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.
Acted in 196
1960s
- 1964
- 1962
- 1961
Twenty Plus Two
Newspaper morgue attendant
- 1960
1950s
- 1959
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock
Pentagon General
- 1958
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Fire Chief (uncredited)
Quantrill's Raiders
Judge Wood
- 1957
Jeanne Eagels
Marshal (uncredited)
Johnny Tremain
Ephraim Lapham
The Wayward Bus
Van Brunt
- 1956
Hey, Jeannie!
McClish · 1 episode
These Wilder Years
Old Cab Driver
- 1955
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
Admiral William S. Sims
Atomic Energy as a Force for Good
Tim Summers
- 1954
The Raid
Josiah Anderson
- 1953
General Electric Theater
Jake Marley, McCrain, Grandpaw · 1 episode
- 1952
The Happy Time
Family Doctor
Holiday for Sinners
The Man with a Cigar
Lure of the Wilderness
Sheriff Brink
Paula
Raymond Bascom
Young Man with Ideas
Party Guest (uncredited)
The Las Vegas Story
Mike Fogarty
- 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Pop, Father · 1 episode
People Will Talk
John Higgins (uncredited)
The Tall Target
Thomas Ogden (uncredited)
Never Trust a Gambler
Cap Douglas (uncredited)
Excuse My Dust
Race judge
My Forbidden Past
Luther Toplady
- 1950
Sunset in the West
Sheriff Tad Osborne
No Way Out
Dr. Cheney (uncredited)
1940s
- 1949
Mrs. Mike
Dr. McIntosh
They Live by Night
Mobley
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
Roscoe Johnson (uncredited)
Lust for Gold
Parsons (uncredited)
Grape Nutty
Crow (Voice)
Big Jack
Will Farnsworth
The Green Promise
Mr. Grenstedt
- 1948
Whispering Smith
Sheriff McSwiggin
An Act of Murder
Judge Jim Wilder
Disaster
Pop Hansford
The Walls of Jericho
Dr. Patterson (uncredited)
Black Eagle
Sheriff Clancy
Relentless
Sam - the Horse Dealer
So This Is New York
Uncle Fergus (uncredited)
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Eph Hackett (uncredited)
The Inside Story
J. J. Johnson
California's Golden Beginning
Movie
- 1947
Wild Harvest
Mike Alperson
Along the Oregon Trail
Jim Bridger
Cynthia
Gus Wood, Thatcher's Real Estate Rep
Mother Wore Tights
Withers (uncredited)
Uncle Tom's Cabaña
Uncle Tom (uncredited)
Keeper of the Bees
Dr. Grayson
The Trouble with Women
Commissioner (uncredited)
Danger Street
Police Chief Bullward
Blaze of Noon
Mr. Thomas
California
Chairman (uncredited)
- 1946
Fair Weather Fiends
Wolfie Wolf (voice)
Blue Skies
Dan - Stage Manager (uncredited)
The Reckless Driver
Wally Walrus (voice)
Big Town
Station Agent (uncredited)
Down Missouri Way
Prof. Morris
Rendezvous with Annie
Elmer Snodgrass
Hot Cargo
Tim Chapman
Who's Cookin Who?
Wolfie Wolf (voice)
One Exciting Week
Otis Piper
The Blue Dahlia
"Dad" Newell
Apple Andy
Devil
Johnny Comes Flying Home
Foreman (uncredited)
The Hoodlum Saint
Allan 'Knucklehead' Smith - Times Editor (uncredited)
The Madonna's Secret
The Riverman
Prospecting for Petroleum
The Professor (voice)
- 1945
The Loose Nut
Construction Worker (voice)
State Fair
Hog Judge (uncredited)
You Came Along
Col. Dale V. Armstrong (uncredited)
Bewitched
Mr. Herkheimer
Rhapsody in Blue
Rachmaninoff
Fall Guy
Mr. Nedsen, Parkson's Attorney (uncredited)
High Powered
Jeff Hines
Grissly's Millions
John Frey
- 1944
Practically Yours
Sen. Cowling (uncredited)
Dangerous Passage
Postal Clerk (uncredited)
The Town Went Wild
Judge Harry Schrank (uncredited)
Wilson
Hughes Campaign Orator in Maine (uncredited)
Take It Big
Rodeo Judge (uncredited)
You Can't Ration Love
Judge Cary - Justice of the Peace
The Navy Way
Baldy - Triangle A Ranch Hand (uncredited)
- 1943
Here Comes Elmer
Horace Parrot
So Proudly We Hail
Colonel Clark (Uncredited)
Sleepy Lagoon
Cyrus Coates
The Good Fellows
Brother from Danville (uncredited)
Cowboy in Manhattan
Higgins
The Meanest Man in the World
Pawn Shop Owner (uncredited)
- 1942
Tennessee Johnson
Alderman (uncredited)
The Major and the Minor
Ticket Agent #1 (uncredited)
A Letter From Bataan
Mr. Limpert
Wildcat
John 'Paw' Smithers
Tales of Manhattan
Old Concertgoer (uncredited)
The Postman Didn't Ring
Mr. Slade
Shut My Big Mouth
Jim Long
USS VD: Ship of Shame
Commandant (uncredited)
- 1941
The Tell-Tale Heart
Second Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Nothing but the Truth
Mr. Bart Prichard (uncredited)
Mob Town
Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Blossoms in the Dust
Senator
The Richest Man in Town
Frederick Johnson
Cracked Nuts
Sylvanus Boogle
Maisie Was a Lady
Judge Thatcher (Uncredited)
- 1940
You, the People
Mr. Roberts
Blondie Plays Cupid
Mr. Tucker
1930s
- 1935
It's A Small World
Courtroom spectator (uncredited)
- 1934
Pure Feud
Lem (uncredited)