William Preston (August 26, 1921 – July 10, 1998) was an American actor. He did not start his acting career until he was at the age of 47 but subsequently appeared in more than sixty productions of Shakespeare's plays. He had a Master's degree in English literature from Penn State. He is perhaps best known for his role as recurring character Carl "Oldie" Olsen on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Among his many movie roles, he played John, the bum, from The Fisher King (1991), a blacksmith in Far and Away (1992), and the flask mourner in Family Business (1989). He later appeared in Waterworld (1995), Reckless (1995), Blue in the Face (1995), and The Crucible (1996).[1]
He died at Saint Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan on July 10, 1998.[1]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Malatesta's Carnival of Blood | Sticker | |
| 1985 | Goodbye, New York | Elevator Man | |
| 1989 | Family Business | Flask Mourner | |
| 1990 | The Exorcist III | Old Man in Wheelchair | |
| 1991 | The Fisher King | John the Bum | |
| 1992 | Far and Away | Blacksmith | |
| 1993 | Me and Veronica | Old Man | |
| 1994 | My Summer Story | Grandpa Bumpus | |
| 1995 | Blue in the Face | Statistician | |
| 1995 | Waterworld | Depth Gauge | |
| 1995 | Reckless | Porter | |
| 1995 | Flasher | Flasher | |
| 1996 | Joe's Apartment | Complaint Handler | |
| 1996 | The Crucible | George Jacobs | |
| 1996 | I'm Not Rappaport | Jake | |
| 1998 | Illuminata | Old toothless man |