William Tannen

William Tannen (November 17, 1911 – December 2, 1976) was an American actor born in New York City. He was the son of actor Julius Tannen. While attending Lawrenceville School, Tannen pursued both acting and writing in dramatic activities. His stage career began with a production of The Honor of the Family performed by the National Theatre troupe in Washington, D.C.

Tannen's Broadway career spanned from 1930 to 1933 and included appearances in five productions. His credits encompassed the plays Evensong, Lucrece, Keeping Expenses Down, and The School for Scandal, as well as the revue Garrick Gaieties.

During the 1930s, Tannen became a contract player at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His early work at the studio included three appearances as an unnamed MGM crime reporter in the Crime Does Not Pay series of short subjects. He subsequently joined the studio's stock company, taking supporting roles in numerous MGM feature films. When MGM reduced its roster in 1948, Tannen transitioned to freelance work at other studios while continuing to accept assignments from MGM over the following decade.

Television audiences in the 1950s came to know Tannen through his recurring role as Deputy Hal Norton in the ABC/Desilu western series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, in which he appeared in 56 episodes between 1956 and 1958.