When I was in college from 1971 - 1975 I met a divinity student named William (Bill) Morris. Bill was a big man - very tall and very heavy. His choice of a career in the ministry was not his first choice. He had been an actor. In fact, he appeared in many productions at my college, including one that I was in. Bill and I once were talking about his acting career, and he mentioned that a decade earlier he had appeared (usually in crowd scenes) in television sit-coms. He appeared in HANK and he appeared in THE BAILEYS OF BALBOA. Well, it was nothing to write home about - not like being in the cast of say THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, THE GOLDEN GIRLS, M.A.S.H., or ALL IN THE FAMILY, but it was of interest. After all, he worked with Paul Ford, Sterling Holloway, John Dehner, and Judy Carne (in THE BAILEYS). He recalled having one line of dialogue with Ms Carne's character. Judy Carne is the daughter of the snobbish Commodore Wyntoon (Dehner) who wants to see the Bailey family driven off the Balboa wharfs (Wyntoon wants them reserved for the local yacht club he heads). Ms Carne is in love with Paul Ford's son. However, there is a body of would-be romeos, members of the yacht club, including Bill, who want to date Ms Carne. After some situation in the plot of the episode leads to her and Mr. Ford's son having a big argument, Ms Carne is in the mood for anything. Bill's character goes over to her and asks her if she'd like to go out on a date. Hitherto she has told him to get lost. Now she says "Yes!". Bill just looks stupified, and his jaw drops.
I have never seen any episode of THE BAILEYS since 1964, and the episode I vaguely recall was not worth much as a memory. But I have vivid memories of Bill Morris as a consummate professional actor on the stage at my college. I am sure he gave his all for that little minute of celluloid magic. Bill eventually got his divinity degree, but he died in the 1980s. He's not a great or famous name, but he was a good actor, and I feel this is as good a place to mention him as any. Rest in peace Bill.
