William Demarest (February 27, 1892 - December 28, 1983) was an American character actor. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, he was a very prolific film and TV actor, having worked on over 140 films. He worked frequently with director Preston Sturges, becoming part of a "stock" troupe of actors that Sturges repeatedly cast in his films. He started in show business working in vaudeville, then moved on to Broadway. Wikipedia
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