William "Biff" McGuire (born October 25, 1926, New Haven, Connecticut) is an American actor. In recent years he has used the name William Biff McGuire professionally.In a career that has spanned 50 years, McGuire has collected a number of theatrical credits. He was acclaimed for his role as Woody in the 1960 revival of the musical Finian's Rainbow and played King Arthur in one of the first national tours of Camelot. He was nominated for two Tony Awards during his career.On October 9, 1955, McGuire starred in the episode "Number Seven, Hangman's Row" of the CBS anthology series, Appointment with Adventure. He also starred in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes "The Gentleman From America" (1956), "The Hidden Thing" (1956), "Crackpot" (1957), and "Don't Interrupt" (1958).
Don't plan anything. You may end up in another part of the business. But, do it...it's a wonderful business to be in.
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Fact
1
Appearing in off-Broadway production of Horton Foote's "The Day Emily Married". [August 2004]
2
appearing on Broadway in the revival of "Mornings At Seven" (2002) [April 2002]
3
He made guest appearances on both of the longest running prime time dramas in US television history: Gunsmoke (1955) and Law & Order (1990).
4
Was twice nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play): in 1997 for "The Young Man from Atlanta," and in 2002 for a revival of "Morning's at Seven."
5
Became interested in acting during WWII service while stationed in England. Made his debut in the first production of William Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life", directed by Peter Glenville.
6
In the sailor chorus of the original Broadway version of "South Pacific", he met future singing wife, Jeannie Carson, when both were cast in "Finian's Rainbow" in 1960. They married that same year and toured in 1961's "Camelot" with Biff as "Arthur" and Jeannie as "Guinevere".
7
Nickname of "Biff" evolved while playing football in his early years.
8
Biff and Jeannie performed together for much of their career, including a 15-year stint with the Seattle Repertory Theatre.
9
At one time did story lines for TV's Mister Peepers (1952) with Wally Cox, and has written a couple of plays on the sly.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Studio One in Hollywood
1952-1956
TV Series
Overland Kid / Cary / Don / ...
Justice
1955-1956
TV Series
Fred Delwin / Paddy
The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
1950-1956
TV Series
Appointment with Adventure
1955
TV Series
The Phenix City Story
1955
Fred Gage
Star Tonight
1955
TV Series
Ponds Theater
1954-1955
TV Series
Chandler
You Are There
1955
TV Series
Samuel
The Web
1954
TV Series
The Secret Storm
1954
TV Series
Bruce Edwards #1 (1955)
Lux Video Theatre
1951-1952
TV Series
Second Soldier / Will / Officer Miles
The Gulf Playhouse
1952
TV Series
The Legend of Josiah Blow
1952
TV Movie
Josiah Blow
Search for Tomorrow
1951
TV Series
Lt. McKay (1980)
The Ford Theatre Hour
1950-1951
TV Series
Tweedledee
Pulitzer Prize Playhouse
1950-1951
TV Series
George Gibbs
You're in the Navy Now
1951
Sailor Messenger (uncredited)
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre
1950
TV Series
George
Hollywood Seagull
2013
Bruce Sorensen
Unfair and Imbalanced
2012
TV Movie
Frederick Huntsburg
In Memoriam
2009/II
Short
Franciszek
Frasier
2001
TV Series
Mr. Smolenski
JAG
2000
TV Series
Adm. Caleb Stanton, Ret.
ER
2000
TV Series
Ralph Pooler
Judging Amy
2000
TV Series
Judge Helmstadler
Cybill
1998
TV Series
Jonathan Martin
Union Square
1998
TV Series
Peter Feeney
Renegade
1994
TV Series
Sheriff
Law & Order
1991
TV Series
Reverend Morley
Growing Pains
1985
TV Series
Simmons
Santa Barbara
1985
TV Series
Pop MacLaughlin
Remington Steele
1985
TV Series
Raymond Kelly
Nero Wolfe
1979
TV Movie
Inspector Cramer
Act of Violence
1979
TV Movie
Tom Sullivan
The Last Word
1979
Governor Davis
Police Story
1979
TV Series
Judge Richards
The Paper Chase
1979
TV Series
Smathers
Barnaby Jones
1975-1978
TV Series
Mason Barber / Henry Morrison
Family
1976-1978
TV Series
Steven Bank / Simon Remsen
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1978
TV Series
Joe Armsworth
How the West Was Won
1978
TV Series
Ed Walters
Have I Got a Christmas for You
1977
TV Movie
Fred Horgan
The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer
1977
TV Movie
Visions
1977
TV Series
Sara's Father
In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan
1977
TV Movie
Father Tom
Roger & Harry: The Mitera Target
1977
TV Movie
Sylvester March
Hawaii Five-O
1975-1977
TV Series
Babe Mandell / Sam Bissell
Starsky and Hutch
1977
TV Series
Officer Sterling
Gibbsville
1976-1977
TV Series
Dr. Michael Malloy
Kojak
1976
TV Series
Defense Attorney Kingsley
Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident
1976
TV Movie
John McCone
Kingston: Confidential
1976
TV Series
Pat Martinson
Midway
1976
Captain Miles Browning
Law and Order
1976
TV Movie
Lt. Lenihan
The Rookies
1976
TV Series
Rex Winfield
The Hemingway Play
1976
TV Movie
Matt Helm
1975
TV Series
Professor Shannon
The Turning Point of Jim Malloy
1975
TV Movie
Doctor Mike Malloy
Crime Club
1975
TV Movie
Byron Craine
Khan!
1975
TV Series
Kimmel
Gunsmoke
1974
TV Series
Potter
The Underground Man
1974
TV Movie
Cassidy
Serpico
1973
Captain McClain
The Werewolf of Washington
1973
President
Young Dr. Kildare
1972
TV Series
Eddie Reed
Great Performances
1971
TV Series
Murphy / Foley
All My Children
1970
TV Series
Harry Flax (1972-1973)
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
1968
Mr. Kelly
The Thomas Crown Affair
1968
Sandy
The Defenders
1962-1963
TV Series
Alfred Burns / Morton Benjamin
The United States Steel Hour
1956-1963
TV Series
Kenneth / Alec GRaham / Gil Wayne / ...
Zero One
1963
TV Series
Nolan
Station Six-Sahara
1963
Jimmy
Quillow and the Giant
1961
TV Movie
Armchair Theatre
1961
TV Series
Paul Cunningham
The Witness
1961
TV Series
Joe Jackson
Diagnosis: Unknown
1960
TV Series
Jim Wallace
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1956-1958
TV Series
Larry Templeton / Ray Loomis / Dana Edwards / ...
Goodyear Playhouse
1956-1957
TV Series
The Phil Silvers Show
1957
TV Series
Lieutenant Tom Wallace
Armstrong Circle Theatre
1950-1957
TV Series
Bob Gorman / Jim
Kraft Theatre
1952-1956
TV Series
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Firebird 2015 AD
1981
screenplay
Quillow and the Giant
1961
TV Movie adapted for television by
Matinee Theatre
1958
TV Series 1 episode
Mister Peepers
1952
TV Series written by - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The 56th Annual Tony Awards
2002
TV Special
Himself - Nominee: Best Featured Actor in a Play (as William Biff McGuire)
The 51st Annual Tony Awards
1997
TV Special
Himself - Nominee: Featured Actor in a Play (as William Biff McGuire)