RIP Wilford Brimley (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

The iconic actor of the silver screen and those iconic Quaker Oats and Liberty Medical diabetes commercials has passed away at the age of 85. The cause was kidney disease.

Film roles included Cocoon, The Thing, The Natural, The China Syndrome, The Firm, My Fellow Americans, Tender Mercies, 10 to Midnight and The Electric Horseman.

Television appearances included a recurring role on "The Waltons".

 

[MatthewA]

He was great in his one scene as an attorney in Absence of Malice, which I had the pleasure of reviewing for HTF when it came to Blu-ray years ago.

Rest in peace.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A fine actor and one of the best character actors over the last 40 years. May he R.I.P.

 

[Reed Grele]

One of the last, great character actors. Chilling performance as Dr. Blair in the 1982 The Thing.

R.I.P.

 

[bmasters9]

The China Syndrome

Outside of the Quaker Oats/Liberty Medical commercials, that 1979 Columbia Pictures film (where he played Ted Spindler) is, IMO, the best thing I ever saw him in.

 

[jayembee]

 

[Matt Hough]

Very sad to read about his passing this morning. Always a sturdy, reliable actor who never failed to make a memorable impression in whatever project he was involved with. I especially loved him in The Firm where he projected such menace in a very calm and controlled way.

 

[Sam Favate]

He had such a presence in everything he did. I can’t believe he was only 50 when Cocoon was made!
i always enjoyed him in everything of his I saw.

 

[joshEH]

Brimley rules in The Firm — totally menacing and threatening. And Cruise beating this satanic creep with a briefcase is the film's high point, along with Brimley showing Cruise the sexy beach-photos and going, “...Oral, and whatnot.”

Also, a mustache-less Brimley going nuts in Carpenter's The Thing, and destroying all the equipment is the best room-trashing scene since Citizen Kane. (Even the sounds he made during the autopsy are totally quotable. Dude is a meme-machine.)

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

May he Rest In Peace.

My favorite of his performances will always be The Thing. I watch it every year and plan to for the rest of my life. He, like so many of the great actors we are losing, will live on in the lives of fans and admirers.

 

[Rodney]

Sad news, indeed. He had some great performances, and contributed greatly to many films and tv shows.
Along with the performances already listed, what comes to my mind is him as Pops Fisher in The Natural and C.C. Tarpley in The Good Old Boys.

 

[joshEH]

Wilford Brimley is breathtakingly good in Absence of Malice during the speech he gives wrapping up the case in the meeting room, and eloquently expressing the moral issues involved. It's an acting tour-de-force, but fits the story perfectly in Kurt Luedtke's excellent screenplay. An underrated film that criticizes the reckless behavior of certain kinds of incompetent and thoughtless reporters and prosecutors.

I'll also give Brimley a shout-out for his most unexpected role -- as Van Damme's Cajun moonshiner-uncle in Hard Target. That movie has some all-time scenery-chewing in it amongst its cast. His hammy accent work in that film is a thing of beauty. ("Chaunce mah bouy!!")

 

[bujaki]

Good character actors are always unforgettable. And recognizable. They don't have to be stars.
RIP.

 

[JamesSmith]

Was he in any tv series?

==jthree

 

[jayembee]

Was he in any tv series?

==jthree

As a guest star, plenty.

As a regular, I think only Open House (1986).

 

[WillG]

Brimley rules in The Firm — totally menacing and threatening. And Cruise beating this satanic creep with a briefcase is the film's high point, along with Brimley showing Cruise the sexy beach-photos and going, “...Oral, and whatnot.”

Also, a mustache-less Brimley going nuts in Carpenter's The Thing, and destroying all the equipment is the best room-trashing scene since Citizen Kane. (Even the sounds he made during the autopsy are totally quotable. Dude is a meme-machine.)

Was watching the firm the other night on cable, he was great in that. Oddly enough I don’t think any of the obits I read today mentioned “The Thing” which bugged me a bit (also interesting was that he was credited in that film as A. Wilford Brimley, none of the obits I read indicated what the “A” stood for) He also had a cameo on a Seinfeld episode as the postmaster general playing it not unlike his character in The Firm. I didn’t see a mention of the show “Our House” which he stared in (also noteworthy for having a young Shannen Doherty). I don’t remember how long that show lasted, but I remember watching it as a kid

 

[Rodney]

(also interesting was that he was credited in that film as A. Wilford Brimley, none of the obits I read indicated what the “A” stood for)

According to wikipedia, it stood for Anthony.

 

[David_B_K]

He was great in his one scene as an attorney in Absence of Malice, which I had the pleasure of reviewing for HTF when it came to Blu-ray years ago.

Rest in peace.

I think I've liked Wilford Brimley in everything I've seen him in but that scene in Absence of Malice is always the first thing that comes to mind when I hear him mentioned. That and dia-beetus supplies.

 

[JamesSmith]

The obit said he was 85, the funny thing is I thought he was that age thirty years ago. It must have been those cereal commercials.

--james

 

[jayembee]

He could sing a tune, too...