 |
BILL MUMMY BIOGRAPHY
Date of Birth: 1 February 1954, San Gabriel, California, USA
Birth Name: Charles William Mumy Jr.
Height: 5' 7" (1.70 m)
Along with his most impressive list of television/film credits, Bill is also a very talented well-known musician, songwriter, recording artist, as well as a writer. He plays guitar, bass, keyboards, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, percussion and also sings.
As a musician, he has released three solo CDs: 1997's "Dying To Be Heard", 1999's "In The Current", and the 2000 release of his third solo album, "Pandora's Box". All three released on Renaissance Records.
In 1978 Bill and his partner, Robert Haimer, officially formed the infamous "quirky-rock duo" Barnes and Barnes. They are known worldwide, and have recorded 9 albums on Rhino and CBS Record labels. They also released a feature length home video titled "Zabagabee" featuring a Collaboration of Barnes and Barnes short films. Their infamous "Fish Heads" song placed #57 in Rolling Stones Top 100 Videos of All Time. In 2000, Ogio Records released the 24 song "Yeah: The Essential Barnes & Barnes" CD. Bill was nominated for an Emmy in 1991/1992 for his original song composition for Adventures in Wonderland for Disney which he wrote 105 songs for 100 episodes. He also scored three episodes of the award winning PBS series "The Universe and I" and contributed songs and themes to "Santa Barbara", "TV Guide Looks At", "Hard to Hold", "Plainclothes", "Archie", "Sunshine", "Bless The Beasts & Children", "The Simpsons", and many other film and television projects.
Bill and Miguel Ferrer are currently in a rock and roll band called the Jenerators. Their first CD and cassette titled the "Jenerators" was released in 1994 on Asil Records. Their second CD produced by Frank Wolf titled "Hitting The Silk" was released in November of 1998 on Wildcat Records. They currently perform in the Los Angeles area when possible. If that is not enough, Bill has also worked on various children albums as well. "The Yogi Bear Environmental Album: This Land Is Our Land" a 1993 release on Rhino Records/Hanna Barbera, "The Dinosaur Album" also a 1993 release on Rhino Records, and his current album "Kiss My Boo Boo" which has been released on the Infinite Visions label.
In addition to his many other talents, Bill co-created the popular children television series, "Space Cases" (1996) with Peter David which he also co-wrote, produced, composed music for, and guest starred in as well. It was nominated for the 1996 Ace Award for "Outstanding Children's Series." The series has run globally in over sixty countries. Peter and Bill have written the screenplay to the feature film, "Overload" which Bill is also starring in.
Bill has written as well as co-created many comic books, stories, and television series. He has written for Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics and Pocket Books. The stories he co-wrote include well-known titles as "Spider-Man", "The Hulk", and "Clive Barker's Hellraiser." He co-wrote a Star Trek trilogy "Return of the Worthy", and was a creative consultant and writer to the Lost In Space Innovation monthly comic. He also has written for DC comics, "Aquaman", "The Spectre" and "Star Trek".
His current writing projects include the feature film, "Overload" and a fantasy novel co-written with Angela Cartwright, "Realms Of Majik: The Pocket in Reality". His short stories, "The Black '59" and "The Undeadliest Game" appeared in Pocket Books "Shock Rock" Volumes 1 and 2. Both have been printed globally in many languages. He has also written for animation, most recently an episode of the sci fi series, "Roswell Conspiracies". He has also written episodics for NBC's series, "Sunshine", USA network's "Swamp Thing", as well as scripting an unfilmed episode of "Babylon 5". He co-created and wrote the Marvel Comics series' "The Comet Man", "The Dreamwalker" graphic novel, and Dark Horse Comics' "Trypto, The Acid Dog" with Miguel Ferrer.
Included in his various multi-talent accomplishments, he is also a prolific voice over actor and can be heard narrating several of the prestigious "A&E: Biographies" as well as many other documentaries and specials. Some of his commercial work in that arena includes McDonalds, Mattel, Bud Ice, Amtrak, Blockbuster, Ford, KFC, Wal Mart, and Nickelodeon - just to name a few. He is presently doing all the television and radio spots for Farmers Insurance. His voice over work in animation includes "Ren and Stimpy", "Batman the Animated Series", "Animaniacs", "Little Wizard Adventures", and "Buzz Lightyear: Star Command".
[IMDb Mini Biography By: vlivius@hotmail.com]
His wife is a childbirth instructor.
Father of Seth Mumy and Liliana Mumy.
Last name is pronounced "Moomy" not "Mummy".
Performed with Robert Haimer as "Barnes & Barnes", recording the hit novelty song "Fish Heads" in 1978. It is currently the most requested song in the history of the Dr. Demento Show.
Had a recurring role as "Lennier" on "Babylon 5" (1994). Mumy had also repeatedly tried to land a guest role on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993), but the producers always wanted him to play an alien. He held out until they allowed him to play a human, which he did in the DS9 episode "The Siege of AR-558" (he was the Starfleet engineer who worked on trying to decode a Dominion communications array).
Acted in a recent episode of the newly-revived "The Twilight Zone" (2002) TV series with his actress-daughter Liliana. As a child, Mumy appeared in three of Rod Serling's classic TZ episodes ("Long-Distance Call," "It's a Good Life," and "In Praise Of Pip") during the 1960s.
Wrote a screenplay back in the late 1970s in which the "Lost in Space" (1965) family would have found their way back to Earth. 20th Century Fox was committed to the project, but series creator Irwin Allen wasn't interested in reviving the series. The plan dissolved completely after the death of space patriarch Guy Williams in 1989.
Was the original choice to play "Eddie Munster," in the cult 1960s TV series "The Munsters" (1964). However, his parents did not approve of the makeup young Bill would have to wear for the role; they turned it down. Butch Patrick ended up playing the part. Today, Patrick and Mumy are very good friends and sometimes collaborate on music.
On the "Babylon 5" (1994) episode "Eyes," he used his album title "Zabagabee" as an alien word.
Was a lifelong friend of James Stewart, with whom he co-starred in the film Dear Brigitte (1965). The Stewart and Mumy families knew each other well off-screen, Stewart's wife Gloria having been Mumy's Sunday school teacher. He can still do a perfect imitation of Stewart's voice, one that frequently cracked Stewart up during his lifetime.
He is an only child.
Credits his "Lost in Space" (1965) co-star Guy Williams with inspiring him to become an actor. Mumy grew up watching Williams on Disney's "Zorro" (1957) TV series; young Bill broke his leg attempting to recreate one of the show's stunts in his bedroom.
'"Weird Al' Yankovic' was a big fan of "Lost in Space" (1965) growing up, and he and Mumy later became good friends. Mumy reportedly introduced Al to his wife Suzanne.
Best known by the public for his role as Will Robinson on "Lost in Space" (1965).
Along with Cloris Leachman, he is one of only two actors to appear in both "The Twilight Zone" (1959) and its second television revival, "The Twilight Zone" (2002).
Personal Quotes
[when asked about real-life sibling rivalry between his actor-children, Seth and Liliana] "...If my kids could wish each other into the cornfield, as it were, they'd LIVE there. I mean, they'd be in that cornfield all the time."
I had a great time doing "Lost in Space." With the exception of a couple of days, I don't have any unpleasant memories of the show. The only thing I'm bitter about in a sense is that the show runs constantly in syndication and none of the actors get paid. Nonetheless, I made a lot of money at the time, my family invested it well for me, and I have a lot of nice things. I can't complain.
|