Trivia

Of Schallert's myriad movie and TV roles, he has said the one individual role for which he still receives the most recognition is as Nilz Baris, the Federation Undersecretary of Agricultural Affairs, in the Star Trek (1966) episode The Trouble with Tribbles (1967).

Went to high school with Alan Hale Jr., Nanette Fabray and Mickey Rooney.

Died just over a month after the death of his on-screen daughter, Patty Duke. They also both served as President of the Screen Actors Guild.

Is also a composer, pianist and singer.

Martin Lane, Schallert's character on The Patty Duke Show (1963), was ranked #39 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].

Appeared in the original "Twilight Zone" TV series (Mr. Bevis (1960)), the 1985 revival series Shadow Play/Grace Note (1986); segment "Shadow Play"), and in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983).

Along with Warren Kenner, he is one of only two actors to appear in both In the Heat of the Night (1967) and In the Heat of the Night (1988).

(1979-1981) President of Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

Friends with Patty Duke.

During the 1940s, Schallert was a member of Los Angeles' 'The Group Theatre'--a West Coast version of New York's 'The Actor's Studio'--where he appeared in a production of W. Somerset Maugham's "Rain" directed by Charles Chaplin.

He was awarded the 1971 OBIE Award for Distinguished Performance for "The Trial of Catonsville Nine" off-Broadway in New York City.

He was the longtime voice of Oscar Meyer in TV commercials and was a proficient voice-over announcer for several other products.

Like Norman Lloyd, Dick Van Dyke, Ernest Borgnine, Mickey Rooney, Betty White, Angela Lansbury, Charlotte Rae, and Larry Hagman, Schallert was one of the stars in Hollywood never to retire from acting.

He appeared in five films or television films directed by Joe Dante: Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Gremlins (1984), Innerspace (1987), Matinee (1993) and The Second Civil War (1997).

Upon his death, he was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.

Was a popular spokesperson for the Michigan-based Arbor Drugs Pharmacy in the 1980s.

Appearing with Harry Hamlin in the premiere production of the play "House" in Los Angeles, at the Falcon Theatre. (June 2001)

Interviewed in Tom Weaver's book, "They Fought in the Creature Features" (McFarland & Co., 1995).

Lived in Pacific Palisades on Ramos Place right around the corner from the Toyopa Drive homes of Mel Blanc and Walter Matthau.

Appeared in The Trouble with Tribbles (1967) & Innerspace (1987), making him one of two actors to appear in inner space & outer space. Robert Picardo is the other.

He was a lifelong liberal Democrat.

William had one of the longest character-actor careers in Hollywood, from 1947 to 2014, with almost 400 appearances, playing everything from naive hicks, to wise father figures, to white-color villains.

He is the only actor to appear in The Twilight Zone (1959), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and The Twilight Zone (1985).

Appears in the 1942 UCLA yearbook, Southern Campus, as one of the desk editors of the Daily Bruin.

In his performance on Medium (season 6, episode 14), his character died at 93 years of age, same age as he was when he passed away in 2016.