William Bryan Jennings Jr.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS--William Bryan "Bill" Jennings Jr., an attorney for most of his life, and an occasional actor whose one movie role was a small part in one of the worst movies ever made, died here Dec. 19. He was 86. In 1966 he played a small role as a policeman in the film "MANOS" - THE HANDS OF FATE, little guessing that it would become legendary in the world of cheesy movies.

Jennings was born in Taft, Texas, where he graduated from Taft High School. He earned a B.A. from Texas Christian University and his law degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II, piloting seaplanes out of California and Alaska from 1941 to 1945.

He and his family moved from Fort Worth to El Paso, where, in addition to his private practice, he was an assistant district attorney. In 1968, they moved back to Fort Worth, where he was an attorney at the Power and Associates Law Firm in Irving, Texas until his retirement in July 2002.

In addition to his law practice and membership in a large number of community and fraternal organizations, Jennings was extensively involved in regional theater, and performed in many musicals, plays and operas in Fort Worth and El Paso, for companies including the Manchester Music Club and the Fort Worth Opera Chorus. He served on the boards of regional theater companies in Fort Worth, Irving and Bedford, Texas.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Pauline "Polly" Jennings; two sons, a daughter, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Texas Masonic Retirement Center, 1501 W. Division, Arlington, Texas 76012; or Meadowbrook United Methodist Church, 3900 Meadowbrook, Fort Worth, Texas 76103.