Noble Willingham


Actor

About

Also Known As
Noble Henry Willingham Jr.
Birth Place
Mineola, Texas, USA
Born
August 31, 1931
Died
January 17, 2004
Cause of Death
Died Of Natural Causes

Biography

Solidly built, strong-featured character actor, prolific in film and TV, whose authority figures and blustery professional types often rely on his Texas-flavored image. Born in a small Texas town, Willingham worked in oil fields as a roustabout and steam fitter, and after college and graduate studies became a schoolteacher. A longstanding interest in acting led to a small role in the acc...

Family & Companions

Doris Humphrey
Wife
Were high school sweethearts; married in 1955; divorced in 1983; deceased.
Patti McGlohen
Companion
College administrator. Born c. 1948.

Biography

Solidly built, strong-featured character actor, prolific in film and TV, whose authority figures and blustery professional types often rely on his Texas-flavored image. Born in a small Texas town, Willingham worked in oil fields as a roustabout and steam fitter, and after college and graduate studies became a schoolteacher. A longstanding interest in acting led to a small role in the acclaimed TV-movie "My Sweet Charlie" (1970) and when Peter Bogdanovich brought his crew to Texas to work on "The Last Picture Show" (1971), Willingham was one of the locals cast in a small part. Soon thereafter, he moved to Los Angeles to further his acting career.

With his rough speaking voice and often gruff manner, Willingham soon carved a niche in small supporting roles in "Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York" (1975, as, appropriately, a school principal), "The Boys in Company C" (1977, as a sergeant), and "First Monday in October" (1981, as a Nebraska attorney). He was inactive in features for a time in the mid-1980s as TV work expanded. He had previously tried series like "The Texas Wheelers" (1974-75) and "When the Whistle Blow" (1980), and TV-movies including "Black Bart" (1975) and "The Gambler" (1980). Mid-80s small screen work included miniseries like "Dream West" (1986, as President James Polk) and telefilms like "Shooter" (1988).

The film role that gained Willingham increased attention and larger parts in the future came with a striking portrayal of the sympathetic general in "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987). He has continued to play small parts which call on his Southwestern accent to add color, but he has also appeared in such high-profile fare as "City Slickers" (1991), "The Distinguished Gentleman" (1992), and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994).

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

The Corndog Man (1998)
Ace Barker
Walker, Texas Ranger: Sons of Thunder (1997)
Up Close and Personal (1996)
Deadly Reunion (1995)
C D Parker
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Men Don't Tell (1993)
Fire in the Sky (1993)
Sheriff Blake Davis
Woman With A Past (1992)
Of Mice and Men (1992)
Article 99 (1992)
The Distinguished Gentleman (1992)
Career Opportunities (1991)
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Sheldon Marcone
Sweet Poison (1991)
City Slickers (1991)
Blind Fury (1990)
The Court-martial Of Jackie Robinson (1990)
Pastime (1990)
Clyde Bigby
The Heist (1989)
Stuckey
Unconquered (1989)
The Road Raiders (1989)
Crankcase
Longarm (1988)
Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story (1988)
Ted Simonsen
A Stoning in Fulham County (1988)
Judge Manning
Splash, Too (1988)
Shooter (1988)
Arnold B Rizzo
Summer Heat (1987)
Strother
Born In East L.A. (1987)
The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory (1987)
La Bamba (1987)
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Badge of the Assassin (1985)
Airport Guard
Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story (1983)
Missing Children: A Mother's Story (1982)
Lander Hughes
Independence Day (1982)
The Howling (1981)
First Monday in October (1981)
The Children Nobody Wanted (1981)
Mcnaulty
Coward Of The County (1981)
The Georgia Peaches (1980)
Kenny Rogers as the Gambler (1980)
Brubaker (1980)
Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story (1979)
Norma Rae (1979)
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979)
The Boys in Company C (1978)
Thaddeus Rose and Eddie (1978)
Just Me and You (1978)
Fast Charlie - The Moonbeam Rider (1978)
Cindy (1978)
Sergeant
Greased Lightning (1977)
Billy Joe Byrnes
Fighting Mad (1976)
Senator Hingle
Aloha, Bobby And Rose (1975)
Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York (1975)
School Principal
Big Bad Mama (1974)
Where Have All the People Gone? (1974)
Chinatown (1974)
Sunshine (1973)
The Girls of Huntington House (1973)
Harry--Sara'S Father
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Chester
My Sweet Charlie (1970)
Grady

Cast (Special)

Walker: Behind the Scenes With TV's Toughest Hero (1996)
Interviewee
Oil's Well That Ends Well (1993)
Sporting Chance (1990)
Packy Dillon
W*A*L*T*E*R (1984)
Evel Knievel (1974)
Jack Decataur

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder (1987)
Dream West (1986)
The Atlanta Child Murders (1985)
The Blue and the Gray (1982)
Backstairs at the White House (1979)
The Critical List (1978)

Life Events

1970

Played a supporting role in the TV-movie, "My Sweet Charlie"

1971

While working as a teacher, was one of the locals cast in a small role for some of the on-location shooting in Texas of the Peter Bogdanovich film, "The Last Picture Show"

1972

Moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting career

1973

Was cast again by Bogdanovich in his second feature film, "Paper Moon"

1974

First TV series in regular role, as the sheriff on the ABC comedy, "The Texas Wheelers"

1978

First TV miniseries, "The Critical List"

1980

Played Bulldog on the ABC sitcom, "When the Whistle Blows"

1982

Last feature credit for almost five years, "Independence Day"

1983

Played Warren Jarvis, the mayor of the Texas town of Cutter, on the short-lived CBS medical drama series, "Cutter to Houston"

1987

Returned to features with roles in "La Bamba" and "Summer Heat", both shot in 1986

1987

Played one of most prominent and attention-getting supporting roles up to that time in "Good Morning, Vietnam"

1988

Played Ned Sanders on the short-lived CBS drama series, "Blue Skies"

1999

Starred in the independent film "The Corndog Man"

2000

Ran for Congress on the Republican ticket from the first district in East Texas

Videos

Movie Clip

Trailer

Family

Noble Henry Willingham
Father
Railroad worker, farmer. Died in 1973.
Ladelle Willingham
Mother
Died of breast cancer c. 1947.
Stori Willingham
Daughter
Educational psychologist. Born May 15, 1965.

Companions

Doris Humphrey
Wife
Were high school sweethearts; married in 1955; divorced in 1983; deceased.
Patti McGlohen
Companion
College administrator. Born c. 1948.

Bibliography