In today's episode, we sit down with the legendary William Stanford Davis, the Emmy-winning actor who's stolen scenes (and hearts) as the unforgettable Mr. Johnson on Abbott Elementary. From his roots in St. Louis to chasing standup comedy in Los Angeles, William's path to Hollywood is as inspiring as it is unexpected. He opens up about breaking into the industry, the lessons he learned from mentors like Martin Landau, and the risks that shaped his craft. And of course, we talk Abbott Elementary. Davis shares the story behind his iconic character, including a risky, improvised line in his audition that might have sealed the deal. He also gives us an insider look into the dynamic ensemble, the balance between script and improvisation, and how he approaches every set as a team player who makes sure to learn everyone's name.

These are the unforgettable stories that landed William Stanford Davis right here.

Credits:

• Abbott Elementary
• Side Quest
• Snowpiercer
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Ray Donovan
• The Big Bang Theory
• Perry Mason
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
• Shameless
• Truth Be Told
• Swagger
• Chicago Med

Guest Links:

• IMDB: William Stanford Davis, Actor, Director, Sound Department

THAT ONE AUDITION'S LINKS:

For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me: @alyshiaochse & @thatoneaudition

• SLAYTEMBER: Starting September 18th
• MAGIC MIND: 60% off ONEAUDITION60
• THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR
• THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly
• PATREON: @thatoneaudition
• CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse
• COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role
• INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse
• INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition
• WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com
• ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes
• SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify
• STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher

EPISODE CREDITS:

• WRITER: Erin McCluskey
• WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
• ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
• SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri