William Schallert: 1922-2016

William Schallert signs autographs at a convention appearance in 2010. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I woke up to the news that character actor William Schallert has passed away at the age of 93. I met him in 2010 at a Southern California convention and found him to be extremely polite and friendly.

I probably knew Mr. Schallert best from his roles in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and The Man from Planet X (1951). But if you name a '50s sci-fi film or TV program, chances are Mr. Schallert was in it.

It's a Man from Planet X reunion! William Schallert meets his old co-star again for the first time in decades. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Among other credits, William Schallert can be seen in: Gog (1954), Them! (1954), The Monolith Monsters (1957), and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). His TV appearances were just as varied, having worked on everything from the original Twilight Zone TV series to Parker Lewis Can't Lose.

Rest in peace, Mr. Schallert. Thanks for the memories.