# William H. Bassett

William Henry Bassett (December 28, 1935 – February 9, 2025) was an American actor of film and television who appeared in more than 100 films and television programs from the 1960s.

## Life and career

Bassett was known for his role in ads for Whataburger. He also appeared in films such as Lucky Lady, Old Boyfriends, Return from Witch Mountain, The Karate Kid, Black Eagle, House of 1000 Corpses, Demon Hunter and Black Dynamite, as well as such television shows as Bewitched; I Dream of Jeannie; Bonanza; The Feather and Father Gang; The Love Boat; Days of Our Lives; Quincy, M.E.; Lou Grant; Dallas; The Young and the Restless; Newhart; General Hospital; Sabrina The Teenage Witch; 3rd Rock from the Sun; Scrubs; The Streets of San Francisco; and Arrested Development. Bassett's work as a voice actor includes the video games Metal Gear Solid, Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne, Fallout 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and World of Final Fantasy, along with being the narrator for the documentary Inside: Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Bassett died on February 9, 2025, at the age of 89.

## Filmography
### Anime

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Lupin the Third: Castle of Cagliostro | Counterfeiter / Whispering Councilman | Credited as Fred Bloggs |
| 1988 | Akira | Additional Voices | |
| 1992 | Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory | Yuri Hussler | Episode: "A Storm Raging Through"; credited as Fred Bloggs |
| 1995 | Catnapped! The Movie | Magician | Credited as Fred Bloggs |
| 1999 | Cowboy Bebop | Frog | Episode: "Mushroom Samba"; credited as Fred Bloggs |
| 2000 | Ah! My Goddess: The Movie | Additional Voices | Credited as Fred Bloggs |
| 2003–2005 | Kôkaku kidôtai: Stand Alone Complex | Chief Cabinet Secretary Takakura / Uno / Director | 4 episodes; credited as Bill Basset |
| 2004 | Appleseed | Elder | Credited as Frederick Bloggs |
| 2008 | Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel | Jim Houseman | |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | A Time for Dying | The Southerner | |
| 1970 | The Grasshopper | Aaron | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1972 | Conquest of the Planet of the Apes | Mr. Pine | Uncredited |
| 1972 | 1776 | Thomas Heyward Jr. | Uncredited |
| 1974 | The Towering Inferno | Leasing Agent | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1975 | Lucky Lady | Charley | |
| 1978 | Return from Witch Mountain | Operations Officer | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1979 | Old Boyfriends | David Brinks | |
| 1984 | The Karate Kid | Mr. Mills | |
| 1984 | Sam's Son | Mr. Turner | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1985 | Creator | Dr. Sutter | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1986 | The Naked Cage | Jordan | |
| 1986 | Invaders from Mars | NASA Scientist | |
| 1988 | Black Eagle | Dean Rickert | |
| 1990 | Angel Town | Graduate Dean | |
| 1993 | Ring of Fire II: Blood and Steel | Aaron | |
| 2001 | Soulkeeper | Old Bum | |
| 2001 | Night Class | Holden | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2001 | The Man with No Eyes | Cleetus | Short film |
| 2002 | Crazy as Hell | Mr. Brennan | |
| 2003 | House of 1000 Corpses | Sheriff Frank Huston | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2004 | Wild Roomies | Mr. Seeley | |
| 2005 | Welcome to September | Mr. Taskey | |
| 2005 | Demon Hunter | Cardinal White | |
| 2008 | Fast Girl | Willy | |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Captain Yancy | |
| 2018 | Blood Type | Santa Soup Bum | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | The Tempest | Ferdinand | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1960 | The Chevy Mystery Show | Dr. Roger Waring | Episode: "Dark Possession"; credited as W.H. Bassett |
| 1966 | The Journey of the Fifth Horse | Rubin / Narvinsky | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1967 | The Wild Wild West | Lt. Carter | Episode: "The Night of the Arrow"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1968 | Bewitched | Prince Charming / Cousin | Episode: "Prince of a Guy" |
| 1968 | The Second Hundred Years | Sergei | Episode: "Luke and Comrade Tanya" |
| 1968–1969 | I Dream of Jeannie | Sam Farrow / Clem | 2 episodes |
| 1968–1971 | Insight | Roman | 2 episodes |
| 1968–1988 | Days of Our Lives | Dr. Walter Griffin / Government Official / Det. Weston / Jerry Barnes / Scott Blake | 19 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1969 | Here Come the Brides | Willard | 2 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1969 | The Outcasts | Travers | Episode: "The Long Ride" |
| 1969 | Land of the Giants | Ranger Jack | Episode: "Home Sweet Home" |
| 1970 | Mannix | Warren Hoxie | Episode: "Medal for a Hero"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1970 | Bonanza | Jed Walker | Episode: "Decision at Los Robles" |
| 1970 | Nancy | Secret Service Agent Turner | 4 episodes |
| 1972 | Cade's County | Howard Tanner | Episode: "The Fake" |
| 1972 | Another Part of the Forest | Bagtry | TV adaptation of the play by Lillian Hellman |
| 1972 | Mod Squad | Gordon Calder | Episode: "Kristie" |
| 1973 | Search | Donald | Episode: "Ends of the Earth"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1973 | The Young and the Restless | Pete Walker | |
| 1973 | The Man of Destiny | The Sub-Lieutenant | Television film |
| 1973 | Police Story | Psychologist | Episode: "Man on a Rack" |
| 1974 | Unwed Father | Principal | Television film |
| 1974 | The Wild World of Mystery | The Collector | Episode: "The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer" |
| 1974 | The Streets of San Francisco | Donald Bateman | Episode: "The Twenty-Five Caliber Plague"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1974 | Harry O | Red Kramer | Episode: "Forty Reasons to Kill: Part 2"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1974 | The Rookies | Walden | Episode: "Take Over"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1975 | My Father's House | Airplane Captain | Television film |
| 1975 | Shazam! | Bill Ritzi | Episode: "Double Trouble" |
| 1976 | The Love Boat | The First Officer | Pilot episode - television film |
| 1976 | Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident | | Television film |
| 1976 | Wonderbug | | Episode: "The Maltese Gooneybird" |
| 1976 | Once and Eagle | | 4 episodes |
| 1976–1977 | The Feather and Father Gang | Huffaker | 2 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1977 | ABC Afterschool Special | Father | Episode: "Very Good Friends" |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Josh | Episode: "The New Love Boat - The Newlyweds/The Exchange/Cleo's First Voyage" |
| 1977 | Never Con a Killer | Huff Hufaker | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1977 | The Night They Took Miss Beautiful | Smitty | Television film |
| 1978 | Perfect Gentlemen | Southern Man | Television film |
| 1978 | Keefer | The Sergeant | Television film |
| 1978 | The Bastard | British Officer | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1979 | Quincy, M.E. | Harris | Episode: "By the Death of a Child"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1979 | Lou Grant | Alexander Crosley | Episode: "Charlatan"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1979–1982 | The Magical World of Disney | Doctor / Lowell Roberts / Policeman | 4 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1979–1988 | Dallas | Attorney Gurney / Dr. Paul Hollister | 6 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1980 | The Kids Who Knew Too Much | Policeman | Television film |
| 1981 | Thornwell | CIC Agent | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1981 | Flamingo Road | | Episode: "Bad Chemistry"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1982 | The Fall Guy | Clark | Episode: "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harold"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1982 | Moonlight | Tappan Zee Man | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1982 | Beyond Witch Mountain | Lowell Roberts |
| 1983 | Hart to Hart | Jeff Brogen | Episode: "Trust Your Hart"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1984 | Knots Landing | Emissary | Episode: "Negotiations"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1984 | Rituals | Phillip Mason #1 | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | Jessie | Mr. Shepard | Episode: "Trick of Fate" |
| 1985 | Cover Up | Dr. Stevens | Episode: "Murder Offshore" |
| 1985 | Hunter | Park Bench Bum | Episode: "Guilty"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1985 | Hotel | Reese | Episode: "Rallying Cry" |
| 1986 | Newhart | Male Guest | Episode: "The Stratford Horror Picture Show"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1986 | T.J. Hooker | Mr. Miller | Episode: "Deadly Force"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1987 | General Hospital | Wolfgang Von Schuler | 5 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1987 | Dynasty | R.D. Fleming | Episode: "The Spoiler" |
| 1989 | The Case of the Hillside Stranglers | Dr. Watts | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1989 | The Hollywood Detective | Jerry Brazil | Television film; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1990 | Mancuso, FBI | | Episode: "Night of the Living Shred"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1990 | The New Lassie | Arthur Reynolds | Episode: "Watch Your Step" |
| 1991 | Never Forget | Lewis Brandon | Television film |
| 1994 | Spring Awakening | Ulf Anderson | Television film |
| 1995 | OP Center | Academic #4 | |
| 1996 | Her Costly Affair | Ed Baines | Television film |
| 1997 | A Match Made in Heaven | Sam Landry | Television film |
| 1998 | The Magnificent Seven | Bartender | Episode: "Working Girls" |
| 1998-2001 | Inquizition | The Inquizitor (host, uncredited) | |
| 1999 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Uncle Roy | Episode: "The Long and Winding Short Cut"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1999 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Bernard | Episode: "Dick v. Strudwick"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1999 | Dharma & Greg | Dewey | Episode: "Tie-Dying the Knot"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 1999 | Power Rangers Lost Galaxy | Ghost Commander | Episode: "Beware the Mutiny"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2000 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Alexander | Episode: "The Burial" |
| 2000 | The Invisible Man | Benjamin Scarborough | Episode: "Tiresias"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2001 | The Division | Older Man | Episode: "The First Hit's Free, Baby"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2003 | Strong Medicine | Spelling Bee Judge | Episode: "Seize the Day" |
| 2004 | Scrubs | Patient | Episode: "My Last Chance"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2005 | Carnivàle | Dr. Delichter | Episode: "Damascus, NE"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2005 | Reno 911! | Mover | Episode: "Clemmy Marries a Dead Guy"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2005 | Arrested Development | Cab Driver | Episode: "The Cabin Show"; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2006 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Swampmonster / Huu | Voice, 2 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Metal Gear Solid | Jim Houseman | English version; credited as Frederick Bloggs |
| 2000 | Diablo II | Ormus | Credited as Frederick Bloggs |
| 2002 | Medal of Honor: Allied Assault | Additional Voices | |
| 2002 | Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos | Antonidas / Cairne Bloodhoof | Credited as Frederick Bloggs |
| 2002 | Neverwinter Nights | Saer Bodkin / Vale Reyer | Uncredited |
| 2003 | Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne | Cairne Bloodhoof | Credited as Frederick Bloggs |
| 2004 | Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes | Jim Houseman | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2007 | Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning Earth | Additional Voices | Credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2008 | Fallout 3 | Elder Owyn Lyons | |
| 2009 | Fallout 3: Broken Steel | Elder Owyn Lyons | |
| 2011 | Star Wars: The Old Republic | Additional Voices | |
| 2014 | Hearthstone: Heroes of WarCraft | Archmage Antonidas / Cairne Bloodhoof | |
| 2015 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD | Khalia | English version; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2016 | World of Final Fantasy | Ramuh | English version; credited as William H. Bassett |
| 2018 | Fallout 76 | Settler Forager - Wastelanders DLC | |