Noble Willingham

Noble Willingham Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: August 31, 1931

Death Date: January 17, 2004

Birth Place: Mineola, Texas

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).

Credits

Blind Horizon

Actor
Deputy Shirl Cash
Movie
2004

The Corndog Man

Actor
Ace Barker
Movie
1999

Walker, Texas Ranger: Sons of Thunder

Actor
C.D. Parker
Movie
1997

Up Close & Personal

Actor
Buford Sells
Movie
1996

Walker Texas Ranger III

Actor
Movie
1994

Ace Ventura: Pet DetectiveStream

Actor
Riddle
Movie
1994
48%

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold

Actor
Clay Stone
Movie
1994

En Busca del Oro Perdido

Actor
Movie
1994

Walker, Texas RangerStream

Actor
C.D. Parker
Series
1993

Walker Ranger de Texas II

Actor
Movie
1993

El Vengador Walker Texas Ranger

Actor
Movie
1993

El Regreso del Vengador Ranger 2

Actor
Movie
1993

Furia Sin Ley

Actor
Movie
1993

Asalto Mortal

Actor
Movie
1993

Walker Texas Ranger V

Actor
Movie
1993

Walker Texas Ranger

Actor
Movie
1993

Walker Texas Ranger VI

Actor
Movie
1993

Comisario de Texas VI: Vuelta al Pasado

Actor
Movie
1993

Walker Texas Ranger II

Actor
Movie
1993

Furia de Ley

Actor
Movie
1993

Fire in the SkyStream

Actor
Blake Davis
Movie
1993
50%

Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger

Actor
C.D. Parker
Movie
1993

Article 99

Actor
Inspector General
Movie
1992

Of Mice and MenStream

Actor
The Boss
Movie
1992
97%

The Distinguished Gentleman

Actor
Zeke Bridges
Movie
1992

Meurtre, fraude et trahison

Actor
Movie
1991

One Cup of Coffee

Actor
Clyde Bigby
Movie
1991

Dulce Veneno

Actor
Movie
1991

Career OpportunitiesStream

Actor
Roger Roy McClellan
Movie
1991
42%

Sweet Poison

Actor
Sheriff
Movie
1991

City SlickersStream

Actor
Clay Stone
Movie
1991
89%

The Last Boy ScoutStream

Actor
Sheldon Marcone
Movie
1991
46%

Sporting Chance

Actor
Packy Dillon
Show
1990

Ann Jillian

Actor
Show
1989

Tales From the Crypt

Actor
Series
1989
82%

Quantum LeapStream

Guest Star
Gene
Series
1989

Road Raiders

Actor
Crankcase
Movie
1989

The Heist

Actor
Stuckey
Movie
1989

Blind Fury

Actor
MacCready
Movie
1989

Shooter

Actor
Rizzo
Movie
1988

Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story

Actor
Ted Simonsen
Movie
1988

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Guest Star
Texas
Series
1987
92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation 2.0

Guest Star
Show
1987

Summer Heat

Actor
Strother
Movie
1987

Good Morning, VietnamStream

Actor
Brig. Gen. Taylor
Movie
1987
89%

L'Été dans la peau

Actor
Movie
1987

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Sheriff Pat McAllister
Series
1984

Highway to HeavenStream

Guest Star
MacGill
Series
1984

AirwolfStream

Guest Star
Chester Hansen
Series
1984

Cutter to Houston

Actor
Mayor Warren Jarvis
Series
1983

The A-TeamStream

Guest Star
Zack
Series
1983

Independence Day

Actor
Andy Parker
Movie
1983

First Monday in October

Actor
Nebraska Attorney
Movie
1981

Coward of the CountyStream

Actor
Car-Wash
Movie
1981

The HowlingStream

Actor
Charlie Barton
Movie
1981
74%

The Georgia Peaches

Actor
Jarvis Wheeler
Movie
1980

The GamblerStream

Actor
Conductor
Movie
1980

BensonStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

Hart to HartStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

The Dukes of HazzardStream

Guest Star
Hanson
Series
1979

Butch and Sundance: The Early Days

Actor
Captain Prewitt
Movie
1979
33%

Les Joyeux débuts de Butch Cassidy et le Kid

Actor
Capt. Prewitt
Movie
1979

Norma Rae

Actor
Leroy Mason
Movie
1979
91%

The Boys in Company C

Actor
Sergeant Curry
Movie
1978

The Critical List

Actor
Charlie
Movie
1978

Thaddeus Rose and Eddie

Actor
Judge
Movie
1978

CHiPsStream

Guest Star
Series
1977

Greased LightningStream

Actor
Billy Joe Byrnes
Movie
1977

AliceStream

Guest Star
Series
1976

Fighting Mad

Actor
Senator Hingle
Movie
1976

The Rockford FilesStream

Guest Star
Claude Orzeck
Series
1974

Apple's Way

Guest Star
Farmer
Show
1974

ChinatownStream

Actor
Councilman
Movie
1974
99%

Where Have All the People Gone?

Actor
Jim Clancy
Movie
1974

Hawkins

Guest Star
Show
1973

Paper MoonStream

Actor
Mr. Robertson
Movie
1973
91%

Sunshine

Actor
Bartender
Movie
1973

The Girls of Huntington House

Actor
Harry
Movie
1973

The WaltonsStream

Guest Star
Mr. Denton
Series
1972

Cannon

Guest Star
Det. Sgt. Sonny Wills
Series
1971

The Last Picture ShowStream

Actor
Chester
Movie
1971
98%

The Mary Tyler Moore ShowStream

Guest Star
Hal
Series
1970

My Sweet Charlie

Actor
Grady
Movie
1970

BonanzaStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

GunsmokeStream

Guest Star
Tuck
Series
1955