William Self was born on June 21, 1921, in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Political Science in 1943, before working in advertising for a year.
He began his acting career in 1944, and went on to act in over 30 films, including the notable role of Cpl. Barnes in Howard Hawks' The Thing from Another World (1951).
In 1952, Self transitioned to producing, starting as an Assistant Producer on the TV series China Smith (1952),and later becoming Associate Producer of the Schlitz Playhouse (1951) on CBS. He was promoted to Producer in 1953, producing 208 episodes, and also directed four episodes.
Self went on to produce The Frank Sinatra Show (1957) on ABC, and then worked as a program executive for CBS. He produced the pilot for The Twilight Zone (1959),before moving to 20th Century-Fox Television as an Executive Producer.
Over the next 15 years, Self rose through the ranks at Fox, becoming Vice President in Charge of Production for Television, Executive Vice President for Television, President 20th Century-Fox Television, and finally Vice President 20th Century-Fox Corp. During this period, Fox supplied 44 series to the networks, including M*A*S*H (1972),Batman (1966),Peyton Place (1964),Lost in Space (1965),and 12 O'Clock High (1964).
In 1975, Self formed a partnership with Mike Frankovich, resulting in two feature films: The Shootist (1976) starring John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, and James Stewart, and From Noon Till Three (1976) starring Charles Bronson.
Self returned to CBS in 1975, serving as Vice President Head of the West Coast, and later as Vice President in Charge of Movies and Miniseries. During this time, he produced over 250 movies and many miniseries.
In 1982, Self was offered the position of President of CBS Theatrical Film Division, producing ten films under his supervision. He left CBS in 1985 to form Self Productions, Inc.
Self's subsequent projects included producing The Tenth Man (1988) starring Anthony Hopkins for Hallmark Hall of Fame, and partnering with Glenn Close to form Sarah Productions, which produced three television movies for Hallmark Hall of Fame.
Self is married to Margaret Flynn, whom he married in 1941 and remained with until her death in 2007. He has two children, Edwin and Barbara, and is a Trustee of several organizations, including the Motion Picture and Television Fund, the John Tracy Clinic for Deaf Children, and The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.
