David Huddleston

David Huddleston Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: September 17, 1930

Death Date: August 2, 2016 — 85 years old

Birth Place: Vinton, Virginia

A portly, often bespectacled veteran character actor, David Huddleston knew from an early age he wanted to pursue a career as an actor. The Virginia native participated in school and church productions and after military service headed to NYC's American Academy of Dramatic Arts for his training. Almost immediately after graduating, he found work. appearing in touring companies of musicals and plays.

He began to make inroads in film in the 1970s, supporting John Wayne in "Rio Lobo" (1970), James Stewart in "Fools' Parade" (1971) and Gregory Peck in "Billy Two Hats" (1973). As the vicious gang leader who is not without humor in "Bad Company" (1972), Huddleston earned much critical praise, but the film's lack of box-office did not advance his feature career.

Mel Brooks used the actor to good effect in "Blazing Saddles" (1974) but he was relegated to inferior material for much of the next decade. In 1985, Huddleston was tapped for the title role in "Santa Claus: The Movie," a less than magical telling of the story of the Christmas icon. It took more than another ten years before the actor found a worthy role, this time as a wheelchair-bound Southern California millionaire known as "The Big Lebowski" (1998) in the Coen brothers feature.

Huddleston also found time to make numerous guest appearances on TV shows, in everything from sitcoms to dramas. He co-starred in several series, including "Tenafly" (NBC, 1973-74) and "Petrocelli" (NBC, 1974-76). Huddleston created, co-executive produced and starred in the short-lived sitcom "Hizzoner" (NBC, 1979), about a Southern mayor, He earned an 1990 Emmy nomination for his recurring role as Grandpa Arnold on ABC's "The Wonder Years" and lent strong support as the father of a suspected murderer fighting for custody of his grandchild in the superior "In a Child's Name" (CBS, 1991).

Throughout his career, Huddleston has returned to the stage. Among his more notable credits are co-starring as Branch Rickey in "The First" (1981), a musical biography of baseball player Jackie Robinson, appearing in support of Dustin Hoffman in "Death of a Salesman" (1984) and replacing Pat Hingle as Benjamin Franklin in the 1998 Broadway revival of the musical "1776."

Although Huddleston slowed his career later in life, he still appeared in TV shows such as "Gilmore Girls" (WB/CW 2000-07), on which he appeared as the mayor of Stars Hollow, and "The West Wing" (NBC 1999-2006), on which he portrayed a Republican senator. Continuing his association with Mel Brooks, Huddleston had a cameo as a judge in the musical remake of "The Producers" (2005). His final role came in the indie thriller "Locker 13" (2014).

David Huddleston died on August 2, 2016 of complications of kidney and heart disease in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 85 years old.

Credits

Locker 13

Actor
Floyd Marley
Movie
2014

Postal

Actor
Peter
Movie
2007

JerichoStream

Guest Star
Series
2006
54%

It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaStream

Guest Star
Eugene Hamilton
Series
2005
94%

The ProducersStream

Actor
Judge
Movie
2005
51%

Reveille

Actor
Navy Man
Movie
2004

Gilmore GirlsStream

Guest Star
Mayor Harry Porter
Series
2000

G Men From Hell

Actor
Dr. Boifford
Movie
2000

The West WingStream

Guest Star
Senator Max Lobell
Series
1999
81%

Judging Amy

Guest Star
Series
1999

L.A. Doctors

Guest Star
Series
1998

The Big LebowskiStream

Actor
Jeffrey Lebowski
Movie
1998
80%

The Man Next Door

Actor
Sheriff Dawkins
Movie
1998

Joe's Apartment

Actor
P.I. Smith
Movie
1996

The Naked Truth

Guest Star
Series
1995
64%

Cultivating Charlie

Actor
Ed Thundertrunk
Movie
1994

Walker, Texas RangerStream

Guest Star
Series
1993

Life with MikeyStream

Actor
Mr. Corcoran
Movie
1993
25%

Por el Bien de un Niño

Actor
Movie
1991

Colombo: Qualcuno ha ingannato il tenente Colombo

Actor
Movie
1990

The Nutt House

Guest Star
Big Jake Herder
Show
1989

Margaret Bourke-White

Actor
Remis
Movie
1989

The Wonder YearsStream

Guest Star
Grandpa Arnold
Series
1988

The Tracker

Actor
Lane Crawford
Movie
1988

Frantic

Actor
Peter
Movie
1988

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Guest Star
The Conductor
Series
1987
92%

When the Bough Breaks

Actor
Vicar McCaffrey
Movie
1986

Djed Mraz

Actor
Movie
1985

Santa Claus: The MovieStream

Actor
Santa Claus
Movie
1985
22%

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Sheriff Ed Ten Eyck
Series
1984

Go for It

Actor
Tiger
Movie
1983

M.A.D.D.: The Candy Lightner Story

Actor
Steve Blankenship
Movie
1983

The Act

Actor
Corky Carew
Movie
1983

The Fall GuyStream

Guest Star
Series
1981

Family Reunion

Actor
Sen. Chester Winfield
Show
1981

Magnum, P.I.Stream

Guest Star
Frank Peterson
Series
1980

Gorp

Actor
Walrus Wallman
Movie
1980

Trapper John, M.D.

Guest Star
Series
1979

BensonStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid

Actor
Sheriff
Movie
1978

Capricorn OneStream

Actor
Hollis Peaker
Movie
1978
65%

Le dernier des privés

Actor
Movie
1977

I due superpiedi quasi piatti

Actor
Capt. McBride
Movie
1977

The Final Eye

Actor
Chief Sorrenson
Movie
1977

Crime Busters

Actor
Capt. McBride
Movie
1977

Charlie's AngelsStream

Guest Star
Series
1976

Good Heavens

Guest Star
Show
1976

The Practice

Guest Star
Show
1976

Tiburón Asesino

Actor
Movie
1976

Shark Kill

Actor
Bearde
Movie
1976

Sherlock Holmes in New York

Actor
Inspector Lafferty NYPD
Movie
1976

Bronk

Guest Star
Series
1975

The Oregon Trail

Actor
Painted Face Kelly
Movie
1975

Country Blue

Actor
Angus Wages
Movie
1975

Breakheart PassStream

Actor
Dr. Molyneux
Movie
1975
68%

The Rockford FilesStream

Guest Star
Sherm
Series
1974

Police WomanStream

Guest Star
Milton Brooks
Series
1974

Paper Moon

Guest Star
Series
1974

Petrocelli

Guest Star
Series
1974

Blazing SaddlesStream

Actor
Olson Johnson
Movie
1974
89%

The Klansman

Actor
Mayor Hardy Riddle
Movie
1974

McQStream

Actor
Pinky
Movie
1974
40%

Heatwave!

Actor
Arnold Brady
Movie
1974

The Gun and the Pulpit

Actor
Mr. Ross
Movie
1974

La Justice du Seigneur

Actor
Movie
1974

The Snoop Sisters

Guest Star
Series
1973

Hawkins

Guest Star
Show
1973

Barnaby JonesStream

Guest Star
Series
1973

Billy Two HatsStream

Actor
Copeland
Movie
1973

Death and the Maiden

Actor
Joseph Harrelson
Movie
1973

Brock's Last Case

Actor
Jack Dawson
Movie
1973

Man Running

Actor
Lieutenant Sam Church
Movie
1973

Joyride to Nowhere

Actor
Lieutenant Sam Church
Movie
1973

The WaltonsStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

The RookiesStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

Kung FuStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

The Sixth Sense

Guest Star
Show
1972

Bad CompanyStream

Actor
Big Joe
Movie
1972
83%

The New Dick Van Dyke Show

Guest Star
Series
1971

McMillan & WifeStream

Guest Star
Pylant
Series
1971

Longstreet

Guest Star
Show
1971

ColumboStream

Guest Star
The Mayor
Series
1971
80%

Cannon

Guest Star
Jimmy Winters
Series
1971

Brian's SongStream

Actor
Ed McCaskey
Movie
1971
85%

Something Big

Actor
Malachi Morton
Movie
1971

Suddenly Single

Actor
Bennie
Movie
1971

The Priest Killer

Actor
Harrison Davis
Movie
1971

The Homecoming: A Christmas StoryStream

Actor
Sheriff Ep Bridges
Movie
1971

Fools' ParadeStream

Actor
Homer Grindstaff
Movie
1971

The Mary Tyler Moore ShowStream

Guest Star
Freddy
Series
1970

Norwood

Actor
Uncle Lonnie
Movie
1970

Rio LoboStream

Actor
Dr. Ivor Jones
Movie
1970
70%

Room 222

Guest Star
Series
1969

Hee Haw

Guest
Variety Show
1969

IronsideStream

Guest Star
Harrison Davis
Series
1967

BewitchedStream

Guest Star
Dog Pound Attendant
Series
1964

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonStream

Guest
Talk
1962

BonanzaStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

GunsmokeStream

Guest Star
Asa
Series
1955