Will Wright

Acting

Will Wright

Born
Died
(aged 68)
Birthplace
San Francisco, California, USA
Credits
200 titles

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Henry "Will" Wright (March 26, 1894, San Francisco, California - June 19, 1962, Los Angeles, California) was an American character actor. He was frequently cast in westerns and in curmudgeonly roles. Over the course of his career, Wright appeared in more than 200 film and television roles. He started his acting career in vaudeville and later moved to the stage, then on to movies, radio, and television.

Among the films in which Wright appeared are Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), The Major and the Minor (1943), So Proudly We Hail! (1943), Road to Utopia (1946), Mother Wore Tights (1947), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), Little Women (1949), Walk Softly, Stranger (1950), Sunset in the West (1950), People Will Talk (1951), The Happy Time (1952), River of No Return (1954), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), Jeanne Eagels (1957), and Gunman's Walk (1958). One of his most famous and memorable film roles was corrupt city official Dolph Pillsbury in the Academy Award-winning All the King's Men (1949).

Wright provided the voice of Friend Owl in Walt Disney's animated film Bambi (1942). He guest starred on several television series.

Will Wright died of cancer in 1962.

Signature work

Known For

Acting credits 200

YearTitleRole
1964 Fail Safe Film Bit Part (uncredited)
1962 Cape Fear Film Dr. Pearsall
1961 The Dick Van Dyke Show TV Sam Petrie (1 ep)
1961 Twenty Plus Two Film Newspaper morgue attendant
1961 The Deadly Companions Film Doctor Acton
1961 Mister Ed TV Mr. Thompson (1 ep)
1960 The Andy Griffith Show TV Ben Weaver (3 ep)
1960 Outlaws TV (1 ep)
1960 Pete and Gladys TV (1 ep)
1960 Thriller TV Constable Tom Walker (1 ep)
1960 The Tall Man TV (1 ep)
1960 Inherit the Wind Film Bible Salesman (uncredited)
1959 Mr. Lucky TV The Leadville Kid (1 ep)
1959 Dennis the Menace TV Merrivale (4 ep)
1959 Riverboat TV J.C. Sickel (1 ep)
1959 The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock Film Pentagon General
1959 Alias Jesse James Film Titus Queasley
1959 Rawhide TV Grandfather (1 ep)
1958 77 Sunset Strip TV Luther Hanks (1 ep)
1958 Bat Masterson TV Billy Willow (3 ep)
1958 Lawman TV (1 ep)
1958 The Donna Reed Show TV Oliver (1 ep)
1958 Bronco TV (1 ep)
1958 Rock-a-Bye Baby Film Fire Chief (uncredited)
1958 Gunman's Walk Film Judge
1958 Quantrill's Raiders Film Judge Wood
1958 The Missouri Traveler Film Sheriff Marvin Peavy
1957 Trackdown TV Zack (1 ep)
1957 Leave It to Beaver TV Pete at Firehouse #7 (1 ep)
1957 The Real McCoys TV (1 ep)
1957 Maverick TV General Hoyt Bosco, Jabe Hallock, General Eakins, Sheriff Chester Bentley (2 ep)
1957 Perry Mason TV James Vardon, Adam Thompson, Chuck Clark (1 ep)
1957 Sugarfoot TV Charlie Cade, John Chamberlain, Job Turner (1 ep)
1957 Jeanne Eagels Film Marshal (uncredited)
1957 Johnny Tremain Film Ephraim Lapham
1957 The Wayward Bus Film Van Brunt
1957 The Iron Sheriff Film Judge
1957 Official Detective TV (1 ep)
1956 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre TV King - Newspaper Editor (1 ep)
1956 Conflict TV (1 ep)
1956 Hey, Jeannie! TV McClish (1 ep)
1956 These Wilder Years Film Old Cab Driver
1955 The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Film Admiral William S. Sims
1955 The Man with the Golden Arm Film
1955 The 20th Century Fox Hour TV Judge O'Neill (1 ep)
1955 The Tall Men Film Gus - Bartender (uncredited)
1955 The Kentuckian Film John Decker (uncredited)
1955 Not as a Stranger Film Mr. Roberts (uncredited)
1955 The Millionaire TV Grandpa Costello (1 ep)
1955 Atomic Energy as a Force for Good Film Tim Summers
1954 December Bride TV (3 ep)
1954 Lassie TV Caleb Brown (1 ep)
1954 The Raid Film Josiah Anderson
1954 Johnny Guitar Film Ned - Bank Teller (uncredited)
1954 River of No Return Film Trader (uncredited)
1954 Public Defender TV Horace Bascomb (1 ep)
1953 The Wild One Film Art Kleiner
1953 The Danny Thomas Show TV Mr. Johnson (1 ep)
1953 Letter to Loretta TV Father Gourdian (1 ep)
1953 The Last Posse Film Todd Mitchell
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