RIP Wilford Brimley

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bazodee
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RIP Wilford Brimley

#1 Post by bazodee » Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:31 pm

St. George News has learned that local resident, Utah native and renowned actor Wilford Brimley has died. The character star known for bringing a loveable folksy curmudgeon personality to such popular films as “Cocoon,” The Natural” and “The China Syndrome” was 85.

Brimley, who was born in Salt Lake City, called Santa Clara home as well as a ranch in Greybull, Wyoming.

St. George News was able to confirm Brimley’s passing, but the circumstances of his death have not been disclosed.

Brimley started his film career as an extra in Westerns, and the Western spirit stayed in his heart throughout his life as he could usually be seen wearing a Stetson in his local appearances atop a face marked by his signature, walrus-like mustache. In 2005, the Motion Picture and Television Fund honored Brimley with its Golden Boot for his contribution to his contributions to Westerns in film and television.

In March, Brimley hosted a screening at Dixie State University marking the 40th anniversary of his role as Farmer in the Robert Redford movie “The Electric Horseman.”

Speaking to St. George News at the time, Brimley said he played the small role in the film as a favor to director Sydney Pollack while shoeing horses in Salt Lake City in his day job, and improvised the role because bringing himself into roles was what he did best.

“See, I was never good at pretending to be somebody I’m not. A lot of actors think that’s your responsibility. Well, it’s not,” Brimley said. “Your responsibility is to take a set of imaginary circumstances presented by a writer and put yourself in those circumstances, and the key is: yourself.”

Brimley’s first notable role, a 10-episode guest turn of television’s “The Waltons” also had a bit of himself, as the character Horace shared his last name.

According to Brimley, he didn’t break into acting until he was 40 after his good friend, actor Robert Duvall, encouraged him to try acting out.

Despite playing a lot of roles in Westerns, Brimley may be best known for the first movie he had a leading role in: the 1985 fountain of youth, science-fiction movie “Cocoon.” Despite being just 50-years-old at the time, he played a character 25 to 30 years older.

The character actor also became a familiar face in movie theaters and homes for his turn as a nuclear plant worker in “The China Syndrome,” his role as Blair in “The Thing,” baseball manager Pop Fisher in “The Natural” and the grandfather in TV’s “Our House.” He also became a fixture in Quaker Oats commercials, extolling viewers that it was “the right thing to do.”

After 1997’s “In & Out,” Brimley mainly retreated from Hollywood. But as a diabetes sufferer since 1979, he became known as an advocate for people suffering from the disease. That earned Brimley a lifetime achievement award from the American Diabetes Association in 2008.

His pronunciation of diabetes became an internet meme in the last few years – something Brimley was good-natured about as he became active in social media himself.

In one of his last tweets before his death, Brimley mocked the “diabetus” meme.
Last edited by bazodee on Mon Aug 03, 2020 8:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

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silverscreenselect
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Re: RIP Wilfred Brimley

#2 Post by silverscreenselect » Sun Aug 02, 2020 5:18 am

In an era when so many actors try to play younger than they are, Brimley made a successful career by playing decades older. Many of his best "old man" roles were in films made while he was still in his 40s or early 50s.
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Re: RIP Wilfred Brimley

#3 Post by Buffacuse » Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:54 am

A couple of his best roles were as villains: the evil head of security in "The Firm," and corrupt UMW boss Tony Boyle in HBO's "Act of Vengeance."

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Re: RIP Wilfred Brimley

#4 Post by kroxquo » Sun Aug 02, 2020 5:37 pm

Buffacuse wrote:
Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:54 am
A couple of his best roles were as villains: the evil head of security in "The Firm," and corrupt UMW boss Tony Boyle in HBO's "Act of Vengeance."
And don't forget he was the one who smashed the radio in The Thing
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Wilford Brimley
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Re: RIP Wilfred Brimley

#5 Post by Wilford Brimley » Mon Aug 03, 2020 8:36 am

And another Bored MM bites the dust...

You know what's funnier than me saying Diabeetus? Folks calling me Wilfred....
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#6 Post by Vandal » Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:41 pm

There’s a Twitter account called Brimley/Cocoon Line with the following description:

When 'Cocoon' reached theaters on June 21, 1985, Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old. This account makes note of people who have reached that age (50 years, 9 months and 6 days).

Recent crossers include Colson Whitehead, Matthew McConaughey, Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Brett Favre and Gwen Stefani.
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#7 Post by Bob78164 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 8:43 pm

Vandal wrote:
Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:41 pm
There’s a Twitter account called Brimley/Cocoon Line with the following description:

When 'Cocoon' reached theaters on June 21, 1985, Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old. This account makes note of people who have reached that age (50 years, 9 months and 6 days).

Recent crossers include Colson Whitehead, Matthew McConaughey, Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Brett Favre and Gwen Stefani.
So when it was in principal photography he would have been at least several months younger.

Who's Colson Whitehead? --Bob
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#8 Post by Vandal » Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:13 am

He's a two-time Pulitzer winning author of 'The Underground Railroad' and 'The Nickel Boys'.
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#9 Post by silverscreenselect » Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:23 am

Vandal wrote:
Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:13 am
He's a two-time Pulitzer winning author of 'The Underground Railroad' and 'The Nickel Boys'.
Who's Brett Favre?
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#10 Post by Vandal » Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:54 am

silverscreenselect wrote:
Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:23 am
Vandal wrote:
Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:13 am
He's a two-time Pulitzer winning author of 'The Underground Railroad' and 'The Nickel Boys'.
Who's Brett Favre?
He was that actor in There's Something About Mary.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Available now:
The Secret At Haney Field: A Baseball Mystery
The Right Hand Rule
Center Point
Dizzy Miss Lizzie
Running On Empty
The Tick Tock Man
The Dragon's Song by Binh Pham and R. M. Clark
Devin Drake and The Family Secret

Visit my website: http://www.rmclarkauthor.com

Ready: Devin Drake and The RollerGhoster

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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#11 Post by Bob Juch » Tue Aug 04, 2020 7:51 am

Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 03, 2020 8:43 pm
Vandal wrote:
Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:41 pm
There’s a Twitter account called Brimley/Cocoon Line with the following description:

When 'Cocoon' reached theaters on June 21, 1985, Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old. This account makes note of people who have reached that age (50 years, 9 months and 6 days).

Recent crossers include Colson Whitehead, Matthew McConaughey, Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Brett Favre and Gwen Stefani.
So when it was in principal photography he would have been at least several months younger.

Who's Colson Whitehead? --Bob
Its filming dates were 20 August 1984 thru 1 November 1984.
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#12 Post by jarnon » Fri Aug 07, 2020 10:11 am

The National Hurricane Center predicts there will be up to 25 tropical storms this year. The 21st will be called Wilfred.
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#13 Post by silverscreenselect » Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:14 pm

Last night, they paid tribute to Wilford Brimley during the closing credits of Yellowstone. Brimley never appeared on the show but he would have fit right in.
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#14 Post by SportsFan68 » Sun Aug 23, 2020 5:46 pm

Bazodee wrote:
In March, Brimley hosted a screening at Dixie State University marking the 40th anniversary of his role as Farmer in the Robert Redford movie 'The Electric Horseman.'
That's my favorite Brimley role. I convinced myself that he was exactly like that in real life.
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Re: RIP Wilford Brimley

#15 Post by jarnon » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:43 pm

Image
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