Whit Bissell came to Hollywood in the 1940s, and by the time he retired he had appeared in more than 200 movies and scores of TV series. He is best known for playing the evil scientist who turned 'Michael Landon . He also served on the Screen Actors Guild board of directors for 18 years and represented the actors branch in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors.
Son of prominent surgeon Dr. J. Dougal Bissell.
Stepfather of Brian Forster.
As one of five children (including three brothers and a sister), Bissell was an avid yachtsman and fencer in his youth. He attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and while there began a serious pursuit of acting with the Carolina Playmakers. After a stint on the Broadway stage, Bissell began a career as one of the most recognizable character actors in the history of film and television.
