William Lindsey Erwin (December 2, 1914 – December 29, 2010) was an American actor with over 250 television and film credits. A veteran character actor, he is widely known for his 1993 Emmy Award–nominated performance on Seinfeld, portraying the embittered, irascible retiree Sid Fields. He also made notable appearances on shows such as I Love Lucy and Star Trek: The Next Generation. In cinema, his most recognized role is that of Arthur Biehl, a kindly bellman at the Grand Hotel, in Somewhere in Time (1980).
Erwin was a self-taught cartoonist, published in The New Yorker, Playboy, and Los Angeles. He won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, four Drama-Logue Awards, Gilmore Brown Award for Career Achievement, Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters' Diamond Circle Award, and Distinguished Alumnus Award from Angelo State University.
Early life Erwin was born on December 2, 1914, in Honey Grove, Texas.BILL ERWIN Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 23, 2022. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's in theater arts from California's Pasadena Playhouse. Erwin later served as a captain in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.Erwin, Bill 1914- (William Erwin, William L. Erwin) PERSONAL Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.In Memory of Bill Erwin: Star of Stage, Screen, Radio and Television www.bochynski.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
Career Stage Erwin acted in productions at the Pasadena Playhouse, the Laguna Beach Playhouse, the La Jolla Playhouse, and other venues in the Los Angeles area.
Film In the late 1950s, Erwin was in such films as Man from Del Rio (1956) and The Night Runner (1957), before playing Jack Nicholson's father in The Cry Baby Killer, Nicholson's first starring role in 1958. The long out-of-print film was released on DVD on November 22, 2006. He had credited small roles in films such as The Christine Jorgensen Story (1970), How Awful About Allan (1970), Candy Stripe Nurses (1974) and Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo (1977), before he co-starred alongside Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour in the romantic fantasy Somewhere in Time (1980) as Arthur Biehl, the Grand Hotel's venerable bellman, and attended annual reunions of cast, crew, and fans of the cult classic at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan.
Erwin also appeared in numerous films by John Hughes, with cameos in Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), She's Having a Baby (1988), Home Alone (1990) and Dennis the Menace (1993). In the latter two films, Hughes paired him with Billie Bird playing his wife. His later film career included roles in Invitation to Hell (1984), The Land Before Time (1988), Naked Gun : The Final Insult (1994), Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Menno's Mind (1997), Chairman of the Board (1998), Forces of Nature (1999), Inferno (1999) and A Crack in the Floor (2001).
Television Erwin's television credits were far more numerous in the 1950s, having appeared in such television series as I Love Lucy, Crusader, Trackdown, Colgate Theatre, Perry Mason and The Rifleman. In the 1960s, Erwin appeared in television series such as: The Andy Griffith Show, Mister Ed, Maverick, The Twilight Zone, 87th Precinct, My Three Sons, The Fugitive, Leave It to Beaver and Mannix. He played the Jury Foreman in The Wild Wild West (1967) S3 E12 "The Night of the Legion of Death".
In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, he appeared in Barnaby Jones, Cannon, Gunsmoke, Married... with Children, E/R, The Optimist, Highway to Heaven, Who's the Boss?, Growing Pains, Full House, The Golden Girls, Moonlighting, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and The Drew Carey Show.
Erwin also guest-starred in the Seinfeld episode ("The Old Man"), for which he received an Emmy Award nomination for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series, he played Sid Fields, who participates in the Foster-A-Grandpa Program, which pairs him with Jerry Seinfeld. Erwin's crotchety, aggressive, foul-mouthed character ensures that the relationship is doomed from the beginning. Erwin later reunited with Michael Richards when he guest-starred on the short-lived The Michael Richards Show. In the 2000s, Erwin appeared on Monk, The West Wing, The King of Queens, Everwood and My Name Is Earl.
Other media
After Erwin began his theatrical career with the Laguna Beach and La Jolla playhouses in 1940, he worked as ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's stage manager for Bergen's 1941 tour of the country.
Due to his resemblance to William Gaines, Sam Viviano redid Erwin's character as Gaines in the MAD Magazine spoof of Home Alone where the married couple sells their ticket to Kate McAllister.
Personal life Erwin was married to actress and journalist Fran MacLachlan Erwin from 1948 to her death in 1995. They lived in the Hollywood Hills and had four children.
Death Erwin died from natural causes at his home in Studio City, California on December 29, 2010, aged 96.
Filmography Film Film Year Title Role Notes1941 Always Tomorrow: The Portrait of an American Business Sam Tompkins Uncredited You're in the Army Now Soldier Uncredited 1948 The Velvet Touch Howard Forman Credited as William Erwin1949 Easy Living Minor Role Uncredited Battleground Warrant Officer Uncredited 1951 Double Dynamite Minor Role Uncredited 1952 Holiday for Sinners Usher Uncredited 1956 Man from Del Rio Roy Higgens Uncredited1957 The Night Runner McDermott The Shadow on the Window Policeman Uncredited House of Numbers Bank Teller Uncredited Jet Pilot Sergeant Uncredited Witness for the Prosecution Juror Uncredited1958 Gun Fever Bartender The Cry Baby Killer Mr. Wallace The Buccaneer Civilian Uncredited Teenage Challenge Alton Conway Short film1962 Rome Adventure Elderly Guest Uncredited Terror at Black Falls Hugh "Squint" Edwards Credited as William L. Erwin 1963 Under the Yum Yum Tree Teacher Uncredited 1964 The Brass Bottle Middle-Aged Man Uncredited 1968 Counterpoint Trumpet player Uncredited 1970 The Christine Jorgensen Story Pastor 1974 Candy Stripe Nurses Principal 1977 Sixth and Main 1980 Somewhere in Time Arthur Biehl 1981 Dream On! 1983 The Taming of the Shrew Vincentio Direct-to-video1984 Quest Short film The Bear Alabama Alumni 1986 Stewardess School Orchestra Conductor Credited as William Erwin 1987 Planes, Trains and Automobiles Man on Plane1988 She's Having a Baby Grandfather Silent Assassins Dr. London The Land Before Time Grandfather Voice A Place to Hide1990 Home Alone Ed (Man in Airport) The Willies Old Man The Color of Evening Priest1991 Night of the Warrior Coco The Entertainers Sam 1992 Unbecoming Age Old Man 1993 Dennis the Menace Edward Little 1994 Naked Gun : The Final Insult Conductor 1995 Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead 70-Year-Old Man 1996 Just Your Luck Pops Direct-to-video 1997 Menno's Mind Mr. Lewis1998 Chairman of the Board Landers Art House Monty1999 Forces of Nature Murray Inferno Eli Hamilton2000 Stanley's Gig Jules Credited as William Erwin Down 'n Dirty Janitor2001 Cahoots Frenchy A Crack in the Floor Harold Final film role
Television