Gregory Walcott

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Gregory Walcott (real name Bernard Wasdon Mattox ; born January 13, 1928 in Wendell , North Carolina , † March 20, 2015 in Los Angeles , California ) was an American actor .

Life

Walcott grew up in North Carolina and first served in the US Army towards the end of World War II. He hitchhiked to Hollywood and initially had some engagements in semi-professional ensembles. He made his film debut in 1952 in a small role in the adventure film The Fire Jumpers of Montana . Walcott, who continued to serve in the Army in the 1950s, was quickly drawn into military roles through appearances such as the drill instructor in the 1955 film Battle Cry . Other similar roles followed in war films and (increasingly more common) westerns. He has often been cast in guest roles in numerous television series, such as Bonanza , Maverick , Wagon Train , High Chaparral , At the foot of the blue mountains , The Dakotas and many others. Through his roles in A Thousand Miles of Dust , he met Clint Eastwood , in whose later films he received roles several times.

During the television season 1961/1962 Walcott was one of the main characters in the detective series Police Station 87 ; as a result, offers in this genre increased. More rarely, but regularly, he was also seen in feature films. He is remembered mainly for his leading role as a pilot in Ed Wood's trash film Plan 9 from Outer Space , which achieved a certain cult status as one of the worst films of all time. Walcott once commented on his fame through the film: "It's better to be remembered by something than by nothing, isn't it?" In addition, he also played in "more serious" films such as Steven Spielberg's Sugarland Express or the Oscar-winning drama Norma Rae - A woman looks after her husband . In 1967 Walcott starred in one of the first independent films, Bill Wallace of China . He had his last role in 1994 in a guest appearance in Tim Burton's Ed Wood , which processed the genesis of Plan 9 from space , in which he had played a leading role in 1959.

Walcott was an ordained priest of his denomination. In 2003 his memoir Hollywood Adventures was published . From 1954 until her death in 2010 he was married to Barbara May Watkins and they had three children.

Walcott died on March 20, 2015 at his Canoga Park, California home, aged 87. He was laid to rest in Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California, next to his wife by his first name, Bernard Mattox. He was a member of the Hollywood Presbyterian Church.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gregory Walcott, Reluctant Star of 'Plan 9 From Outer Space,' Dies at 87
  2. ↑ Obituary for film releases
  3. ↑ http://actorstalkacting.com/017-actors-talk-gregory-walcott-acting-in-hollywood-insights-from-a-consummate-pro/
  4. ↑ 978-0970601223
personal data
SURNAME Walcott, Gregory
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bernard Mattox
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH January 13, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH Wendell , North Carolina
DATE OF DEATH March 20, 2015
Place of death los Angeles