Bill McCutcheon

James William McCutcheon was born on May 23, 1924, in Russell, Kentucky, to Robert Kenna McCutcheon, a railroad conductor, and Florence Louise McCutcheon, née Elam. He died on January 9, 2002, in Mahwah, New Jersey, of natural causes at the age of 77. He was survived by three children: Carol, Jay, and Kenna.

McCutcheon built a career across theatre, television, and film that earned him both Tony and Emmy recognition. His early television work included the role of Leo the Leprechaun on The Howdy Doody Show, and he became a recognizable presence for young audiences in the 1960s through appearances in Tootsie Roll television commercials. He later joined the cast of the PBS children's series Sesame Street, playing Uncle Wally in a recurring role that ran from 1984 to 1992, a performance for which he received an Emmy Award.

His Broadway career spanned from 1951 to 1987 and encompassed both musicals and plays. His most celebrated stage role was Moonface Martin in Anything Goes, which earned him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 1988. Additional Broadway credits include the plays The Front Page, You Can't Take It with You, and The Man Who Came to Dinner.

McCutcheon's film work began with a 1964 appearance in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. He subsequently appeared in Family Business and Steel Magnolias.