William Dozier

Born: 1908-02-13

William Dozier was an American TV and movie producer who made it to the top of the TV heap briefly in the mid-1960s with his show "Batman (1966)". Born on February 13, 1908 in Omaha, Nebraska, Dozier was also known for his wives. After divorcing his first wife, he was married to Oscar-winner Joan Fontaine from 1946 to 1951 and to movie star Ann Rutherford from 1953 to his death on April 23, 1991. In 1948, he and Fontaine launched Rampart Productions, which produced "Max Ophüls' Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)" starring his wife, and "You Gotta Stay Happy (1948)", which starred Fontaine and James Stewart. He served as executive producer on both pictures. Turning to TV as the new decade of the Fifties dawned, Dozier produced the series "Danger (1950)", which ran for five years from 1950-55. In the Fifties and Sixties, he continued his career as a TV producer, bringing to the tube the short-lived TV series "Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers (1953)" and "The Loner (1965)". In 1966, he achieved the height of TV success with "Batman" which ran for three seasons and was a cultural sensation. The TV show spun off a "Batman: The Movie (1966)" feature film. That same year, he also launched , a modest success, and "The Tammy Grimes Show (1966)", a notorious flop that shot five episodes and was canceled after four. Dozier retired as a producer after the 1969 movie "The Big Bounce (1969)" flopped, though he enjoyed a modest second career as an actor in the Seventies and early Eighties.


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as Narrator / Bat-Computer (voice) (uncredited)
Released: 1966-07-30

The Dynamic Duo faces four super-villains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of...

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American Gigolo

as Michelle's Lawyer
Released: 1980-02-01

Julian makes a lucrative living as an escort to older women in the Los Angeles area. He begins a...

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Joker: Put on a Happy Face

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2020-08-18

Featuring interviews with filmmakers and industry legends, discover the origins and evolution of...

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Be Water

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2020-01-25

In 1971, after being rejected by Hollywood, Bruce Lee returned to his parents’ homeland of Hong...

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The Amazing Howard Hughes

as Sen. Ferguson
Released: 1977-04-13

The Amazing Howard Hughes is a 1977 television movie about American aviation pioneer and...

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Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case

as Dr. Richard Sheppard, Sr.
Released: 1975-11-17

The story of Dr. Sam Sheppard, an Ohio doctor convicted of murdering his wife, despite his...

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Not Just Another Affair

as Julius Thompkins
Released: 1982-10-01

A lady marine biologist, determined to save herself until marriage, meets a handsome attorney...

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Mission to Glory: A True Story

as Father Argula
Released: 1977-01-01

Father Kino , a 17th-century Jesuit missionary, dedicated his life to helping Native Americans...

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Dick Tracy - The Plot To Kill NATO

as Narrator (voice)
Released: 1967-09-01

Dick Tracy must save a trio of ambassadors who have been kidnapped by Mr. Memory. Pilot for Dick...

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Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 1999-01-01

Even big stars need to stand in front of the director and audition for their roles, and some of...

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Crisis in Mid-Air

as Chairman
Released: 1979-02-13

The life of a stressed-out air controller falls apart as he battles a court case involving a...

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Evening in Byzantium

as William Bast
Released: 1978-08-14

While the prestigious Cannes Film Festival goes on around him, American movie producer Jesse...

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Batgirl

as Narrator (voice)
Released: 1967-01-01

At the Gotham City library, Barbara Gordon helps Bruce Wayne find a book on butterflies so he...

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Batman

as Narrator (voice)
First aired: 1966-01-12

Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson lead a double life: they are actually...

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Eight Is Enough

as uncredited
First aired: 1977-03-15

Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15,...

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The Green Hornet

as Narrator
First aired: 1966-09-09

The Green Hornet is a television series on the ABC US television network that aired for the...

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Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones

as Mr. Caldwell
First aired: 1980-04-15

The story of the Peoples Temple led by Jim Jones and the 1978 mass suicide at Jonestown.

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The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood

as Self
First aired: 1987-07-03

Ed Asner tells the story of RKO Pictures from the 1920s to the 1960s.

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