William O’Connell obit

William O’Connell Dies: Memorable ‘Star Trek’ Villain, Foils In Clint Eastwood Films Was 94

 

He was not on the list.

William O’Connell, whose extensive TV and film acting credits in the 1960s and ’70s included a memorably villainous role on Star Trek and a string of adversaries in the films of his frequent collaborator Clint Eastwood, died January 15 at his home in Sherman Oaks, CA. He was 94.

His death was announced to Deadline by a family friend. A cause was not disclosed.

O’Connell scored a lengthy roster of TV episodic credits in the 1960s, becoming a busy character actor of the day. He had small roles, often nameless characters distinguished only by their job titles — Flagman, Cabbie, Field Rep. #1 — in Highway Patrol, Peter Gunn and The Twilight Zone, also popping up on Dennis the Menace, My Three Sons, The Outer Limits, Bonanza, The Munsters, Batman and The Lucy Show.

His most memorable TV role from the era came in 1967, when he was cast in the Season 2 “Journey to Babel” episode of Star Trek as Thelev, a duplicitous Orion agent disguised as an Andorian ambassador. His mission to destroy the Enterprise was unsuccessful, but he did manage to wound William Shatner’s Captain James T. Kirk with a poison knife.

On the big screen, O’Connell was most familiar for frequent, if occasionally small and often adversarial, roles in the 1960s and ’70s films of his friend Clint Eastwood, including Paint Your Wagon, High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Every Which Way but Loose and its 1980 sequel Any Which Way You Can.

Born May 12, 1929 in Los Angeles, O’Connell served in the Korean War as a 1st LT in the 45th Infantry. He received many decorations including the Bronze Star.

Complete survivor information was not immediately available.

 

Actor

The Haunted (1991)

The Haunted

6.3

TV Movie

Father Kearney

1991

 

Sandahl Bergman, Corinne Bohrer, Mary Cadorette, Brett Cullen, Vicki Frederick, Sherman Hemsley, Julia Montgomery, Don Most, and Wendie Jo Sperber in Stewardess School (1986)

Stewardess School

4.2

Attorney

1986

 

Marcia Cross in Pros & Cons (1986)

Pros & Cons

6.1

TV Movie

Store Owner

1986

 

Catherine Bach, Ben Jones, Denver Pyle, John Schneider, and Tom Wopat in The Dukes of Hazzard (1979)

The Dukes of Hazzard

7.1

TV Series

Merle

1982

1 episode

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy M.E. (1976)

Quincy M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Albert Rausch

Herman Elger

1977–1981

2 episodes

 

Clint Eastwood in Any Which Way You Can (1980)

Any Which Way You Can

6.1

Elmo

1980

 

Clint Eastwood in Every Which Way But Loose (1978)

Every Which Way But Loose

6.3

Elmo

1978

 

Roddy McDowall, Carl Franklin, Ike Eisenmann, Jared Martin, and Katie Saylor in The Fantastic Journey (1977)

The Fantastic Journey

7.0

TV Series

Simkin

1977

1 episode

 

Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith in Charlie's Angels (1976)

Charlie's Angels

6.5

TV Series

Harold Parmadoor

1977

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

The Outlaw Josey Wales

7.8

Sim Carstairs

1976

 

Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974)

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

8.4

TV Series

Brewster Hocking (uncredited)

1975

1 episode

 

Reggie Nalder in The Dead Don't Die (1975)

The Dead Don't Die

5.5

TV Movie

Priest

1975

 

Jack Klugman and Tony Randall in The Odd Couple (1970)

The Odd Couple

7.9

TV Series

Hotel Clerk

Mr. Skyler

1971–1974

2 episodes

 

Big Bad Mama (1974)

Big Bad Mama

5.7

Crusade Preacher

1974

 

Black Eye (1974)

Black Eye

5.6

Minister

1974

 

Clint Eastwood in High Plains Drifter (1973)

High Plains Drifter

7.4

Barber

1973

 

Love, American Style (1969)

Love, American Style

6.8

TV Series

Minister (segment "Love and the Postal Meeter")

The Minster (segment "Love and the Comedy Team")

1969–1973

2 episodes

 

The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972)

The Culpepper Cattle Co.

6.9

Bartender in Piercetown

1972

 

Brian Keith, Michele Carey, and Rick Lenz in Scandalous John (1971)

Scandalous John

5.8

Men's Store Clerk

1971

 

Jerry Lewis in Which Way to the Front? (1970)

Which Way to the Front?

4.6

Mr. Prescott (uncredited)

1970

 

Fess Parker in Daniel Boone (1964)

Daniel Boone

7.3

TV Series

Amos Pickering

Blake

Pickering

1965–1970

3 episodes

 

James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, and Dennis Weaver in Gunsmoke (1955)

Gunsmoke

8.1

TV Series

Jackson

1970

1 episode

 

The Happy Ending (1969)

The Happy Ending

6.3

Minister (as Wm. O'Connell)

1969

 

Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, and Arnold the Piggy in Green Acres (1965)

Green Acres

7.3

TV Series

Desk Clerk

1969

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin, and Jean Seberg in Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Paint Your Wagon

6.6

Horace Tabor

1969

 

Jerry Lewis and Peter Lawford in Hook, Line and Sinker (1969)

Hook, Line and Sinker

5.3

Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

1969

 

Robert Conrad and Ross Martin in The Wild Wild West (1965)

The Wild Wild West

8.1

TV Series

Dr. Winterich

1969

1 episode

 

Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, Rock Hudson, and Patrick McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra (1968)

Ice Station Zebra

6.6

Survivor

1968

 

Diahann Carroll and Marc Copage in Julia (1968)

Julia

7.7

TV Series

Messenger

1968

1 episode

 

Jacqueline Bisset and Michele Carey in The Sweet Ride (1968)

The Sweet Ride

5.5

Beach Resident (uncredited)

1968

 

Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and Greg Morris in Mission: Impossible (1966)

Mission: Impossible

7.9

TV Series

Instructor

1968

1 episode

 

Mike Connors in Mannix (1967)

Mannix

7.4

TV Series

John Burke

1968

1 episode

 

Bea Benaderet, Edgar Buchanan, Frank Cady, Linda Henning, Jeannine Riley, Pat Woodell, and Higgins in Petticoat Junction (1963)

Petticoat Junction

7.0

TV Series

Martin Evans

Mr. Agnew

1964–1967

4 episodes

 

Walter Koenig, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)

Star Trek

8.4

TV Series

Thelev

1967

1 episode

 

James Caan, Katharine Ross, Marjorie Bennett, Simone Signoret, and Don Stroud in Games (1967)

Games

6.4

Party Guest

1967

 

The Big Mouth (1967)

The Big Mouth

5.5

Psychiatrist (uncredited)

1967

 

It's a Bikini World (1967)

It's a Bikini World

4.6

McSnigg

1967

 

Ironside (1967)

Ironside

7.4

TV Movie

Curator (uncredited)

1967

 

The Lucy Show (1962)

The Lucy Show

7.2

TV Series

Assistant Manager

1967

1 episode

 

Douglas Fowley, Ruth McDevitt, Ann Sheridan, and Carole Wells in Pistols 'n' Petticoats (1966)

Pistols 'n' Petticoats

7.1

TV Series

Clarence O'Day

1966

1 episode

 

Way... Way Out (1966)

Way... Way Out

5.3

Ponsonby

1966

 

The Felony Squad (1966)

The Felony Squad

7.5

TV Series

Hotel Clerk

1966

1 episode

 

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

7.6

TV Series

Hugo

1966

1 episode

 

Batman (1966)

Batman

7.5

TV Series

Mr. Perkins

1966

1 episode

 

Two's Company

TV Movie

Bearded Sculptor (uncredited)

1965

 

Doris Day, Rod Taylor, and Sergio Fantoni in Do Not Disturb (1965)

Do Not Disturb

5.8

Cecil Graves (uncredited)

1965

 

The War Lord (1965)

The War Lord

6.6

Volunteer Rejected by Chrysagon (uncredited)

1965

 

Yvonne De Carlo, Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick, and Pat Priest in The Munsters (1964)

The Munsters

7.8

TV Series

The Bank Clerk

1965

1 episode

 

Alfred Hitchcock in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962)

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

8.5

TV Series

Art Summers

1965

1 episode

 

Bonanza (1959)

Bonanza

7.3

TV Series

Broadside poster (uncredited)

1964

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood, Paul Brinegar, and Sheb Wooley in Rawhide (1959)

Rawhide

8.0

TV Series

Hotel Clerk

Poet

1964

2 episodes

 

Harris Against the World (1964)

Harris Against the World

7.6

TV Series

Hendricks

1964

1 episode

 

Elinor Donahue, Mark Goddard, and Andrea Sacino in Many Happy Returns (1964)

Many Happy Returns

7.2

TV Series

1964

1 episode

 

Valentine's Day (1964)

Valentine's Day

7.8

TV Series

Jerry

1964

1 episode

 

The Outer Limits (1963)

The Outer Limits

8.2

TV Series

The Creature (as William O'Connel)

1964

1 episode

 

Jim Backus, James Garner, Lee Remick, Phil Harris, and Chill Wills in The Wheeler Dealers (1963)

The Wheeler Dealers

6.5

Paid Weeper (uncredited)

1963

 

Gary Lockwood in The Lieutenant (1963)

The Lieutenant

8.3

TV Series

Lt. (j.g.) Malcolm Wade (as Willian O'Connell)

1963

1 episode

 

My Three Sons (1960)

My Three Sons

7.1

TV Series

Archibald

1963

1 episode

 

"The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" Kurt Russell, Jean Engstrom 1963 MGM

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters

7.5

TV Series

Bryce

1963

1 episode

 

Going My Way (1962)

Going My Way

8.0

TV Series

The Resident Physician

1963

1 episode

 

Jay North in Dennis the Menace (1959)

Dennis the Menace

7.0

TV Series

Senate Secretary (uncredited)

1963

1 episode

 

Rod Serling in The Twilight Zone (1959)

The Twilight Zone

9.1

TV Series

Field Rep #1 (uncredited)

1962

1 episode

 

Thriller (1960)

Thriller

8.2

TV Series

Chester #2

1962

1 episode

 

Womanhunt (1962)

Womanhunt

6.4

1962

 

Dr. Kildare (1961)

Dr. Kildare

7.0

TV Series

Harold 'Slim' Johnson (uncredited)

1961

1 episode

 

Fred Astaire in Alcoa Premiere (1961)

Alcoa Premiere

7.4

TV Series

Private Benson

1961

1 episode

 

20,000 Eyes (1961)

20,000 Eyes

5.3

Appraiser (uncredited)

1961

 

Barbara Eden, Ray Charles, Peter Marshall, Tommy Noonan, Bobby Vee, and Roger Williams in Swingin' Along (1961)

Swingin' Along

4.7

Bartender (uncredited)

1961

 

Craig Stevens in Peter Gunn (1958)

Peter Gunn

8.0

TV Series

Cabbie

1961

1 episode

 

Highway Patrol (1955)

Highway Patrol

7.7

TV Series

Flagman

1959

1 episode