William Henry Bassett (December 28, 1935 – February 9, 2025) was an American actor of film and television who appeared in more than 100 films and television programs from the 1960s.

Life and career Bassett was known for his role in ads for Whataburger. He also appeared in films such as Lucky Lady, Old Boyfriends, Return from Witch Mountain, The Karate Kid, Black Eagle, House of 1000 Corpses, Demon Hunter and Black Dynamite, as well as such television shows as Bewitched; I Dream of Jeannie; Bonanza; The Feather and Father Gang; The Love Boat; Days of Our Lives; Quincy, M.E.; Lou Grant; Dallas; The Young and the Restless; Newhart; General Hospital; Sabrina The Teenage Witch; 3rd Rock from the Sun; Scrubs; The Streets of San Francisco; and Arrested Development. Bassett's work as a voice actor includes the video games Metal Gear Solid, Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne, Fallout 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and World of Final Fantasy, along with being the narrator for the documentary Inside: Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Bassett also hosted the trivia game show Inquizition throughout its 1998 to 2001 run on the Game Show Network. The caustic "Inquizitor" was always filmed from behind, his face unseen and identity unknown. Bassett was finally revealed as the show's host in a 2024 interview with creator Sande Stewart.

Bassett died on February 9, 2025, at the age of 89.

Filmography

Anime YearTitleRoleNotes1979Lupin the Third: Castle of CagliostroCounterfeiter / Whispering CouncilmanCredited as Fred Bloggs1988AkiraAdditional Voices1992Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust MemoryYuri HusslerEpisode: "A Storm Raging Through"; credited as Fred Bloggs1995Catnapped! The MovieMagicianCredited as Fred Bloggs1999Cowboy BebopFrogEpisode: "Mushroom Samba"; credited as Fred Bloggs2000Ah! My Goddess: The MovieAdditional VoicesCredited as Fred Bloggs2003–2005Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexChief Cabinet Secretary Takakura / Uno / Director4 episodes; credited as Bill Basset2004AppleseedElderCredited as Frederick Bloggs2008Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic NovelJim Houseman

Film YearTitleRoleNotes1969A Time for DyingThe Southerner1970The GrasshopperAaronCredited as William H. Bassett1972Conquest of the Planet of the ApesMr. PineUncredited19721776Thomas Heyward Jr.Uncredited1974The Towering InfernoLeasing AgentCredited as William H. Bassett1975Lucky LadyCharley1978Return from Witch MountainOperations OfficerCredited as William H. Bassett1979Old BoyfriendsDavid Brinks1984The Karate KidMr. Mills1984Sam's SonMr. TurnerCredited as William H. Bassett1985CreatorDr. SutterCredited as William H. Bassett1986The Naked CageJordan1986Invaders from MarsNASA Scientist1988Black EagleDean Rickert1990Angel TownGraduate Dean1993Ring of Fire II: Blood and SteelAaron2001SoulkeeperOld Bum2001Night ClassHoldenCredited as William H. Bassett2001The Man with No EyesCleetusShort film2002Crazy as HellMr. Brennan2003House of 1000 CorpsesSheriff Frank HustonCredited as William H. Bassett2004Wild RoomiesMr. Seeley2005Welcome to SeptemberMr. Taskey2005Demon HunterCardinal White2008Fast GirlWilly2009Black DynamiteCaptain Yancy2018Blood TypeSanta Soup Bum

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1960The TempestFerdinandTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1960The Chevy Mystery ShowDr. Roger WaringEpisode: "Dark Possession"; credited as W.H. Bassett1966The Journey of the Fifth HorseRubin / NarvinskyTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1967The Wild Wild WestLt. CarterEpisode: "The Night of the Arrow"; credited as William H. Bassett1968BewitchedPrince Charming / Cousin CharlieEpisode: "Prince of a Guy"1968The Second Hundred YearsSergeiEpisode: "Luke and Comrade Tanya"1968–1969I Dream of JeannieSam Farrow / Clem2 episodes1968–1971InsightRoman2 episodes1968–1988Days of Our LivesDr. Walter Griffin / Government Official / Det. Weston / Jerry Barnes / Scott Blake19 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett1969Here Come the BridesWillard2 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett1969The OutcastsTraversEpisode: "The Long Ride"1969Land of the GiantsRanger JackEpisode: "Home Sweet Home"1970MannixWarren HoxieEpisode: "Medal for a Hero"; credited as William H. Bassett1970BonanzaJed WalkerEpisode: "Decision at Los Robles"1970NancySecret Service Agent Turner4 episodes1972Cade's CountyHoward TannerEpisode: "The Fake"1972Another Part of the ForestBagtryTV adaptation of the play by Lillian Hellman1972Mod SquadGordon CalderEpisode: "Kristie"1973SearchDonaldEpisode: "Ends of the Earth"; credited as William H. Bassett1973The Young and the RestlessPete Walker1973The Man of DestinyThe Sub-LieutenantTelevision film1973Police StoryPsychologistEpisode: "Man on a Rack"1974Unwed FatherPrincipalTelevision film1974The Wild World of MysteryThe CollectorEpisode: "The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer"1974The Streets of San FranciscoDonald BatemanEpisode: "The Twenty-Five Caliber Plague"; credited as William H. Bassett1974Harry ORed KramerEpisode: "Forty Reasons to Kill: Part 2"; credited as William H. Bassett1974The RookiesWaldenEpisode: "Take Over"; credited as William H. Bassett1975My Father's HouseAirplane CaptainTelevision film1975Shazam!Bill RitziEpisode: "Double Trouble"1976The Love BoatThe First OfficerPilot episode - television film1976Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy IncidentTelevision film1976WonderbugEpisode: "The Maltese Gooneybird"1976Once and Eagle4 episodes1976–1977The Feather and Father GangHuffaker2 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett1977ABC Afterschool SpecialFatherEpisode: "Very Good Friends"1977The Love BoatJoshEpisode: "The New Love Boat - The Newlyweds/The Exchange/Cleo's First Voyage"1977Never Con a KillerHuff HufakerTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1977The Night They Took Miss BeautifulSmittyTelevision film1978Perfect GentlemenSouthern ManTelevision film1978KeeferThe SergeantTelevision film1978The BastardBritish OfficerCredited as William H. Bassett1979Quincy, M.E.HarrisEpisode: "By the Death of a Child"; credited as William H. Bassett1979Lou GrantAlexander CrosleyEpisode: "Charlatan"; credited as William H. Bassett1979–1982The Magical World of DisneyDoctor / Lowell Roberts / Policeman4 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett1979–1988DallasAttorney Gurney / Dr. Paul Hollister6 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett1980The Kids Who Knew Too MuchPolicemanTelevision film1981ThornwellCIC AgentTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1981Flamingo RoadEpisode: "Bad Chemistry"; credited as William H. Bassett1982The Fall GuyClarkEpisode: "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harold"; credited as William H. Bassett1982MoonlightTappan Zee ManTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1982Beyond Witch MountainLowell Roberts1983Hart to HartJeff BrogenEpisode: "Trust Your Hart"; credited as William H. Bassett1984Knots LandingEmissaryEpisode: "Negotiations"; credited as William H. Bassett1984RitualsPhillip Mason #13 episodes1984JessieMr. ShepardEpisode: "Trick of Fate"1985Cover UpDr. StevensEpisode: "Murder Offshore"1985HunterPark Bench BumEpisode: "Guilty"; credited as William H. Bassett1985HotelReeseEpisode: "Rallying Cry"1986NewhartMale GuestEpisode: "The Stratford Horror Picture Show"; credited as William H. Bassett1986T.J. HookerMr. MillerEpisode: "Deadly Force"; credited as William H. Bassett1987General HospitalWolfgang Von Schuler5 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett1987DynastyR.D. FlemingEpisode: "The Spoiler"1989The Case of the Hillside StranglersDr. WattsTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1989The Hollywood DetectiveJerry BrazilTelevision film; credited as William H. Bassett1990Mancuso, FBIEpisode: "Night of the Living Shred"; credited as William H. Bassett1990The New LassieArthur ReynoldsEpisode: "Watch Your Step"1991Never ForgetLewis BrandonTelevision film1994Spring AwakeningUlf AndersonTelevision film1995OP CenterAcademic #41996Her Costly AffairEd BainesTelevision film1997A Match Made in HeavenSam LandryTelevision film1998The Magnificent SevenBartenderEpisode: "Working Girls"1998-2001InquizitionThe Inquizitor (host, uncredited)1999Sabrina the Teenage WitchUncle RoyEpisode: "The Long and Winding Short Cut"; credited as William H. Bassett19993rd Rock from the SunBernardEpisode: "Dick v. Strudwick"; credited as William H. Bassett1999Dharma & GregDeweyEpisode: "Tie-Dying the Knot"; credited as William H. Bassett1999Power Rangers Lost GalaxyGhost CommanderEpisode: "Beware the Mutiny"; credited as William H. Bassett2000Beyond Belief: Fact or FictionAlexanderEpisode: "The Burial"2000The Invisible ManBenjamin ScarboroughEpisode: "Tiresias"; credited as William H. Bassett2001The DivisionOlder ManEpisode: "The First Hit's Free, Baby"; credited as William H. Bassett2003Strong MedicineSpelling Bee JudgeEpisode: "Seize the Day"2004ScrubsPatientEpisode: "My Last Chance"; credited as William H. Bassett2005CarnivàleDr. DelichterEpisode: "Damascus, NE"; credited as William H. Bassett2005Reno 911!MoverEpisode: "Clemmy Marries a Dead Guy"; credited as William H. Bassett2005Arrested DevelopmentCab DriverEpisode: "The Cabin Show"; credited as William H. Bassett2006Avatar: The Last AirbenderSwampmonster / HuuVoice, 2 episodes; credited as William H. Bassett

Video games YearTitleRoleNotes1998Metal Gear SolidJim HousemanEnglish version; credited as Frederick Bloggs2000Diablo IIOrmusCredited as Frederick Bloggs2002Medal of Honor: Allied AssaultAdditional Voices2002Warcraft III: Reign of ChaosAntonidas / Cairne BloodhoofCredited as Frederick Bloggs2002Neverwinter NightsSaer Bodkin / Vale ReyerUncredited2003Warcraft III: The Frozen ThroneCairne BloodhoofCredited as Frederick Bloggs2004Metal Gear Solid: The Twin SnakesJim HousemanCredited as William H. Bassett2007Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning EarthAdditional VoicesCredited as William H. Bassett2008Fallout 3Elder Owyn Lyons2009Fallout 3: Broken SteelElder Owyn Lyons2011Star Wars: The Old RepublicAdditional Voices2014Hearthstone: Heroes of WarCraftArchmage Antonidas / Cairne Bloodhoof2015Final Fantasy Type-0 HDKhaliaEnglish version; credited as William H. Bassett2016World of Final FantasyRamuhEnglish version; credited as William H. Bassett2018Fallout 76Settler Forager - Wastelanders DLC

References

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