William, a renowned American actor, embarked on his illustrious career as a juvenile in the 1930s. Born into a family of a stock broker, he received his early education at Los Angeles and Hollywood High Schools.
Upon graduation, William pursued stagecraft training at the prestigious Pasadena Playhouse School, having already made his screen debut at the tender age of eight in an uncredited bit part. In 1927, he spent a year at Punahou College in Honolulu, where he formed a lasting friendship with Olympic swimming champion and surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.
Kahanamoku would later play a crucial role in securing William's first job in talking pictures. By 1928, William had gained experience as a stage manager for the renowned duo, David Belasco and Guy Bates Post. Five years later, he was signed to a five-year contract with 20th Century Fox.
Initially, William was intended to be given the stage name "William Lawrence," but ultimately, the moniker "Bill Henry" stuck. The early years of his film career saw him primarily playing callow youths, an image he managed to shed in later years as he became a star of B-westerns.
William was a frequent presence in the films of John Ford, featuring as part of the director's unofficial stock company of players. In his leisure time, he had a passion for collecting books. According to one account, he reinvented himself as a landscape gardener after his retirement from films in the mid-1970s.
