Loading amazing content...
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
March 25, 1894
Died
June 19, 1962
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Also Known As
- William Henry Wright
- William H. Wright
Will Wright
0.9 Popularity
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
7.8
Bit Part (uncredited)
Fail Safe
1964
7.4
Dr. Pearsall
Cape Fear
1962
7.5
Sam Petrie
The Dick Van Dyke Show
1961
6.2
Newspaper morgue attendant
Twenty Plus Two
1961
5.6
Doctor Acton
The Deadly Companions
1961
6.7
Mr. Thompson
Mister Ed
1961
7.6
Ben Weaver
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
6.2
Outlaws
1960
6.0
Pete and Gladys
1960
6.6
Constable Tom Walker
Thriller
1960
Credits
Fail Safe
as Bit Part (uncredited)
1964
7.8
Cape Fear
as Dr. Pearsall
1962
7.4
The Dick Van Dyke Show
as Sam Petrie
1961
7.5
Twenty Plus Two
as Newspaper morgue attendant
1961
6.2
The Deadly Companions
as Doctor Acton
1961
5.6
Mister Ed
as Mr. Thompson
1961
6.7
The Andy Griffith Show
as Ben Weaver
1960
7.6
Outlaws
1960
6.2
Pete and Gladys
1960
6.0
Thriller
as Constable Tom Walker
1960
6.6
The Tall Man
1960
6.3
Inherit the Wind
as Bible Salesman (uncredited)
1960
7.7
Mr. Lucky
as The Leadville Kid
1959
6.4
Dennis the Menace
as Merrivale
1959
6.5
Riverboat
as J.C. Sickel
1959
6.2
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock
as Pentagon General
1959
5.9
Alias Jesse James
as Titus Queasley
1959
5.8
Rawhide
as Grandfather
1959
7.2
77 Sunset Strip
as Luther Hanks
1958
6.7
Bat Masterson
as Billy Willow
1958
6.1
Lawman
1958
5.6
The Donna Reed Show
as Oliver
1958
6.2
Bronco
1958
5.9
Rock-a-Bye Baby
as Fire Chief (uncredited)
1958
6.8
Gunman's Walk
as Judge
1958
6.6
Quantrill's Raiders
as Judge Wood
1958
6.3
The Missouri Traveler
as Sheriff Marvin Peavy
1958
6.4
Leave It to Beaver
as Pete at Firehouse #7
1957
6.9
Trackdown
1957
6.4
Trackdown
as Zack
1957
6.4
The Real McCoys
1957
5.6
Maverick
1957
6.9
Maverick
as General Hoyt Bosco
1957
6.9
Maverick
as Jabe Hallock
1957
6.9
Maverick
as General Eakins
1957
6.9
Maverick
as Sheriff Chester Bentley
1957
6.9
Perry Mason
as James Vardon
1957
7.7
Perry Mason
as Adam Thompson
1957
7.7
Perry Mason
as Chuck Clark
1957
7.7
Sugarfoot
as Charlie Cade
1957
4.8
Sugarfoot
as John Chamberlain
1957
4.8
Sugarfoot
as Job Turner
1957
4.8
Jeanne Eagels
as Marshal (uncredited)
1957
6.0
Johnny Tremain
as Ephraim Lapham
1957
6.0
The Wayward Bus
as Van Brunt
1957
5.5
The Iron Sheriff
as Judge
1957
6.0
🎬
Official Detective
1957
7.0
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as King - Newspaper Editor
1956
6.0
🎬
Hey, Jeannie!
as McClish
1956
6.0
These Wilder Years
as Old Cab Driver
1956
6.3
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
as Admiral William S. Sims
1955
6.8
The Man with the Golden Arm
1955
7.1
The 20th Century Fox Hour
as Judge O'Neill
1955
5.4
The Tall Men
as Gus - Bartender (uncredited)
1955
6.4
The Kentuckian
as John Decker (uncredited)
1955
5.7
Not as a Stranger
as Mr. Roberts (uncredited)
1955
6.2
The Millionaire
as Grandpa Costello
1955
5.0
Atomic Energy as a Force for Good
as Tim Summers
1955
0.0
December Bride
1954
5.5
Lassie
as Caleb Brown
1954
6.1
The Raid
as Josiah Anderson
1954
6.5
Johnny Guitar
as Ned - Bank Teller (uncredited)
1954
7.4
River of No Return
as Trader (uncredited)
1954
6.7
The Wild One
as Art Kleiner
1953
6.6
Letter to Loretta
as Father Gourdian
1953
6.5
The Last Posse
as Todd Mitchell
1953
6.1
You Are There
1953
5.7
General Electric Theater
1953
6.4
General Electric Theater
as Jake Marley
1953
6.4
General Electric Theater
as McCrain
1953
6.4
General Electric Theater
as Grandpaw
1953
6.4
Niagara
as Boatman
1953
6.8
The Happy Time
as Family Doctor
1952
6.3
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
as Mr. Jackson
1952
5.9
The Ford Television Theatre
as Mr. Crane
1952
7.3
Cavalcade of America
as George's Father
1952
3.5
🎬
Four Star Playhouse
as Willie
1952
6.7
🎬
Four Star Playhouse
as Scupper
1952
6.7
O. Henry's Full House
as Manager (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)
1952
6.7
O. Henry's Full House
as Hotel Desk Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)
1952
6.7
Holiday for Sinners
as The Man with a Cigar
1952
5.6
Lure of the Wilderness
as Sheriff Brink
1952
6.0
Lydia Bailey
as Consul (uncredited)
1952
6.1
Paula
as Raymond Bascom
1952
6.5
Young Man with Ideas
as Party Guest (uncredited)
1952
4.7
The Las Vegas Story
as Mike Fogarty
1952
5.9
Dragnet
1951
6.4
I Love Lucy
as Mr. Walters
1951
7.9
I Love Lucy
as Sheriff
1951
7.9
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Pop
1951
7.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
7.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Father
1951
7.2
People Will Talk
as Uncle John Higgins (uncredited)
1951
7.1
The Tall Target
as Thomas Ogden (uncredited)
1951
6.8
Never Trust a Gambler
as Cap Douglas (uncredited)
1951
5.0
Excuse My Dust
as Race judge
1951
7.2
My Forbidden Past
as Luther Toplady
1951
5.5
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951
4.5
Vengeance Valley
as Mr. Willoughby
1951
5.2
The Living Christ
as Annas
1951
5.0
The Living Christ
as Herod The Great
1951
5.0
Dallas
as Judge Harper
1950
6.5
Walk Softly, Stranger
as Jake, Poker Player (uncredited)
1950
5.0
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
as Judge Kramer
1950
7.1
Sunset in the West
as Sheriff Tad Osborne
1950
7.5
No Way Out
as Dr. Cheney (uncredited)
1950
6.9
The Savage Horde
as Judge Thomas Cole
1950
5.8
A Ticket to Tomahawk
as Marshal Kit Dodge
1950
5.8
House by the River
as Inspector Sarten
1950
6.7
Mrs. Mike
as Dr. McIntosh
1949
2.0
Adam's Rib
as Judge Marcasson
1949
7.1
All the King's Men
as Dolph Pillsbury
1949
7.0
They Live by Night
as Mobley
1949
6.9
Miss Grant Takes Richmond
as Roscoe Johnson (uncredited)
1949
5.0
The Lone Ranger
as Uncle Ed
1949
6.8
Brimstone
as Martin Tredwell
1949
6.3
Lust for Gold
as Parsons (uncredited)
1949
5.9
🎬
The Price of Freedom
as McTrees
1949
0.0
Grape Nutty
as Crow (Voice)
1949
0.0
Big Jack
as Will Farnsworth
1949
6.0
The Green Promise
as Mr. Grenstedt
1949
6.0
Little Women
as Mr. Grace (uncredited)
1949
7.4
Act of Violence
as Pop
1949
6.9
Whispering Smith
as Sheriff McSwiggin
1948
6.6
An Act of Murder
as Judge Jim Wilder
1948
6.7
Disaster
as Pop Hansford
1948
5.0
The Walls of Jericho
as Dr. Patterson (uncredited)
1948
4.9
Black Eagle
as Sheriff Clancy
1948
6.0
Relentless
as Sam - the Horse Dealer
1948
6.2
Green Grass of Wyoming
as Jake Willis
1948
6.8
So This Is New York
as Uncle Fergus (uncredited)
1948
6.0
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
as Eph Hackett (uncredited)
1948
7.0
The Inside Story
as J. J. Johnson
1948
6.5
🎬
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle
as Pop Williams
1948
0.0
California's Golden Beginning
1948
0.0
🎬
Speaking of Animals: Home Sweet Home
as Babirusa / Pig (voice)
1948
0.0
Wild Harvest
as Mike Alperson
1947
0.0
Along the Oregon Trail
as Jim Bridger
1947
0.0
Cynthia
as Gus Wood, Thatcher's Real Estate Rep
1947
5.9
Mother Wore Tights
as Withers (uncredited)
1947
5.3
Uncle Tom's Cabana
as Uncle Tom (uncredited)
1947
5.3
Keeper of the Bees
as Dr. Grayson
1947
0.0
The Trouble with Women
as Commissioner (uncredited)
1947
0.0
Danger Street
as Police Chief Bullward
1947
4.0
The Long Night
as Mr. Tully - the Janitor (uncredited)
1947
5.6
Blaze of Noon
as Mr. Thomas
1947
4.0
California
as Chairman (uncredited)
1947
6.7
Fair Weather Fiends
as Wolfie Wolf (voice)
1946
7.3
Blue Skies
as Dan - Stage Manager (uncredited)
1946
6.1
The Jolson Story
as Sourpuss Movie Patron (uncredited)
1946
6.6
The Reckless Driver
as Wally Walrus (voice)
1946
7.3
Big Town
as Station Agent (uncredited)
1946
4.8
Down Missouri Way
as Prof. Morris
1946
0.0
The Inner Circle
as Henry Boggs
1946
5.2
Rendezvous with Annie
as Elmer Snodgrass
1946
6.0
Hot Cargo
as Tim Chapman
1946
0.0
Who's Cookin Who?
as Wolfie Wolf (voice)
1946
7.3
One Exciting Week
as Otis Piper
1946
6.0
Without Reservations
as Pullman Conductor (uncredited)
1946
6.2
They Made Me a Killer
as Henry, the Blacksmith
1946
5.4
The Blue Dahlia
as "Dad" Newell
1946
6.7
Apple Andy
as Devil
1946
6.2
Johnny Comes Flying Home
as Foreman (uncredited)
1946
0.0
The Hoodlum Saint
as Allan 'Knucklehead' Smith - Times Editor (uncredited)
1946
5.2
Road to Utopia
as Mr. Latimer (uncredited)
1946
6.7
The Madonna's Secret
as The Riverman
1946
5.9
Prospecting for Petroleum
as The Professor (voice)
1946
0.0
Scarlet Street
as Globe Loan Office Manager (uncredited)
1945
7.6
The Loose Nut
as Construction Worker (voice)
1945
6.5
State Fair
as Hog Judge (uncredited)
1945
6.6
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry
as Mr. Nelson
1945
6.2
You Came Along
as Col. Dale V. Armstrong (uncredited)
1945
7.0
Bewitched
as Mr. Herkheimer
1945
5.3
Rhapsody in Blue
as Rachmaninoff
1945
6.4
Salome, Where She Danced
as Sheriff
1945
3.7
Fall Guy
as Mr. Nedsen, Parkson's Attorney (uncredited)
1945
8.0
High Powered
as Jeff Hines
1945
5.0
Grissly's Millions
as John Frey
1945
6.0
Practically Yours
as Sen. Cowling (uncredited)
1944
0.0
Dangerous Passage
as Postal Clerk (uncredited)
1944
4.4
The Town Went Wild
as Judge Harry Schrank (uncredited)
1944
5.0
Wilson
as Hughes Campaign Orator in Maine (uncredited)
1944
5.5
Take It Big
as Rodeo Judge (uncredited)
1944
0.0
You Can't Ration Love
as Judge Cary - Justice of the Peace
1944
0.0
The Navy Way
as Baldy - Triangle A Ranch Hand (uncredited)
1944
5.7
In Old Oklahoma
as Doctor
1943
6.2
Here Comes Elmer
as Horace Parrot
1943
0.0
So Proudly We Hail
as Colonel Clark (Uncredited)
1943
5.5
Sleepy Lagoon
as Cyrus Coates
1943
4.0
The Good Fellows
as Brother from Danville (uncredited)
1943
0.0
Cowboy in Manhattan
as Higgins
1943
0.0
The Meanest Man in the World
as Pawn Shop Owner (uncredited)
1943
6.4
Tennessee Johnson
as Alderman (uncredited)
1942
6.1
The Major and the Minor
as Ticket Agent #1 (uncredited)
1942
7.0
A Letter From Bataan
as Mr. Limpert
1942
4.5
Wildcat
as John 'Paw' Smithers
1942
3.5
Bambi
as Friend Owl (voice) (uncredited)
1942
7.0
Tales of Manhattan
as Old Concertgoer (uncredited)
1942
6.2
The Postman Didn't Ring
as Mr. Slade
1942
0.0
Saboteur
as J.C. Lormans - Company Official (uncredited)
1942
6.9
Shut My Big Mouth
as Jim Long
1942
8.5
USS VD: Ship of Shame
as Commandant (uncredited)
1942
4.2
Shadow of the Thin Man
as Maguire - Nervous Ticket Seller (uncredited)
1941
7.0
The Tell-Tale Heart
as Second Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
1941
6.5
Nothing But the Truth
as Mr. Bart Prichard (uncredited)
1941
7.1
Mob Town
as Pawnbroker (uncredited)
1941
0.0
Honky Tonk
as Townsman at Meeting House (uncredited)
1941
6.4
Blossoms in the Dust
as Senator
1941
6.6
The Richest Man in Town
as Frederick Johnson
1941
0.0
Cracked Nuts
as Sylvanus Boogle
1941
0.0
Maisie Was a Lady
as Judge Thatcher (Uncredited)
1941
6.8
You, the People
as Mr. Roberts
1940
5.8
Blondie Plays Cupid
as Mr. Tucker
1940
6.7
It's A Small World
as Courtroom spectator (uncredited)
1935
4.5
Pure Feud
as Lem (uncredited)
1934
0.0