Sheb Wooley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheb Wooley
|
|
|---|---|
Wooley in 1971
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Shelby Fredrick Wooley |
| Also known as | Ben Colder |
| Born | April 10, 1921 Erick, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | September 16, 2003 (aged 82) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1945–1999 |
| Labels | MGM |
Shelby Fredrick "Sheb" Wooley (born April 10, 1921 – died September 16, 2003) was a talented American singer, songwriter, actor, and comedian. He was famous for his funny songs, like the 1958 hit "The Purple People Eater". He also had a country music hit called "Almost Persuaded No. 2" using the name Ben Colder.
As an actor, Sheb Wooley played many roles. He was Cletus Summers in the movie Hoosiers and Ben Miller in High Noon. He also played Travis Cobb in The Outlaw Josey Wales. Many people remember him as Pete Nolan in the TV show Rawhide. Sheb Wooley is also known for providing the voice for the famous "Wilhelm scream" sound effect, which has been used in many movies.
Contents
Sheb Wooley's Early Life
Sheb Wooley was born in 1921 in Erick, Oklahoma. He was the third of four sons. His father was a farmer. Sheb learned to ride horses when he was very young. He became a working cowboy and later a skilled rodeo rider.
In 1940, Sheb Wooley got married for the first time. His wife was Melva Miller, who was a cousin of the famous songwriter Roger Miller. Sheb became good friends with Roger and even taught him how to play guitar chords. He also bought Roger his first fiddle.
During World War II, Sheb tried to join the military. However, he couldn't because of injuries from his rodeo days. Instead, he worked in the oil industry and as a welder. In 1946, he moved to Fort Worth, Texas. There, he became a country-western musician. He recorded songs and toured with a band for three years. In 1950, he moved to Hollywood, hoping to become an actor or singer in movies and on TV.
Sheb Wooley's Music Career
Sheb Wooley loved music from a young age. When he was 15, he started a band called the "Plainview Melody Boys." They sometimes played on the radio in Oklahoma. He began recording music in 1945. His music included different styles like Western swing, country, rock and roll, and pop. He was especially known for his funny, or "novelty," songs.
In 1958, Sheb Wooley became very famous with his funny rock and roll song, "The Purple People Eater." This song used special tape effects, inspired by another hit song called "Witch Doctor." He also had a number of country hits. His song "That's My Pa" became a number one hit on the Billboard country chart in 1962.
Sheb Wooley also created a funny character named Ben Colder. He used this name for many of his comedy songs. One of his popular songs as Ben Colder was "Don't Go Near the Eskimos." He even made a funny version of the song "Achy Breaky Heart" called "Shaky Breaky Car."
In the late 1960s, Sheb Wooley joined the TV show Hee Haw. He was a regular on the show and even wrote its theme song. On Hee Haw, he often played his character Ben Colder, who was a funny, clumsy country songwriter. Sheb Wooley continued to perform and record music until he retired in 1999. He recorded his last song just four days before he passed away in 2003.
Sheb Wooley's Acting Career
Sheb Wooley had a long and successful acting career in both TV and movies.
TV Western Shows
Sheb Wooley appeared in many TV Westerns. He was in shows like The Range Rider and The Adventures of Kit Carson. He also appeared in several episodes of The Lone Ranger.
His biggest acting role on TV was as Pete Nolan in the show Rawhide, which aired from 1958 to 1965. He even wrote and directed some episodes of Rawhide.
Movies
Sheb Wooley acted in many Western films. Some of his early movies include Rocky Mountain (1950) and High Noon (1952), where he played an outlaw named Ben Miller.
He also appeared in other major films like Giant, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Silverado. One of his well-known roles was Cletus Summers in the movie Hoosiers.
The "Wilhelm Scream"
Sheb Wooley is famous for providing the voice for the "Wilhelm scream." This is a well-known sound effect that has been used in over 200 movies! It's a distinctive scream that you might hear when someone falls from a height or gets hurt in a film. Sheb Wooley's widow, Linda Dotson, confirmed that he was the one who made the original recording for the film Distant Drums.
Sheb Wooley's Personal Life
Sheb Wooley was diagnosed with leukaemia (a type of cancer) in 1996. This illness caused him to stop performing in public in 1999. After battling the disease for seven years, he passed away at the age of 82 on September 16, 2003, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was buried in Hendersonville Memory Gardens in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Awards and Recognition
Sheb Wooley received many awards for his work as a singer, actor, and writer. In 1968, he won the Country Music Association's Comedian of the Year Award. He also received the Songwriter of the Year award in 1992. He won two Golden Boot Awards for his contributions to Western films and TV shows. For nine years in a row, he won the Western Heritage Award for his work in Westerns.
Images for kids
-
Sheb Wooley in 1971
See also
In Spanish: Sheb Wooley para niños
