Bill was a gentle soul but had more than his share of murders to solve. The serial bore all the Hummert trademarks: devious, treacherous villains, cunning and conniving women, and the simplistic overidentification of characters through heavy-handed narration and dialogue. Through it all Bill remained a pillar of integrity, "the salt of the earth," as described by Arthur Hughes, the actor who played the role all the way. "He looked for integrity in others and generally found it, and he believed in the golden rule." He was a widower, often remembering his much-loved wife, finding strength as he remembered the days of their youth. When the serial finally died in 1955, its passing was noted in such unlikely literary quarters as the Saturday Review. Many people could not remember a time when Just Plain Bill had not been part of their lives.
( John Dunning )
[ On the Air: The Encyclopedia ]
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