Bill Watson

William "Bill" Watson is a fictional caretaker and a minor character featured in The Shining franchise. He appeared in the original 1977 novel by author Stephen King. as well as the 1980 feature film The Shining, where was played by actor Barry Dennen. In the 1997 television adaptation of The Shining, Bill Watson was played by actor Pat Hingle.

Biography
Bill Watson was the regular caretaker of the Overlook Hotel during the 1970s. Like the rest of the staff, Watson took time off during the winter season when the hotel was closed down.

During these months, the position of caretaker was taken up by Jack Torrance. Bill Watson was present in hotel manager Stuart Ullman's office when Ullman described Jack's job duties. He attended Ullman and Torrance as they walked through the lobby of the hotel towards the kitchen.

Bill Watson was aware of the tragedy concerning a previous caretaker, Delbert Grady, who hacked up his wife and daughters with an axe and then shot himself in the head.

Notes & Trivia



 * In the 1997 television miniseries, Bill Watson is played by actor Pat Hingle. Aware of the Overlook's supernatural history, he remains elusive on the matter when speaking with Jack Torrance, and warns him about how to maintain the boiler.


 * Bill Watson is actually kind of a useless character in terms of the Kubrick film's narrative, and the story could have progressed along just as easily without him.


 * In the novel, Watson is identified by his surname only. He is first provided a given name in the Stanley Kubrick film. In the 1997 miniseries, he is identified as Pete Watson.


 * In the novel, Bill Watson was the grandson of Robert Townley Watson, who built the Overlook Hotel in 1907.


 * Actor Barry Dennen, who played Watson in the movie, passed away in Burbank, California on September 26th, 2017 at the age of 79.


 * Actor Pat Hingle, who played Watson in the TV miniseries passed away in Carolina Beach, North Carolina on January 3rd, 2009 at the age of 84.

Appearances

 * Shining, The (novel)
 * Shining, The (1980)
 * Shining, The (1997)