William Tannen - Movies, Bio & Filmography

Meet William Tannen

★ Acting🎥 136 films📺 23 TV shows📅 1934–1988🔥 0

Also known as: Bill Tannan, Billy Tannen, Bill Tannen, William J. Tannen...

Born in New York City, New York, USA

1911-11-17 (age 65 at death)

Died 1976-12-02

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Tannen (November 17, 1911 – December 2, 1976) was an American actor originally from New York City, who was best known for his role of Deputy Hal Norton in fifty-six episodes from 1956 to 1958 of the ABC/Desilu western television series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, with Hugh O'Brian as Deputy Marshal Wyatt Earp.

Tannen was also cast as Gyp Clements in the 1955 episode "The Buntline Special" of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Beginning on September 11, 1956, in the second season of the series, with the setting moved from Wichita to Dodge City, Kansas, Tannen filled the Hal Norton role. His earliest episodes were "Fight or Run", "The Double Life of Dora Hand" and "Clay Allison", the latter two based on historical figures, the saloon singer and actor Dora Hand and the gunfighter Clay Allison. Some of his appearances were uncredited. His last credited role was "Doc Holliday Rewrites History" (May 6, 1958), with Myron Healey as the frontier gunfighter and dentist Doc Holliday. His last uncredited roles aired thereafter in May and June 1958, "Dig a Grave for Ben Thompson", based on the historical figure Ben Thompson played by Denver Pyle, "Frame-up", and "My Husband".

He was cast as Ike Clanton, not on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, but in the 1964 episode "After the OK Corral" of the syndicated western anthology series, Death Valley Days. Jim Davis portrayed Wyatt Earp in this particular episode. Tannen appeared twice, one role uncredited in Davis' earlier syndicated western series, Stories of the Century, including the role of Dutch Charlie in "Milt Sharp", the story of the stagecoach robber Milt Sharp.From Wikipedia
William Tannen (November 17, 1911 – December 2, 1976) was an American actor originally from New York City.
Tannen was the son of actor Julius Tannen. William Tannen became active in drama — both acting and writing — while a student at Lawrenceville School. He made his stage debut in a production of The Honor of the Family with the National Theatre troupe in Washington, D.C.
During the 1930s and 1940s, he was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player. Among his earliest assignments were three appearances as the anonymous "MGM crime reporter" in the studio's Crime Does Not Pay short subjects. Tannen then advanced to membership in the studio's stock company, taking incidental roles in dozens of MGM's feature films. After the studio reduced its personnel in 1948, Tannen began freelancing at other studios but continued to receive assignments at MGM for the next decade. Television viewers of the 1950s recognized Tannen from his role of Deputy Hal Norton in 56 episodes of the ABC/Desilu western television series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1956–58)
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