Holy Crap–It’s William Schallert

OK–maybe you don’t know who he is. William Schallert might be the most cast TV character actor of the 50s-60s-70s-80s.

William_Schallert.jpgI don’t watch Desperate Housewives, but I’m sometimes on the sofa while Helaine is watching.

Nicolette Sheridan walked into an office and an older, white haired gentlemen walked to the counter to serve her. It was only a brief glimpse, but I knew who it was instantly–William Schallert.

Well, I thought it was William Schallert.

I turned to Helaine. “Is that William Schallert?”

Too late. He turned full face to the camera and there he was.

OK–maybe you don’t know who he is. William Schallert might be the most cast TV character actor of the 50s-60s-70s-80s. He has 340 credits in IMDB (and multiple episodes of the same show only count once)!

To many people my age he is best known as Martin Lane, Brooklyn Heights newspaper editor and father/uncle to Patty Duke on the Patty Duke Show.

Anyway he looked great and sounded great. He will be 87 this summer. It’s good to see he’s working.

It has to be for the love of performing. He can’t need the cash.