Changes

(Universitiy professor-turned-actor: cast as Pete Wilkey on the NBC television series, ''Fury'')

(Universitiy professor-turned-actor: cast as Pete Wilkey on the NBC television series, ''Fury'')

| birth_date=September 9, 1894

| birth_date=September 9, 1894

| birth_place=High Forest<br>

| birth_place=High Forest Village<br>

Olmstead County<br>

Olmstead County<br>

[[Minnesota]], [[United States|USA]]

[[Minnesota]], [[United States|USA]]

| religion=[[Methodist]] Episcopal

| religion=[[Methodist]] Episcopal

|  spouse=Helene Krag Fawcett (married 1925–1974, his death; she died in 1997; no children)<br>

|  spouse=Helene Krag Fawcett (married 1925–1974, his death; she died in 1997; no children)<br>

'''Father''':The Reverend William Eaton Lawrence Thompson<br>

'''Parents'''

The Reverend William Eaton Lawrence and Zilpah Thompson<br>

'''Alma mater''':<br>

'''Alma mater''':<br>

Hamline University<br> ([[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]])<br>

Hamline University<br> ([[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]])<br>

==Background==

==Background==

Fawcett was born as William Fawcett Thompson in High Forest Township in Olmsted County near Rochester in southeastern [[Minnesota]]. The name "Fawcett" came from the [[physician]] who delivered him. His father, William Eaton Lawrence Thompson, was a [[Methodist]] [[pastor]] who encouraged young Bill to enter the ministry. On September 5, 1916, three days before his twenty-second birthday, Fawcett was licensed to preach by the Hamline Quarterly Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Minnesota.<ref name=clippings>{{cite web|url=http://www.westernclippings.com/heavies/wmfawcett_charactersheavies.shtml|title=William Fawcett|publisher=Westernclippings.com|author=Boyd Magers|accessdate=August 31, 2020}}</ref>  

Fawcett was born as William Fawcett Thompson in High Forest Village in Olmsted County near Rochester in southeastern [[Minnesota]]. The name "Fawcett" came from the [[physician]] who delivered him. His father, William Eaton Lawrence Thompson, was a [[Methodist]] [[pastor]] who encouraged young Bill to enter the ministry. On September 5, 1916, three days before his twenty-second birthday, Fawcett was licensed to preach by the Hamline Quarterly Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Minnesota.<ref name=clippings>{{cite web|url=http://www.westernclippings.com/heavies/wmfawcett_charactersheavies.shtml|title=William Fawcett|publisher=Westernclippings.com|author=Boyd Magers|accessdate=August 31, 2020}}</ref>  

During [[World War I]], Fawcett served as an [[ambulance]] driver in the [[United States Army]]. He graduated from Methodist-affiliated Hamline University in the capital city of [[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]], Minnesota. Fawcett was decorated by the [[France|French]] [[government]] with the Légion d'honneur for his care of the wounded. After his military service, he went into acting, instead of the ministry, first in [[Canada]] and then in the [[United States]]. He had performed in church dramas and acted so convincingly that his mother would sometimes cry over his characterizations. He performed in repertory theater and stock companies during the 1920s and 1930s.<ref name=clippings/>

During [[World War I]], Fawcett served as an [[ambulance]] driver in the [[United States Army]]. He graduated from Methodist-affiliated Hamline University in the capital city of [[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]], Minnesota. Fawcett was decorated by the [[France|French]] [[government]] with the Légion d'honneur for his care of the wounded. After his military service, he went into acting, instead of the ministry, first in [[Canada]] and then in the [[United States]]. He had performed in church dramas and acted so convincingly that his mother would sometimes cry over his characterizations. He performed in repertory theater and stock companies during the 1920s and 1930s.<ref name=clippings/>