William Benedict

William Benedict

Acting
Born Apr 16, 1917
From Haskell, Oklahoma, USA
Died Nov 25, 1999

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Benedict (April 16, 1917 – November 25, 1999) was an American actor, perhaps best known for playing "Whitey" in Monogram Pictures' The Bowery Boys series. Born in Haskell, Oklahoma, he took part in school theatricals, and on leaving school he made his way to Hollywood. His first film was $10 Raise (1935) starring Edward Everett Horton, which launched Benedict on a busy career. The blond-haired Benedict almost always played juvenile roles, such as newsboys, messengers, office boys, and farmhands. In 1939, when Universal Pictures began its Little Tough Guys series to compete with the popular Dead End Kids features, Billy Benedict was recruited into the cast. These films led him into the similar East Side Kids movies (usually playing a member of the East Side gang, but occasionally in villainous roles). The East Side Kids became The Bowery Boys in 1946, and Benedict stayed with the series (as "Whitey") through the end of 1951. Other films included My Little Chickadee (1940) starring W. C. Fields and Mae West, The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster (1955), The Sting (1973) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975). Benedict never shook his juvenile image completely, and continued to play messengers and news vendors well into his sixties. He also worked often in television commercials.

Known For

Filmography — Acting

The Sting
8.0
1973

The Sting

Roulette Dealer

The Killing
7.6
1956

The Killing

American Airlines Clerk

Bringing Up Baby
7.5
1938

Bringing Up Baby

David's Caddy (uncredited)

Hello, Dolly!
7.0
1969

Hello, Dolly!

News Vendor (uncredited)

Funny Girl
7.2
1968

Funny Girl

Western Union Boy (uncredited)

The Hanging Tree
6.7
1959

The Hanging Tree

Trapper (uncredited)

The Hallelujah Trail
6.1
1965

The Hallelujah Trail

Simpson

The Ox-Bow Incident
7.7
1943

The Ox-Bow Incident

Greene (uncredited)

Story of G.I. Joe
6.5
1945

Story of G.I. Joe

Pvt. Whitey (uncredited)

After the Thin Man
7.3
1936

After the Thin Man

Newsboy (uncredited)

Without Reservations
6.2
1946

Without Reservations

Telegraph Delivery Boy (uncredited)

Lover Come Back
7.0
1961

Lover Come Back

Musician Exiting Elevator (uncredited)

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
4.1
1976

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

Man on Bus

My Little Chickadee
6.4
1940

My Little Chickadee

Lem (uncredited)

The Talk of the Town
7.3
1942

The Talk of the Town

Western Union Boy (uncredited)

The Over the Hill Gang
5.6
1969

The Over the Hill Gang

Joe, the Telegrapher (as Bill Benedict)

Frankie and Johnny
5.6
1966

Frankie and Johnny

Bum Sleeping on Bench (uncredited)

The Hucksters
6.9
1947

The Hucksters

Bellboy at Blue Penguin Inn (uncredited)

Road to Utopia
6.7
1946

Road to Utopia

Second Newsboy (uncredited)

Libeled Lady
7.3
1936

Libeled Lady

Joe

Adventures of Captain Marvel
6.3
1941

Adventures of Captain Marvel

Whitey Murphy

Thank Your Lucky Stars
6.1
1943

Thank Your Lucky Stars

Busboy (uncredited)

Fun on a Weekend
6.8
1947

Fun on a Weekend

Hotel Bellboy (uncredited)

Goldie and the Boxer
4.5
1979

Goldie and the Boxer

Old Man

The Last Gangster
6.4
1937

The Last Gangster

Freddy the Office Boy

The Magnetic Monster
5.6
1953

The Magnetic Monster

Albert

Dear Heart
6.4
1965

Dear Heart

Stu

The Glass Key
6.6
1942

The Glass Key

Farr's Receptionist (uncredited)

Wildcat
3.5
1942

Wildcat

Bud Smithers

Way Down East
3.0
1935

Way Down East

Amos

Sherlock Holmes in New York
5.9
1976

Sherlock Holmes in New York

Telegraph Office Manager

Adventures of Red Ryder
5.5
1940

Adventures of Red Ryder

Dan Withers

Bride of the Monster
4.4
1955

Bride of the Monster

Newsboy

Rhythm on the River
6.8
1940

Rhythm on the River

Elevator Boy

Lady in a Jam
5.3
1942

Lady in a Jam

Barker (uncredited)

On the Sunny Side
6.0
1942

On the Sunny Side

Messenger

Bad Boy
5.0
1935

Bad Boy

Grocery Clerk

Theodora Goes Wild
6.6
1936

Theodora Goes Wild

Henry - Copyboy (uncredited)

The Whistler
6.0
1944

The Whistler

The Deafmute (Uncredited)

Ramona
5.1
1936

Ramona

Joseph Hyar

Follow the Boys
5.3
1944

Follow the Boys

Joe (uncredited)

Ghosts on the Loose
4.2
1943

Ghosts on the Loose

Benny

One More Tomorrow
5.5
1946

One More Tomorrow

Stinky

The Kid from Brooklyn
6.2
1946

The Kid from Brooklyn

Newsboy (uncredited)

Great Guns
5.8
1941

Great Guns

Recruit at Corral

Bonanza: The Next Generation
7.5
1988

Bonanza: The Next Generation

Gus Morton

A Night to Remember
6.6
1942

A Night to Remember

Messenger Boy (uncredited)

Dressed to Kill
6.3
1941

Dressed to Kill

Singing Telegram Boy

Tim Tyler's Luck
1937

Tim Tyler's Luck

Spud

Two Yanks in Trinidad
2.5
1942

Two Yanks in Trinidad

Messenger (uncredited)

I Met My Love Again
5.4
1938

I Met My Love Again

Billy (uncredited)

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
6.0
1942

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

Bellboy

Jinx Money
4.8
1948

Jinx Money

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

Time Out for Rhythm
6.2
1941

Time Out for Rhythm

Messenger (uncredited)

The Lottery
6.8
1969

The Lottery

Joe Summers

Do You Love Me
4.8
1946

Do You Love Me

Singing Western Union Boy (uncredited)

Rings on Her Fingers
6.5
1942

Rings on Her Fingers

Young People
4.7
1940

Young People

Boy (uncredited)

Confessions of Boston Blackie
6.1
1941

Confessions of Boston Blackie

Ice Cream Man

Triple Trouble
6.2
1950

Triple Trouble

Whitey, Bowery Boy

Second Chorus
5.8
1941

Second Chorus

Ticket Taker (uncredited)

Heart of the Golden West
1.5
1942

Heart of the Golden West

Telegraph Messenger

3 Kids and a Queen
6.0
1935

3 Kids and a Queen

Flash

She Knew All the Answers
6.5
1941

She Knew All the Answers

Singing Telegraph Boy

Captain January
6.7
1936

Captain January

Telegram Delivery Boy

Hold That Baby!
5.0
1949

Hold That Baby!

Whitey

Merton of the Movies
6.3
1947

Merton of the Movies

Von Strutt's Assistant (uncredited)

The Witness Chair
6.2
1936

The Witness Chair

Benny Ryan

Born Again
8.0
1978

Born Again

Leon Jaworski

Big Daddy
1969

Big Daddy

Aerial Gunner
4.4
1943

Aerial Gunner

Jackson 'Sleepy' Laswell

Cadet Girl
6.0
1941

Cadet Girl

Soldier at Camp Show (uncredited)

Bowery Bombshell
6.0
1946

Bowery Bombshell

Whitey

Walking Down Broadway
5.7
1938

Walking Down Broadway

Eddie

The Country Doctor
6.0
1936

The Country Doctor

The Gawker

Cop on the Beat
4.1
1975

Cop on the Beat

Lennie

Mobs, Inc.
4.0
1956

Mobs, Inc.

Telegraph Boy

There's Always a Woman
5.8
1938

There's Always a Woman

Bellboy

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1942

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

Theatre Usher

The Farmer Takes a Wife
6.1
1935

The Farmer Takes a Wife

Boy Announcing Dan's Arrival Before Fight

The Great Mr. Nobody
5.3
1941

The Great Mr. Nobody

Jig

And One Was Beautiful
6.2
1940

And One Was Beautiful

Delivery Man

The Dead Don't Die
5.9
1975

The Dead Don't Die

Hotel Desk Clerk

Night Wind
1948

Night Wind

Irv Bennett

Code of the Streets
7.0
1939

Code of the Streets

Trouble

Doubting Thomas
7.0
1935

Doubting Thomas

Caddie

Follow the Leader
2.7
1944

Follow the Leader

Spider O'Brien

Call Her Mom
4.0
1972

Call Her Mom

Mr. Feigelbaum

Bowery Boy
3.0
1940

Bowery Boy

(uncredited)

The Mad Doctor
6.2
1940

The Mad Doctor

Mickey Barnes (Uncredited)

Janie
5.6
1944

Janie

Soda Jerk (uncredited)

The Adventures of Nick Carter
2.7
1972

The Adventures of Nick Carter

Newsboy

The Powers Girl
6.5
1943

The Powers Girl

Powers Agency Office Boy (uncredited)

Clancy Street Boys
5.8
1943

Clancy Street Boys

Butch

Melody Ranch
5.8
1940

Melody Ranch

Slim

Perils of Nyoka
1942

Perils of Nyoka

Red Davis

The Dirt Gang
2.7
1972

The Dirt Gang

Station Attendant

Hollywood Hobbies
5.3
1939

Hollywood Hobbies

Tour Guide

Million Dollar Kid
5.8
1944

Million Dollar Kid

Skinny

Never Say Goodbye
6.2
1946

Never Say Goodbye

Messenger Boy (uncredited)

Junior G-Men of the Air
6.0
1942

Junior G-Men of the Air

Whitey

I Won't Play
6.4
1944

I Won't Play

Florida

M'Liss
5.0
1936

M'Liss

Archer Morpher

Mr. Hex
6.7
1946

Mr. Hex

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

They Wanted to Marry
5.0
1937

They Wanted to Marry

Freckles

Can This Be Dixie?
1936

Can This Be Dixie?

Shenandoah Peachtree (uncredited)

Steamboat Round the Bend
7.5
1935

Steamboat Round the Bend

Breck

The Great McGinty
6.9
1940

The Great McGinty

Farm Boy (uncredited)

Angels' Alley
4.0
1948

Angels' Alley

Whitey

That's My Baby!
5.0
1944

That's My Baby!

Office boy

Bowery Buckaroos
6.5
1947

Bowery Buckaroos

Whitey

Lucky Losers
6.1
1950

Lucky Losers

Whitey

Mr. Muggs Rides Again
5.0
1945

Mr. Muggs Rides Again

Skinny

Flying Fists
5.0
1937

Flying Fists

Monk, Tall Kid

Gay Blades
1946

Gay Blades

Newsboy (uncredited)

Say It in French
6.0
1938

Say It in French

Midget Car Driver

Lucky Partners
6.0
1940

Lucky Partners

Delivery Boy (uncredited)

Mr. Muggs Steps Out
1943

Mr. Muggs Steps Out

Pinky

Little Tough Guys in Society
6.0
1938

Little Tough Guys in Society

Trouble

News Hounds
6.0
1947

News Hounds

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

All by Myself
1943

All by Myself

Telegraph Messenger

Let's Go Navy!
7.0
1951

Let's Go Navy!

Whitey

Rhythm in the Clouds
5.0
1937

Rhythm in the Clouds

Bellboy

Legion of the Lawless
5.4
1940

Legion of the Lawless

Eddie

Grand Ole Opry
7.0
1940

Grand Ole Opry

Newsboy (uncredited)

Riders of the Pony Express
6.0
1949

Riders of the Pony Express

Eddie Lund

Nobody's Darling
1943

Nobody's Darling

Sammy (uncredited)

Live Wires
5.4
1946

Live Wires

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

Adventures of the Flying Cadets
6.5
1943

Adventures of the Flying Cadets

Zombie Parker

Spook Busters
4.8
1946

Spook Busters

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

$10 Raise
8.0
1935

$10 Raise

Jimmy

The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter
8.0
2020

The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter

Himself

Hard Boiled Mahoney
6.4
1947

Hard Boiled Mahoney

Whitey

Stage to Chino
5.4
1940

Stage to Chino

Happy (uncredited)

Pack Up Your Troubles
6.2
1939

Pack Up Your Troubles

Office Boy

Computercide
6.0
1982

Computercide

Elderly Man

Jesse James at Bay
4.2
1941

Jesse James at Bay

Young Davis

Rogue's Gallery
6.0
1968

Rogue's Gallery

Jocko (as William Benedict)

Jim Hanvey, Detective
5.9
1937

Jim Hanvey, Detective

Copy Boy (uncredited)

In Old Cheyenne
4.1
1941

In Old Cheyenne

Train Vendor

People Are Funny
5.2
1946

People Are Funny

NBC Usher

Brenda Starr, Reporter
1945

Brenda Starr, Reporter

Pesky (uncredited)

Young Fugitives
1.0
1938

Young Fugitives

Jud (as William 'Billy' Benedict)

The Man Who Lost Himself
4.5
1941

The Man Who Lost Himself

Telegram Delivery Boy

College Scandal
5.2
1935

College Scandal

'Penny' Parker

Bowery Champs
7.0
1944

Bowery Champs

Skinny

Blues Busters
5.5
1950

Blues Busters

Whitey (as William Benedict)

The Pilgrim Lady
5.0
1947

The Pilgrim Lady

Bellboy

Show Them No Mercy!
7.0
1935

Show Them No Mercy!

Willie (uncredited)

King of the Newsboys
4.0
1938

King of the Newsboys

Squimpy

Crack-Up
5.5
1936

Crack-Up

Bunky, Office Boy (uncredited)

Master Minds
6.0
1949

Master Minds

Whitey

Newsboys' Home
6.0
1938

Newsboys' Home

Trouble

Fighting Fools
5.0
1949

Fighting Fools

Whitey

Laughing at Trouble
6.0
1936

Laughing at Trouble

Wilbur

Get Hep to Love
4.0
1942

Get Hep to Love

Soda Jerk

Hold That Kiss
6.5
1938

Hold That Kiss

Delivery Boy

Hold That Co-ed
6.3
1938

Hold That Co-ed

Sylvester

Angels in Disguise
5.3
1949

Angels in Disguise

Whitey

Smuggler's Cove
4.7
1948

Smuggler's Cove

Whitey

I Live on Danger
5.7
1942

I Live on Danger

Bellboy (uncredited)

That I May Live
6.5
1937

That I May Live

Kurt Plivens

Secret Service Investigator
6.0
1948

Secret Service Investigator

Counterman

Crazy Over Horses
5.5
1951

Crazy Over Horses

Whitey (as William Benedict)

Give Us Wings
6.0
1940

Give Us Wings

Link (as Billy Benedict)

1937

Tramp Trouble

Young Bindlestiff

Block Busters
1944

Block Busters

Butch

Your Uncle Dudley
1.0
1935

Your Uncle Dudley

Cyril Church

Tuxedo Junction
1941

Tuxedo Junction

Thomas 'Piecrust' Murphy (as Billy Benedict)

The Gentleman Misbehaves
1946

The Gentleman Misbehaves

Bellboy (uncredited)

Hollywood and Vine
4.0
1945

Hollywood and Vine

Joe the Newsboy

Blonde Dynamite
4.5
1950

Blonde Dynamite

Whitey

Home in Wyomin'
8.0
1942

Home in Wyomin'

Usher (uncredited)

Whispering Footsteps
5.0
1943

Whispering Footsteps

Jerry Murphy

Mr. District Attorney
5.4
1941

Mr. District Attorney

Office Boy

Scattergood Baines
6.0
1941

Scattergood Baines

Lafe Hopper (uncredited)

In Fast Company
6.3
1946

In Fast Company

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

Bowery Battalion
8.0
1951

Bowery Battalion

Whitey

They Live in Fear
1944

They Live in Fear

Thomas 'Mack' Knight (uncredited)

Ghost Chasers
6.6
1951

Ghost Chasers

Whitey

Moonlight in Vermont
6.0
1943

Moonlight in Vermont

Abel

Trouble Makers
5.7
1948

Trouble Makers

Whitey (as Billy Benedict)

Come Out Fighting
7.0
1945

Come Out Fighting

Skinny

Docks of New York
6.0
1945

Docks of New York

Skinny

1973

The Secret Sharer

Mr. Burns

What Am I Bid?
1967

What Am I Bid?

Clem (as Bill Benedict)