Noble Henry Willingham, Jr. (August 31, 1931 – January 17, 2004) was an American actor who appeared in more than thirty films and in many television shows, including a stint opposite Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger.
Early life Willingham was the son of railroad worker and farmer Noble Henry Willingham, Sr, and Ruby Ladelle (née Speights).
He was born in the small town of Mineola, in Wood County east of Dallas, Texas. After graduating in 1953 from North Texas State College in Denton, he earned a master's degree in educational psychology from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Willingham served in the United States Army during the Korean War
Career Willingham taught government and economics at Sam Houston High School in Houston before he followed his dream of becoming an actor. He auditioned for a part in The Last Picture Show (1971), which was filmed in Texas. He won the role, which led to another appearance, in Paper Moon (1973).
Willingham appeared in more than thirty feature films, including Chinatown (1974); Aloha, Bobby and Rose (1975); Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York (1975); Greased Lightning (1977); The Boys in Company C (1978); Norma Rae (1979); Brubaker (1980); The Howling (1981); La Bamba (1987); Good Morning, Vietnam (1987); City Slickers (1991); The Last Boy Scout (1991); Of Mice and Men (1992); Fire in the Sky (1993); The Hudsucker Proxy (1994); Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); and City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994).
On television, Willingham had a recurring role in the ABC series Home Improvement with Tim Allen as John Binford, and appeared as a guest star in the 1975 CBS family drama series Three for the Road. He also guest starred on Dallas; The A-Team; Murder, She Wrote; Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989); Northern Exposure; The Rockford Files; Tucker's Witch with Tim Matheson and Catherine Hicks; and Quantum Leap. His additional television credits include A Woman With a Past, The Children Nobody Wanted, The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory, and Unconquered. He also played the conductor in Kenny Rogers as The Gambler (1980), Dr. Graham in Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story (1983), he appeared in the 1986 miniseries Dream West, and appeared in Badge of the Assassin (1985) and Men Don't Tell (1993). He guest starred as IRS Agent Bumpers in the show Remington Steele.
He was best known for his role as C.D. Parker on the series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993 to 1999. He left the show to run for the United States House of Representatives. He ran for the Texas's 1st congressional district seat against incumbent Max Sandlin, who beat Willingham handily.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1971The Last Picture ShowChester1973The Thief Who Came to DinnerRoyUncredited1973Paper MoonMr. Robertson1973Hit!Warden Springer1974ChinatownCouncilman #11974Big Bad MamaUncle Barney1974Where Have All the People Gone?Jim Clancey1975Aloha, Bobby and RoseUncle Charlie1975Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New YorkPrincipal1976Fighting MadSenator Hingle1977Greased LightningBilly Joe Byrnes1978The Boys in Company CSergeant Curry1979Norma RaeLeroy Mason1979Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider'Pop' Bauer1979Butch and Sundance: The Early DaysCaptain Prewitt1980BrubakerDr. Fenster1981The HowlingCharlie Barton1981Harry's WarMajor Andrews1981First Monday in OctoberNebraska Attorney1983Independence DayAndy Parker1987La BambaHoward1987Summer HeatStrother1987Born in East L.A.Border Patrol Sergeant1987Good Morning, VietnamGeneral Taylor1989Blind FuryClaude MacCready1990PastimeClyde Bigby1991Career OpportunitiesRoger Roy McClellan1991City SlickersClay Stone1991The Last Boy ScoutSheldon 'Shelly' Marcone1992Article 99Inspector General1992Of Mice and MenThe Boss1992The Distinguished GentlemanZeke Bridges1993Fire in the SkyBlake Davis1994The Hudsucker ProxyZebulon Cardoza1994Ace Ventura: Pet DetectiveRiddle1994Guarding TessSheriff JansonUncredited1994City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's GoldClay Stone1994Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly ReunionC.D. Parker1996Up Close & PersonalBuford Sells1999The Corndog Man'Ace' Barker2000South of Heaven, West of HellSheriff Harris2003Blind HorizonDeputy Shirl Cash(final film role)
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1970My Sweet CharlieGradyTelevision movie1971Evel KnievelJack DecataurTelevision movie1972BonanzaMr. KirbyEpisode: "Riot"1972McMillan & WifeSheriffEpisode: "Terror Times Two"1973GunsmokeTuckEpisode: "Whelan's Men"1973The Girls of Huntington HouseHarryTelevision movie1973HawkinsCarl JacksonEpisode: "Die, Darling, Die"1973SunshineBartenderTelevision movie1973–75The WaltonsMr. Denton / B.C. Graddy3 episodes1974Apple's WayFarmerEpisode: "The Miller"1974The Texas WheelersSheriff2 episodes1974Where Have All The People Gone?Jim ClancyTelevision movie1974The Mary Tyler Moore ShowHalEpisode: "What Are Friends For?1975CannonSergeant 'Sonny' WillsEpisode: "Coffin Corner"1975Blazing SaddlesFern MalagaTelevision movieAlso known as Black Bart1975SwitchVerly TerraceEpisode: "The Man Who Couldn't Lose"1975Three for the RoadEpisode: "The Rip-off"1975–76The Rockford FilesPalm Springs Tan Tony / Claude Orzeck / B.J.3 episodes1976PetrocelliArtie JacobsEpisode: "The Falling Star"1976–78AliceFloyd / Policeman / Morgan4 episodes1977Lou GrantHotel ManagerEpisode: "Aftershock"1977Man from AtlantisArtemus WashburnEpisode: "Shoot-Out at Land's End"1978Thaddeus Rose and EddieJudgeTelevision movie1978CindySergeantTelevision movie1978Just Me and YouGas Station OwnerTelevision movie1978The Critical ListCharlieTelevision movie1979How the West Was WonJudge CarterEpisode: "The Rustler"1979Backstairs at the White HouseCharles CramerTelevision mini-seriesEpisode: "#1.2" 1979Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil StoryDoctorTelevision movie1979Young MaverickEpisode: "A Fistful of Oats"1980Hart to HartWilbur PiersonEpisode: "Color Jennifer Dead"1980Kenny Rogers as The GamblerConductorTelevision movie1980When the Whistle Blows'Bulldog'2 episodes1980The Georgia PeachesJarvis WheelerTelevision movie1980WKRP in CincinnatiAl 'Smilin' Al'Episode: "A Mile in My Shoes"1981DallasSenator PascombEpisode: "Making of a President"1981Coward of the CountyJakeEpisode: "Finders Keepers"1981The Children Nobody WantedMcNaultyTelevision movie1982The Blue and the GrayCavalry General On Balloon FieldTelevision mini-series Episode: "Part 2"1982Missing Children: A Mother's StoryLander HughesTelevision movie1983Cutter to HoustonMayor Warren Jarvis9 episodes1983The Dukes of HazzardHansonEpisode: "Witness: Jesse Duke"1983Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. StoryDr. GrahamTelevision movie1983Gun ShyMr. BenderEpisode: "Pardon Me Boy, Is That the Quake City Choo Choo?"1983Tucker's WitchSheriff TroutEpisode: "Murder Is the Key"1983–86The A-TeamZack / Pete Stockton2 episodes1984AfterMASHHarry3 episodes1984W*A*L*T*E*RSergeant SowellTelevision short1985The Atlanta Child MurdersJerry ArmstrongTelevision mini-series2 episodes1985AirwolfChester HansenEpisode: "Natural Born"1985Hail to the ChiefTexab #2Episode: "#1.4"1985Highway to HeavenMacGill2 episodes1985Badge of the AssassinAirport GuardTelevision movie1986Remington SteeleHarrison BumpersEpisode: "Suburban Steele"1986Dream WestPresident James PolkTelevision mini-series2 episodes1986Mr. SunshineEpisode: "Too Many Cooks"1987 Nutcracker: Money, Madness & MurderTeschTelevision mini-series3 episodes1987The Alamo: 13 Days to GloryDr. PollardTelevision movie1987Our HouseBob 'Farmer Bob' BrewerEpisode: "Giving 'em the Business"1987Private EyeCalvinEpisode: "Blue Hotel Pt.1"1988LongarmTelevision movie1988Splash, TooKarl HootenTelevision movie1988ShooterRizzoTelevision movie1988A Stoning in Fulham CountyJudge ManningTelevision movie1988Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer StoryTed SimonsenTelevision movie1989L.A. LawRobert KenyonEpisode: "I'm in the Nude for Love"1989Unconquered'Bear' BryantTelevision movie1989Star Trek: The Next Generation'Texas'Episode: "The Royale"1989The Road Raiders'Crankcase'Television movie1989The HeistStuckeyTelevision movie1989–90Ann JillianDuke Howard6 episodes1990The Young RidersErastus HawkinsEpisode: "Then There Was One"1990Capital NewsEpisode: "Pilot"1990Sporting Chance'Packy' DillonTelevision movie1990MatlockReverend Morley PhelpsEpisode: "The Madam"1990The Court-Martial of Jackie RobinsonTelevision movie1991Quantum LeapGeneEpisode: "Justice - May 11, 1965"1992Home ImprovementJohn Binford2 episodes1992Murder, She WroteSheriff Pat McAllesterEpisode: "Angel of Death"1992Northern ExposureColonel Gordon McKearn Episode: "Lost and Found"1993Tales from the CryptMr. PetermeyerEpisode: "Oil's Well That Ends Well"1993–99Walker, Texas RangerC.D. Parker155 episodes
Death On January 17, 2004, Willingham died in his sleep of a heart attack in Palm Springs at the age of 72. A veteran of the United States Army during the Korean War, he is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
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