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Wilford Brimley

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This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 8 November 2024.

Anthony Wilford Brimley (September 27, 1934 – August 1, 2020) was an American actor.[1] After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and working odd jobs in the 1950s, Brimley started working as an extra and stuntman in Western films in the late 1960s. He became an established character actor in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as The China Syndrome (1979), The Thing (1982), Tender Mercies (1983), The Natural (1984), and Cocoon (1985). Brimley was known for playing characters at times much older than his age. He was the long-term face of American television advertisements for the Quaker Oats Company.[2] He also promoted diabetes education and appeared in related television commercials for Liberty Medical, a role for which he became an Internet meme.

Wilford Brimley
Brimley in October 2012
Born
Anthony Wilford Brimley

(1934-09-27)September 27, 1934
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
DiedAugust 1, 2020(2020-08-01) (aged 85)
St. George, Utah, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1967–2017
Spouses
Lynne Bagley
​
​
(m. 1956; died 2000)​
Beverly Berry
​
​
(m. 2007)​
Children4
Military career
Allegiance United States
Branch U.S. Marine Corps
Years of service1953–1956
Rank Sergeant
Battles / warsKorean War

Early life

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Anthony Wilford Brimley was born in Salt Lake City on September 27, 1934,[2][3] the son of Lola (née Nelson) and real estate broker Wilford Brimley.[4] His paternal grandfather was an Englishman from Wigan, while his paternal grandmother's parents were a Scottish couple from Glasgow. His mother was half Danish and also had English, German, Swiss, and Welsh ancestry.[5] Prior to a career in acting, he dropped out of high school at age 14 and worked as a cowboy in Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada.

Brimley joined the Marines in 1953 and served in the Aleutian Islands for three years.[6] He also worked as a bodyguard for businessman Howard Hughes[7] as well as a ranch hand, wrangler, and blacksmith.[3] He then began shoeing horses for film and television. At the behest of his close friend and fellow actor Robert Duvall, he began acting in the 1960s as a riding extra and stunt man in westerns.[8] In 1979, he told the Los Angeles Times that the most he ever earned in a year as an actor was $20,000.[5] He had no formal training as an actor, and his first experience in acting in front of a live audience was in a theater group at the Los Angeles Actors' Theater.[9]

Career

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Film and television

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Brimley greeting U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1988

Brimley's onscreen breakthrough came when he was cast in the popular 1970s television series The Waltons as Walton's Mountain resident and blacksmith Horace Brimley; he made seven appearances between 1974 and 1977.[3]

His first credited feature film performance was in The China Syndrome (1979)[3] as Ted Spindler, a friend and coworker of plant shift supervisor Jack Godell (portrayed by Jack Lemmon). That same year, he appeared in the Robert Redford/Jane Fonda feature film "The Electric Horseman" cast as simply "The Farmer" while assisting Redford and Fonda's characters evade troopers while transporting the horse in a cattle hauler. Later, Brimley made a brief but pivotal appearance in Absence of Malice (1981) as the curmudgeonly, outspoken Assistant Attorney General James A. Wells. In the movie The Thing (1982) he played the role of Blair, a biologist among a group of men at an American research station in Antarctica who encounter a dangerous alien that can perfectly imitate other organisms.[10]

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."[11] 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."[11]

Brimley then appeared as Pop Fisher, world-weary manager of a slumping baseball team, in The Natural (1984). Brimley appeared in the 1984 film Country as Otis, the patriarch of a family farm, which took a sobering look at farms in crisis in the 1980s. 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 was only 49 when he was cast in the role, and turned 50 during filming; he was at least 20 years younger than any of the actors playing the other retirement home residents. In order to look the part, Brimley bleached his hair and moustache to turn them gray, and had wrinkles and liver spots drawn on his face.[12] He also starred in Cocoon: The Return, a 1988 sequel.

Through these and other roles, Brimley became widely known for portraying gruff or stodgy old men, most notably on the 1980s NBC drama series Our House, also starring Deidre Hall, Chad Allen, and Shannen Doherty. One exception was when he played William Devasher, sinister head of security for a Mafia-associated law firm, in the Tom Cruise film The Firm (1993).[13]

After portraying the father of Kevin Kline in In & Out (1997), Brimley retreated from Hollywood in favor of involvement in more independent productions. 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 1980s film High Road to China). He played an intimidating United States Postmaster General in a 1997 episode of Seinfeld ("The Junk Mail"), who forces Kramer to end his boycott of the mail service.[14] 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.[15]

Commercials

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Brimley frequently appeared in commercials, including a series of commercials for Quaker Oats,[8] a campaign which became famous for his repeating their slogan "It's the right thing to do."[16][17] Developed by advertising agency Jordan, McGrath, Case & Taylor, the campaign began in 1987.[18] Brimley appeared in numerous television advertisements for Liberty Medical, a company specializing in home delivery of medical products (including diabetes testing supplies).[19] He appeared in commercials for the American Diabetes Association[20] and was the voice-over for a Bryan Foods television commercial campaign.[21]

Musical interests

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Brimley has been described as "a fine singer with a warm, rich voice".[22] 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.[22][23] He was 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.[24] In 2013, Riders in the Sky partnered with Brimley to produce the album Home on the Range, which featured him singing a variety of country and folk songs.[25]

Personal life

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Brimley was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[26] He was married to Lynne Bagley from July 6, 1956, until her death in June 2000. They had four sons together: James Charles, John Michael, William Carmen, and Lawrence Dean.[27] He married Beverly Berry on October 31, 2007.[7] They split their time between homes in Greybull, Wyoming, and Santa Clara, Utah.[28] In 2009, they founded the nonprofit organization Hands Across the Saddle (HATS) in the Bighorn Basin.[29]

Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1979, Brimley began working to raise awareness of the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) honored him in 2008 with an award to recognize his lifetime of service.[30] The ADA presented the award to him at the Port St. Lucie headquarters of Liberty Medical on December 19, 2008.[31] He visited Veterans Administration hospitals and communities to advise patients on how to manage their diseases. His television advertisements for Liberty Medical became an Internet meme due to Brimley's dialectal pronunciation of "diabetes", often rendered as "diabeetus" (/ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/), contrasting with his overall serious tone.[32]

Brimley spoke against the banning of cockfighting in New Mexico on the basis of his support of individual rights.[33] He also spoke at a 1998 Phoenix rally opposing an Arizona ballot proposition to ban cockfighting, arguing that a ban could lead to efforts to restrict the use of hunting dogs, which opponents of cockfighting called a distraction from the issue.[34] Brimley enjoyed playing poker[35] and played in the World Series of Poker Main Event.[36]

Brimley lent his support to John McCain in the 2008 United States presidential election.[37] 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."[38]

Death

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Brimley died at a hospital in St. George, Utah, on August 1, 2020, at age 85 after suffering from a kidney condition for two months.[39]

Filmography

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Sources:[40][41]

Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1968 Bandolero! Stuntman Uncredited [42]
1969 True Grit Minor Role
1971 Lawman Marc Corman
1979 The China Syndrome Ted Spindler
The Electric Horseman Farmer
1980 Brubaker Rogers
Borderline USBP Agent 'Scooter' Jackson
1981 Absence of Malice Assistant U.S. Attorney General James A. Wells
1982 Death Valley The Sheriff
The Thing Dr. Blair
1983 Tender Mercies Harry
10 to Midnight Captain Malone
High Road to China Bradley Tozer
Tough Enough Bill Long
1984 Harry & Son Tom Keach
The Hotel New Hampshire Bob 'Iowa Bob'
The Stone Boy George Jansen
The Natural 'Pop' Fisher
Country Otis
Terror in the Aisles Dr. Blair Archival footage
1985 Cocoon Ben Luckett
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins CURE Director Harold W. Smith
1986 Jackals Sheriff Mitchell
Shadows on the Wall Floyd Buckman
1987 End of the Line Will Haney
1988 Cocoon: The Return Ben Luckett
1990 Eternity King / Eric
1992 Where the Red Fern Grows: Part II Grandpa Will Direct-to-video
1993 The Firm Bill Devasher
Hard Target Uncle Clarence Douvee
1994 Heaven Sent Al (Security Guard)
1995 Mutant Species Devro
Last of the Dogmen Narrator Voice
Uncredited 		[43]
1996 My Fellow Americans Joe Hollis
1997 In & Out Frank Brackett
Lunker Lake The Storyteller
1998 Chapter Perfect Chief Hawkins
Progeny Dr. David Wetherly
A Place to Grow Jake
Summer of the Monkeys Grandpa Sam Ferrans
2000 Comanche Doctor
2001 Brigham City Stu
PC and the Web Unknown
2002 Resurrection Mary Morty
2003 The Road Home Coach Weaver
2009 The Path of the Wind Harry Caldwell
Did You Hear About the Morgans? Earl Granger
2016 Timber the Treasure Dog 'Hawk' Jones
2017 I Believe Pastor Final film role [44]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1974–1977 The Waltons Horace Brimley 10 episodes
1975 Kung Fu Blacksmith Episode: "One Step to Darkness"; as A. Wilford Brimley
1976–1977 The Oregon Trail Ludlow Episodes: Pilot, "Hard Ride Home"; as A. Wilford Brimley
1979 The Wild Wild West Revisited Grover Cleveland Television film; credited as Wilford A. Brimley
1980 Amber Waves Pete Alberts Television film
Roughnecks Willie Clayton
Rodeo Girl 'Bingo' Gibbs
1981 The Big Black Pill Wally Haskell Television film; aka. Joe Dancer
1985 Murder in Space Dr. Andrew McCallister Television film
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor Noa
1986 Thompson's Last Run 'Red' Haines
Act of Vengeance Tony Boyle
1986–1988 Our House Gus Witherspoon Main role
1989 Billy the Kid Governor Lew Wallace
1991 Blood River US Marshal Winston Patrick Culler
1992 The Boys of Twilight Deputy Bill Huntoon
1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Burt Mueller Episode: "War Zone"
Op Center Admiral Troy Davis
The Good Old Boys C.C. Tarpley Television film
1997 Seinfeld US Postmaster General Henry Atkins Episode: "The Junk Mail"
2001 Crossfire Trail Joe Gill Television film
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple Deputy Ambrose Scraggs
2011 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Guest Late night talk show

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1987 CableACE Awards Actor in a Movie or Miniseries Act of Vengeance Nominated [45]
2005 Golden Boot Awards Golden Boot — Won [45]
2013 Maverick Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor: Short Masque Nominated [46]

References

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  1. ^ Stewart, Zan (May 18, 1990). "Wilford Brimley Feels His Oats". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Wilford Brimley Biography". Mahalo.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d "Wilford Brimley biography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  4. ^ "Anthony Wilford Brimley". Powell Tribune. August 6, 2020. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Schreger, Charles (December 17, 1979). "Utah Cowboy—A Star is Born?". The Los Angeles Times. p. 31. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Joseph, Joslin (August 3, 2020). "Marine Veteran and Renowned Actor Wilford Brimley Dies". Military.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Tom, Lawrence (March 20, 2014). "'Just a feller,' Actor Wilford Brimley reflects on long career, stars he's known and the music he loves to sing". Powell Tribune. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 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
  8. ^ a b "Wilford Brimley Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  9. ^ Schreger, Charles (December 17, 1979). "Utah Cowboy—A Star is Born? (continuation)". The Los Angeles Times. p. 34. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Hoffman, Jordan (August 2, 2020). "Wilford Brimley, Star of The Thing and Cocoon, Dies at Age 85". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Bruce Beresford (actor), Robert Duvall (actor), Gary Hertz (director) (April 16, 2002). Miracles & Mercies. West Hollywood, California: Blue Underground. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  12. ^ Wixson, Heather A. (2017). Monster Squad: Celebrating the Artists Behind Cinema's Most Memorable Creatures. BearManor Media. p. 40. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  13. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (August 1, 2020). "Wilford Brimley Dies: 'Cocoon', 'The Natural' Actor Was 85". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  14. ^ Bernstein, Adam (August 2, 2020). "Wilford Brimley, homespun character actor, dies at 85". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  15. ^ Holden, Stephen (December 17, 2009). "Why, Oh Why, Oh Why, Oh, Send Us to Wy-o-ming?". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  16. ^ Mcdonough, John (May 24, 1999). "Jordan McGarth at 30". AdAge. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  17. ^ Todisco, Eric (August 2, 2020). "Wilford Brimley, Cocoon Star and Face of Quaker Oats Commercials, Dies at 85: 'One of a Kind'". People. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  18. ^ Dougherty, Philip M. (October 12, 1987). "Advertising; Oatmeal Battle Heats Up". The New York Times. p. D9. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  19. ^ Elber, Lynn (August 2, 2020). "Wilford Brimley, 'Cocoon' and 'Natural' actor, dies at 85". Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  20. ^ Karimi, Faith; Spells, Alta (August 2, 2020). "Wilford Brimley, 'Cocoon' actor who appeared in Quaker Oats commercials, dies at 85". CNN. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "Celebrity Gallery". Peter Hoffman. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  22. ^ a b 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. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  23. ^ "Wilford Brimley: This Time the Dream's on Me". CDTracks. 2004. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  24. ^ "Craig Ferguson 11/23/11E Late Late Show Wilford Brimley XD". TVsCraigFerguson2. November 25, 2011. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2016 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ Moore, Addie (August 3, 2020). "Flashback: Wilford Brimley Performs 'My Little Red Wagon' With Riders in the Sky". Wide Open Country. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ "Obituary: Lynne Bagley Brimley". Deseret News. June 17, 2000. Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  28. ^ Matray, Margaret (December 26, 2009). "Making a Christmas Connection". Billings Gazette. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  29. ^ "Hands Across the Saddle". HATS. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
  30. ^ "Wilford Brimley Biography". rambleunderground.org. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  31. ^ 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. Archived from the original on February 19, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  32. ^ Butterman, Matthew (May 6, 2018). "Wilford Brimley: Mr. Diabeetus". Diabetes Daily. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  33. ^ Barnes, Peter (February 23, 2005). "Cockfighting still legal in New Mexico. N.M. Panel Rejects Cockfighting Ban Plan". AllCreatures.org. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  34. ^ Molloy, Tim (November 1, 1998). "Wilford Brimley endorsed cockfighting". Today's News-Herald. Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  35. ^ "Wilford Brimley Biography". perfectpeople.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  36. ^ "Event #27 – WSOP World Championship – No Limit Hold'em (Day 4) Results & Report". pokerpages.com. May 14, 2001. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  37. ^ Sabloff, Nick (January 5, 2008). "McCain's Unveils His Answer To Chuck Norris". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2008.
  38. ^ "Carolina Decides". Time Warner Cable News North Carolina. Associated Press. August 28, 2008. Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  39. ^ Grimes, William (August 1, 2020). "Wilford Brimley, 'Cocoon' star and Quaker Oats pitchman, is dead at 85". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  40. ^ "Wilford Brimley List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  41. ^ "Wilford Brimley". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on August 28, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  42. ^ Quinlan, David (1995). Quinlan's Illustrated Directory of Film Character Actors. Batsford. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7134-7040-6.
  43. ^ Maltin, Leonard (2008). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. Penguin. p. 775. ISBN 978-0-452-28978-9. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  44. ^ "I Believe". filmaffinity.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  45. ^ a b "Brimley, Wilford 1934– (A. Wilford Brimley, Bill Brimley)". Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Gale Research. July 14, 2020. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  46. ^ "2013 Maverick Movie Awards & Nominations". Maverick Movie Awards. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
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