William Dillon

William Austin Dillon (November 6, 1877 – February 10, 1966) was an American songwriter, vaudevillian, and Broadway performer born in Cortland, New York. He is best known as the lyricist for "I Want A Girl (Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)," a 1911 song composed in collaboration with Harry Von Tilzer that later appeared in the films Show Business (1944) and The Jolson Story (1946).

Dillon built his early career in vaudeville, performing alongside his brothers John and Harry and also maintaining a solo act under the billing "man of a thousand songs." His songwriting output during this period was prolific. Among his compositions were "Every Little Bit Added to What You've Got Makes Just a Little Bit More" (1907, co-written with his brother Lawrence), "I'd Rather Have a Girlie Than an Automobile" (1908), "Keep Your Foot on the Soft Pedal" (1909), and "All Alone" (1911, also with Von Tilzer). He continued writing into the following decade, producing "That Girl of Mine" (1916, with Harry Tobias and Arthur Lange), "I'll Wed the Girl I Left Behind" (1916), "On the Old Back Seat of the Henry Ford" (1916, with Lawrence), "My Grandfather's Girl" (1916), "Take Me to My Alabam" (1916), and "Keep Right on to the End of the Road" (1924, with Harry Lauder).

A car accident around 1912 forced Dillon off the vaudeville stage, though he remained active in the entertainment world as a songwriter and theater operator. In 1918 he married Georgia Leola Head, daughter of George and Mary (Steen) Head. He eventually returned to performing, entertaining troops during World War II and later making television appearances. His songwriting continued as well, with "Me and My Uncle Sam" appearing in 1941.

Between 1927 and 1929, Dillon appeared on Broadway in three productions: the musical The Silver Swan, the musical The Three Musketeers, and the play The Texas Nightingale. Dillon died in Ithaca, New York on February 10, 1966.