Bill McKinney, the renowned movie and television character actor, was born on September 12, 1931, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He had a tumultuous childhood, moving 12 times before joining the Navy at 19 during the Korean War. After serving four years, McKinney decided to pursue an acting career, attending the Pasadena Playhouse and later Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio.
McKinney made his film debut in the 1967 exploitation picture "She Freak" and gained attention for his roles in "The Monkees" and "Alias Smith and Jones". His breakout performance as the Mountain Man in "Deliverance" (1972) cemented his reputation as a formidable screen villain.
McKinney's co-star in "Deliverance", Burt Reynolds, described him as "a little bent" and recalled his eccentric behavior on set. However, McKinney denied these claims and disputed Reynolds' account of their time together.
Throughout his career, McKinney worked with acclaimed directors such as Sam Peckinpah, John Huston, and Peter Yates. He appeared in notable films like "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean", "For Pete's Sake", and "The Parallax View". McKinney also guest-starred on popular TV shows, including "Columbo" and "He'll Never See Daylight".
McKinney's collaboration with Clint Eastwood led to numerous film appearances, including "The Outlaw Josey Wales", "The Gauntlet", and "Bronco Billy". He remained active in the industry, appearing in films like "First Blood", "Against All Odds", and "Back to the Future Part III" until his late seventies.
In addition to acting, McKinney pursued music, releasing a CD featuring Sinatra-like numbers and country & western tunes. He passed away on December 1, 2011, at the age of 80, due to cancer of the esophagus.
