board Member (uncredited) *''Indian American'' (1955, TV Movie) - Judge *''

Women's Prison This article discusses the incarceration of women in correctional facilities. As of 2013 across the world, 625,000 women and children were being held in penal institutions, and the female prison population was increasing in all continents.

'' (1955) - Guard *'' New York Confidential'' (1955) - Crash Car Witness (uncredited) *''The Man Who Tore Down the Wall'' (1955, TV Movie) - Dr. Stokes *''

Santa Fe Passage ''Santa Fe Passage'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring John Payne, Faith Domergue and Rod Cameron. Plot Kirby Randolph ( John Payne) is a veteran scout who comes to hate all Indians after being betraye ...

'' (1955) - Wagonmaster Lawton (uncredited) *'' City of Shadows'' (1955) - District Attorney's Aide (uncredited) *''Edgar Allan Poe at West Point'' (1955, TV Movie) - Supply Sergeant *'' Creature with the Atom Brain'' (1955) - Police Officer (uncredited) *'' Chicago Syndicate'' (1955) - Henderson (uncredited) *'' The Come On'' (1956) - Detective Hogan *'' Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) - Reporter (uncredited) *'' Walk the Proud Land'' (1956) - Lang (uncredited) *'' Friendly Persuasion'' (1956) - Farmer (uncredited) *'' Mister Cory'' (1957) - Card Player (uncredited) *''

Teenage Thunder ''Teenage Thunder'' is a 1957 American black and white teenage drama film directed by Paul Helmick. The film stars Chuck Courtney, Melinda Byron, Robert Fuller, Tyler McVey and Paul Bryar. The opening theme song, ''Teenage Kisses'', is perform ...

'' (1957) - Frank Simpson *''

Night of the Blood Beast ''Night of the Blood Beast'' is a 1958 American science-fiction horror film about a team of scientists who are stalked by an alien creature, which implants its embryos in an astronaut's body during a space flight. Produced by exploitation filmmak ...

'' (1958) - Dr. Alex Wyman *'' Hot Car Girl'' (1958) - Mr. James Wheeler *''

Terror in a Texas Town ''Terror in a Texas Town'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by Joseph H. Lewis (billed only as "Joseph Lewis") and starring Sterling Hayden, Nedrick Young, and Sebastian Cabot. The script of ''Terror in a Texas Town'' was written by ...

'' (1958) - Sheriff Stoner (uncredited) *''

As Young as We Are ''As Young as We Are'' is a 1958 American drama film directed by Bernard Girard and written by Meyer Dolinsky. The film stars Robert Harland, Pippa Scott, Majel Barrett, Ty Hardin, Barry Atwater and Carla Hoffman. The film was released in Sept ...

'' (1958) - Captain Barnhill (uncredited) *'' Lone Texan'' (1959) - Henry Biggs *'' The Louisiana Hussy'' (1959) - Dr. J. B. Opie *'' A Private's Affair'' (1959) - General (uncredited) *'' Attack of the Giant Leeches'' (1959) - Doc Greyson *'' The Music Box Kid'' (1960) - District Attorney Henley (uncredited) *''

The Gallant Hours ''The Gallant Hours'' is an American docudrama from 1960 about William F. Halsey, Jr. and his efforts in fighting against Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II. This film was direct ...

'' (1960) - Adm. Ernest J. King (uncredited) *''

Young Jesse James ''Young Jesse James'' is a 1960 American Western film directed by William F. Claxton and written by Orville H. Hampton and Jerry Sackheim. The film stars Ray Stricklyn, Willard Parker, Merry Anders, Robert Dix, Emile Meyer and Jacklyn O'Donnell. ...

'' (1960) - Banker *''

Sea Hunt ''Sea Hunt'' is an American action adventure television series that aired in syndication from 1958 to 1961 and was popular for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced. It stars Lloyd Bridges a ...

'' (1960, Season 3, Episode 29) - Sy Baker *''

'' (1961, Season 4, Episode 9) - Dr. Widmer *''A Public Affair'' (1962) - Sen. Howard Hopkins *''

That Touch of Mink ''That Touch of Mink'' is a 1962 American romantic comedy film directed by Delbert Mann and starring Cary Grant, Doris Day, Gig Young, and Audrey Meadows. Plot Cathy Timberlake, an unemployed New York City career woman, goes to the unemploymen ...

'' (1962) - Doorman (uncredited) *''

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer with a story and screenplay by William Rose and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast of comedians, is a ...

'' (1963) - Police Radio Voice (voice, uncredited) *''

Captain Newman, M.D. ''Captain Newman, M.D.'' is a 1963 American comedy drama film directed by David Miller and starring Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall, Eddie Albert and Bobby Darin. Peck's Brentwood Production also co-produced the film. ...

'' (1963) - Officer at Medical Evaluation Hearing (uncredited) *''

Man's Favorite Sport? ''Man's Favorite Sport?'' is a 1964 American comedy film starring Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss and directed and produced by Howard Hawks. Hawks intended the film to be an homage to his own 1938 screwball classic ''Bringing Up Baby'' with Katha ...

'' (1964) - Customer Bush *''

'' (1964) - Gen. Hardesty (uncredited) *'' The Best Man'' (1964) - Chairman *''

The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...

'' (1964) - Steward *'' Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.'' (1966) - Captain *''

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round ''Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round'' is a 1966 crime film written and directed by Bernard Girard, and starring James Coburn, Camilla Sparv, Aldo Ray, Nina Wayne, Todd Armstrong, Robert Webber, Rose Marie and Harrison Ford in his film debut. Plot ...

'' (1966) - Lyman Mann *'' Banning'' (1967) - Marco (uncredited) *'' Never a Dull Moment'' (1968) - Chief of Police Greyson (uncredited) *'' Hello, Dolly!'' (1969) - Laborer (uncredited) *''

The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler ''The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler'' is a 1971 science fiction film directed by Bob Wynn and starring Leslie Nielsen, Bradford Dillman and Angie Dickinson. This was one of the earliest films to depict medical exploitation of cloning, even thoug ...

'' (1971) - George *'' Sidekicks'' (1974, TV Movie) - Jones *'' The Strongest Man in the World'' (1975) - Regent (uncredited)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:McVey, Tyler 1912 births 2003 deaths Male actors from Michigan American male film actors American male radio actors American male stage actors American male television actors Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from leukemia People from Bay City, Michigan People from Los Angeles Presidents of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists 20th-century American male actors