Bill Erwin

William Erwin (November 20, 1914 – December 30, 2010) was an American actor with over 180 credits in film and television from 1938 to 1982. He was often cast as a quirky character actor, appearing in such films as The Apartment (1960), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), The Odd Couple (1968), and The Producers (1968).

Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, California, the son of William and Alice (née Erwin) Erwin. His father was a traveling salesman and his mother was a homemaker. Erwin attended Stanford University, where he studied drama. After graduating from Stanford, Erwin moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.

Erwin's first Broadway role was in the play "Tobacco Road" in 1937. He went on to appear in several other Broadway productions, including "Of Mice and Men" (1939), "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (1940), and "The Glass Menagerie" (1945).

In 1942, Erwin made his film debut in the war drama "Air Force". He went on to appear in such films as "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946), "The Apartment" (1960), "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963), and "The Odd Couple" (1968).

Erwin also had a successful career in television. He appeared in such series as "The Twilight Zone" (1959), "The Addams Family" (1964-1966), and "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974).

Erwin was married twice. His first marriage, to actress Natalie Schafer, ended in divorce in 1947. He married actress Sheila Ryan in 1950. They remained married until his death in 2010.

Erwin died of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, on December 30, 2010, at the age of 96.