Chill Wills

Acting · Born 1902-07-18 in Seagoville, Texas, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Chill Theodore Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American film actor, and a singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet. He was a performer from early childhood, forming and leading the Avalon Boys singing group in the 1930s. After appearing in a few westerns he disbanded the group in 1938, and struck out on a solo acting career. One of his more memorable roles was that of the distinctive voice of Francis the Mule in a series of popular films. Wills' deep, rough voice, with its Western twang, was matched to the personality of the cynical, sardonic mule. As was customary at the time, Wills was given no billing for his vocal work, though he was featured prominently on-screen as blustery General Ben Kaye in the fourth entry, Francis Joins the…

Filmography

• Meet Me in St. Louis as Mr. Neely
• Giant as Uncle Bawley
• The Alamo as Beekeeper
• Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid as Lemuel
• Leave Her to Heaven as Leick Thome
• Way Out West as Lead Singer of the Avalon Boys / Stan's Bass Singing (uncredited)
• I'll Be Seeing You as Swanson
• Rio Grande as Dr. Wilkins
• The Rounders as Jim Ed Love
• City That Never Sleeps as Sgt. Joe, the 'Voice of Chicago'

TV

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Mr. Kilmer
• Night Gallery as Heppelwhite (segment "The Little Black Bag")
• Burke's Law as Harry Riggs
• Trackdown
• Route 66
• Alias Smith and Jones
• Gunsmoke as Abe Blocker
• Hallmark Hall of Fame as The Janitor
• Rawhide as Sheriff Asa Tanner
• Judd for the Defense