 Anthony Wilford Brimley was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1934, where his father worked as a real estate broker. Prior to his career in acting, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps (1952-1955), where he served in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska for three years. Being stationed there, we are quite sure that Wilford did not spend his time lounging on the beach in Bermuda shorts in zero degree weather. Instead, he was ready to defend our nation against tyranny during the Korean War. By the end of his service, he had attained the rank of Sergeant.
He also worked as a bodyguard for Howard Hughes, ranch hand, wrangler, and blacksmith; he then began shoeing horses for film and television. He began acting in the 1960s as a riding extra in Westerns and a stunt man at the urging of his friend, Robert Duvall.
Brimley's big breakthrough came when he was cast in the popular 1970s
television series The Waltons. Since then, he has performed in a large
variety of movies, such as: China Syndrome (1979), Absence of Malice (1981), The Natural (1984), and Cocoon (1985).
Wilford is receiving his Silver Spur award for his work in western televison and movies, such as: Blood River (1991), Crossfire Trail (2001), The Oregon Trail tv series, and the How the West Was Won tv series.
The Reel Cowboys were very pleased to give Mr. Brimley this well-deserved award at the 2017 Silver Spur Award Show. |
