William Bassett

Acting

William Bassett

Born December 28, 1935 · Evanston, Illinois, USA

Died February 9, 2025 · aged 89

William Henry Bassett (December 28, 1935 – February 9, 2025) was an American actor of film and television who appeared in more than 100 commercials, films, television programs, and video games from the 1960s through the 2010s.

Known For

The Karate KidThe Karate Kid · 1984
The Karate Kid
7.21984
MovieActionDrama
New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.
The Towering InfernoThe Towering Inferno · 1974
The Towering Inferno
7.01974
MovieActionDrama
At the opening party of a colossal—but poorly constructed—skyscraper, a massive fire breaks out, threatening to destroy the tower and everyone in it.
House of 1000 CorpsesHouse of 1000 Corpses · 2003
House of 1000 Corpses
6.22003
MovieHorror
Two teenage couples traveling across the backwoods of Texas searching for urban legends of serial killers end up as prisoners of a bizarre and sadistic backwater family of serial killers.
Lucky LadyLucky Lady · 1975
Lucky Lady
5.51975
MovieCrimeComedy
When an American booze smuggler gets murdered in Prohibition-era Mexico, his widow, a nightclub singer, joins forces with her lover and a desperate loner to become rum-runners to the U.S.
Black EagleBlack Eagle · 1988
Black Eagle
5.01988
MovieActionDrama
One of the US Air Force's most modern tactical aircrafts, an F-100 with a new laser guidance system, crashes into the sea near Malta - a region where the Soviet forces are highly present, too. The CIA immediately sends out their best secret agent, Ken Tani, to salvage the system before it falls into enemy hands. To ensure his loyalty, they bring his two young sons to a nearby hotel on the island.
Old BoyfriendsOld Boyfriends · 1979
Old Boyfriends
5.11979
MovieDramaComedy
When her marriage falls apart, a psychiatrist seeks out those of her former boyfriends who left the biggest impact on her life, mostly in a bad way.
CreatorCreator · 1985
Creator
6.11985
MovieComedyRomance
With the help of student assistant Boris and stolen university equipment, Dr. Harry Wolper plans to clone his dead wife. But then he meets Meli, an egg donor for his experiment, and they fall in love. Faced with choosing between his deceased wife and Meli, Dr. Wolper sees his situation in a new light when Boris' own new love, Barbara, falls into a coma. Meanwhile, another professor tries shutting down the cloning project.
Her Costly AffairHer Costly Affair · 1996
Her Costly Affair
4.01996
MovieThrillerTV Movie
A professor's casual fling with her graduate student turns deadly when he insists on a more permanent arrangement.

Movies

The Karate KidThe Karate Kid · 1984
The Karate Kid
7.21984
MovieActionDrama
New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.
The Towering InfernoThe Towering Inferno · 1974
The Towering Inferno
7.01974
MovieActionDrama
At the opening party of a colossal—but poorly constructed—skyscraper, a massive fire breaks out, threatening to destroy the tower and everyone in it.
House of 1000 CorpsesHouse of 1000 Corpses · 2003
House of 1000 Corpses
6.22003
MovieHorror
Two teenage couples traveling across the backwoods of Texas searching for urban legends of serial killers end up as prisoners of a bizarre and sadistic backwater family of serial killers.
Lucky LadyLucky Lady · 1975
Lucky Lady
5.51975
MovieCrimeComedy
When an American booze smuggler gets murdered in Prohibition-era Mexico, his widow, a nightclub singer, joins forces with her lover and a desperate loner to become rum-runners to the U.S.
Black EagleBlack Eagle · 1988
Black Eagle
5.01988
MovieActionDrama
One of the US Air Force's most modern tactical aircrafts, an F-100 with a new laser guidance system, crashes into the sea near Malta - a region where the Soviet forces are highly present, too. The CIA immediately sends out their best secret agent, Ken Tani, to salvage the system before it falls into enemy hands. To ensure his loyalty, they bring his two young sons to a nearby hotel on the island.
Old BoyfriendsOld Boyfriends · 1979
Old Boyfriends
5.11979
MovieDramaComedy
When her marriage falls apart, a psychiatrist seeks out those of her former boyfriends who left the biggest impact on her life, mostly in a bad way.
CreatorCreator · 1985
Creator
6.11985
MovieComedyRomance
With the help of student assistant Boris and stolen university equipment, Dr. Harry Wolper plans to clone his dead wife. But then he meets Meli, an egg donor for his experiment, and they fall in love. Faced with choosing between his deceased wife and Meli, Dr. Wolper sees his situation in a new light when Boris' own new love, Barbara, falls into a coma. Meanwhile, another professor tries shutting down the cloning project.
Her Costly AffairHer Costly Affair · 1996
Her Costly Affair
4.01996
MovieThrillerTV Movie
A professor's casual fling with her graduate student turns deadly when he insists on a more permanent arrangement.
Wild RoomiesWild Roomies · 2004
Wild Roomies
4.02004
MovieComedyDrama
After his last girlfriend slept with his last roommate, Reno Rizzolla moves to L.A. with his new girlfriend... and chaos ensues when the debt on the house forces him to get roommates.
Black DynamiteBlack Dynamite · 2009
Black Dynamite
7.12009
MovieComedyAction
This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.
Richard IIRichard II · 1982
Richard II
9.01982
MovieDrama
The incompetent Richard II is deposed by Henry Bolingbroke and undergoes a crisis of identity once he is no longer king.
Invaders from MarsInvaders from Mars · 1986
Invaders from Mars
5.61986
MovieHorrorScience Fiction
A boy tries to stop aliens that have taken over his town and are brainwashing its inhabitants.
Return from Witch MountainReturn from Witch Mountain · 1978
Return from Witch Mountain
5.91978
MovieAdventureFantasy
Tony and Tia are other-worldly twins endowed with telekinesis. When their Uncle Bene drops them off in Los Angeles for an earthbound vacation, a display of their supernatural skill catches the eye of the nefarious Dr. Gannon and his partner in crime, Letha, who see rich possibilities in harnessing the children's gifts. They kidnap Tony, and Tia gives chase only to find Gannon is using her brother's powers against her.
The Hollywood DetectiveThe Hollywood Detective · 1989
The Hollywood Detective
7.01989
MovieTV MovieCrime
An actor at the end of the line who used to play a PI on TV turns to real detective work when a fan of his begs him to help her.
The GrasshopperThe Grasshopper · 1970
The Grasshopper
5.01970
MovieRomanceDrama
A British Columbia teenager dreams of show business but winds up as a call girl in Las Vegas.
The LieThe Lie · 1973
The Lie
6.01973
MovieDramaTV Movie
From an Ingmar Bergman script. Previously produced for Swedish Television as "Reservatet" and for the BBC as "The Lie" (both 1970). In this Emmy award winning American version for CBS’s reboot of Playhouse 90, an American couple is trapped in their marriage and way of life. Locked up in their bourgeois inferno.
The Case of the Hillside StranglersThe Case of the Hillside Stranglers · 1989
The Case of the Hillside Stranglers
6.51989
MovieDramaCrime
The chilling true story of the "two of a kind" killing cousins, Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi, better known as the Hillside Stranglers.
The Naked CageThe Naked Cage · 1986
The Naked Cage
4.91986
MovieActionDrama
A young woman is falsely convicted of a bank robbery and sent to a maximum-security prison run by a corrupt warden, where she is forced to suffer various indignities.
Spring AwakeningSpring Awakening · 1994
Spring Awakening
6.51994
MovieTV MovieDrama
The failing economic fortunes of a small turn-of-the-century Nebraska town interrupt a blossoming romance between a pair of star-crossed lovers.
Demon HunterDemon Hunter · 2005
Demon Hunter
4.72005
MovieHorrorFantasy
After resolving a situation of exorcism, the half-breed demon hunter Jake Greyman reports to Cardinal White and they realize that the demon Asmodeus is impregnating many mortals trying to raise offspring. Cardinal White calls Sister Sarah Ryan to assist Jake in his hunting for Asmodeus and his women.
The Night They Took Miss BeautifulThe Night They Took Miss Beautiful · 1977
The Night They Took Miss Beautiful
5.61977
MovieDramaCrime
Criminals hijack an airplane carrying five beauty contest finalists, but unknowingly they've also kidnapped a government agent carrying a dangerous virus that is to be used in bacterial warfare.
Perfect GentlemenPerfect Gentlemen · 1978
Perfect Gentlemen
4.81978
MovieComedyCrime
Women whose husbands are incarcerated decide to band together to rob a hotel safe.
The New Love BoatThe New Love Boat · 1977
The New Love Boat
3.31977
MovieComedyAdventure
Guest stars include Georgia Engel as a stowaway, Gary Frank and Melanie Mayron as a pair of tremulous honeymooners, Stella Stevens and Pat Harrington as an eternally bickering married couple, and Audra Lindley and Phil Silvers as, respectively, an outspoken middle-aged lady and a woebegone widower.
Another Part of the ForestAnother Part of the Forest · 1972
Another Part of the Forest
10.01972
MovieTV MovieDrama
A television adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play about the Hubbards, a rich Southern family of greedy, ruthless individuals.

TV Shows

DallasDallas · 1978
Dallas
6.91978
SeriesDrama
The world's first mega-soap, and one of the most popular ever produced, Dallas had it all. Beautiful women, expensive cars, and men playing Monopoly with real buildings. Famous for one of the best cliffhangers in TV history, as the world asked "Who shot J.R.?" A slow-burner to begin with, Dallas hit its stride in the 2nd season, with long storylines and expert character development. Dallas ruled the airwaves in the 1980's.
MacGyverMacGyver · 1985
MacGyver
7.71985
SeriesDrama
He's everyone's favorite action hero... but he's a hero with a difference. Angus MacGyver is a secret agent whose wits are his deadliest weapon. Armed with only a knapsack filled with everyday items he picks up along the way, he improvises his way out of every peril the bad guys throw at him. Making a bomb out of chewing gum? Fixing a speeding car's breaks... while he's riding in it? Using soda pop to cook up tear gas? That's all in a day's adventures for MacGyver. He's part Boy Scout, part genius. And all hero.
ScrubsScrubs · 2001
Scrubs
8.12001
SeriesComedy
In the unreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, John "J.D." Dorian learns the ways of medicine, friendship and life.
Sabrina, the Teenage WitchSabrina, the Teenage Witch · 1996
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
7.81996
SeriesComedyFamily
On her sixteenth birthday, Sabrina Spellman discovers she has magical powers. She lives with her 600-year-old aunts Hilda and Zelda as well as talking cat Salem in the fictional town of Westbridge, Massachusetts.
Arrested DevelopmentArrested Development · 2003
Arrested Development
7.92003
SeriesComedy
The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
Avatar: The Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last Airbender · 2005
Avatar: The Last Airbender
8.82005
SeriesAnimation
In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.
Knots LandingKnots Landing · 1979
Knots Landing
6.91979
SeriesDrama
The domestic adventures, misdeeds and everyday interactions of five families living on a cul-de-sac in a small California community.
HunterHunter · 1984
Hunter
7.11984
SeriesDrama
Hunter is an American police drama television series created by Frank Lupo, and starring Fred Dryer as Sgt. Rick Hunter and Stepfanie Kramer as Sgt. Dee Dee McCall, which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1991. However, Kramer left after the sixth season to pursue other acting and musical opportunities. In the seventh season, Hunter partnered with two different women officers. The titular character, Sgt. Rick Hunter, was a wily, physically imposing, and often rule-breaking homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. The show's main characters, Hunter and McCall, resolve many of their cases by shooting dead the perpetrators. The show's executive producer during the first season was Stephen J. Cannell, whose company produced the series.
Strong MedicineStrong Medicine · 2000
Strong Medicine
7.42000
SeriesDrama
The lives of staff in the womens' health clinic of a fictitious hospital in Philadelphia.
Reno 911!Reno 911! · 2003
Reno 911!
7.22003
SeriesComedy
This partially unscripted comedy brings viewers into the squad car as incompetent officers swing into action, answering 911 calls about everything from speeding violations and prostitution to staking out a drug den. Within each episode, viewers catch a "fly on the wall" glimpse of the cops' often politically incorrect opinions, ranging from their personal feelings to professional critiques of their colleagues.
3rd Rock from the Sun3rd Rock from the Sun · 1996
3rd Rock from the Sun
7.51996
SeriesFamilySci-Fi & Fantasy
The high commander of an alien expedition lands on Earth -- what he considers to be the least-important planet -- in human form as Dick Solomon. Along for the ride are his alien compatriots Harry, Sally and Tommy -- who is the eldest of the group but is now angrily trapped in a teen's body.
Power RangersPower Rangers · 1993
Power Rangers
7.11993
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
A team of teenagers with attitude are recruited to save Angel Grove from the evil witch, Rita Repulsa, and later, Lord Zedd, Emperor of all he sees, and their horde of monsters.
The DivisionThe Division · 2001
The Division
7.12001
SeriesDrama
The Division is an American crime drama television series created by Deborah Joy LeVine and starring Bonnie Bedelia. The series focused on a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on Lifetime on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.
Beyond Belief: Fact or FictionBeyond Belief: Fact or Fiction · 1997
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
7.21997
SeriesDocumentaryMystery
Can you tell the difference between fact and fiction? Several stories of strange, mysterious and incredible occurrences are chronicled during each episode. It is up to the viewer to decide which stories actually happened and which were completely fabricated by the show’s writers. The answer is revealed by Jonathan Frakes at the conclusion of each episode.
I Dream of JeannieI Dream of Jeannie · 1965
I Dream of Jeannie
7.81965
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy
While on a mission, American astronaut Captain Tony Nelson is forced to make an emergency landing that will forever change his life. On a deserted South Pacific island, Captain Nelson happens upon a bottle containing a beautiful two-thousand-year-old female genie named Jeannie. Rescuing her from the bottle nets Tony the requisite three wishes, and then some, when Jeannie pledges total devotion to her new "master".
T. J. HookerT. J. Hooker · 1982
T. J. Hooker
6.51982
SeriesDramaCrime
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recruits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
Land of the GiantsLand of the Giants · 1968
Land of the Giants
6.81968
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
Set fifteen years in the then-future year 1983, the series tells the tale of the crew and passengers of a sub-orbital transport ship named Spindrift. In the pilot episode, the Spindrift is en route from Los Angeles to London, on an ultra-fast sub-orbital flight. Just beyond Earth's boundary with space, the Spindrift encounters a magnetic space storm, and is dragged through a space warp to a mysterious planet where everything is twelve times larger than on Earth, whose inhabitants the Earthlings nickname "the Giants". The Spindrift crash-lands, and the damage renders it inoperable.
The Magnificent SevenThe Magnificent Seven · 1998
The Magnificent Seven
6.61998
SeriesDramaWestern
The Magnificent Seven is an American western television series based on the 1960 movie, which is a remake of the Japanese film Seven Samurai. It aired between 1998 and 2000. It was filmed in Newhall, California. The pilot, scripted by Chris Black and Frank Q. Dobbs, was filmed in Mescal, Arizona and the Dragoon Mountains of Arizona, near Tombstone. Robert Vaughn, who had starred in the original 1960 movie, frequently guest-starred as a crusading judge.
The Invisible ManThe Invisible Man · 2000
The Invisible Man
7.12000
SeriesComedySci-Fi & Fantasy
The Invisible Man is a Sci-Fi American television series starring Vincent Ventresca, Paul Ben-Victor, Eddie Jones, Shannon Kenny and Michael McCafferty. Somewhat more successful than previous television series involving invisible secret agents, it aired from June 9, 2000 to February 1, 2002, lasting two seasons. The plot revolves around Darien Fawkes, a thief facing life imprisonment who was recruited by a low-rent spy organization and given the power of invisibility via implantation of a special "Quicksilver gland" in his head. The gland allows Fawkes to secrete a light-bending substance called "Quicksilver" from his pores and follicles. The substance quickly coats his skin, hair, nails and clothes and renders him invisible. He can consciously release the Quicksilver, which then flakes off and disintegrates. However, the Quicksilver gland was sabotaged at its creation by scientist Arnaud DeFehrn to release a neurotoxin that accumulates in the bloodstream and causes intense pain, followed by antisocial behavior and psychosis. The host requires regular doses of "counteragent" to keep him sane and healthy, which is controlled by said government agency. This series lasted for two seasons, before being cancelled due to cost issues and internal bickering between the Sci Fi Channel and its then-parent company, USA Networks. The show's first season ran concurrently in first-run syndication as well as on Sci Fi.
The Second Hundred YearsThe Second Hundred Years · 1967
The Second Hundred Years
6.51967
SeriesComedy