Noble Willingham
Noble Henry Willingham, Jr. (August 31, 1931 – January 17, 2004) was an American television and film actor who appeared in more than thirty films and in many television shows, including a stint opposite Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger.[1]
Noble Willingham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Noble Henry Willingham, Jr August 31, 1931 Mineola, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 17, 2004 (aged 72) Palm Springs, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Riverside National Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–2003 |
| Political party | Republican |
Early life
Willingham was the son of railroad worker and farmer Noble Henry Willingham, Sr, and Ruby Ladelle (née Speights).[2][3]
He was born in the small town of Mineola, in Wood County east of Dallas, Texas. After graduating in 1953 from North Texas State University in Denton, he earned a master's degree in educational psychology from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Willingham served in the United States Army during the Korean War.
Career
Willingham was teaching government and economics at Sam Houston High School in Houston before he followed his dream of becoming an actor. He auditioned for a part in The Last Picture Show (1971), which was filmed in Texas. He won the role, which led to another appearance, in Paper Moon (1973).
Willingham appeared in more than thirty feature films, including Big Bad Mama (1974), Chinatown (1974), Where Have All The People Gone? (1974), Aloha, Bobby and Rose (1975), Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York (1975), Fighting Mad (1976), Greased Lightning (1977), The Boys in Company C (1978), Norma Rae (1979), Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider (1979), Brubaker (1980), The Howling (1981), Harry's War (1981), Independence Day (1983), La Bamba (1987), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), the HBO film The Heist (1989), Blind Fury (1989), City Slickers (1991), The Last Boy Scout (1991), Pastime (1991), Article 99 (1992), The Distinguished Gentleman (1992), Of Mice and Men (1992), Fire In The Sky (1993), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994), Up Close & Personal (1996), and The Corndog Man (1999).
On television, Willingham had a recurring role in the ABC series Home Improvement with Tim Allen as John Binford, and appeared as a guest star in the 1975 CBS family drama series Three for the Road. He also guest starred on Dallas, The A-Team, Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989), Northern Exposure, The Rockford Files, Tucker's Witch with Tim Matheson and Catherine Hicks, and Quantum Leap. His additional television credits include A Woman With A Past, The Children Nobody Wanted, The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory, and Unconquered. He also played the conductor in Kenny Rogers as The Gambler (1980), Dr. Graham in Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story (1983), he appeared in the 1986 miniseries Dream West, and appeared in Badge of the Assassin (1985) and Men Don't Tell (1993). He guest starred as IRS Agent Bumpers in the show Remington Steele.
He was best known for his role as C.D. Parker on the series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993 to 1999. He left the show to run for the United States House of Representatives.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Last Picture Show | Chester | |
| 1973 | The Thief Who Came to Dinner | Roy | Uncredited |
| 1973 | Paper Moon | Mr. Robertson | |
| 1973 | Hit! | Warden Springer | |
| 1974 | Chinatown | Councilman #1 | |
| 1974 | Big Bad Mama | Uncle Barney | |
| 1974 | Where Have All the People Gone? | Jim Clancey | |
| 1975 | Aloha, Bobby and Rose | Uncle Charlie | |
| 1975 | Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York | Principal | |
| 1976 | Fighting Mad | Senator Hingle | |
| 1977 | Greased Lightning | Billy Joe Byrnes | |
| 1978 | The Boys in Company C | Sergeant Curry | |
| 1979 | Norma Rae | Leroy Mason | |
| 1979 | Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider | Pop Bauer | |
| 1979 | Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | Captain Prewitt | |
| 1980 | Brubaker | Dr. Fenster | |
| 1981 | The Howling | Charlie Barton | |
| 1981 | Harry's War | Major Andrews | |
| 1981 | First Monday in October | Nebraska Attorney | |
| 1983 | Independence Day | Andy Parker | |
| 1987 | La Bamba | Howard | |
| 1987 | Summer Heat | Strother | |
| 1987 | Born in East L.A. | Border Patrol Sergeant | |
| 1987 | Good Morning, Vietnam | Gen. Taylor | |
| 1989 | Blind Fury | Claude MacCready | |
| 1990 | Pastime | Clyde Bigby | |
| 1991 | Career Opportunities | Roger Roy McClellan | |
| 1991 | City Slickers | Clay Stone | |
| 1991 | The Last Boy Scout | Sheldon Marcone | |
| 1992 | Article 99 | Inspector General | |
| 1992 | Of Mice and Men | The Boss | |
| 1992 | The Distinguished Gentleman | Zeke Bridges | |
| 1993 | Fire in the Sky | Blake Davis | |
| 1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | Zebulon Cardoza | |
| 1994 | Ace Ventura: Pet Detective | Riddle | |
| 1994 | Guarding Tess | Sheriff Janson | Uncredited |
| 1994 | City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold | Clay Stone | |
| 1994 | Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion | C.D. Parker | |
| 1996 | Up Close and Personal | Buford Sells | |
| 1999 | The Corndog Man | Ace Barker | |
| 2000 | South of Heaven, West of Hell | Sheriff Harris | |
| 2003 | Blind Horizon | Deputy Shirl Cash | (final film role) |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | My Sweet Charlie | Grady | Television movie |
| 1971 | Evel Knievel | Jack Decataur | Television movie |
| 1972 | Bonanza | Mr. Kirby | Episode: "Riot" |
| 1972 | McMillan & Wife | Sheriff | Episode: "Terror Times Two" |
| 1973 | Gunsmoke | Tuck | Episode: "Whelan's Men" |
| 1973 | The Girls of Huntington House | Harry | Television movie |
| 1973 | Hawkins | Carl Jackson | Episode: "Die, Darling, Die" |
| 1973 | Sunshine | Bartender | Television movie |
| 1973–75 | The Waltons | Mr. Denton / B.C. Graddy | 3 episodes |
| 1974 | Apple's Way | Farmer | Episode: "The Miller" |
| 1974 | The Texas Wheelers | Sheriff | 2 episodes |
| 1974 | Where Have All The People Gone? | Jim Clancy | Television movie |
| 1974 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Hal | Episode: "What Are Friends For? |
| 1975 | Cannon | Det. Sgt. Sonny Wills | Episode: "Coffin Corner" |
| 1975 | Blazing Saddles | Fern Malaga | Television movie Also known as Black Bart |
| 1975 | Switch | Verly Terrace | Episode: "The Man Who Couldn't Lose" |
| 1975 | Three for the Road | Episode: "The Rip-off" | |
| 1975–76 | The Rockford Files | Palm Springs Tan Tony / Claude Orzeck / B.J. | 3 episodes |
| 1976 | Petrocelli | Artie Jacobs | Episode: "The Falling Star" |
| 1976–78 | Alice | Floyd / Policeman / Morgan | 4 episodes |
| 1977 | Lou Grant | Hotel Manager | Episode: "Aftershock" |
| 1977 | Man from Atlantis | Artemus Washburn | Episode: "Shoot-Out at Land's End" |
| 1978 | Thaddeus Rose and Eddie | Judge | Television movie |
| 1978 | Cindy | Sergeant | Television movie |
| 1978 | Just Me and You | Gas Station Owner | Television movie |
| 1978 | The Critical List | Charlie | Television movie |
| 1979 | How the West Was Won | Judge Carter | Episode: "The Rustler" |
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House | Charles Cramer | Television mini-series Episode: "#1.2" |
| 1979 | Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story | Doctor | Television movie |
| 1979 | Young Maverick | Episode: "A Fistful of Oats" | |
| 1980 | Hart to Hart | Wilbur Pierson | Episode: "Color Jennifer Dead" |
| 1980 | Kenny Rogers as The Gambler | Conductor | Television movie |
| 1980 | When the Whistle Blows | Bulldog | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Georgia Peaches | Jarvis Wheeler | Television movie |
| 1980 | WKRP in Cincinnati | Smilin' Al | Episode: "A Mile in My Shoes" |
| 1981 | Dallas | Senator Pascomb | Episode: "Making of a President" |
| 1981 | Coward of the County | Jake | Episode: "Finders Keepers" |
| 1981 | The Children Nobody Wanted | McNaulty | Television movie |
| 1982 | The Blue and the Gray | Cavalry General on Balloon Field | Television mini-series
Episode: "Part 2" |
| 1982 | Missing Children: A Mother's Story | Lander Hughes | Television movie |
| 1983 | Cutter to Houston | Mayor Warren Jarvis | 9 episodes |
| 1983 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Hanson | Episode: "Witness: Jesse Duke" |
| 1983 | Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story | Dr. Graham | Television movie |
| 1983 | Gun Shy | Mr. Bender | Episode: "Pardon Me Boy, Is That the Quake City Choo Choo?" |
| 1983 | Tucker's Witch | Sheriff Trout | Episode: "Murder Is the Key" |
| 1983–86 | The A-Team | Zack / Pete Stockton | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | AfterMASH | Harry | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | W*A*L*T*E*R | Sergeant Sowell | Television short |
| 1985 | The Atlanta Child Murders | Jerry Armstrong | Television mini-series 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Airwolf | Chester Hansen | Episode: "Natural Born" |
| 1985 | Hail to the Chief | Texab #2 | Episode: "#1.4" |
| 1985 | Highway to Heaven | MacGill | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Badge of the Assassin | Airport Guard | Television movie |
| 1986 | Remington Steele | Harrison Bumpers | Episode: "Suburban Steele" |
| 1986 | Dream West | President James Polk | Television mini-series 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Mr. Sunshine | Episode: "Too Many Cooks" | |
| 1987 | Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder | Tesch | Television mini-series 3 episodes |
| 1987 | The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory | Dr. Pollard | Television movie |
| 1987 | Our House | Farmer Bob Brewer | Episode: "Giving 'em the Business" |
| 1987 | Private Eye | Calvin | Episode: "Blue Hotel Pt.1" |
| 1988 | Longarm | Television movie | |
| 1988 | Splash, Too | Karl Hooten | Television movie |
| 1988 | Shooter | Rizzo | Television movie |
| 1988 | A Stoning in Fulham County | Judge Manning | Television movie |
| 1988 | Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story | Ted Simonsen | Television movie |
| 1989 | L.A. Law | Robert Kenyon | Episode: "I'm in the Nude for Love" |
| 1989 | Unconquered | Bear Bryant | Television movie |
| 1989 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Texas | Episode: "The Royale" |
| 1989 | The Road Raiders | Crankcase | Television movie |
| 1989 | The Heist | Stuckey | Television movie |
| 1989–90 | Ann Jillian | Duke Howard | 6 episodes |
| 1990 | The Young Riders | Erastus Hawkins | Episode: "Then There Was One" |
| 1990 | Capital News | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1990 | Sporting Chance | Packy Dillon | Television movie |
| 1990 | Matlock | Rev. Morley Phelps | Episode: "The Madam" |
| 1990 | The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson | Television movie | |
| 1991 | Quantum Leap | Gene | Episode: "Justice - May 11, 1965" |
| 1992 | Home Improvement | John Binford | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Sheriff Pat McAllester | Episode: "Angel of Death" |
| 1993 | Tales from the Crypt | Mr. Petermeyer | Episode: "Oil's Well That Ends Well" |
| 1993–99 | Walker, Texas Ranger | C.D. Parker | 155 episodes |
Politics
In 2000, Willingham was the Republican challenger in the northeast Texas 1st congressional district (Longview, Texarkana, Nacogdoches, Marshall, and Paris) against incumbent Democratic congressman Max Sandlin. Willingham ran a hard-hitting campaign and attacked Sandlin for bringing Bill Clinton to the district and for voting for the Democratic agenda in Congress. Sandlin fought back by citing various moderate votes he had cast and by winning the Chamber of Commerce endorsement. In a district that George W. Bush would easily carry with 64% of the vote, Sandlin held on with 118,157 votes (55.8%) to Willingham's 91,912 votes (43.4%) and carried nineteen counties in the district while losing only two, Nacogdoches and Willingham's home of Wood County. Four years later, Sandlin was defeated for re-election by Republican Louie Gohmert of Tyler.
Death
On January 17, 2004, Willingham died in his sleep of a heart attack in Palm Springs at the age of 72. A veteran of the United States Army during the Korean War,[4] he is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.[5]
References
- "Noble Henry Willingham Jr". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
- "Noble Willingham Biography ((?)-)".
- https://www.countylinemagazine.com/life-style/beloved-charactor-actor-got-start-in-northeast-texas/article_5a030916-928f-5636-b697-def6024aab71.html
- "Beloved Charactor Actor Got Start in Northeast Texas". County Line Magazine. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- Wilson, Scott (19 August 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3rd ed.). McFarland Publishing. p. 815. ISBN 9781476625997.
External links
Authority control  |
|
|---|