Richard Farnsworth

Richard William Farnsworth (September 1, 1920 – October 6, 2000) was an American actor and stuntman. He was twice nominated for an Academy Award: in 1978 for Best Supporting Actor for Comes a Horseman, and in 2000 for Best Actor in The Straight Story, making him the second-oldest nominee for the award for the latter. Farnsworth was also known for his performances in The Grey Fox (1982), for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, as well as Anne of Green Gables (1985), Sylvester (1985), and Misery (1990).

Early life Farnsworth was born on September 1, 1920, in Fairfield, Washington. His mother was a homemaker and his father was an engineer. After high school he enlisted in the United States Air Force during WWII, where he served as a pilot in the 344th Bombardment Group with the rank of First Lieutenant and received the Silver Star medal for gallantry and bravery in combat.

Career

Farnsworth gradually moved into acting in Western movies. He made uncredited appearances in numerous films, including Gone with the Wind (1939), Red River (1948), The Wild One (1953), and The Ten Commandments (1956). In 1960, credited as Dick Farnsworth, he appeared as a Gault ranch hand in the "Street of Hate" episode of the TV Western Laramie.

He received his first acting credit in a film in 1963 and went on to act in many Western films and television shows. He had a role in Roots (1977) and co-starred with Wilford Brimley in The Boys of Twilight (1992). He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the Alan J. Pakula film Comes a Horseman (1978). A breakthrough came when he starred as stagecoach robber Bill Miner in the 1982 Canadian film The Grey Fox. He appeared as a baseball coach in The Natural (1984). In 1985, he played the brother to Marilla and father figure to Anne in Anne of Green Gables and starred as a soft-spoken, sage cowboy with horse training wisdom for Melissa Gilbert in Sylvester. His other prominent roles included a wealthy and ruthless oil man in The Two Jakes (1990) and the suspicious sheriff in the film version of Stephen King's Misery (1990). His final role was playing Alvin Straight in the David Lynch film The Straight Story (1999), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Personal life and death Farnsworth had a long marriage and had two children. After becoming a widower, he lived on a ranch in Lincoln, New Mexico.

On the night of October 6, 2000, suffering from terminal cancer that left him partially paralyzed and in great pain, Farnsworth died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his ranch in Lincoln.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1937 JockeyUncredited 1938 The Adventures of Marco Polo Mongol Warrior1939 Gunga Din Bit Part Gone with the Wind Soldier 1943 This Is the Army Soldier1948 Red River Dunston Rider The Paleface Minor Role 1949 Mighty Joe Young Cowboy 1950 The Flame and the Arrow Outlaw1953 Arena Cowboy Arrowhead Cavalryman The Wild One Unknown 1954 The Violent Men Anchor Rider 1955 A Lawless Street Townsman 1956 The Ten Commandments Chariot Driver1957 The Tin Star Unknown The Hard Man Posse Man 1960 Spartacus Salt Mine Slave / Gladiator / Slave General 1963 The Jolly Genie Thug Short subject1966 Duel at Diablo Wagon Driver #1 Uncredited Texas Across the River Medicine Man 1968 The Stalking Moon Unknown Uncredited 1970 Monte Walsh Cowboy 1971 Skin Game Man In Saloon Fight Uncredited1972 The Cowboys Henry Williams Pocket Money Man Uncredited Ulzana's Raid Trooper The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Outlaw1973 The Soul of Nigger CharleyWalker Papillon Manhunter #1Uncredited 1974 Blazing Saddles Sheriff 1975 The Apple Dumpling Gang Mover1976 The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox Stagecoach Driver The Outlaw Josey Wales Comanchero Uncredited 1977 Another Man, Another Chance Stagecoach Driver 1978 Comes a Horseman Dodger1980 Tom Horn John C. Coble Ruckus Sheriff Jethro Pough Resurrection Esco 1981 The Legend of the Lone Ranger 'Wild Bill' Hickok1982 The Grey Fox Bill Miner Waltz Across Texas Frank Walker 1983 Independence Day Evan1984 The Natural 'Red' Blow Rhinestone Noah Farris1985 Into the Night Jack Caper Sylvester Foster Space Rage Colonel 1988 The River Pirates Percy1990 The Two Jakes Earl Rawley Misery Sheriff Buster Havana Professor 1992 Highway to Hell Sam1994 The Getaway 'Slim' Lassie Len Collins 1999 The Straight Story Alvin Straight

Television Year Title Role Notes 1951The Adventures of Kit Carson Henchman (uncredited) Episode: "Fury at Red Gulch"Episode: "The Desperate Sheriff" 1954 Army Wagon Driver Episode: "The Gatling Gun" 1955 Soldiers of Fortune 'Gaucho' (uncredited) Episode: "The General" 1956 Zane Grey Theatre Trooper Episode: "Star Over Texas"1958 The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok Butler Episode: "Jingles on the Jailroad" Cimarron City Ira Youngman Episode: "Twelve Guns", uncredited1959 State Trooper Caleb Smith Episode: "Lonely Valley" The Rebel Trooper Episode: "Yellow Hair"1960 Wanted: Dead or Alive Rance / Hal Episodes: "The Partners" & "To the Victor" Laramie Gault Ranch Hand / Manley (uncredited) Episodes: "Street of Hate" & "Ride into Darkness" 1961 Hank Episode: "The Tumbleweed Wagon" 1965 The Big Valley Bolin Episode: "The Odyssey of Jubal Tanner" 1966 Businessman Episode: "Image of Yesterday" 1967 Cimarron Strip Dusty Rhodes / Benefiel Episodes: "Journey to a Hanging" & "The Battleground" 1970 The High Chaparral Lloyd Episode: "The Long Shadow" 1971Bonanza Sourdough Episode: "Top Hand" 1972Tate / Troy Episodes: "The Saddle Stiff" & "He Was Only Seven" 1974 Honky Tonk DriverTV movie 1975 Strange New World Elder1977 Roots Trumbull TV miniseries Little House on the Prairie Wall Episode: "Quarantine"1981 The Texas Rangers Ranger J.W. StevensTV movie A Few Days in Weasel Creek Jason Stayvey The Cherokee Trail Ridge Fenton1983 Travis McGee Van Harder Ghost Dancing Russ Ward1985 Wild Horses Chuck Reese Chase Judge Grand Pettitt Anne of Green Gables Matthew Cuthbert1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Carl Episode: "Travelin' Man" Highway to Heaven Grandpa Jet Sanders Episode: "A Dream of Wild Horses"1989 Red Earth, White Earth HelmerTV movie Desperado: The Outlaw Wars Sheriff Campbell / Bisby Arizona 1992 The Boys of Twilight Sheriff Cody McPherson5 episodes 1993 The Fire Next Time Frank MorganTV movie 1998 Best Friends for Life Will Harper

Awards and nominations

Comes a Horseman (1979) National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor (won) National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (won, tied with Robert Morley in Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?) Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated) New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor (runner-up)

The Grey Fox (1982) Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actor (won) London Film Critics' Circle Award for Actor of the Year (won, tied with James Mason in The Shooting Party) Taormina Film Fest: Golden Mask (won) Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (nominated)

Anne of Green Gables (1985) Gemini Award for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor (won)

Chase (1985) Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (nominated)

The Straight Story (1999) Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival Award for Best Actor (won) Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead (won) New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (won) Academy Award for Best Actor (nominated) Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (nominated) Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (nominated) Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor (nominated) Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (runner-up) Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor (nominated) Satellite Award for Best Actor Motion Picture – Drama (nominated) Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (runner-up)

Note: Farnsworth was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1997. In addition, Farnsworth received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star for his contributions in the motion pictures on August 17, 1992; the star is located at 1560 Vine Street.

See also List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees — Best Actor in a Leading Role List of actors with Academy Award nominations List of actors with more than one Academy Award nomination in the acting categories References

Richard Farnsworth

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