Chill Wills

Chill Wills

actor, soundtrack

Chill Wills was born on Jul 18, 1902 in USA. Chill Wills's big-screen debut came with It's a Gift directed by Norman Z. McLeod in 1934, strarring Campfire Singer (uncredited). Chill Wills is known for Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid directed by Sam Peckinpah, James Coburn stars as Pat Garrett and Kris Kristofferson as Billy The Kid. Chill Wills has got 1 awards and 2 nominations so far. The most recent award Chill Wills achieved is Walk of Fame. The upcoming new movie Chill Wills plays is Mr. Billion which will be released on Mar 03, 1977.

Colorful character actor of American Westerns. Named "Chill" as an ironic comment on his birth date being the hottest day of 1902. A musician from his youth, he performed from the age of 12 with tent shows, in vaudeville, and with stock companies. While performing in vaudeville in Kansas City, he married ballet dancer Betty Chappelle, with whom he had two children. He formed a musical group, Chill Wills and His Avalon Boys. During an appearance at the Trocadero in Hollywood, they were spotted by an RKO executive, subsequently appearing as a group in several low-budget Westerns. After a prominent appearance with The Avalon Boys as both himself and the bass-singing voice of Stan Laurel in Laurel et Hardy au Far-West (1937), Wills disbanded the group and began a solo career as a usually jovial (but occasionally sinister) character actor, primarily in Westerns. His delightful portrayal of Beekeeper in Alamo (1960) won him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but his blatant and embarrassing campaign for the Oscar cost him the award and subjected him to a great deal of humiliation -- and probably cost the film a number of awards as well. His wife died in 1971, and he remarried, to Novadeen Googe, in 1973. He continued to work in films and television, usually in roguishly lovable good-ol'-boy parts, up until his death in 1978.

  • Birthday

    Jul 18, 1902
  • Place of Birth

    Seagoville, Texas, USA

Known For

Awards

1 wins & 2 nominations

Walk of Fame
1960
Motion Picture
Winner - Star on the Walk of Fame

Movies & TV Shows

All
Movies
TV Shows