WILFORD BRIMLEY

(27 September 1934 - 1 August 2020)

The American actor-singer Wilford Brimley, who has died from a kidney condition aged 85, began as an extra in Westerns but quickly became a character actor in several grade-A pictures. His signature role was that of a grumpy, whiskery old buzzard, although he always made his parts likeable. He did stuntwork on Bandolero! (1968), had minor uncredited roles in True Grit and Lawman, but then found fame in The Waltons television series (1974-77). His first real film role was in James Bridges’ The China Syndrome with Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon in 1979. Then he did The Electric Horseman with Fonda and Robert Redford, later appearing with the latter in Brubaker and, even later, in The Natural. Brimley was a senior patrol agent in Borderline with Charles Bronson and an Assistant Attorney General in Absence of Malice with Paul Newman. He was a sheriff in Death Valley, a doctor in The Thing, and a police captain in 10 to Midnight. Other films included High Road to China, Tough Enough, Harry & Son and The Hotel New Hampshire (as Iowa Bob). Cocoon and Cocoon: The Return gave him a star part along with fellow old timers Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton and Gwen Verdon. There was also further television after The Waltons and more films, including The Firm with Tom Cruise, In and Out with Kevin Kline, Did You Hear About the Morgans? with Hugh Grant, and I Believe, a supernatural religious story, his last film, in 2017. He was also a fine jazz singer and harmonica player. In 1956 Wilford Brimley married Lynne Bagley with whom he has sons James, John, William and Lawrence. Lynne died in 2000 and he married Beverley Berry in 2007. As a longtime diabetes sufferer, he worked for the American Diabetes Association who honoured him with a lifetime service award.

MICHAEL DARVELL