
ACTING
William Sylvester
- Born
- Jan 31, 1922 in Oakland, California, USA
- Died
- Jan 25, 1995
Biography
William Sylvester (January 31, 1922 – January 25, 1995) was an American TV and film actor. His most famous film credit was Dr. Heywood Floyd in Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968). Born in Oakland, California and married at one time to the British actress Veronica Hurst, he moved to England after the Second World War and became a staple of British B films at a time when American and Canadian actors were much in demand in order to give indigenous films some appeal in the US.
Read more
As a result, he gained top billing in one of his very first films, House of Blackmail (1953), directed by the veteran filmmaker Maurice Elvey, for whom he also made What Every Woman Wants the following year. He also starred in such minor films as The Stranger Came Home (1954, for Hammer), Dublin Nightmare (1958), Offbeat (1960), Information Received (1961), Incident at Midnight, Ring of Spies and Blind Corner (all 1963). There were also lead roles in four British horror films: Gorgo (1960), Devil Doll (1963), Devils of Darkness (1964) and The Hand of Night (1966). Among his many TV credits were a 1959 BBC version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (playing Mark Antony), The Saint, The Baron, The High Chaparral, Harry O and The Six Million Dollar Man.
His later films included You Only Live Twice (1967) and, back in the USA after his prominent role for Kubrick, Busting (1973), The Hindenburg (1975) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He died in Sacramento, California in 1995, aged 72.
MOST-RATED TMDB CREDITS
Known for

2001: A Space Odyssey
Movie · 1968
Dr. Heywood Floyd

You Only Live Twice
Movie · 1967
Pentagon Official (uncredited)

Heaven Can Wait
Movie · 1978
Nuclear Reporter

The Six Million Dollar Man
TV · 1974
Frederick Collins · Admiral Prescott

The Hindenburg
Movie · 1975
Luftwaffe Colonel

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
TV · 1979
Lt. General Preston Myers

The Saint
TV · 1962
Foots Fortunati · Ralph Damien

Quincy, M.E.
TV · 1976
Joe Crawford

Gorgo
Movie · 1961
Sam Slade

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Movie · 1973
Tom Henderson

Green Acres
TV · 1965
Dr. Hoffman

Busting
Movie · 1974
Mr. Weldman
FILMOGRAPHY
60 movie & TV credits
- 2013The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'Movie · Sam Slade (archive footage)
- 20012001: The Making of a MythMovie · Dr. Heywood R. Floyd (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1995Roger Moore: A Matter of ClassMovie · Self (archive footage)
- 1980First FamilyMovie · TV Commentator Howard
- 1979Big Shamus, Little ShamusTV · Nelson Milgrim
- 1979Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyTV · Lt. General Preston Myers
- 1978Heaven Can WaitMovie · Nuclear Reporter
- 1977What Really Happened to the Class of '65?TV
- 1977The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesTV
- 1976Quincy, M.E.TV · Joe Crawford
- 1976Gemini ManTV · Leonard Driscoll
- 1976Riding with DeathMovie · Leonard Driscoll
- 1975The HindenburgMovie · Luftwaffe Colonel
- 1975SwitchTV · Ellis
- 1974Harry OTV
- 1974BustingMovie · Mr. Weldman
- 1974
Movie, TV, and people data from TMDB. Public discovery, not personalized recommendations.