Anthony Wilford Brimley was born on the 27th September 1934, in Salt Lake City, Utah USA, and is an actor, best known for his roles in such movies as “The Thing” (1982), “Cocoon” (1985), and “The Firm” (1993), while he also starred in the TV series “Our House” (1986-1988). Brimley’s career started in 1969.
Have you ever wondered how rich Wilford Brimley is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Brimley’s net worth is as high as $6 million, an amount earned through his successful acting career. In addition, Brimley also worked as a rodeo rider and Blacksmith, which improved his wealth somewhat too.
Wilford Brimley Net Worth $6 Million
Wilford Brimley grew up in Utah and dropped out of high school in order to serve in the US Marine Corps, spending three years in the Aleutian Islands. Before pursuing an acting career, Brimley worked as a bodyguard, wrangler, rodeo rider, and blacksmith, but then his friend and fellow actor Robert Duvall urged him to become an actor.
Wilford started as a stunt man and riding extra in Westerns during the ‘60s, while his first on-screen appearance came in 1969, in the Oscar Award-winning “True Grit” starring John Wayne, Kim Darby and Glen Campbell. From 1974 to 1977, he played Horace Brimley in ten episodes of the Golden Globe Award-winning series “The Waltons”, and ended the ‘70s in the Oscar Award-nominated “The China Syndrome” (1979) alongside Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, and Michael Douglas, and another Academy Award-nominated film “The Electric Horseman” (1979) starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. His net worth was now established.
Wilford was very busy in the early ‘80s, playing is such notable movies as the Oscar Award-nominated “Brubaker” (1980) with Robert Redford, Yaphet Kotto, and Morgan Freeman, and in the Oscar Award-winning “Tender Mercies” (1983) with Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, and Betty Buckley. Appearances in such popular movies helped Brimley to increase his net worth significantly, and he didn’t stop there, as the ‘80s were his most lucrative decade.
In the mid-80s, Brimley had parts in such films as Barry Levinson’s Oscar Award-nominated “The Natural” (1984) with Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, and Glenn Close, and in 1985, Wilford played in Ron Howard’s Oscar Award-winning “Cocoon”, and in the Primetime Emmy Award-winning “Ewoks: The Battle for Endor”. From 1986 to 1988, he starred in the series “Our House”, while in 1993, Brimley played in Sydney Pollack’s Oscar Award-nominated “The Firm” starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Gene Hackman. Then in 1997, he had a part in the Oscar Award-nominated “In & Out” with Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, and Tom Selleck.
Brimley slowed down in the 2000s, but he managed to appear in such movies as “Crossfire Trail” (2001) starring Tom Selleck and Virginia Madsen, and in “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” (2009) with Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sam Elliott. Most recently, he played in “Timber the Treasure Dog” (2016) and is currently filming “Cellophane” and “I Believe”, which will be released later in 2017.
Regarding his personal life, Wilford Brimley was married to Lynne from 1956 until her death in 2000, and had four children with her. In 2007, he married Beverly Berry and owns houses in Greybull, Wyoming, and Santa Clara, Utah. Brimley was diagnosed with diabetes in 1979, and since then, he started raising awareness of the disease.
The Thing, Cocoon, The Firm, The Natural, Hard Target, The China Syndrome, Absence of Malice, In & Out, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Crossfire Trail, Tender Mercies, Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, Did You Hear About the Morgans?
I thought The Thing stunk. The instant [John Carpenter] said, 'Action,' I knew I was in deep water.
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I just try to be myself. (on his acting technique)
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Look, I like people very much. I'm not very good with people, but that doesn't mean I don't like them. I do like them. Because we actors are on that great big screen and so many people see us, we become familiar. People speak to us as if they've known us all our lives. That just tickles me to death.
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Fact
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Is a talented jazz singer who has recorded several albums and played successful club engagements.
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Wilford's paternal grandfather was an English immigrant, born in Blackrod, Lancashire, while Wilford's paternal grandmother's parents were Scottish, from Glasgow. Wilford's mother was of half Danish descent, with her other roots being Welsh, English, German, and Swiss-German.
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Was often mistaken for the trolley conductor in the 1991 Hardee's (now Carl's Junior) TV commercials for the Frisco Burger.
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Father was a real estate broker.
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His first acting roles were in the 60s as a riding extra/stuntman in westerns. At that time he used the name Anthony (Tony) Brimley.
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A controversial activist, he paid from his own funds for ads to have Utah allow horse-race gambling, and he was actively opposed to the banning of cockfighting. He has campaigned in Arizona and New Mexico against laws banning cockfighting.
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Had a recurring role on The Waltons (1971). At the prodding of series star Ralph Waite, Brimley became a charter member of Waite's Los Angeles Actors Theater.
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Known for his Quaker Oats commercials.
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Known to loosen up cast mates, with small practical jokes, between takes. For example, while filming Cocoon: The Return (1988), Courteney Cox was caught off guard by whoopee cushion pranks.
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Has four sons with his wife, Lynne Brimley: Jim Brimley, John Brimley, Bill Brimley, and Lawrence Brimley (deseased).
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Enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict and spent three years in the Aleutian Islands.
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Has diabetes and has served as a spokesperson for the diabetes testing-supplies company Liberty Medical.