#devils of darkness

Devils of Darkness (1965) dir. Lance Comfort

William Sylvester is best known for his credit as Dr. Heywood R. Floyd in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Sylvester also played the role of Sam Slade in GORGO, Paul Baxter in Devils of Darkness, and Dave Forrester in Postmark for Danger.

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The Life Story of William Sylvester

Described as being virile and good-humored, William Sylvester was at the time, one of London's most acclaimed actors in English cinema and a staple of British B films. Despite making his name on the British stage and screen, he was one of a small group of North American expatriates—which included Bonar Colleano and Robert Beatty.

William Sylvester was a native to Oakland and the son of a pro boxer, gambler and bootlegger. When William started out on his career, it was in his family's dry-cleaning business, Allendale Cleaners. But he was not very happy with this life, and wanted to purse his more ambitious dream of becoming an actor. He took night classes in theater and participated in amateur performances.

The legendary John Barrymore (and also a family friend), who saw him perform in one of these plays, suggested that he study drama full-time. John told him: "Why, my boy, you should go to England and study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, something I would have loved to have done."

But studying required money, so determined to follow the advice John Barrymore had given him, William spent 3-5 years in the Merchant Navy as a lieutenant during WWII until he raised the necessary funds needed to enroll at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Immediately on being demobbed, Sylvester first went to New York.

"After the war I went to New York and wrote to the principal of RADA. I told him I had some experience as an actor. Then I boarded a ship and came to England and enrolled at RADA. They put me in the sort of upper-middle class."

Upon arriving in England in January of 1947, he spent 18 months at RADA and became the first American member of The Old Vic. While he was a student there, he appeared in London plays staged by Americans at the Academy. He met his first wife in 1949, Sheila Sweet—the marriage ended in divorce—and in 1955 married to actor Veronica Hurst whom he had three sons with.

His first appearance in London was as The Shadow in Winterset at the New Lindsey in 1948, he also played the Yank in Bates Wharf at the Whitehall in the same year, afterwards touring in Home of the Brave.

One of William's first and big stage successes was in Dark Of The Moon, April 1949, where he played John, the Witch Boy, at the Lyric, Hammersmith. The play was later transferred to the Ambassadors and enjoyed a run of six months. For some time in 1949, William Sylvester returned back to California where he made a series of nine Television films. Then once he was back in England for a 39 weeks tour of A Street Car Named Desire in which he also toured South Africa for 10 weeks in 51.

More stage work came Sylvester's way when he subsequently appeared in repertory, returning to the West End in 1952 as John Buchanan, the dissolute young doctor in Tennessee William's Summer and Smoke co-starring with Margaret Johnston, which was produced at the Lyric, Hammersmith. Shortly after Sylvester was seen with Clive Brook in another American play, Second Threshold at the Vaudeville.

Another of William Sylvester's big stage successes was his role as Captain Fisby in John Patrick's comedy, Teahouse Of The August Moon in 1954. At that point, William who was seen largely in dramatic roles, delivered a brilliant comedic performance as he does in the part of Capt. Fisby, a diffident young officer who is the architect of so many funny happenings. He played for two years from 1954 to 1955. He also played Orlando and Cassio in the 1959 Shakespeare festival season in Stratford Ontario.

In between plays and concurrently with stage productions, Sylvester had starred in an impressive run of films including: The Yellow Balloon, Appointment in London, House of Blackmail, What Every Woman Wants, Albert R.N, The Stranger Returns, and Whirlpool. In 1955, he would marry to actor Veronica Hurst, who was best known for her role as Kitty Murray in The Maze (1953).

William gained top billing in one his first films, House of Blackmail (1953) but made his debut appearance in Give Us This Day (1949).

It would be in 1968 that William Sylvester would appear in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. MGM first suggested casting a well-known actor to play Dr. Heywood Floyd, such as Henry Fonda or George C. Scott. Instead, Kubrick went with William Sylvester, who's highest-profile credit at the time was GORGO (1961).

Despite the notable role, Sylvester was never again casted in another prominent role. In the late sixties, William returned California to live there, making regular appearances in television and the occasional movie. He made his very last appearance on television in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as Lt. General Preston Myers. And then in the 1980s, he would quietly retire from acting altogether.

He passed away from undisclosed causes on January 25th, 1995 in Sacramento, California.

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Some additional facts about William Sylvester

William owned a bull terrier named "Max".

His hobbies included swimming, golfing, baseball and tennis.

His three favorite things to eat were Chinese barbecued ribs, a batch of hamburgers and Mexican food.

William met Princess Margaret while performing at Her Majesty's (now His Majesty's) Theatre as Captain Fisby in Teahouse Of The August Moon. Sylvester told her: "The audience seemed just a little bit shy. Maybe it was because you are in front."

The Princess retorted with: "Shy! Far from shy. They're laughing uproariously, just as I'm doing."

Sylvester won three amateur boxing titles while a student of business administration at the University of California at Stanford.

William had an older brother named "Melvin" and was the nephew to Raymond Bailey.

Devils of Darkness (1965)