Photo: unknown (William Morris Agency) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Dooley Wilson is proof that one role, played with the right warmth, can outlive everything else. He was Sam in Casablanca, and his rendition of As Time Goes By is woven into film history so deeply that people quote it who have never seen the movie. What moves me is the backstory: he was a working drummer and bandleader long before Hollywood, touring nightclubs in London and Paris in the 1920s. That musicianship is exactly why the piano scenes feel so lived-in. Born in Tyler, Texas in 1886 and gone by 1953, he gave us a single immortal moment, and honestly, that is more than most performers ever manage.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dooley Wilson
- Name (Japanese)
- ドーリー・ウィルソン
- Reading
- どーりー・うぃるそん
- Born
- April 3, 1886 – May 30, 1953
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Dog
- Origin
- Tyler, Texas, United States
- Occupation
- musician / singer / stage actor / film actor / actor
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Dooley Wilson born?
April 3, 1886 – May 30, 1953.
Where is Dooley Wilson from?
Dooley Wilson is from Tyler, Texas, United States.
What does Dooley Wilson do?
Dooley Wilson works as musician, singer, stage actor, film actor, actor.
Musician — see all → · Singer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.