I'm new to the forum. I'm glad Bill's role as Decker has been so well loved. I'm Bill's biographer. I have to say he didn't care for the role AT ALL but he did truly appreciate the fans who enjoyed it and went to the conventions to sign autographs. He was a humble guy and was a complete jokester, didn't take things seriously. He was going through a dry spell after his show, The Farmer's Daughter,ended and I think he got Decker and then got a new agent. The role was supposed to go to Robert Ryan whom Bill worked with that same year. I could be wrong that it was Ryan though. Bill did not like Shatner (according to one of BIll's kids whom I've spoken with). In 1958 Shatner was in a Broadway show and Bill was his understudy. It was recorded that Shatner treated Bill harshly. Bill wasn't an actors actor...to him it was cosplay that paid. He did ANYTHING except deodorant commercials. He likely did the internet Star Trek because he was asked. He was often used in student films as well. He loved acting, he loved interacting with people so... bottom line, from my research, this show wasn't Bill's thing. He rarely watched tv but he took any role to pay the bills and it was better than a 9-5 job. He enjoyed meeting ST fans and was happy the role brought joy to them, it just wasn't his cup of tea.
