Dave Willock was a veteran character actor who spent over five decades appearing in numerous films, both comedy and drama, as a friendly neighbor, buddy, or unassuming blue-collar individual. He was a tall and lanky man with a gaunt face, flat vocal pattern, and jug-like ears, which made him easily blend in as a benign servant or sidekick.
Born on August 13, 1909, in Chicago, Illinois, to non-professional parents, Dave began his career in theater and drama while a student at the University of Wisconsin. He entered vaudeville as part of the comedy team "Willock & Carson" with future actor Jack Carson. The duo transitioned into radio, appearing on Bing Crosby's "Kraft Music Hall" in 1938.
Dave made his film debut in a student bit in "Good Girls Go to Paris" (1939) and remained in the overlooked, often unbilled category throughout the war years. He appeared in various army buddies, benign suitors, and dependable sidekicks roles. Some of his more visible featured roles came in war-era musicals and comedies, such as "Priorities on Parade" (1942),"Lucky Jordan" (1942),and "Let's Face It" (1943).
Dave's career took a turn for the better with the advent of television, where he appeared in numerous comedies, dramas, and sitcom series. He became a perennial support player, appearing in a number of cult sci-fi classics of the 1950s, including "It Came from Outer Space" (1953),"Revenge of the Creature" (1955),and "Queen of Outer Space" (1958).
In later years, Dave served as a minor foil for Jerry Lewis in various film vehicles, such as "The Delicate Delinquent" (1957),"The Geisha Boy" (1958),and "The Ladies Man" (1961). He also worked with director Robert Aldrich in films like "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964),"The Legend of Lylah Clare" (1968),and "The Grissom Gang" (1971).
Dave was also a favorite casting choice of Walt Disney, appearing in various TV and film features from the late 1950s into the 1970s. He was heard but not seen in animated cartoons, notably as the narrator of the "Wacky Races" (1968) kiddie cartoon.
Retired by the late 1970s, Dave passed away on November 12, 1990, at the age of 81, due to complications from a stroke in Woodland Hills, California.
