The son of Edwin Schallert, drama editor of the "Los Angeles Times" and the dean of West Coast critics, William Schallert became interested in an acting career while at UCLA in 1942. After graduation, he became involved with the Circle Theater (eventually becoming one of its owners) and made his film debut in La fière créole (1947). He has been ubiquitous in movies and TV ever since; from 1979 to 1981, he was president of the Screen Actors Guild. He still stays active with SAG projects and says he never gives retirement a thought.
