ACTOR · BORN 1934 · DIED 2020

Wilford Brimley

Born

27 September 1934

Died

1 August 2020

17 archived facts · 3 topics · 1 source · Last reviewed Sep 2026

9 Interesting Facts About Wilford Brimley

1. #001

   Wilford Brimley was a bodyguard for Howard Hughes.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
2. #003

   Wilford Brimley was a talented jazz singer who recorded several albums and performed at successful club engagements.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
3. #005

   Wilford Brimley was known for putting his fellow actors at ease with small pranks between takes. While filming Cocoon: The Return (1988), for example, Courteney Cox was caught off guard by whoopee cushion pranks.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
4. #006

   Wilford Brimley joined the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War and spent three years in the Aleutian Islands.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
5. #007

   Wilford Brimley had a recurring role on The Waltons (1972). Encouraged by series star Ralph Waite, Brimley became a founding member of Waite's Los Angeles Actors' Theatre.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
6. #011

   Wilford Brimley was known for his Quaker Oats commercials.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
7. #012

   Wilford Brimley had diabetes and served as a spokesman for the diabetes testing supplies company Liberty Medical.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
8. #013

   After Wilford Brimley died, his body was cremated and his ashes were given to his family.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report
9. #016

   In 1991, Wilford Brimley was often mistaken for a trolley conductor in Hardee's (now Carl's Jr.) Frisco Burger TV commercials.

   INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

   Sources (1)

   1. IMDb — IMDb

   ·Share·Report