William Sylvester | WatchedThis

William Sylvester

William Sylvester

Acting

Biography

William Sylvester (January 31, 1922 – January 25, 1995) was an American TV and film actor. His most famous film credit was Dr. Heywood Floyd in Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968). Born in Oakland, California and married at one time to the British actress Veronica Hurst, he moved to England after the Second World War and became a staple of British B films at a time when American and Canadian actors were much in demand in order to give indigenous films some appeal in the US. As a result, he gained top billing in one of his very first films, House of Blackmail (1953), directed by the veteran filmmaker Maurice Elvey, for whom he also made What Every Woman Wants the following year. He also starred in such minor films as The Stranger Came Home (1954, for Hammer), Dublin Nightmare (1958), Offbeat (1960), Information Received (1961), Incident at Midnight, Ring of Spies and Blind Corner (all 1963). There were also lead roles in four British horror films: Gorgo (1960), Devil Doll (1963), Devils of Darkness (1964) and The Hand of Night (1966). Among his many TV credits were a 1959 BBC version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (playing Mark Antony), The Saint, The Baron, The High Chaparral, Harry O and The Six Million Dollar Man. His later films included You Only Live Twice (1967) and, back in the USA after his prominent role for Kubrick, Busting (1973), The Hindenburg (1975) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He died in Sacramento, California in 1995, aged 72.

Filmography Movies

Acting

Poster for 2001: A Space Odyssey
MOVIE

2001: A Space Odyssey

8.1(12.6K)
2001: A Space Odyssey
Dr. Heywood Floyd
Poster for Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
MOVIE

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

6.0(0.1K)
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Tom Henderson
Poster for Gorgo
MOVIE

Gorgo

5.3(0.1K)
Gorgo
Sam Slade
Poster for Devil Doll
MOVIE

Devil Doll

4.7(0.1K)
Devil Doll
Mark English
Poster for The Hindenburg
MOVIE

The Hindenburg

6.3(0.2K)
The Hindenburg
Luftwaffe Colonel
Poster for First Family
MOVIE

First Family

3.7(0.0K)
First Family
TV Commentator Howard
Poster for The Hand of Night
MOVIE

The Hand of Night

5.2(0.0K)
The Hand of Night
Paul Carver
Poster for 2001: The Making of a Myth
MOVIE

2001: The Making of a Myth

6.6(0.0K)
2001: The Making of a Myth
Dr. Heywood R. Floyd (archive footage) (uncredited)
Poster for Devils of Darkness
MOVIE

Devils of Darkness

5.2(0.0K)
Devils of Darkness
Paul Baxter
Poster for Busting
MOVIE

Busting

6.2(0.1K)
Busting
Mr. Weldman

Gallery

William Sylvester portrait
William Sylvester portrait
William Sylvester portrait