Journeyman Actor

Book excerpt: In a career that has spanned fifty years and taken him from one of the greatest movies of all time to some of television's best series, Emmy-award winning character actor William Windom takes you behind the scenes of show business from Broadway to Hollywood in his candid and witty autobiography. Shortly after returning from active duty in World War II, Windom entered the acting world, launching his career in parts on and off Broadway in the late 1940s and 1950s. With refreshing candor, he tells how he landed his first Hollywood role as the winning attorney against Gregory Peck in 1962's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and then went on to act in popular television series including "Columbo," "Star Trek," "All In the Family," and "Dallas," But perhaps his most enjoyable roles came from his regular appearances on "The Farmer's Daughter,," and as Doc Hazlitt in the popular "Murder, She Wrote," Through Windom's personal anecdotes, Hollywood aficionados can get up close and personal with some of the industry's biggest names, including John Wayne, Sam Goldwyn, and Angela Lansbury, and aspiring performers can glean wisdom on choosing agents and managers, working with directors, and performing an audition by following Windom's expert and time-tested advice. Humorous, honest, and endlessly entertaining, "Journeyman Actor" delivers an intimate glimpse into the career of one of Hollywood's most successful character actors.