Bernard Sell(1908-1993)
- Actor
From the very beginning, Bernard Sell was destined to be an actor. His father was a musician over in England and was school mates with Charlie Chaplin. His first love was the sea and he decided to become a seamen. Eventually, fate intervened and he met Errol Flynn on one of his trips to Tasmania. Flynn convinced Sell to come with him to be in motion pictures.
Because of his good looks, Bernie found an abundance of work. He could deliver dialog in a movie or just collect a paycheck as a party guest. It wasn't uncommon for him to have dialog in a film but he found work steadier just being a stand-in and working as an extra whenever he could. He could be frequently in various movies with dialog in such roles as reporters and party guest.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Sell worked as a stand-in over at Disney studios. However he found higher paying work as a stuntman. He used his knowledge of scuba diving to procure work as a scuba diver in a few films. He would still frequently appear in the background and do some of his usual work as a stand-in. Never one to stay still, he also appeared as an assistant director on the play Most Happy Fella in Palm Springs in 1966.
Around 1970, Sell decided to retire but like most actors, he couldn't stay away and he used his connections to get back into the Screen Extras Guild in 1980. It was around this time that he began to appear as a regular townsman on the James Garner western Bret Maverick. Unfortunately for Sell, Bret Maverick was canceled but he continued to try to work as much as he could throughout the 1980s trying to work socialite scenes whenever he could.
Bernie Sell's career could be one that could be best described as one that really was destined to be. He was able to become friends with some of Hollywood's biggest stars and experienced a various jobs in front of the camera and behind it. He passed away in 1993 leaving behind a long legacy in film and television.
Because of his good looks, Bernie found an abundance of work. He could deliver dialog in a movie or just collect a paycheck as a party guest. It wasn't uncommon for him to have dialog in a film but he found work steadier just being a stand-in and working as an extra whenever he could. He could be frequently in various movies with dialog in such roles as reporters and party guest.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Sell worked as a stand-in over at Disney studios. However he found higher paying work as a stuntman. He used his knowledge of scuba diving to procure work as a scuba diver in a few films. He would still frequently appear in the background and do some of his usual work as a stand-in. Never one to stay still, he also appeared as an assistant director on the play Most Happy Fella in Palm Springs in 1966.
Around 1970, Sell decided to retire but like most actors, he couldn't stay away and he used his connections to get back into the Screen Extras Guild in 1980. It was around this time that he began to appear as a regular townsman on the James Garner western Bret Maverick. Unfortunately for Sell, Bret Maverick was canceled but he continued to try to work as much as he could throughout the 1980s trying to work socialite scenes whenever he could.
Bernie Sell's career could be one that could be best described as one that really was destined to be. He was able to become friends with some of Hollywood's biggest stars and experienced a various jobs in front of the camera and behind it. He passed away in 1993 leaving behind a long legacy in film and television.
