Bill was known by his friends as "Billy", when he was a youth. He attended "public" school, as many actor's sons and daughters did in the 1960s. He was never athletic since he was stricken with a childhood disease. He was well liked at Emerson Junior High School in West Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Emerson in June 1962. He was known as a friend to everyone, rich or not. After Emerson, he went on to University High School in Los Angeles.