Chill Wills, the stage name of Chill Theodore Wills, was an American actor and singer, known for his distinctive deep, raspy voice. He began his career in the 1930s as a singer in the quartet The Avalon Boys, before establishing himself in Hollywood as a prolific character actor. He provided the famous voice for the character of Francis the Talking Mule in a popular series of comedy films from the 1950s, a role that made him extremely popular. On the big screen, he played numerous supporting characters in classics such as *Meet Me in St. Louis* (1944) and *Giant* (1956). The pinnacle of his career came with his performance as Beekeeper in the epic film *The Alamo* (1960), for which he received his only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His extensive filmography established him as one of the most familiar and recognizable faces in Western and genre films of his era.