Brimley, Wilford

Wilford Brimley

Wilford Brimley was born on September 27, 1934 in Salt Lake City, Utah, US and raised in Santa Monica, CA.  He was a farmer, rodeo rider, ranch hand, racehorse trainer  and a blacksmith to help support his family.  He lived in Idaho for a few short years then made his way back to California.  

In the late 50's and into the mid 60's Brimley started to act, as an extra, cowboy stuntman and shoeing horses for stables that furnished animals for movie and TV Westerns.  It wasn't long before he was noticed, with his rustic looks he started to get speaking parts.  

He is married to Lynne Brimley (1955-present) and has three children.

Film
Timber the Treasure Dog~2015 - Hawk Jones
Did You Hear About the Morgans?~2009 - Earl Granger
The Path of the Wind~2009 - Harry Caldwell
The Road Home~2003 - Coach Weaver
Resurrection Mary~2002 - Morty
Round and Round, The~2002 - Governor
PC and the Web~2001
Brigham City~2001 - Stu
Comanche~2000
Progeny~1999 - Dr. David Wetherly
Chapter Perfect~1998 - Chief Hawkins
All My Friends Are Cowboys~1998 - Charlie
Summer of the Monkeys~1998 - Grandpa Sam Ferrans
A Place to Grow~1998 - Jake
Lunker Lake~1997 - The Storyteller
In & Out~1997 - Frank Brackett
My Fellow Americans~1996 - Joe Hollis, Democratic Party Chairman
Mutant Species~1995 - Devro
Last of the Dogmen~1995 (uncredited) - Narrator
Heaven Sent~1994 - Al the Security Guard
Hard Target~1993 - Uncle Douvee
Firm, The~1993 - William Devasher
Where the Red Fern Grows: Part 2~1992 (V) - Grandpa Will
Eternity~1989 - King/Eric
Cocoon: The Return~1988 - Benjamin 'Ben' Luckett
End of the Line~1988 - Will Haney
Shadows on the Wall~1986 - Floyd Buckman
Jackals~1986 - Sheriff Mitchell
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins~1985 - Harold Smith
Cocoon~1985 - Benjamin 'Ben' Luckett
Country~1984 - Otis
Stone Boy, The~1984 - George Jansen
Terror in the Aisles~1984 (archive footage) - Blair (segment The Thing)
Natural, The~1984 - Pop Fisher
Hotel New Hampshire, The~1984 - Iowa Bob
Harry and Son~1984 - Tom Keach
Tough Enough~1983 - Bill Long
High Road to China~1983 - Bradley Tozer (see Actor Connections - Film)
10 to Midnight~1983 - Captain Malone
Tender Mercies~1983 - Harry
Thing, The~1982 - Dr. Blair
Death Valley~1982 - The Sheriff
Absence of Malice~1981 - Asst. U.S. Atty. Gen. James A. Wells
Borderline~1980 - Scooter Jackson
Brubaker~1980 - Rogers, Prison Board Member
Electric Horseman, The~1979 - Farmer
China Syndrome, The~1979 - Ted Spindler
Lawman~1971 - (uncredited) Marc Corman, Corpse
True Grit~1969 - (uncredited) extra

TV
Larry King Live~2003 - Himself
Ballad of Lucy Whipple, The~2001 - Deputy Sheriff Ambrose Scraggs
Crossfire Trail~2001 - Joe Gill
Seinfeld~1997 - Henry Atkins, Postmaster General in The Junk Mail
Good Old Boys, The~1995 - C.C. Tarpley
OP Center~1995 - Adm. Troy Davis
Walker, Texas Ranger~1995 - Burt Mueller in  War Zone
Homicide: Life on the Street~1994 - Harry Prentice in  See No Evil
Blood River~1991 - U.S. Marshal Winston Patrick Culler
Boys of Twilight, The~1992 - Bill Huntoon
Billy the Kid~1989 - Governor Lew Wallace
Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville~1987 - voice of The Constitution
Our House~1986  - Gus Witherspoon (46 episodes)
Act of Vengeance~1986  - Tony Boyle
Thompson's Last Run~1986  - Red Haines
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor~1985 - Noa Briqualon

Murder in Space~1985 - Dr. Andrew McCallister
Making of 'Absence of Malice', The~1981 - Himself
Big Black Pill, The~1981 - Wally
Roughnecks~1980 - Willie
Rodeo Girl~1980 - Bingo Gibbs
Amber Waves~1980 - Pete Alberts
Wild Wild West Revisited, The~1979 - President Grover Cleveland
Making of 'The China Syndrome', The~1979 - Himself
How the West Was Won~1979 -  Sheriff Daniels in  Hillary
The Awakening Land~1978 - Jude McWhirter in Part I: The Trees
Waltons, The~1974-1977 -  Horace Brimley (as A. Wilford Brimley) in:
    The Celebration
    The First Casualty
    The Hawk
    The Heartbreaker
    The Search
    The Intruders
    The Song
    The Shivaree
    The Five Foot Shelf
Oregon Trail, The~1977 - Ludlow in:
    Hard Ride Home
    Last Game
Kung Fu~1975 - Blacksmith (as A.Wilford Brimley) in One Step to Darkness
Gunsmoke~1955 -

Theatre
A Christmas Carol~1993 - Ebeneezer Scrooge (Palace Theater, Albany, NY)
Love Letters~1993 - Andrew Makepeace Ladd III (The Blowing Rock Stage Company, Blowing Rock, NC)

Commercials
Quaker Oats
Liberty Medical Supplies
American Diabetes Association
Anheiser-Busch

Books
Command of the Grill - A Salute to Steak~2006 - recipe contributor

Other
Quiet Heroes (symphonic score written by Chris Burbeck)~2007 - Narrator (Appleton, WI)

Awards, Honors, and Nominations
Apex Awards:
Rec'd 1982 Actor In A Supporting Role - Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror for The Thing
CableACE Awards:
Nom 1987 Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for Act of Vengeance
Golden Boot Awards:
Rec'd 2005
Maverick movie Awards:
Nom 2013 Best Supporting Actor: Short for Masque
Western Walk of Stars 2001 Newhall, Ca.

Miscellany
Beanie Baby fan

Once a bodyguard for Howard Hughes

Voice-over work for PowerPoint presentation for the IPA Advertising Effectiveness Awards

The Musical farce "Who is Wilford Brimley? was named after...Mr. Brimley, it was written and performed by Jon Bulette, Nils d'Aulaire, and Jay Klaitz.