Will Wright

Acting • Born 1894-03-25 – Died 1962-06-19

Acting1San Francisco, California, USA

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.

Filmography

215 credits

Blondie Plays Cupid

Movie • 1940

Mr. Tucker

Here Comes Elmer

Movie • 1943

Horace Parrot

It's A Small World

Movie • 1935

Courtroom spectator (uncredited)

Mob Town

Movie • 1941

Pawnbroker (uncredited)

House by the River

Movie • 1950

Inspector Sarten

Saboteur

Movie • 1942

J.C. Lormans - Company Official (uncredited)

The Postman Didn't Ring

Movie • 1942

Mr. Slade

Tales of Manhattan

Movie • 1942

Old Concertgoer (uncredited)

Tennessee Johnson

Movie • 1942

Alderman (uncredited)

Cape Fear

Movie • 1962

Dr. Pearsall

You Can't Ration Love

Movie • 1944

Judge Cary - Justice of the Peace

The Navy Way

Movie • 1944

Baldy - Triangle A Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Wilson

Movie • 1944

Hughes Campaign Orator in Maine (uncredited)

The Town Went Wild

Movie • 1944

Judge Harry Schrank (uncredited)

Dangerous Passage

Movie • 1944

Postal Clerk (uncredited)

Fall Guy

Movie • 1945

Mr. Nedsen, Parkson's Attorney (uncredited)

Salome, Where She Danced

Movie • 1945

Sheriff

You Came Along

Movie • 1945

Col. Dale V. Armstrong (uncredited)

State Fair

Movie • 1945

Hog Judge (uncredited)

Johnny Comes Flying Home

Movie • 1946

Foreman (uncredited)

Who's Cookin Who?

Movie • 1946

Wolfie Wolf (voice)

Hot Cargo

Movie • 1946

Tim Chapman

Big Town

Movie • 1946

Station Agent (uncredited)

The Jolson Story

Movie • 1946

Sourpuss Movie Patron (uncredited)

Prospecting for Petroleum

Movie • 1946

The Professor (voice)

California

Movie • 1947

Chairman (uncredited)

The Long Night

Movie • 1947

Mr. Tully - the Janitor (uncredited)

The Trouble with Women

Movie • 1947

Commissioner (uncredited)

Uncle Tom's Cabana

Movie • 1947

Uncle Tom (uncredited)

Jingle, Jangle, Jingle

Movie • 1948

Pop Williams

Green Grass of Wyoming

Movie • 1948

Jake Willis

The Good Fellows

Movie • 1943

Brother from Danville (uncredited)

So This Is New York

Movie • 1948

Uncle Fergus (uncredited)

The Walls of Jericho

Movie • 1948

Dr. Patterson (uncredited)

Speaking of Animals: Home Sweet Home

Movie • 1948

Babirusa / Pig (voice)

Grape Nutty

Movie • 1949

Crow (Voice)

The Price of Freedom

Movie • 1949

McTrees

Miss Grant Takes Richmond

Movie • 1949

Roscoe Johnson (uncredited)

Dallas

Movie • 1950

Judge Harper

Never Trust a Gambler

Movie • 1951

Cap Douglas (uncredited)

Lydia Bailey

Movie • 1952

Consul (uncredited)

Not as a Stranger

Movie • 1955

Mr. Roberts (uncredited)

Fail Safe

Movie • 1964

Bit Part (uncredited)

Lust for Gold

Movie • 1949

Parsons (uncredited)

All the King's Men

Movie • 1949

Dolph Pillsbury

Adam's Rib

Movie • 1949

Judge Marcasson

The Las Vegas Story

Movie • 1952

Mike Fogarty

Act of Violence

Movie • 1949

Pop

Holiday for Sinners

Movie • 1952

The Man with a Cigar

The Loose Nut

Movie • 1945

Construction Worker (voice)

The Reckless Driver

Movie • 1946

Wally Walrus (voice)

Fair Weather Fiends

Movie • 1946

Wolfie Wolf (voice)

Bewitched

Movie • 1945

Mr. Herkheimer

The Savage Horde

Movie • 1950

Judge Thomas Cole

The Madonna's Secret

Movie • 1946

The Riverman

Cowboy in Manhattan

Movie • 1943

Higgins

Gunman's Walk

Movie • 1958

Judge

Vengeance Valley

Movie • 1951

Mr. Willoughby

Little Women

Movie • 1949

Mr. Grace (uncredited)

Johnny Tremain

Movie • 1957

Ephraim Lapham

Without Reservations

Movie • 1946

Pullman Conductor (uncredited)

The Blue Dahlia

Movie • 1946

"Dad" Newell

They Live by Night

Movie • 1949

Mobley

These Wilder Years

Movie • 1956

Old Cab Driver

The Major and the Minor

Movie • 1942

Ticket Agent #1 (uncredited)

Alias Jesse James

Movie • 1959

Titus Queasley

The Deadly Companions

Movie • 1961

Doctor Acton

Disaster

Movie • 1948

Pop Hansford

Niagara

Movie • 1953

Boatman

The Inner Circle

Movie • 1946

Henry Boggs

Blue Skies

Movie • 1946

Dan - Stage Manager (uncredited)

Shadow of the Thin Man

Movie • 1941

Maguire - Nervous Ticket Seller (uncredited)

Nothing but the Truth

Movie • 1941

Mr. Bart Prichard (uncredited)

Twenty Plus Two

Movie • 1961

Newspaper morgue attendant

Mother Wore Tights

Movie • 1947

Withers (uncredited)

The Tell-Tale Heart

Movie • 1941

Second Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)

So Proudly We Hail

Movie • 1943

Colonel Clark (Uncredited)

The Last Posse

Movie • 1953

Todd Mitchell

The Wayward Bus

Movie • 1957

Van Brunt

Quantrill's Raiders

Movie • 1958

Judge Wood

Danger Street

Movie • 1947

Police Chief Bullward

The Inside Story

Movie • 1948

J. J. Johnson

River of No Return

Movie • 1954

Trader (uncredited)

Big Jack

Movie • 1949

Will Farnsworth

O. Henry's Full House

Movie • 1952

Manager (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

The Man with the Golden Arm

Movie • 1955

Sunset in the West

Movie • 1950

Sheriff Tad Osborne

Paula

Movie • 1952

Raymond Bascom

Blaze of Noon

Movie • 1947

Mr. Thomas

The Iron Sheriff

Movie • 1957

Judge

Keeper of the Bees

Movie • 1947

Dr. Grayson

Lure of the Wilderness

Movie • 1952

Sheriff Brink

The Missouri Traveler

Movie • 1958

Sheriff Marvin Peavy

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Movie • 1958

Fire Chief (uncredited)

Cynthia

Movie • 1947

Gus Wood, Thatcher's Real Estate Rep

Brimstone

Movie • 1949

Martin Tredwell

Wildcat

Movie • 1942

John 'Paw' Smithers

The Green Promise

Movie • 1949

Mr. Grenstedt

Whispering Smith

Movie • 1948

Sheriff McSwiggin

Cracked Nuts

Movie • 1941

Sylvanus Boogle

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

Movie • 1948

Eph Hackett (uncredited)

The Wild One

Movie • 1953

Art Kleiner

The Raid

Movie • 1954

Josiah Anderson

A Letter From Bataan

Movie • 1942

Mr. Limpert

Practically Yours

Movie • 1944

Sen. Cowling (uncredited)

High Powered

Movie • 1945

Jeff Hines

Bambi

Movie • 1942

Friend Owl (voice) (uncredited)

The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry

Movie • 1945

Mr. Nelson

The Meanest Man in the World

Movie • 1943

Pawn Shop Owner (uncredited)

O. Henry's Full House

Movie • 1952

Hotel Desk Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

You, the People

Movie • 1940

Mr. Roberts

One Exciting Week

Movie • 1946

Otis Piper

Rendezvous with Annie

Movie • 1946

Elmer Snodgrass

Scarlet Street

Movie • 1945

Globe Loan Office Manager (uncredited)

Inherit the Wind

Movie • 1960

Bible Salesman (uncredited)

Take It Big

Movie • 1944

Rodeo Judge (uncredited)

No Way Out

Movie • 1950

Dr. Cheney (uncredited)

Shut My Big Mouth

Movie • 1942

Jim Long

The Richest Man in Town

Movie • 1941

Frederick Johnson

Mrs. Mike

Movie • 1949

Dr. McIntosh

The Hoodlum Saint

Movie • 1946

Allan 'Knucklehead' Smith - Times Editor (uncredited)

Jeanne Eagels

Movie • 1957

Marshal (uncredited)

An Act of Murder

Movie • 1948

Judge Jim Wilder

Rhapsody in Blue

Movie • 1945

Rachmaninoff

Maisie Was a Lady

Movie • 1941

Judge Thatcher (Uncredited)

Johnny Guitar

Movie • 1954

Ned - Bank Teller (uncredited)

Wild Harvest

Movie • 1947

Mike Alperson

Grissly's Millions

Movie • 1945

John Frey

A Ticket to Tomahawk

Movie • 1950

Marshal Kit Dodge

USS VD: Ship of Shame

Movie • 1942

Commandant (uncredited)

Along the Oregon Trail

Movie • 1947

Jim Bridger

Black Eagle

Movie • 1948

Sheriff Clancy

Relentless

Movie • 1948

Sam - the Horse Dealer

Honky Tonk

Movie • 1941

Townsman at Meeting House (uncredited)

Blossoms in the Dust

Movie • 1941

Senator

California's Golden Beginning

Movie • 1948

Pure Feud

Movie • 1934

Lem (uncredited)

The Happy Time

Movie • 1952

Family Doctor

In Old Oklahoma

Movie • 1943

Doctor

Atomic Energy as a Force for Good

Movie • 1955

Tim Summers

Walk Softly, Stranger

Movie • 1950

Jake - Poker Player (uncredited)

My Forbidden Past

Movie • 1951

Luther Toplady

Road to Utopia

Movie • 1946

Mr. Latimer (uncredited)

Young Man with Ideas

Movie • 1952

Party Guest (uncredited)

The Tall Target

Movie • 1951

Thomas Ogden (uncredited)

They Made Me a Killer

Movie • 1946

Henry, the Blacksmith

The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell

Movie • 1955

Admiral William S. Sims

The Kentuckian

Movie • 1955

John Decker (uncredited)

Excuse My Dust

Movie • 1951

Race judge

The Tall Men

Movie • 1955

Gus - Bartender (uncredited)

The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock

Movie • 1959

Pentagon General

Down Missouri Way

Movie • 1946

Prof. Morris

Sleepy Lagoon

Movie • 1943

Cyrus Coates

People Will Talk

Movie • 1951

Uncle John Higgins (uncredited)

Apple Andy

Movie • 1946

Devil

The Andy Griffith Show

TV • 1960

Ben Weaver

Maverick

TV • 1957

Trackdown

TV • 1957

December Bride

TV • 1954

The Dick Van Dyke Show

TV • 1961

Sam Petrie

I Love Lucy

TV • 1951

Mr. Walters

Dragnet

TV • 1951

Perry Mason

TV • 1957

James Vardon

General Electric Theater

TV • 1953

I Love Lucy

TV • 1951

Sheriff

The Tall Man

TV • 1960

Leave It to Beaver

TV • 1957

Pete at Firehouse #7

Outlaws

TV • 1960

Rawhide

TV • 1959

Grandfather

Dennis the Menace

TV • 1959

Merrivale

The Millionaire

TV • 1955

Grandpa Costello

Thriller

TV • 1960

Constable Tom Walker

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

TV • 1951

Pop

The Real McCoys

TV • 1957

Pete and Gladys

TV • 1960

Bronco

TV • 1958

You Are There

TV • 1953

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

TV • 1951

Lawman

TV • 1958

Sugarfoot

TV • 1957

Charlie Cade

Bat Masterson

TV • 1958

Billy Willow

Riverboat

TV • 1959

J.C. Sickel

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

TV • 1956

King - Newspaper Editor

Cavalcade of America

TV • 1952

George's Father

The Lone Ranger

TV • 1949

Uncle Ed

Official Detective

TV • 1957

Letter to Loretta

TV • 1953

Father Gourdian

Hey, Jeannie!

TV • 1956

McClish

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

TV • 1950

Judge Kramer