Wilford Brimley
| Wilford Brimley | |
|---|---|
 Brimley at a screening of The Thing on October 22, 2012 | |
| Born |
Anthony Wilford Brimley September 27, 1934 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Residence |
Greybull, Wyoming, U.S. Santa Clara, Utah, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) |
| Spouse(s) |
Lynne Bagley (m. 1956; d. 2000) Beverly Berry (m. 2007) |
| Children | 4 |
Anthony Wilford Brimley (born September 27, 1934),[1] credited either as A. Wilford Brimley or Wilford Brimley, is an American actor. He has appeared in many notable films including The China Syndrome (1979), The Thing (1982), The Natural (1984), Cocoon (1985) and The Firm (1993). He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons. Brimley has also done television advertisements, including for the Quaker Oats Company and Liberty Medical.[2]
He has type 2 adult-onset diabetes,[3] and has appeared in related commercials for Liberty Medical.
Early life
Brimley was born Anthony Wilford Brimley in Salt Lake City, Utah, on September 27, 1934,[2] where his father worked as a real estate broker.[4] Prior to his career in acting, Brimley dropped out of high school to serve in the United States Marine Corps, where he served in the Aleutian Islands for three years. He also worked as a bodyguard (for Howard Hughes),[5] ranch hand, wrangler and blacksmith.[1] He then began shoeing horses for film and television. He began acting in the 1960s as a riding extra in Westerns and a stunt man at the urging of his friend, actor Robert Duvall.[6]
Brimley married his first wife, the former Lynne Bagley, on July 6, 1956. They had four sons together (James Charles, John Michael, William Carmen and Lawrence Dean) and several grandchildren. Brimley and Lynne were married until her death in June 2000.[7]
Brimley married Beverly Berry on October 31, 2007.[8] Together they have lived in Greybull, Wyoming and Santa Clara, Utah. In 2009, they founded nonprofit organization Hands Across the Saddle (HATS) in the Big Horn Basin.[9]
Career
Brimley's onscreen breakthrough came when was cast in the popular 1970s television series The Waltons as Walton's Mountain resident Horace Brimley; he made seven appearances between 1974 and 1977.
His first credited feature film performance was in The China Syndrome (1979) as Ted Spindler, a friend and coworker of Jack Lemmon, Jack Godell. Later, Brimley made a brief, but pivotal, appearance in Absence of Malice (1981) as the curmudgeonly, outspoken Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Wells. He expanded on this cantankerous persona as Pop Fisher, world-weary manager of a slumping baseball team, in The Natural (1984). Shortly thereafter, Brimley secured his first leading role in Ron Howard's Cocoon (1985), portraying Ben Luckett, leader of a group of geriatrics who encounter a magically-reinvigorating swimming pool by their retirement home.
Brimley's close friend Robert Duvall (who also appeared in The Natural) was instrumental in securing for him the role of Harry in Tender Mercies (1983). Duvall, who had not been getting along with director Bruce Beresford, wanted "somebody down here that's on my side, somebody that I can relate to."[10] Beresford felt Brimley was too old for the part, but eventually agreed to the casting. Brimley, like Duvall, clashed with the director; during one instance when Beresford tried to advise Brimley on how Harry would behave, Duvall recalled Brimley responding: "Now look, let me tell you something, I'm Harry. Harry's not over there, Harry's not over here. Until you fire me or get another actor, I'm Harry, and whatever I do is fine 'cause I'm Harry."[10]
Through these and other early roles, Brimley became widely known for portraying gruff or stodgy old men, most notably on the 1980s drama series Our House, also starring Deidre Hall, Chad Allen and Shannen Doherty. However, he made a change from such "good guy" roles when he played William Devasher, ominous head of security for the Bendini, Lambert & Locke law firm, in the Tom Cruise film The Firm (1993) (based on the novel by John Grisham).
After portraying the father of Kevin Kline's protagonist in In & Out (1997), Brimley retreated from Hollywood in favor of involvement in more independent fare. He made an auspicious mainstream comeback with the TNT film Crossfire Trail (2001), co-starring with Tom Selleck (whom he had previously worked with in the '80s film High Road to China). After several more years of independent film and TV acting, Brimley had a supporting role in Did You Hear About The Morgans? (2009), making witty exchanges with star Hugh Grant.
Brimley has frequently appeared in commercials, notably a series of commercials for Quaker Oats[6] Oatmeal throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The Quaker commercials were famous for their slogan: "It's the right thing to do and the tasty way to do it." Brimley is also known for appearing in numerous television advertisements for Liberty Medical, a company specializing in home delivery of medical products such as diabetes testing supplies. He was also the voice-over for a Bryan Foods television commercial campaign, which was created by the New York advertising agency Ally & Gargano, written by A & G group creative director Peter Hoffman, and directed by long-time Hollywood director Howard Zieff.
Brimley has been described as "a fine singer with a warm, rich voice."[11] In 1993, Brimley sang with the Cal State Northridge Jazz Band for a concert benefiting the college's Jazz Endowment Scholarship Fund; in 2004, he released This Time, The Dream's On Me, an album of jazz standards named after the Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer-penned title track.[11][12] He is also an accomplished harmonica player; during his 2011 appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Brimley performed a lively rendition of "Oh! Susanna" much to the delight, and surprise, of Ferguson and the studio audience.[13]
Personal life
Diagnosed with diabetes in 1979, he began working to raise awareness of the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) honored Brimley in 2008 with an award to recognize his lifetime of service.[14] The ADA presented the award to him at the Port St. Lucie headquarters of Liberty Medical on December 19, 2008.[15] He has visited Veterans Administration hospitals and communities to advise patients on how to manage their diseases.
Brimley has supported advertisements to have Utah allow horse-race gambling.[16] He spoke against the banning of cockfighting in New Mexico on the basis of his support of individual rights.[17] Brimley also spoke at a 1998 Phoenix rally opposing an Arizona ballot proposition to ban cockfighting. Brimley argued that a ban could lead to efforts to restrict use of hunting dogs, which opponents of cockfighting called a distraction from the issue. [18] Brimley enjoys playing poker[19] and has played in the World Series of Poker Main Event.[20] Brimley lent his support to John McCain in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.[21] In the days leading up to his selection for vice president, McCain jokingly stated that he would pick Brimley: "He's a former Marine and great guy and he's older than I am, so that might work."[22]
Brimley has resided in Greybull, Wyoming, and Santa Clara, Utah, since 2006.[23] Brimley is a Mormon.[24]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Bandolero! | Stuntman (uncredited) | |
| 1969 | True Grit | Uncredited | |
| 1971 | Lawman | Marc Corman | Uncredited |
| 1979 | The China Syndrome | Ted Spindler | |
| 1979 | The Electric Horseman | Farmer | |
| 1980 | Brubaker | Rogers | |
| 1980 | Borderline | USBP Agent Scooter Jackson | |
| 1981 | Absence of Malice | Assistant U.S. Attorney General James A. Wells | |
| 1982 | Death Valley | The Sheriff | |
| 1982 | The Thing | Dr. Blair | |
| 1983 | Tender Mercies | Harry | |
| 1983 | 10 to Midnight | Captain Maline | |
| 1983 | High Road to China | Bradley Tozer | |
| 1983 | Tough Enough | Bill Long | |
| 1984 | Harry & Son | Tom Keach | |
| 1984 | The Hotel New Hampshire | Iowa Bob | |
| 1984 | The Stone Boy | George Jansen | |
| 1984 | The Natural | Pop Fisher | |
| 1984 | Country | Otis | |
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | Archive footage | |
| 1985 | Cocoon | Benjamin 'Ben' Luckett | |
| 1985 | Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins | Agency Director Harold Smith | |
| 1985 | Ewoks: The Battle for Endor | Noa Briqualon | |
| 1985 | Murder in Space | Dr. Andrew McAllister | |
| 1986 | Jackals | Sheriff Mitchell | |
| 1986 | Shadows on the Wall | Floyd Buckman | |
| 1987 | End of the Line | Will Haney | |
| 1988 | Cocoon: The Return | Benjamin 'Ben' Luckett | |
| 1990 | Eternity | King/Eric | |
| 1992 | Where the Red Fern Grows: Part II | Grandpa Will | Direct-to-video |
| 1993 | The Firm | William Devasher | |
| 1993 | Hard Target | Uncle Douvee | |
| 1994 | Heaven Sent | Al (Security Guard) | |
| 1995 | Mutant Species | Devro | |
| 1995 | Last of the Dogmen | Narrator | Uncredited |
| 1996 | My Fellow Americans | Joe Hollis | |
| 1997 | In & Out | Frank Brackett | |
| 1997 | Lunker Lake | The Storyteller | |
| 1998 | Chapter Perfect | Chief Hawkins | |
| 1998 | Progeny | Dr. David Wetherly | |
| 1998 | A Place to Grow | Jake | |
| 1998 | Summer of the Monkeys | Grandpa Sam Ferrans | |
| 2000 | Comanche | ||
| 2001 | Brigham City | Stu | |
| 2001 | PC and the Web | ||
| 2002 | Resurrection Mary | Morty | |
| 2003 | The Road Home | Coach Weaver | |
| 2009 | The Path of the Wind | Harry Caldwell | |
| 2009 | Did You Hear About the Morgans? | Earl Granger | |
| 2016 | Timber the Treasure Dog | Hawk Jones |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–77 | The Waltons | Horace Brimley | 8 episodes |
| 1975 | Kung Fu | Horace Brimley | Episode: "One Step to Darkness"; as A. Wilford Brimley |
| 1976–77 | The Oregon Trail | Ludlow | Episodes: Pilot, "Hard Ride Home"; as A. Wilford Brimley |
| 1979 | The Wild Wild West Revisited | President Grover Cleveland | Television film; as Wilford A. Brimley |
| 1980 | Amber Waves | Pete Alberts | Television film |
| 1980 | Roughnecks | Willie Clayton | Television film |
| 1980 | Rodeo Girl | Bingo Gibbs | Television film |
| 1981 | The Big Black Pill | Wally Haskell | Television film; aka. Joe Dancer |
| 1985 | Murder in Space | Dr. Andrew McCallister | Television film |
| 1985 | Ewoks: The Battle for Endor | Noa | Television film |
| 1986 | Thompson's Last Run | Red Haines | Television film |
| 1986 | Act of Vengeance | Tony Boyle | Television film |
| 1986–88 | Our House | Gus Witherspoon | |
| 1989 | Billy the Kid | Gov. Lew Wallace | Television series |
| 1991 | Blood River | U.S. Marshal Winston Patrick Culler | Television film |
| 1992 | The Boys of Twilight | Bill Huntoon | Television series |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Burt Mueller | Episode: "War Zone" |
| 1995 | Op Center | Admiral Troy Davis | |
| 1995 | The Good Old Boys | C.C. Tarpley | Television film |
| 1997 | Seinfeld | United States Postmaster General Henry Atkins | Episode: "The Junk Mail" |
| 2001 | Crossfire Trail | Joe Gill | Television film |
| 2001 | The Ballad of Lucy Whipple | Deputy Sheriff Ambrose Scraggs | Television film |
| 2011 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson' | Guest | Late Night Talk Show |
References
- 1 2 "Wilford Brimley biography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
- 1 2 "Wilford Brimley Biography". Mahalo.com. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
- ↑ Wilford Brimley On His Diabetes
- ↑ "Wilford Brimley Biography". FilmReference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
- ↑ Lawrence, Tom, ‘Just a feller,’ Actor Wilford Brimley reflects on long career, stars he’s known and the music he loves to sing, Powell Tribune, 20 March 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2015. "Of course, Brimley has been around a lot of famous people. He was a bodyguard for reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, although he doesn’t care to discuss that very much. “He was a good guy,” he said, adding that Hughes paid him well. Hughes preferred to hire members of the Church of Latter-day Saints as aides and staffers, and Brimley himself is a member of the LDS church."
- 1 2 "Wilford Brimley Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
- ↑ "Obituary: Lynne Bagley Brimley". Deseret News. June 17, 2000. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
- ↑ "Wilford Brimley Reflects". Powell Tribune. March 20, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- ↑ "Hands Across the Saddle". HATS. June 1, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- 1 2 Bruce Beresford (actor), Robert Duvall (actor), Gary Hertz (director) (April 16, 2002). Miracles & Mercies. West Hollywood, California: Blue Underground. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
- 1 2 Fowler, James E. (February 26, 1993). "Actor Feeling His Oats as Singer: Wilford Brimley will perform with a jazz band at a benefit concert Saturday for a new CSUN scholarship fund". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
- ↑ "Wilford Brimley: This Time the Dream's on Me". CDTracks. 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SCOaBXES7Y
- ↑ "Inspiration And Expert Advice: Famous People: Wilford Brimley Biography". dlife.com.
- ↑ Blandford, Laurie K. (December 19, 2008). "Actor Wilford Brimley surprised with award from American Diabetes Association in Port St. Lucie". The St. Lucie News-Tribune. TCPalm. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
- ↑ Wilford Brimley at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Barnes, Peter (February 23, 2005). "Cockfighting still legal in New Mexico. N.M. Panel Rejects Cockfighting Ban Plan.". AllCreatures.org. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
- ↑ Molloy, Tim (November 1, 1998). "Wilford Brimley endorses cockfighting". Today's News-Herald. Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Associated Press. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
- ↑ "Wilford Brimley Biography". perfectpeople.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Event #27 - WSOP World Championship - No Limit Hold'em (Day 4) Results & Report". pokerpages.com. May 14, 2001. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ↑ Sabloff, Nick (January 5, 2008). "McCain's Unveils His Answer To Chuck Norris". The Huffington Post.
- ↑ "Carolina Decides". Time Warner Cable News North Carolina. August 28, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ↑ Matray, Margaret (December 26, 2009). "Making a Christmas Connection". Billings Gazette. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ↑ Abanes, Richard (2009). "Chapter Two: Mormons in Movieland". Religion of the Stars: What Hollywood Believes and How It Affects You. Bloomington, Minnesota: Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group. ISBN 9780764206481. OCLC 263988104.