William Phipps

William Edward Phipps (February 4, 1922 – June 1, 2018) was an American actor and film producer whose career spanned more than five decades, beginning in the post‑World War II era and concluding with a cameo and production role in the 2000 independent feature Sordid Lives. Born in Santa Monica, California, he spent his formative years in St. Francisville, Illinois, where a family divorce at age six led him to adopt his stepfather’s surname, Couch, during his high‑school years. Despite these early disruptions, Phipps discovered a passion for performance, appearing in school productions such as Before Morning while still a junior in 1937. After graduating in 1939, he attended Eastern Illinois University, majoring in accounting, serving as freshman class president, and leading the cheer squad before abandoning academia to pursue acting in Hollywood, where he reclaimed his birth name. His wartime service as a United States Navy radio operator across the Pacific further delayed his artistic ambitions, yet the discipline he acquired proved valuable when, after discharge, he enrolled in the Actors’ Laboratory Theatre alongside future star Russell Johnson. A chance audition for a Charles Laughton‑produced play earned him Laughton’s personal endorsement and propelled him to his first film credit in Crossfire (1947). Two years later, Disney selected his resonant voice for Prince Charming in the classic animated feature Cinderella, a role he received directly from Walt Disney himself. Over the ensuing decades Phipps became a versatile character actor, guest‑starring on series such as Bat Masterson, Gunsmoke, and portraying President Theodore Roosevelt in the 1976 miniseries Eleanor and Franklin. In the 1980s he temporarily relocated to Hawaii, hosting the “Hollywood Oldies” movie‑presentation program on Maui’s Cable 7 before returning to the mainland. His contributions were honored by Eastern Illinois University with an honorary doctorate in 2006, shortly before his final screen appearance. Phipps passed away from lung cancer at age 96, leaving a legacy of memorable performances and a lasting impact on both film and television.