Actor. He was best known for playing the character roles of reporters, hotel managers, teachers, bar stewards, doctors, sea captains, and senators. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Corbeau' in the classic horror thriller film, "The Strange Door" (1951). The film was directed by Joseph Pevney, written for the screen by Jerry Sackheim, based on the story, "The Sire de Maletroit's Door," by Robert Louis Stevenson, and also starred Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest, Richard Stapley, and Alan Napier, tells the story of Noble-born cad Denis who has been tricked into a forced stay at the eerie manor of the Sire de Maletroit, an evil madman who can't get over the death of his beloved wife, twenty years after she married his brother instead and subsequently passed away during childbirth. Maletroit is determined to have his revenge. He will also be best remembered for playing the recurring roles of 'Freddie,' 'Lab Technician,' and 'Lab Man,' in eight episodes of the classic crime thriller television series drama, "Naked City," which originally aired from 1961 to 1962, also starred Harry Bellaver, Horace McMahon, Paul Burke, and featured the cases of the N.Y.P.D.'s 65th Precinct. He was born one of two children as William David Cottrell in Medford, Oregon, to William Winfred Cottrell (1882-1955), and his wife Josephine Calhoun Cottrell (1888-1972), on June 6, 1918, (Some sources say June 6, 1915). He was educated locally and was an acting student of actor Charles Laughton's, and later became actor Charles Laughton's assistant. He appeared with the actor Charles Laughton in the mystery thriller film, "The Man On The Eiffel Tower" (1949). He began his acting career on Broadway in New York City, New York, in several stage productions of such plays as, Stage Manager in "Don Juan In Hell" (November 29, 1951, to December 31, 1951), as 'The Second Man' in "Six Characters In Search Of An Author" (December 11, 1955, to February 05, 1956), as 'Abhorson' in "Measure For Measure" (January 22, 1957, to February 17, 1957), as 'Huntsman,' 'Servant,' and 'Taylor,' in "The Taming Of The Shrew" (February 20, 1957, to March 10, 1957), as 'Grisolan' in "The Duchess Of Malfi" (March 19, 1957, to April 07, 1957), as 'The Butler,' and 'M. Huspar,' in "Traveller Without Luggage" (September 17, 1964, to October 24, 1964), as 'Announcer Carlos' in "Diamond Orchid" (February 10, 1965, to February 13, 1965), and as 'Nathaniel Burnap' in "Come Summer" (March 18, 1969, to March 22, 1969). During his time on the stage, he worked with the likes of Charles Boyer, Cedric Hardwicke, Agnes Moorehead, Dario Barri, Francis Bethencourt, Mildred Chandler, Whitfield Connor, Hale Gabrielson, John Glennon, Shirley Grayson, Betty Lou Holland, Kurt Kasznar, James Lacirignola, Russell Morrison, Aileen Poe, Natalie Schafer, Maud Scheerer, Katherine Squire, Marilyn Stevens, Karen Sue Trent, Michael Wager, Frederic Warriner, William Whitman, Mervin Williams, Mildred Dunnock, Ben Gazzara, Rae Allen, Margaret Braidwood, Stephen Elliott, Nancy Wickwire, Ronald Dawson, Jeffrey Neal, Anthony Palmer, Boris Tumarin, and Ralph Waite, among many others. He also appeared regularly at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, where he acted in and produced several William Shakespeare plays including, "Much Ado About Nothing," "The Merry Wives Of Windsor," "The Taming Of The Shrew," "The Comedy Of Errors," and "As You Like It." During this time he also made the transition to appearing in films and on television. He made his actual film debut playing in the film drama, "Pastoral" (1947). The film which was directed by Anthony Quinn, which was written for the screen by Glen Haley and Jack Stewart, and which also starred William Phipps, Charles Cooper, Sammy Hill, and Maxine Tucker, tells the story of an ex-G.I who returns to discover that his wife has gone to another man. Other film credits include, "All The King's Men" (1949), "Target Unknown" (1951), "Les Miserables" (1952), "My Pal Gus" (1952), "Titanic" (1953), "Julius Caesar" (1953), "Loose In London" (1953), "Donovan's Brain" (1953), "Captain John Smith And Pocahontas" (1953), and "Captain Kidd And The Slave Girl" (1954), "Return To Treasure Island" (1954), "Twelfth Night" (1957), and "Inside Danny Baker" (1963). Many other television credits include, "Schlitz Playhouse," "The Unexpected," "Boston Blackie," "Topper," "Your Favorite Story," "The Jack Benny Show," and "The Defenders." His last film role was playing 'Senator Hastings' in the action thriller film, "Killing At Hell's Gate" (1981). The film was directed by Jerry Jameson, written for the screen by Lee Hutson, and tells the story of a rafting party who is terrorized during a trip down the river. The villains are local woodcutters, disgruntled by the fact that their factory is to be closed down. He retired from acting shortly thereafter. During his acting career, he also used the names Bill Cottrell and William D. Cottrell. He passed away in his native Medford, Oregon, on June 14, 2001, at the age of 83. His funeral service was held through Abbey Mortuary in Medford, Oregon, and he was buried in Eastwood IOOF Cemetery in Medford, Oregon. He never married nor had any children.