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.
Movies
Blondie Plays Cupid Mr. Tucker
Mob Town Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Here Comes Elmer Horace Parrot
It's A Small World Courtroom spectator (uncredited)
Saboteur J.C. Lormans - Company Official (uncredited)
Tales of Manhattan Old Concertgoer (Laughton sequence) (uncredited)
The Postman Didn't Ring Mr. Slade
House by the River Inspector Sarten
Tennessee Johnson Alderman (uncredited)
Cape Fear Dr. Pearsall
You Can't Ration Love Judge Cary - Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
The Navy Way Baldy - Triangle A Ranch Hand (uncredited)
The Town Went Wild Judge Harry Schrank (uncredited)
Wilson Hughes Campaign Orator in Maine (uncredited)
Dangerous Passage Postal Clerk (uncredited)
Salome, Where She Danced Sheriff
You Came Along Col. Dale V. Armstrong (uncredited)
State Fair Hog Judge (uncredited)
Fall Guy Mr. Nedsen, Parkson's Attorney (uncredited)
Johnny Comes Flying Home Foreman (uncredited)
Hot Cargo Tim Chapman
Who's Cookin Who? Wolfie Wolf (voice)
The Jolson Story Sourpuss Movie Patron (uncredited)
Prospecting for Petroleum The Professor (voice)
Big Town Station Agent (uncredited)
The Trouble with Women Commissioner (uncredited)
California Chairman (uncredited)
The Long Night Mr. Tully - the Janitor (uncredited)
Uncle Tom's Cabana Uncle Tom (uncredited)
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle Pop Williams
Green Grass of Wyoming Jake Willis
The Walls of Jericho Dr. Patterson (uncredited)
The Good Fellows Brother from Danville (uncredited)
So This Is New York Uncle Fergus (uncredited)
Speaking of Animals: Home Sweet Home Babirusa / Pig (voice)
Grape Nutty Crow (Voice)
The Price of Freedom McTrees
Miss Grant Takes Richmond Roscoe Johnson (uncredited)
Lydia Bailey Consul (uncredited)
Not as a Stranger Mr. Roberts (uncredited)
Fail Safe Bit Part (uncredited)
Dallas Judge Harper
Never Trust a Gambler Cap Douglas (uncredited)
Lust for Gold Parsons (uncredited)
All the King's Men Dolph Pillsbury
Adam's Rib Judge Marcasson
The Las Vegas Story Mike Fogarty
Act of Violence Pop
Holiday for Sinners The Man with a Cigar
The Loose Nut Construction Worker (voice)
The Reckless Driver Wally Walrus (voice)
Fair Weather Fiends Wolfie Wolf (voice)
Bewitched Mr. Herkheimer
The Savage Horde Judge Thomas Cole
The Madonna's Secret The Riverman
Cowboy in Manhattan Higgins
Gunman's Walk Judge
Vengeance Valley Mr. Willoughby
Little Women Mr. Grace (uncredited)
Johnny Tremain Ephraim Lapham
Without Reservations Pullman Conductor (uncredited)
The Blue Dahlia "Dad" Newell
They Live by Night Mobley
These Wilder Years Old Cab Driver
The Major and the Minor Ticket Agent #1 (uncredited)
Alias Jesse James Titus Queasley
The Deadly Companions Doctor Acton
Disaster Pop Hansford
Niagara Boatman
The Inner Circle Henry Boggs
Blue Skies Dan - Stage Manager (uncredited)
Shadow of the Thin Man Maguire - Nervous Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Nothing But the Truth Mr. Bart Prichard (uncredited)
Twenty Plus Two Newspaper morgue attendant
Mother Wore Tights Withers (uncredited)
The Tell-Tale Heart Second Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
So Proudly We Hail Colonel Clark (Uncredited)
The Last Posse Todd Mitchell
The Wayward Bus Van Brunt
Quantrill's Raiders Judge Wood
Danger Street Police Chief Bullward
The Inside Story J. J. Johnson
River of No Return Trader (uncredited)
Big Jack Will Farnsworth
O. Henry's Full House Manager (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)
The Man with the Golden Arm
Sunset in the West Sheriff Tad Osborne
Paula Raymond Bascom
Blaze of Noon Mr. Thomas
The Iron Sheriff Judge
Keeper of the Bees Dr. Grayson
Lure of the Wilderness Sheriff Brink
The Missouri Traveler Sheriff Marvin Peavy
Rock-a-Bye Baby Fire Chief (uncredited)
Cynthia Gus Wood, Thatcher's Real Estate Rep
Brimstone Martin Tredwell
Wildcat John 'Paw' Smithers
The Green Promise Mr. Grenstedt
Whispering Smith Sheriff McSwiggin
Cracked Nuts Sylvanus Boogle
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Eph Hackett (uncredited)
The Wild One Art Kleiner
The Raid Josiah Anderson
A Letter From Bataan Mr. Limpert
Practically Yours Sen. Cowling (uncredited)
High Powered Jeff Hines
Bambi Friend Owl (voice) (uncredited)
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry Mr. Nelson
The Meanest Man in the World Pawn Shop Owner (uncredited)
O. Henry's Full House Hotel Desk Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)
You, the People Mr. Roberts
One Exciting Week Otis Piper
Rendezvous with Annie Elmer Snodgrass
Scarlet Street Globe Loan Office Manager (uncredited)
Inherit the Wind Bible Salesman (uncredited)
Take It Big Rodeo Judge (uncredited)
No Way Out Dr. Cheney - Coroner (uncredited)
Shut My Big Mouth Jim Long
The Richest Man in Town Frederick Johnson
Mrs. Mike Dr. McIntosh
The Hoodlum Saint Allan 'Knucklehead' Smith - Times Editor (uncredited)
Jeanne Eagels Marshal (uncredited)
An Act of Murder Judge Jim Wilder
Rhapsody in Blue Rachmaninoff
Maisie Was a Lady Judge Thatcher (Uncredited)
Johnny Guitar Ned - Bank Teller (uncredited)
Wild Harvest Mike Alperson
Grissly's Millions John Frey
A Ticket to Tomahawk Marshal Kit Dodge
USS VD: Ship of Shame Commandant (uncredited)
Along the Oregon Trail Jim Bridger
Black Eagle Sheriff Clancy
Relentless Sam - the Horse Dealer
Honky Tonk Townsman at Meeting House
Blossoms in the Dust Senator
California's Golden Beginning
Pure Feud Lem (uncredited)
The Happy Time Family Doctor
In Old Oklahoma Doctor
Atomic Energy as a Force for Good Tim Summers
Walk Softly, Stranger Jake, Poker Player (uncredited)
My Forbidden Past Luther Toplady
Road to Utopia Mr. Latimer (uncredited)
Young Man with Ideas Party Guest (uncredited)
The Tall Target Thomas Ogden (uncredited)
They Made Me a Killer Henry, the Blacksmith
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Admiral William S. Sims
The Kentuckian John Decker (uncredited)
Excuse My Dust Race judge
The Tall Men Gus - Bartender (uncredited)
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock Pentagon General
Down Missouri Way Prof. Morris
Sleepy Lagoon Cyrus Coates
People Will Talk Uncle John Higgins (uncredited)
Apple Andy Devil
Shows
The Andy Griffith Show Ben Weaver
Maverick
Trackdown
December Bride
The Dick Van Dyke Show Sam Petrie
I Love Lucy Mr. Walters
Dragnet
Perry Mason James Vardon
General Electric Theater
I Love Lucy Sheriff
The Tall Man
Leave It to Beaver Pete at Firehouse #7
Outlaws
Rawhide Grandfather
Dennis the Menace Merrivale
The Millionaire Grandpa Costello
Thriller Constable Tom Walker
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Pop
The Real McCoys
Pete and Gladys
Bronco
You Are There
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
Lawman
Sugarfoot Charlie Cade
Bat Masterson Billy Willow
Riverboat J.C. Sickel
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre King - Newspaper Editor
Cavalcade of America George's Father
The Lone Ranger Uncle Ed
Official Detective
Letter to Loretta Father Gourdian
Hey, Jeannie! McClish
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Judge Kramer
Perry Mason Adam Thompson
Maverick General Hoyt Bosco
Maverick Jabe Hallock
Maverick General Eakins
The 20th Century Fox Hour Judge O'Neill
Lassie Caleb Brown
Sugarfoot John Chamberlain
Sugarfoot Job Turner
General Electric Theater Jake Marley
General Electric Theater McCrain
General Electric Theater Grandpaw
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Mr. Jackson
Four Star Playhouse Willie
Four Star Playhouse Scupper
Perry Mason Chuck Clark
77 Sunset Strip Luther Hanks
Maverick Sheriff Chester Bentley
The Donna Reed Show Oliver
Mister Ed Mr. Thompson
The Living Christ Herod The Great
The Living Christ Annas
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Mr. Lucky The Leadville Kid
