# Bill Goodwin

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{{Other people|Bill Goodwin|William Goodwin (disambiguation)}}
{{Short description|American radio announcer and actor (1910–1958)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name           = Bill Goodwin
| image          = Bill Goodwin 1951.JPG
| caption        = Goodwin in 1951 
| imagesize      =
| birth_name     = William Nettles Goodwin
| birth_date     = {{Birth date|1910|07|28}} 
| birth_place    = [San Francisco, California](/source/San_Francisco), U.S.
| death_date     = {{Death date and age|1958|05|09|1910|07|28}}
| death_place    = [Palm Springs, California](/source/Palm_Springs%2C_California), U.S. 
| burial_place   = [Desert Memorial Park](/source/Desert_Memorial_Park), [Cathedral City, California](/source/Cathedral_City%2C_California), U.S.
| alma_mater     = 
| television     = 
| occupation     = {{flatlist|
* Radio announcer
* Actor
  }} 
| years_active   = 1941–1958
| height         = 
| spouse         = {{marriage|[Philippa Hilber](/source/Philippa_Hilber)<br>|1938<!--Year omitted when marriage ends with death of the article subject per template instructions-->}}
| children       = 4 including [Bill Goodwin](/source/Bill_Goodwin_(jazz_drummer))
| partner        = 
| website        = 
| relatives      = 
}} 

'''William Nettles Goodwin''' (July 28, 1910 – May 9, 1958),<ref name=PSCemDis>[http://www.pscemetery.com/pdfs/interments.pdf Palm Springs Cemetery District, "Interments of Interest"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926121359/http://www.pscemetery.com/pdfs/interments.pdf |date=September 26, 2018 }}, pscemetery.com; accessed June 20, 2017.</ref> was an American radio announcer and actor. He was for many years the announcer and a recurring character of the [Burns and Allen](/source/Burns_and_Allen) [radio](/source/radio) program, and subsequently ''[The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show](/source/The_George_Burns_and_Gracie_Allen_Show)'' on [television](/source/television) from 1950–1951. Upon his departure, he was replaced by [Harry von Zell](/source/Harry_von_Zell).

==Early years==
A native of [San Francisco, California](/source/San_Francisco%2C_California),<ref name=ose>{{cite news|last1=Mann|first1=May|title=Going Hollywood|newspaper=The Ogden Standard-Examiner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2861406/the_ogden_standardexaminer|agency=The Ogden Standard-Examiner|date=August 27, 1942|page=13|via=Newspapers.com|accessdate=July 22, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref> Goodwin attended the [University of California](/source/University_of_California).<ref name=erg>{{cite news|title=Radio Veteran Bill Goodwin Found Dead|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19580509&id=ps4TAAAAIBAJ&pg=5076,1556607&hl=en|accessdate=July 23, 2015|agency=Eugene Register-Guard|date=May 9, 1958}}</ref> He acted in stage productions on the West Coast before he began working in radio in 1930. His initial work on the air was at a station in [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon). It was followed by stints at stations in [Sacramento](/source/Sacramento%2C_California) and [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).<ref name=lct/>

==Radio==
Goodwin was known for frequently promoting the item sold by the sponsor of the show ([Swan Soap](/source/Swan_Soap) or [Maxwell House Coffee](/source/Maxwell_House), among others, on radio; [Carnation](/source/Carnation_(trademark)) [Evaporated Milk](/source/evaporated_milk) on television). He was effective on radio in doing "integrated commercials", the first announcer to do so<ref name=lct/> in which the advertisement was deftly woven into the show's storyline. In 1945, Goodwin was the "featured comedian" as a regular on ''The Frank Sinatra Show'' and ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Y&R Seeks Dana Andrews|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-Radio-Daily-IDX/RD-45/Radio-Daily-1945-Jan-Page-0079.pdf#search=%22sinatra%22|accessdate=July 22, 2015|agency=Radio Daily|date=January 12, 1945|page=5}}{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 1947, he had his own program,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ackerman|first1=Paul|title=Bill Goodwin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAwEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Bill+Goodwin+Show%22&pg=PT10|accessdate=July 22, 2015|agency=Billboard|date=May 10, 1947|page=11}}</ref> ''The Bill Goodwin Show'', a situation comedy, also known as ''Leave It to Bill'', which ran from April 26 – December 13, 1947.<ref name="dunningota">{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=John |date=1998 |title=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-507678-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EwtRbXNca0oC&dq=%22The+Bill+Goodwin+Show,+situation+comedy%22&pg=PA89 |section=The Bill Goodwin Show |page=89 |accessdate=13 July 2017 }}</ref> He was the announcer for the ''[Blondie](/source/Blondie_(radio))'' radio program.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rathbun|first1=Joe|title=Joe's Radio Parade|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/18897416/?terms=%22Bill%2BGoodwin%22%2Bradio%2Bfamily|agency=The Times Recorder|date=October 6, 1940|page=8|via=Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 22, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Television==
Goodwin was the host of television shows, including ''[Colgate Theatre](/source/Colgate_Theatre_(1958_TV_series))''<ref>{{cite news|title=Bill Goodwin, 47, Announcer on Radio, Dies|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1958/05/10/page/25/article/bill-goodwin-47-announcer-on-radio-dies|accessdate=22 July 2015|agency=Chicago Tribune|date=May 10, 1958}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Witte|first1=Lawrence|title=TV-Radio News Bits|newspaper=The Evening Independent |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2862249/the_evening_independent/|agency=The Evening Independent|date=June 29, 1955|page=15|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|accessdate=July 22, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref> and ''[Penny to a Million](/source/Penny_to_a_Million)''.<ref name=lct>{{cite news|last1=Kleiner|first1=Dick|title=The Marquee|newspaper=The la Crosse Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2861234/the_la_crosse_tribune/|agency=The La Crosse Tribune|date=June 11, 1955|page=7|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|accessdate=July 22, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref> His last job as announcer was for [NBC Radio's](/source/NBC) ''[The Bob Hope Show](/source/Bob_Hope)'' (1953–1955). Not long before his death, Goodwin appeared as Ed Weston in two episodes of the short-lived [CBS](/source/CBS) [sitcom](/source/sitcom), ''[The Eve Arden Show](/source/The_Eve_Arden_Show)''.{{cn|date=December 2015}}

==Film==
{{unsourced|section|date=December 2015}}
Goodwin acted in several movies, including ''[The Stork Club](/source/The_Stork_Club_(1945_film))'' (1945), ''[The Jolson Story](/source/The_Jolson_Story)'' (1946), and  ''[Jolson Sings Again](/source/Jolson_Sings_Again)'' (1949). He played the role of [Sherman Billingsley](/source/Sherman_Billingsley) in ''[The Stork Club](/source/The_Stork_Club_(1945_film))'' (1945) and that of the [hotel detective](/source/hotel_detective) in Hitchcock's ''[Spellbound](/source/Spellbound_(1945_film))'' (also 1945) and appeared with [Doris Day](/source/Doris_Day) in ''[Tea for Two](/source/Tea_for_Two_(film))'' (1950) and ''[It's a Great Feeling](/source/It's_a_Great_Feeling)'' (1949). Goodwin's best film role was probably as a vain but impoverished stage actor in ''[So This Is New York](/source/So_This_Is_New_York)'' (1948). His last major role was as the narrator for the animated television cartoon ''[Gerald McBoing-Boing](/source/Gerald_McBoing-Boing)''.

==Walk of Fame==
Goodwin was inducted into the radio portion of the [Hollywood Walk of Fame](/source/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame) February 8, 1960. His star is at 6810 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Goodwin|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/bill-goodwin|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|accessdate=July 22, 2015}}</ref>

==Family==
Goodwin was married to actress [Philippa Hilber](/source/Philippa_Hilber); the couple had four children:<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wilk|first1=Ralph|title=Los Angeles|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-Radio-Daily-IDX/RD-45/Radio-Daily-1945-Feb-Page-0100.pdf#search=%22sinatra%22|accessdate=22 July 2015|agency=Radio Daily|date=February 18, 1945|page=4}}{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Jill, Lynn, Sally, and Bill Jr.<ref name=erg/> His son is jazz drummer [Bill Goodwin](/source/Bill_Goodwin_(jazz_drummer)).

==Death==
Goodwin was found dead in his car on May 9, 1958, at the age of 47 after a [heart attack](/source/Myocardial_infarction) in [Palm Springs](/source/Palm_Springs%2C_California), [California](/source/California).<ref>{{cite news|title=Bill Goodwin Dies of Heart Attack|url=http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DS19580509.2.6|agency=Desert Sun|date=May 9, 1958}}</ref> He is interred at the [Desert Memorial Park](/source/Desert_Memorial_Park)<ref name=PSCemDis/> in [Cathedral City, California](/source/Cathedral_City%2C_California).

==Partial filmography==
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
*''[Let's Make Music](/source/Let's_Make_Music)'' (1941) as Announcer
*''[Blondie in Society](/source/Blondie_in_Society)'' (1941) as Announcer
*''[Blondie Goes to College](/source/Blondie_Goes_to_College)'' (1942) as Announcer at Shell Race
*''[Wake Island](/source/Wake_Island_(film))'' (1942) as Sgt. Higbee / Narrator
*''[No Time for Love](/source/No_Time_for_Love_(1943_film))'' (1943) as Christley (uncredited)
*''[Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour](/source/Henry_Aldrich_Gets_Glamour)'' (1943) as Steve Denning (uncredited)
*''[So Proudly We Hail!](/source/So_Proudly_We_Hail!)'' (1943) as Capt. O'Rourke (uncredited)
*''[Riding High](/source/Riding_High_(1943_film))'' (1943) as Chuck Steuart
*''[Bathing Beauty](/source/Bathing_Beauty)'' (1944) as Professor Willis Evans
*''[Incendiary Blonde](/source/Incendiary_Blonde)'' (1945) as Tim Callahan
*''[River Gang](/source/River_Gang)'' (1945) as Mike
*''[Spellbound](/source/Spellbound_(1945_film))'' (1945) as House Detective of the Empire State Hotel
*''[The Stork Club](/source/The_Stork_Club_(1945_film))'' (1945) as Sherman Billingsley
*''[To Each His Own](/source/To_Each_His_Own_(1946_film))'' (1946) as Mac Tilton
*''[House of Horrors](/source/House_of_Horrors)'' (1946) as Police Lt. Larry Brooks
*''[Earl Carroll Sketchbook](/source/Earl_Carroll_Sketchbook)'' (1946) as Rick Castle
*''[The Jolson Story](/source/The_Jolson_Story)'' (1946) as Tom Baron
*''[Hit Parade of 1947](/source/Hit_Parade_of_1947)'' (1947) as Rod Huntley
*''[Heaven Only Knows](/source/Heaven_Only_Knows_(film))'' (1947) as Bill Plumber
*''[So This Is New York](/source/So_This_Is_New_York_(film))'' (1948) as Jimmy Ralston / Captain Shaw in Play
*''[Mickey](/source/Mickey_(1948_film))'' (1948) as George R. Kelly
*''[The Life of Riley](/source/The_Life_of_Riley_(1949_film))'' (1949) as Sidney Monahan
*''[It's a Great Feeling](/source/It's_a_Great_Feeling)'' (1949) as Arthur Trent
*''[Jolson Sings Again](/source/Jolson_Sings_Again)'' (1949) as Tom Baron
*''[Tea for Two](/source/Tea_for_Two_(film))'' (1950) as William 'Moe' Early
*''[The First Time](/source/The_First_Time_(1952_film))'' (1952) as Mel Gilbert
*''[Lucky Me](/source/Lucky_Me_(film))'' (1954) as Otis Thayer
*''[The Atomic Kid](/source/The_Atomic_Kid)'' (1954) as Dr. Rodell
*''[The Opposite Sex](/source/The_Opposite_Sex)'' (1956) as Howard Fowler
*''[Bundle of Joy](/source/Bundle_of_Joy)'' (1956) as Mr. Creely
*''[Going Steady](/source/Going_Steady_(1958_film))'' (1958) as Gordon P. Turner
*''[The Big Beat](/source/The_Big_Beat_(film))'' (1958) as Joseph Randall
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography|Los Angeles|California|Radio|Film|Television}}
*{{IMDb name}}
*{{Find a Grave}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, Bill}}
Category:1910 births
Category:1958 deaths
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male radio actors
Category:Burials at Desert Memorial Park
Category:20th-century American male actors

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bill Goodwin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Goodwin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Goodwin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
