William Tracy, a talented Pittsburgh-born actor, began his professional career as a youth and later trained at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Art. He initially appeared in musical and comedy roles before landing his breakthrough role at the age of 19 in the hit Broadway show "Brother Rat" in 1937.
Tracy's performance in the show caught the attention of filmmakers, and he went on to recreate his role in the 1938 film adaptation of "Brother Rat," sharing the screen with notable Warner Bros. actors such as Wayne Morris, Priscilla Lane, Eddie Albert, Ronald Reagan, and Jane Wyman.
His second film assignment with Warner Bros. was a notable one, as he played the role of a young adult alongside Pat O'Brien in the classic film "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938).
In the early 1940s, Tracy was signed by Hal Roach to star in a series of World War II comedy programmers alongside actor Joe Sawyer. The films, which included "About Face" (1942),"Hay Foot" (1942),"Fall In" (1942),and "Yanks Ahoy" (1943),showcased Tracy's character, who had a photographic memory, getting into various misadventures.
Tracy's most notable role was likely the lead in the film adaptation of the popular comic strip "Terry and the Pirates" (1940). He also appeared in other notable films, such as "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940),"Tobacco Road" (1941),"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (1941),and "George Washington Slept Here" (1942),often playing the role of an amiable but somewhat dull-witted fellow.
However, offers for Tracy began to dry up in the post-war years, and his attempts to re-team with Sawyer, such as in the films "As You Were" (1951) and "Mr. Walkie Talkie" (1952),were met with limited success.
Tracy went on to appear on television, starring in the series "Terry and the Pirates" (1952) in the role of Hotshot Charlie. He eventually faded into relative obscurity before passing away in 1967 at the age of 49 in Los Angeles.
