Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Chill Theodore Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American film actor, and a singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet. He was a performer from early childhood, forming and leading the Avalon Boys singing group in the 1930s. After appearing in a few westerns he disbanded the group in 1938, and struck out on a solo acting career. One of his more memorable roles was that of the distinctive voice of Francis the Mule in a series of popular films. Wills...
Known For
Complete Filmography
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
2004
as Self (archive footage)
An account of the life and work of American film director Sam Peckinpah (1925-84), a tortured artist whose genius and inner demons changed the Western...
Drive-In Movie Memories
2001
A nostalgic, informative history of drive-in movie theaters, featuring extensive archival photographs and interviews with Leonard Maltin, John Bloom, ...
That's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
Some of MGM'S musical stars review the studios history of musicals. From The Hollywood Revue of 1929 to Brigadoon, from the first musical talkies to G...
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
1992
as Beekeeper
Documentary about the making of the John Wayne film The Alamo (1960). Included are behind-the-scenes photos and footage of the actual production of th...
Stubby Pringle's Christmas
1978
as The Janitor
Ranch hand Stubby Pringle journeys to a Christmas dance, hoping to find his true love, and learns a valuable lesson about the spirit of the holiday al...
Poco… Little Dog Lost
1977
as Big Burt
It looks like the end of the line for Poco and Kim when they are separated following a car accident. Poco's relentless search takes him through the de...
Mr. Billion
1977
as Col. Clayton T. Winkle
An Italian mechanic finds that he has inherited a billion-dollar company from his dead uncle, but he needs to be in San Francisco in 20 days to sign o...
It's Showtime
1976
as Self (archive footage)
A collection of film clips profiling animal actors.
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
1973
as Lemuel
Pat Garrett is hired as a lawman on behalf of a group of wealthy New Mexico cattle barons to bring down his old friend Billy the Kid.
Guns of a Stranger
1973
as Tom Duncan
Forced to kill a young Abilene gunman in the line of duty, Sheriff Matthew Roberts, torn by anguish takes off his badge and leaves Kansas. Roberts bec...
The Steagle
1971
as Tall Guy McCoy
In the midst of the Cuban missile crisis, a mild-mannered professor decides to live out all of his daydreams, travelling across the country and adopti...
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
1970
as Gentleman George Agnew
Walter Brennan is back as the clever and funny over the hill Texas Ranger Nash Crawford. This time the gang must face corruption in their own home tow...
The Liberation of L.B. Jones
1970
as Mr. Ike
A successful African American businessman has a quarrel with a white policeman, suspecting that he is having an affair with his wife. The policeman's ...
The Over the Hill Gang
1969
as Gentleman George Agnew
A retired Texas Ranger and three aged pals help to clean up a town run by a crooked mayor, a drunken judge and a trigger-happy sheriff.
Big Daddy
1969
A visitor to the Everglades swamps in Florida encounters and falls in love with an uneducated girl. But he finds competition for her affections from t...
Fireball 500
1966
as Big Jaw
Stock car racer Dave Owens plays into the hands of whiskey runners by agreeing to drive in a cross-country road race.
The Rounders
1965
as Jim Ed Love
Ben (Glenn Ford) and Marion (Henry Fonda) are two cowboys who make a meager living breaking wild horses. Their frequent employer Jim (Chill Wills), wh...
The Cardinal
1963
as Monsignor
A young Catholic priest from Boston confronts bigotry, Nazism, and his own personal conflicts as he rises to the office of cardinal.
The Wheeler Dealers
1963
as Jay Ray Spinelby
Henry J. Tyroon leaves Texas, where his oil wells are drying up, and arrives in New York with a lot of oil money to play with in the stock market. He...
McLintock!
1963
as Drago
Ageing, wealthy, rancher and self-made man, George Washington McLintock is forced to deal with numerous personal and professional problems. Seemingly ...
Young Guns of Texas
1962
as Preacher Sam Shelby
A man searching for a stolen army payroll is joined by several men after the reward money. One of the pursuers, after killing a ranch foreman, elopes ...
The Deadly Companions
1961
as Turk
Ex-army officer accidentally kills a woman's son, tries to make up for it by escorting the funeral procession through dangerous Indian territory.
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
1961
as Major Buford
Director Andrew V. McLaglen's 1961 drama, based on John William Fox's novel, is the tale of a young man returning home after fighting in the Civil War...
Gold of the Seven Saints
1961
as Doc Wilson Gates, M.D.
Fur-trapping partners stumble across a cache of gold, but their discovery quickly attracts every greedy villain in the territory.
Where the Boys Are
1960
as Police Captain
Good girls Merritt, Melanie, Tuggle and Angie - all students at mid-western Penmore University - are planning on going to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for...
The Alamo
1960
as Beekeeper
The legendary true story of a small band of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant...
Disneyland '59
1959
as Self
Walt Disney and Art Linkletter co-host a live celebration of Disneyland's 1959 expansion that consisted of the debuts of Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Disn...
The Sad Horse
1959
as Capt. Connors
A lonely boy finds companionship with a horse.
From Hell to Texas
1958
as Amos Bradley
The naive cowboy Tod Lohman accidentally kills the son of the powerful land baron Hunter Boyd. Tod runs for his life, pursued by the dead man's vengef...
Gun Glory
1957
as Preacher
An ex-gunslinger shunned by townsfolk is the only one who knows how to stop a ruthless cattleman.
Gun for a Coward
1956
as Loving
A young cowboy, whose dedication to the principles of peace and reason has earned him a reputation for cowardice, overcomes his psychological aversion...
Giant
1956
as Uncle Bawley
Wealthy rancher Bick Benedict and dirt-poor cowboy Jett Rink both woo Leslie Lynnton, a beautiful young woman from Maryland who is new to Texas. She m...
New York Premiere Telecast 'Giant'
1956
as Host
Star-studded charity New York City premiere of the film Giant.
Santiago
1956
as Captain 'Sidewheel' Jones
Two American gun runners at odds with each other and looking to sell guns to the rebels during the Cuban War of Independence navigate a boat to Cuba. ...
Kentucky Rifle
1956
as Tobias Taylor
A man escorts a wagon load of Kentucky rifles through Indian territory and must find a way to get through without losing the rifles to the Indians. Un...
Francis in the Navy
1955
as Francis (voice) (uncredited)
In the U. S. Army intelligence office, bumbling lieutenant Peter Stirling receives a coded message from his friend, Francis, a talking mule. The note ...
Timberjack
1955
as Steve Riika
A young man seeks his father's killers among lumberjacks, and discovers that they are actually timber barons who also seek to control lumber mills. Ba...
Hell's Outpost
1954
as Kevin Russell
A returning Korean War vet becomes embroiled in a fight over possession of a tungsten mine.
Ricochet Romance
1954
as Tom Williams
Marjorie Main is the whole show in the Universal programmer Ricochet Romance. Playing the outspoken new cook at a rundown dude ranch, Marjorie forces ...
Francis Joins the WACS
1954
as Francis (as Francis the Talking Muke)
Peter Stirling (with his old friend the talking mule) is recalled to active duty...in the WACs!
Tumbleweed
1953
as Sheriff Murchoree
Jim Harvey is hired to guard a small wagon train as it makes its way west. The train is attacked by Indians and Harvey, hoping to persuade Aguila, the...
The Man from the Alamo
1953
as John Gage
During the war for Texas independence, one man leaves the Alamo before the end (chosen by lot to help others' families) but is too late to accomplish ...
City That Never Sleeps
1953
as Sgt. Joe, the 'Voice of Chicago'
Chicago cop Johnny Kelly, dissatisfied with his job and marriage, would like to run away with his stripper girlfriend Angel Face, but keeps getting co...
Francis Covers the Big Town
1953
as Francis (as Franis the Talking Mule)
A man who has a talking mule gets a job on a newspaper, and both get mixed up in a murder trial.
Ride the Man Down
1952
as Ike Adams
After Celia's father dies, a war erupts over control of his land.
Francis Goes to West Point
1952
as Francis (as Francis the Talking Mule)
Francis the talking mule gets his owner in and out of trouble while he is taking basic training at West Point.
Bronco Buster
1952
as Dan Bream
A veteran rodeo rider takes on a young apprentice in order to "teach him the ropes", and winds up competing against him.
The Sea Hornet
1951
as Swede
"The Sea Hornet" was a merchant ship sunk, supposedly by a torpedo, less than a mile off the California Coast during World War Two. Six years later wh...
Cattle Drive
1951
as Dallas
The spoilt young son of a wealthy railroad owner manages to get himself lost in the middle of nowhere. He is found by a cowboy on a cattle drive and t...
Francis Goes to the Races
1951
as Francis The Talking Mule (as Francis the Talking Mule)
In this funny sequel to the popular Francis the Talking Mule, the talkative Mule and his pal Peter get a job working on a horse-breeder's ranch. They ...
Oh! Susanna
1951
as Sgt. Barhydt
Unable to keep peace between frontier Indians and the US Cavalry, a heroic Captain risks court-martial to prevent bloodshed.
Rio Grande
1950
as Dr. Wilkins
Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke is posted on the Texas frontier to defend settlers against depredations of marauding Apaches. Col. Yorke is under considerable st...
High Lonesome
1950
as Boatwhistle
When a sudden spurt of murders occurs in the Big Bend country, suspicion immediately falls on a young drifter who just moved to the area.
Stella
1950
as Chief Clark
Screwball black comedy about a wacky family that forgets where they've buried a corpse.
Rock Island Trail
1950
as Hogger McCoy
A greedy businessman tries to block the building of a new railroad in his area.
Francis
1950
as Francis the Talking Mule (voice)
The truthful soldier Stirling didn't know how to lie about his source of information, the talking army Mule, Francis, so he was treated as a lunatic a...
The Sundowners
1950
as Sam Beers
Brother is pitted against brother in this tale of fueding ranchers in the old west.
The Grass Is Always Greener
1950
as Windy
Oscar nominated short Western film. Ranch-hands get their ideas challenged when a stranger shows up, telling them how good they have things.
Red Canyon
1949
as Brackton
A former outlaw goes straight and is determined to catch and tame a wild stallion. Western.
Tulsa
1949
as Pinky Jimpson (Narrator)
It's Tulsa, Oklahoma at the start of the oil boom and Cherokee Lansing's rancher father is killed in a fight with the Tanner Oil Company. Cherokee pla...
Loaded Pistols
1948
as Sheriff Cramer
A singing cowboy clears a boy accused of murder by finding the real killer.
Family Honeymoon
1948
as Fred
Grant Jordan, bachelor botany professor, marries Katie, a widow with three kids, despite the machinations of Grant's former girlfriend Minna. But on t...
That Wonderful Urge
1948
as Homer Beggs
When an heiress finds out that the friendly young man she's met at Sun Valley is really an investigative reporter, she ruins his career by falsely cla...
The Saxon Charm
1948
as Captain Chatham
In order to get his way, New York producer Matt Saxon manipulates and controls everyone around him but his latest protégé, novelist Eric Busch, finall...
Northwest Stampede
1948
as Mileaway
In this romantic western, the real stars are a mustang and a police dog. The human aspect of the story centers on a rodeo rider whose late father bequ...
The Sainted Sisters
1948
as Will Twitchell
Two female con artists from New York City, fleeing the law with money from their latest scam, hide out in a small town in Maine, near the Canadian bor...
Heartaches
1947
as 'Breezie' Mann
Up-and-coming Hollywood actor/crooner, Vic Morton, has a secret. He starts receiving death threats in the mail and an attempt on his life is made. Soo...
High Barbaree
1947
as Lars (uncredited)
After his plane is downed in the South Pacific, a Navy flier recounts his life to a co-pilot while awaiting rescue.
The Yearling
1946
as Buck Forrester
Jody convinces his parents to allow him to adopt a young deer, but what will happen if the deer misbehaves?
Gallant Bess
1946
as Chief Petty Officer
Marshall Thompson stars in this MGM drama about a young soldier's devotion to a horse he rescues during WWII. (Not to be confused with "Adventures of ...
The Harvey Girls
1946
as H.H. Hartsey
On a train trip out west to become a mail-order bride, Susan Bradley meets a cheery crew of young women traveling out to open a "Harvey House" restaur...
Leave Her to Heaven
1945
as Leick Thome
A socialite marries a prominent novelist, which spurs a violent, obsessive, and dangerous jealousy in her.
What Next, Corporal Hargrove?
1945
as Sgt. Cramp
An Army corporal and his con-man sidekick take a shortcut to heroism in World War II France.
I'll Be Seeing You
1944
as Swanson
Mary Marshall, serving a six year term for accidental manslaughter, is given a Christmas furlough from prison to visit her closest relatives, her uncl...
Sunday Dinner for a Soldier
1944
as Mr. York
A poor family in Florida saves all the money they can in order to plan something special for the soldier they've invited to Sunday dinner. They don't ...
Meet Me in St. Louis
1944
as Mr. Neely
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family up to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
Barbary Coast Gent
1944
as Sheriff Hightower
Honest Plush Brannon is a con-man thrown out of the Barbary Coast in San Francisco in the 1880s and headed for the gold rush region of Nevada. He disc...
The Immortal Blacksmith
1944
as Tom Davenport
This Passing Parade short tells the true story of Vermont blacksmith and inventor Tom Davenport, who lived the first half of the 19th century.
See Here, Private Hargrove
1944
as First Sgt. Cramp
Journalist Marion Hargrove enters the Army intending to supplement his income by writing about his training experiences. He muddles through basic trai...
Best Foot Forward
1943
as Chester Short
Bud Hooper, a cadet at Winsocki Military Academy, sends an invitation to movie star Lucille Ball to come to Winsocki's big dance. Ball's publicity-hun...
A Stranger in Town
1943
as Charles Craig
In the small town of Crownport local attorney Bill Adams is trying to break up the ring of corrupt town officials by running for mayor. The cards seem...
Stand by for Action
1942
as Mate Jenks, Chef-Bootsmann
U. S. Navy Lieutenant Gregg Masterman, of The Harvard and Boston Back Bay Mastermans, learned about the sea while winning silver cups sailing his yach...
Apache Trail
1942
as 'Pike' Skelton
The brother of a notorious outlaw is put in a charge of a stagecoach line way station in dangerous Apache territory. A stagecoach arrives at the stati...
The Omaha Trail
1942
as Henry Hawkins
The coming of the railroad to the West triggers an Indian war.
Her Cardboard Lover
1942
as Judge
A flirt tries to make her fiancée jealous by hiring a gigolo.
Mr. Gardenia Jones
1942
as Hotel Employee
Documentary short film depicting the work of the United Service Organizations (USO) in providing recreational and morale-boosting services for America...
Tarzan's New York Adventure
1942
as Manchester Montford
Circus owner Buck Rand kidnaps Boy to perform in his show. He forces a pilot to fly him, Boy and his animal trainer out of the jungle. Tarzan and Jane...
The Bugle Sounds
1942
as Sgt. Larry Dillon
An old-time cavalry sergeant's resistance to change could cost him his post.
Honky Tonk
1941
as The Sniper
Fast-talking con-man and grifter Candy Johnson rises to be the corrupt boss of Yellow Creek, but his wife's alcoholic father tries to set things right...
Belle Starr
1941
as Blue Duck
After her family's mansion is burned down by Yankee soldiers for hiding the rebel leader Captain Sam Starr Belle Shirley vows to take revenge. Breakin...
Billy the Kid
1941
as Tom Patterson
Billy Bonney is a hot-headed gunslinger who narrowly skirts a life of crime by being befriended and hired by a peaceful rancher, Eric Keating. When Ke...
The Bad Man
1941
as 'Red' Giddings
Lopez is a bandit who has stolen the herd at Gil's ranch, so Hardy is about to foreclose. But Lucia has come back from New York and Gil is happy until...
Western Union
1941
as Homer Kettle
When Edward Creighton leads the construction of the Western Union to unite East with West, he hires a Western reformed outlaw and a tenderfoot Eastern...
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
1940
as Shiftless
Two rival tugboat captains compete for local business.
Sky Murder
1940
as Sheriff Beckwith
This final Carter film is a lot of fun, with Nick (unwillingly, at first) taking on a ring of Fifth Columnists (since this was filmed before the US en...
The Westerner
1940
as Southeast
Drifter Cole Harden is accused of stealing a horse and faces hanging by self-appointed Judge Roy Bean, but Harden manages to talk his way out of it by...
Wyoming
1940
as Lafe
With the army after him and his partner deserting, Reb decides that a change of scenery would be nice so he heads for Wyoming with Dave.
Boom Town
1940
as Harmony Jones
Two buddies who rise from fly-by-night wildcatters to oil tycoons over a twenty year period both love the same woman. McMasters and Sand come to oil t...
Allegheny Uprising
1939
as M'Cammon
South western Pennsylvania area of colonial America, 1760s. Colonial distaste and disapproval of the British government is starting to surface. Many l...
The Day the Bookies Wept
1939
as Man on Bus (uncredited)
A pigeon breeder is hired to train a racehorse that wins only when it drinks beer.
Timber Stampede
1939
as Whopper Hatch
Cattlemen fight corrupt railroad men out to destroy the forest.
Racketeers of the Range
1939
as Whopper Hatch
A large packing company is trying to obtain a monopoly by taking over the last small independent meat packer. Barney O'Dell, owner of the largest ranc...
Sorority House
1939
as Mr. Johnson
A young girl begins to wonder if she really fits into the upper-class sorority she's trying to join.
Trouble in Sundown
1939
as Whopper
The bank has been robbed, the night watchman killed and the safe opened. The townspeople want John as he was the only one with the combination. Clint ...
Arizona Legion
1939
as Whopper Hatch
A federal agent infiltrates an outlaw band that's taken over a western town.
Lawless Valley
1938
as Deputy Speedy McGow
After doing time for a crime he didn't commit, a cowboy tries to find the men who framed him.
Nobody's Baby
1937
as Amateur Hour Lead Quartet Singer (as The Avalon Boys)
Kitty Reily (Patsy Kelly) and Lena Marchetti (Lyda Roberti) meet each other at an amateur Radio Show. Kitty quickly learns to greatly dislike incompet...
Way Out West
1937
as Lead Singer of the Avalon Boys / Stan's Bass Singing (uncredited)
Stan and Ollie try to deliver the deed to a valuable gold mine to the daughter of a dead prospector. Unfortunately, the daughter's evil guardian is de...
Hideaway Girl
1936
as Lead Singer of Avalon Boys
An unfortunate marriage and a bogus Count are the ingredients for this musical.
At Sea Ashore
1936
as Leader of The Avalon Four (uncredited)
Patsy's working at Rumplemeyer's Donut Shop in Brooklyn. By accident she catches Mr. Rumplemeyer's trousers in the donut machine as he's leaving to pi...
Call of the Prairie
1936
as Singing Cowhand
Hoppy returns to find Johnny in trouble. Buck Peters has been shot by Porter who made it look like Johnny did it. When Johnny flees he runs into Linda...
Bar 20 Rides Again
1935
as Henchman
Cattle rustler Nevada dreams of living like an emperor in the West. Hoppy and the Bar 20 boys aim to put an end to his dream.