Will Wright

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.

Known For

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

The Andy Griffith Show

Lassie

Lawman

Dragnet

The Donna Reed Show

All Movies (155)

• Fail Safe1964 · as Bit Part (uncredited)
• Cape Fear1962 · as Dr. Pearsall
• Twenty Plus Two1961 · as Newspaper morgue attendant
• The Deadly Companions1961 · as Doctor Acton
• Inherit the Wind1960 · as Bible Salesman (uncredited)
• The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock1959 · as Pentagon General
• Alias Jesse James1959 · as Titus Queasley
• Rock-a-Bye Baby1958 · as Fire Chief (uncredited)
• Gunman's Walk1958 · as Judge
• Quantrill's Raiders1958 · as Judge Wood
• The Missouri Traveler1958 · as Sheriff Marvin Peavy
• Jeanne Eagels1957 · as Marshal (uncredited)
• Johnny Tremain1957 · as Ephraim Lapham
• The Wayward Bus1957 · as Van Brunt
• The Iron Sheriff1957 · as Judge
• These Wilder Years1956 · as Old Cab Driver
• The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955 · as Admiral William S. Sims
• The Man with the Golden Arm1955
• The Tall Men1955 · as Gus - Bartender (uncredited)
• The Kentuckian1955 · as John Decker (uncredited)
• Not as a Stranger1955 · as Mr. Roberts (uncredited)
• Atomic Energy as a Force for Good1955 · as Tim Summers
• The Raid1954 · as Josiah Anderson
• Johnny Guitar1954 · as Ned - Bank Teller (uncredited)
• River of No Return1954 · as Trader (uncredited)
• The Wild One1953 · as Art Kleiner
• The Last Posse1953 · as Todd Mitchell
• Niagara1953 · as Boatman
• The Happy Time1952 · as Family Doctor
• O. Henry's Full House1952 · as Manager (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)
• O. Henry's Full House1952 · as Hotel Desk Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)
• Holiday for Sinners1952 · as The Man with a Cigar
• Lure of the Wilderness1952 · as Sheriff Brink
• Lydia Bailey1952 · as Consul (uncredited)
• Paula1952 · as Raymond Bascom
• Young Man with Ideas1952 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Las Vegas Story1952 · as Mike Fogarty
• People Will Talk1951 · as Uncle John Higgins (uncredited)
• The Tall Target1951 · as Thomas Ogden (uncredited)
• Never Trust a Gambler1951 · as Cap Douglas (uncredited)
• Excuse My Dust1951 · as Race judge
• My Forbidden Past1951 · as Luther Toplady
• Vengeance Valley1951 · as Mr. Willoughby
• Dallas1950 · as Judge Harper
• Walk Softly, Stranger1950 · as Jake - Poker Player (uncredited)
• Sunset in the West1950 · as Sheriff Tad Osborne
• No Way Out1950 · as Dr. Cheney (uncredited)
• The Savage Horde1950 · as Judge Thomas Cole
• A Ticket to Tomahawk1950 · as Marshal Kit Dodge
• House by the River1950 · as Inspector Sarten
• Mrs. Mike1949 · as Dr. McIntosh
• Adam's Rib1949 · as Judge Marcasson
• All the King's Men1949 · as Dolph Pillsbury
• They Live by Night1949 · as Mobley
• Miss Grant Takes Richmond1949 · as Roscoe Johnson (uncredited)
• Brimstone1949 · as Martin Tredwell
• Lust for Gold1949 · as Parsons (uncredited)
• The Price of Freedom1949 · as McTrees
• Grape Nutty1949 · as Crow (Voice)
• Big Jack1949 · as Will Farnsworth
• The Green Promise1949 · as Mr. Grenstedt
• Little Women1949 · as Mr. Grace (uncredited)
• Act of Violence1949 · as Pop
• Whispering Smith1948 · as Sheriff McSwiggin
• An Act of Murder1948 · as Judge Jim Wilder
• Disaster1948 · as Pop Hansford
• The Walls of Jericho1948 · as Dr. Patterson (uncredited)
• Black Eagle1948 · as Sheriff Clancy
• Relentless1948 · as Sam - the Horse Dealer
• Green Grass of Wyoming1948 · as Jake Willis
• So This Is New York1948 · as Uncle Fergus (uncredited)
• Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House1948 · as Eph Hackett (uncredited)
• The Inside Story1948 · as J. J. Johnson
• Jingle, Jangle, Jingle1948 · as Pop Williams
• Speaking of Animals: Home Sweet Home1948 · as Babirusa / Pig (voice)
• California's Golden Beginning1948
• Wild Harvest1947 · as Mike Alperson
• Along the Oregon Trail1947 · as Jim Bridger
• Cynthia1947 · as Gus Wood, Thatcher's Real Estate Rep
• Mother Wore Tights1947 · as Withers (uncredited)
• Uncle Tom's Cabana1947 · as Uncle Tom (uncredited)
• Keeper of the Bees1947 · as Dr. Grayson
• The Trouble with Women1947 · as Commissioner (uncredited)
• Danger Street1947 · as Police Chief Bullward
• The Long Night1947 · as Mr. Tully - the Janitor (uncredited)
• Blaze of Noon1947 · as Mr. Thomas
• California1947 · as Chairman (uncredited)
• Fair Weather Fiends1946 · as Wolfie Wolf (voice)
• Blue Skies1946 · as Dan - Stage Manager (uncredited)
• The Jolson Story1946 · as Sourpuss Movie Patron (uncredited)
• The Reckless Driver1946 · as Wally Walrus (voice)
• Big Town1946 · as Station Agent (uncredited)
• Down Missouri Way1946 · as Prof. Morris
• The Inner Circle1946 · as Henry Boggs
• Rendezvous with Annie1946 · as Elmer Snodgrass
• Hot Cargo1946 · as Tim Chapman
• Who's Cookin Who?1946 · as Wolfie Wolf (voice)
• One Exciting Week1946 · as Otis Piper
• Without Reservations1946 · as Pullman Conductor (uncredited)
• They Made Me a Killer1946 · as Henry, the Blacksmith
• The Blue Dahlia1946 · as "Dad" Newell
• Apple Andy1946 · as Devil
• Johnny Comes Flying Home1946 · as Foreman (uncredited)
• The Hoodlum Saint1946 · as Allan 'Knucklehead' Smith - Times Editor (uncredited)
• Road to Utopia1946 · as Mr. Latimer (uncredited)
• The Madonna's Secret1946 · as The Riverman
• Prospecting for Petroleum1946 · as The Professor (voice)
• Scarlet Street1945 · as Globe Loan Office Manager (uncredited)
• The Loose Nut1945 · as Construction Worker (voice)
• State Fair1945 · as Hog Judge (uncredited)
• The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry1945 · as Mr. Nelson
• You Came Along1945 · as Col. Dale V. Armstrong (uncredited)
• Bewitched1945 · as Mr. Herkheimer
• Rhapsody in Blue1945 · as Rachmaninoff
• Salome, Where She Danced1945 · as Sheriff
• Fall Guy1945 · as Mr. Nedsen, Parkson's Attorney (uncredited)
• High Powered1945 · as Jeff Hines
• Grissly's Millions1945 · as John Frey
• Practically Yours1944 · as Sen. Cowling (uncredited)
• Dangerous Passage1944 · as Postal Clerk (uncredited)
• The Town Went Wild1944 · as Judge Harry Schrank (uncredited)
• Wilson1944 · as Hughes Campaign Orator in Maine (uncredited)
• Take It Big1944 · as Rodeo Judge (uncredited)
• You Can't Ration Love1944 · as Judge Cary - Justice of the Peace
• The Navy Way1944 · as Baldy - Triangle A Ranch Hand (uncredited)
• In Old Oklahoma1943 · as Doctor
• Here Comes Elmer1943 · as Horace Parrot
• So Proudly We Hail1943 · as Colonel Clark (Uncredited)
• Sleepy Lagoon1943 · as Cyrus Coates
• The Good Fellows1943 · as Brother from Danville (uncredited)
• Cowboy in Manhattan1943 · as Higgins
• The Meanest Man in the World1943 · as Pawn Shop Owner (uncredited)
• Tennessee Johnson1942 · as Alderman (uncredited)
• The Major and the Minor1942 · as Ticket Agent #1 (uncredited)
• A Letter From Bataan1942 · as Mr. Limpert
• Wildcat1942 · as John 'Paw' Smithers
• Bambi1942 · as Friend Owl (voice) (uncredited)
• Tales of Manhattan1942 · as Old Concertgoer (uncredited)
• The Postman Didn't Ring1942 · as Mr. Slade
• Saboteur1942 · as J.C. Lormans - Company Official (uncredited)
• Shut My Big Mouth1942 · as Jim Long
• USS VD: Ship of Shame1942 · as Commandant (uncredited)
• Shadow of the Thin Man1941 · as Maguire (uncredited)
• The Tell-Tale Heart1941 · as Second Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
• Nothing but the Truth1941 · as Mr. Bart Prichard (uncredited)
• Mob Town1941 · as Pawnbroker (uncredited)
• Honky Tonk1941 · as Townsman at Meeting House (uncredited)
• Blossoms in the Dust1941 · as Senator
• The Richest Man in Town1941 · as Frederick Johnson
• Cracked Nuts1941 · as Sylvanus Boogle
• Maisie Was a Lady1941 · as Judge Thatcher (Uncredited)
• You, the People1940 · as Mr. Roberts
• Blondie Plays Cupid1940 · as Mr. Tucker
• It's A Small World1935 · as Courtroom spectator (uncredited)
• Pure Feud1934 · as Lem (uncredited)

All TV Shows (63)

• The Dick Van Dyke Show1961 · as Sam Petrie
• Mister Ed1961 · as Mr. Thompson
• The Andy Griffith Show1960 · as Ben Weaver
• Outlaws1960
• Pete and Gladys1960
• Thriller1960 · as Constable Tom Walker
• The Tall Man1960
• Mr. Lucky1959 · as The Leadville Kid
• Dennis the Menace1959 · as Merrivale
• Riverboat1959 · as J.C. Sickel
• Rawhide1959 · as Grandfather
• 77 Sunset Strip1958 · as Luther Hanks
• Bat Masterson1958 · as Billy Willow
• Lawman1958
• The Donna Reed Show1958 · as Oliver
• Bronco1958
• Trackdown1957
• Leave It to Beaver1957 · as Pete at Firehouse #7
• Trackdown1957 · as Zack
• The Real McCoys1957
• Maverick1957
• Maverick1957 · as General Hoyt Bosco
• Maverick1957 · as Jabe Hallock
• Maverick1957 · as General Eakins
• Maverick1957 · as Sheriff Chester Bentley
• Perry Mason1957 · as James Vardon
• Perry Mason1957 · as Adam Thompson
• Perry Mason1957 · as Chuck Clark
• Sugarfoot1957 · as Charlie Cade
• Sugarfoot1957 · as John Chamberlain
• Sugarfoot1957 · as Job Turner
• Official Detective1957
• Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre1956 · as King - Newspaper Editor
• Conflict1956
• Hey, Jeannie!1956 · as McClish
• The 20th Century Fox Hour1955 · as Judge O'Neill
• The Millionaire1955 · as Grandpa Costello
• December Bride1954
• Lassie1954 · as Caleb Brown
• Public Defender1954 · as Horace Bascomb
• The Danny Thomas Show1953 · as Mr. Johnson
• Letter to Loretta1953 · as Father Gourdian
• General Electric Theater1953
• You Are There1953
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Jake Marley
• General Electric Theater1953 · as McCrain
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Grandpaw
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet1952 · as Mr. Jackson
• The Ford Television Theatre1952 · as Mr. Crane
• Cavalcade of America1952 · as George's Father
• Four Star Playhouse1952 · as Willie
• Four Star Playhouse1952 · as Scupper
• Dragnet1951
• I Love Lucy1951 · as Mr. Walters
• I Love Lucy1951 · as Sheriff
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951 · as Pop
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951 · as Father
• The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok1951
• The Living Christ1951 · as Herod The Great
• The Living Christ1951 · as Annas
• The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show1950 · as Judge Kramer
• The Lone Ranger1949 · as Uncle Ed