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Gregory Walcott
PlanNine 11 (brighter).jpg
Walcott in Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)
Born
Bernard Wasdon Mattox

(1928-01-13)January 13, 1928
Died March 20, 2015(2015-03-20) (aged 87)
Other names Greg Walcott
Occupation Actor
Years active 1952–1994
Spouse(s)
Barbara May Watkins
(m. 1954; died 2010)
Children 3

Gregory Walcott (born Bernard Wasdon Mattox, January 13, 1928 – March 20, 2015) was an American television and film actor. Although he had roles in many Hollywood films and television series, he is perhaps best known for having appeared in the 1994 film Ed Wood and Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space from 1957.

Early years

Walcott was born Bernard Wasdon Mattox in Wendell, North Carolina, on January 13, 1928. He was raised in Wilson, North Carolina. Walcott served in the United States Army towards the end of World War II and the Korean War.

Career

While serving in the United States Army, Walcott appeared as a marine corps drill instructor in the film Battle Cry (1955), then as a shore patrolman in 1955's war-themed classic Mister Roberts, again as a marine corps drill instructor in The Outsider (1961), and later in Midway (1976) as Capt. Elliott Buckmaster.

He appeared in Western films, beginning with an uncredited role in Red Skies of Montana (1952), then later more prominently as a gunslinger who tries to romance Claudette Colbert in 1955's Texas Lady.

Walcott had roles in many television series, including that of Stone Kenyon in two episodes of the NBC sitcom, The People's Choice with Jackie Cooper. He was frequently cast in westerns like Bonanza (seven times), Maverick, Frontier Doctor, Wagon Train, The High Chaparral, 26 Men, Sugarfoot (in the 1958 episode "Bullet Proof"), Laramie, The Rifleman, The Tall Man, The Dakotas, and in several episodes of CBS's Rawhide, through which he began a long collaboration with Clint Eastwood. Walcott had featured roles in Eastwood's films Joe Kidd (1972), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), The Eiger Sanction (1975), and Every Which Way But Loose (1978).

Walcott made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as Bill Johnson in the 1959 episode, "The Case of the Howling Dog." He also was one of the stars of a 1961–1962 NBC television series, 87th Precinct, as Detective Roger Havilland. Walcott had guest roles on other television series, such as CHIPS and CBS's Dennis the Menace. He had recurring roles too in the original Dallas and Murder, She Wrote, and he appeared as Captain Diggs on the 1970s series Land of the Lost. He also made a guest appearance in 1984 on the TV series Alice in the episode titled "House Full of Hunnicutts". He played Jolene Hunnicutt's father, Big Jake Hunnicutt.

His theatrical film work included the comedy On the Double (1961), Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), Prime Cut (1972), The Last American Hero (1973), and the chase film The Sugarland Express (1974). Walcott played a sheriff in the 1979 film Norma Rae, and appeared in the film Tilt the same year. He made a cameo appearance in the 1994 Ed Wood bio-pic starring Johnny Depp, directed by Tim Burton, which was Walcott's final role.

Walcott long regretted having anything to do with Plan 9, but in a September 10, 2000, Los Angeles Times interview, he said, "It's better to be remembered for something than for nothing, don't you think?"

Personal life and death

Walcott married Barbara May Watkins, and they had a son and two daughters. They were married for 55 years until her death in 2010. He died of natural causes on March 20, 2015, in his home in Canoga Park, California, aged 87. He was buried in Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California, beside his wife, under his given name Bernard Mattox.

Filmography

List of acting performances in film
Year Title Role Notes
1952 Red Skies of Montana Randy O'Neill Uncredited
Fearless Fagan MP at Gate Uncredited
Battle Zone Rifleman Uncredited
Above and Beyond Burns Uncredited
1955 Battle Cry Sgt. Jim Beller
Strange Lady in Town Scanlon
Mister Roberts Shore Patrolman
The McConnell Story Military Policeman
Texas Lady Deputy Jess Folley
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Howard Millikan Uncredited
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts Lt. Sweeney
The Steel Jungle Guard Weaver
Thunder Over Arizona Mark Warren
1957 The Persuader Jim Cleery
Plan 9 from Outer Space Jeff Trent
1958 Jet Attack Lt. Bill Clairbone
Badman's Country Bat Masterson
1960 Simon Lash: The Black Book Lt. Wile TV movie
1961 On the Double Colonel Rock Houston
The Outsider Sgt. Kiley
1963 Captain Newman, M.D. Capt. Howard
1967 Bill Wallace of China Bill Wallace
1969 Changes Businessman / Job Interviewer Uncredited
1972 Prime Cut Weenie
Joe Kidd Sheriff Mitchell
Man of the East Bull Schmidt
1973 The Last American Hero Cleve Morley
1974 The Sugarland Express Officer Mashburn
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Used Car Salesman
Chi ha rubato il tesoro dello scia?
1975 The Eiger Sanction Pope
1976 The Quest Blacksmith Episode: "Pilot"
Midway Captain Elliott Buckmaster
1978 Donner Pass: The Road to Survival Will McKutcheon TV Movie
Every Which Way but Loose Putnam
1979 Norma Rae Lamar Miller
Tilt Mr. Davenport
1980 To Race the Wind Don Summerfun
1987 House II: The Second Story Sheriff
1994 Ed Wood Potential Backer (final film role)
List of acting performances in television
Year Title Role Notes
1958 Sugarfoot Duke McKlintock Episode: "Bullet Proof"
1958–1959 The Rifleman Sid Halpern/Blade Kelby 2 episodes
1959 Perry Mason Bill Johnson Episode: "The Case of the Howling Dog."
1960 The Magical World of Disney Henderson 2 episodes
1960-1972 Bonanza Farmer Perkins / Danny Morgan / Capt. John Fenner / Sheriff Crowley / Wade Turner / Ed Thornton / Will Cooper 7 episodes
1961–1962 87th Precinct Detective Roger Havilland 30 episodes
1963 The Dakotas Tom Davis
1975–1977 The Eiger Sanction Ralph Olson Unknown episodes
1979 CHiPs Derk Episode: "The Matchmakers"
1984 Alice Big Jake Hunnicutt Episode: "House Full of Hunnicutts"
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