Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-2 of 2
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Craggy-faced, athletic veteran character actor who played hard-bitten or menacing types in numerous westerns and crime dramas. One of five brothers, Woodward grew up in Arlington, Texas. He had a keen interest in aviation early on and took flying lessons from 1941, getting his pilot's license and subsequently served in both World War II (Army Air Corps) and Korea (Military Air Transport Command). Woodward first acted at Arlington State College, majoring in music and drama. He appeared for a while with the Margo Jones Repertory Theatre '47 in Dallas and then went back to study for a degree in corporate finance at the University of Texas, graduating in 1948. At one time, he sang with a jazz band and as a member of a barber shop quartet as well as having a regular weekly gig as a talk show host on local radio. Possessed of a powerful bass-baritone voice, Woodward's ultimate ambition had been to sing for the Metropolitan Opera. That didn't pan out. Neither did his hope that moving to Hollywood in 1955 might open the door to a career in musicals. Instead, he successfully auditioned at Disney for The Great Locomotive Chase (1956), followed by a part in the western pioneer saga Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956). His first big break was as co-star opposite Hugh O'Brian in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955), playing the role of Earp's deputy Shotgun Gibbs for four seasons. This effectively typecast him as a western genre actor with a record number of guest spots on Gunsmoke (1955) and Wagon Train (1957). Nonetheless, his most famous role was that of ""the man with no eyes", a sinister chain gang overseer in Cool Hand Luke (1967), distinguished by perpetually wearing reflective sunglasses. He also made two appearances on Star Trek (1966) (most famously as Simon Van Gelder, the first human with whom Spock 'mind melds') and played the shrewd Armani-suited oil tycoon Punk Anderson in 55 episodes of Dallas (1978).
Thomas Morgan Woodward was awarded the Golden Boot Award from the Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Fund in August 1988. In 2009, he became an inductee into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Privately, he was a respected authority on Early American Aircraft. According to his website, his main hobby was "restoring, rebuilding and flying antique airplanes".- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Jon Morgan Woodward, In 2013 became a published author. For the hit saga, Hidden Valley, with the first book Hidden Valley the Awakening. Which became a bestseller, Black Friday of 2014 on Amazon. Now with the second book coming out, Hidden Valley Game On. He has starred in films such as: Chances, One Hour Fantasy Girl, The Day The Music Die and IJE The Journey, He has also done many character roles in a variety of movies and television shows. He has been acting since he was a child. Taking time out to marry, raise a family and earn his Ph.D., He has returned to Los Angeles to resume his acting career. Jon lives by the motto, "no part too small, and no character too large." His talent is incredible; both in range of ages portrayed and versatility of acting styles. Comedic, dramatic, or psychological thriller as in One Hour Fantasy Girl, Jon gives his audience the ride of their lives.
Jon Woodward was a very popular character actor in the 70s some of his most well-known performances however are those that were done through television commercials. In the 70s when he was the national spokesman for 2 1/2 years for national glass and sat up in the corner of your television screen and sold the world on adding mirrors over their beds and in their living rooms to reflect the light off of the cities at night. After growing up graduating high school and going to college Jon did spotty work off and on throughout the years in the 80s he became very involved with both the just say no to drug campaign and with the White House conference for drug-free America doing television commercials with Nancy Reagan and the like, telling us to just say no to drugs. With drug-free America and their team they created the commercial,this is your brain on drugs. Along the way Jon had gotten married and had children. Received his Ph.D. and practice in the area of mental health for many years.
In the 90s again Jon dabbled in the areas of television commercials and then in 1999 he had the opportunity to play the part of one of the doctors in the movie Night Ride Home. This was the 200th Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. Starring Rebecca De Mornay, Keith Carradine and Thora Birch. Since that time, with the business back in his blood Jon has been positioning himself for a comeback. Jon has five children and Six grandchildren and many people can't believe that he's actually old enough to have grandchildren. One of the outstanding characteristics that Jon has been able to portray is the ability to look and act very young or much older then he is. He is a very versatile entertainer. Some of the best areas that Jon has shown his greatest ability in. Is when he does comedy both on film and stage. The ability of being a stand up comedian is just another outstanding quality of his. Jon has always been able to easily switch from comedy to drama that matches the ability of any of the great stars.
Along with acting Jon has also done a tremendous amount of directing both on stage and in the area of television commercials. When he was directing in theater he worked with a number of small theater companies in producing and directing some of the best off-Broadway theater in the 70s there was. He directed the outstanding comedy drama that was also rewritten to have a musical Overtown, I'll be home for Christmas. He also directed Mr. Scrooge finds Christmas which starred Patti page as Mrs. Cratchit. Then again in the 70s he also produced Neil Simon's incredible play Plaza suite off-Broadway. After that still working with some of the best theater production companies, Jon was the co-producer and director of the incredible old-time favorite Curse You Jack Daulton. The musical score was written and directed by David Lee. He also helped produce the off-Broadway production of Catch-22 and incredible theatrical success. Many of the plays that he directed or help produce received incredible reviews.