William Hickey

William Edward Hickey (September 19, 1927 – June 29, 1997) was an American actor. He was known for his Oscar-nominated role as Don Corrado Prizzi in the John Huston 1985 film Prizzi's Honor.

Early life

Hickey was born in Brooklyn, the son of Nora and Edward Hickey, who were of Irish descent.^[1] He had an older sister, Dorothy Finn. Hickey began acting in radio in 1938.^[2]

Career

Hickey enjoyed a career in film, television and theater. In addition to his work as an actor, he was a respected teacher of the craft. Notable for his unique, gravely voice and somewhat offbeat appearance, Hickey, in his later years, was often cast in "cantankerous-but-clever old man" roles. His characters, who sometimes exuded an underlying air of the macabre, usually had the last laugh over their more sprightly co-stars.

Death

Hickey died from emphysema and bronchitis in 1997. He is interred in the Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn, New York. His final movie Mouse Hunt (in which he plays the dying father of Nathan Lane and Lee Evans) was released six months after his death.

Notable credits

New York City theatre

• Miss Lonelyhearts (1957)
• The Body Beautiful (1958)
• Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1970)
• Small Craft Warnings (1972)
• Mourning Becomes Electra (1972)
• Thieves (1974)
• Arsenic and Old Lace (1986)

Film

• Twisted (1997): Andre
• Mouse Hunt (1997): Rudolf Smuntz
• The Jerky Boys (1995): "Uncle Freddy"
• Forget Paris (1995): Arthur
• Major Payne (1995): School Dean
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): voice of Doctor Finklestein
• My Blue Heaven (1990): Billy Sparrow
• Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990): Drogan (in the "Cat From Hell" segment)
• Sea of Love (1989): Frank Keller, Sr.
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989): Uncle Lewis
• Puppet Master (1989): Andre Toulon
• Da (1988): Drumm
• Bright Lights, Big City (1988): Ferret Man
• A Hobo's Christmas (1987): Cincinnati Harold
• One Crazy Summer (1986): Old Man Beckersted
• The Name of the Rose (1986): Ubertino da Casale
• Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985): The Coney Island Barker
• Prizzi's Honor (1985): Don Corrado Prizzi (Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor)
• Wise Blood (1979 (film) A Preacher
• The Sentinel (1977) Perry, a shady locksmith
• 92 In The Shade (1975) : Mr. Skelton
• Little Big Man (1970) Historian
• The Boston Strangler (1968) Eugene T O'Rourke
• The Producers (1968): Drunk
• A Hatful of Rain (1957): Apples (film debut)

Television

• Baby Talk – Mr. Fogarty
• Between Time and Timbuktu – Stony Stevenson
• The Equalizer – elderly blind con man
• Wings – Carlton Blanchard
• Appearances in The Outer Limits (1990s version), L.A. Law, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Tales from the Crypt, Miami Vice, The Tracey Ullman Show, Tales from the Darkside, and Hallmark Hall of Fame.

References

External links

• William Hickey at the Internet Movie Database
• William Hickey's Gravesite