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Woodrow Chambliss

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Woodrow Chambliss
Woodrow Chambliss in The Andy Griffith Show 1965
Born
Woodrow Lewis Chambliss

(1914-10-14)October 14, 1914
Bowie, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 8, 1981(1981-01-08) (aged 66)
Ojai, California, U.S.
Other namesWoody Chambliss
OccupationActor
Years active1946–1981
SpouseErika Kapralik

Woodrow Lewis Chambliss (October 14, 1914 – January 8, 1981) was an American character actor who appeared in both feature films and television. He is perhaps best known for his appearances as several characters in the TV hit Gunsmoke, where he eventually settled into the recurring role of storekeeper Mr. Lathrop.

Career

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Chambliss was the son of Lorenzo Dow “L.D.” and Lucinda Mae (Thornton) Chambliss,[1] who had a farm outside Brownfield, Texas. He attended public schools in Brownsville and Baylor University, where his first contact with drama occurred as a prompter with the Baylor Little Theater.[2] In 1938 traveled to Dartington Hall, Dartington, England as a drama exchange student. He made his Broadway debut in a 1939 Chekhov production of The Possessed.[3] The cast also included his wife, Erika Kapralik, and actor Ford Rainey, but the play only ran for fourteen performances on Broadway.

During World War II, he worked at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme naval base in Port Hueneme, California. After the war, he, Rainey and others from the Chekhov company established the High Valley Players, a touring repertory troupe that for four years performed in and around Ojai, California. Chambliss went on to become the manager of the Senior Canyon Mutual Water Company prior to resuming his theater career.

In addition to his work on Gunsmoke, where he eventually settled into the recurring role of storekeeper Mr. Lathrop, he also had a recurring role as riverboat Captain Tom of the "Sultana" on the TV show Yancy Derringer.

He also appeared in two 1958 episodes of Perry Mason: as Phil Reese in "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse," and Fred Haley in "The Case of the Lucky Loser." In 1960 he appeared in Gene Barry's TV Western series Bat Masterson as town undertaker Mr. O’Malley (S2E20). In 1965, he appeared on The Andy Griffith Show in the episode, "Aunt Bee's Invisible Beau", as their butter-and-egg-man.[citation needed] He and wife Erika also appeared together as grandparents in the 1978 TV movie Forever. He also played the role of Zadok Walton, cousin to grandpa Walton, on a Season 8 episode of "The Waltons."

Personal life

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He was married to actress Erika Kapralik (September 6, 1911 – May 14, 1992 in Ojai, California). He died on January 8, 1981, in Ojai of colon cancer.

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1946 Three Strangers Man in Pub Uncredited [4]
1957 3:10 to Yuma Blacksmith Uncredited [5]
1957 Zero Hour! Reporter Uncredited [6]
1964 Invitation to a Gunfighter Townsman Uncredited [7]
1965 Wild Seed Mr. Simms [8]
1966 The Chase Salesman Uncredited [6]
1970 The Wild Country Dakota [9]
1971 Glen and Randa Sidney Miller [10]
1972 Greaser's Palace Father [11]
1972 Cry for Me, Billy Prospector [12]
1973 Scorpio Uncredited [6]
1975 The Devil's Rain John [13]
1978 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Old Sgt. Pepper [6]
1980 Cloud Dancer Curtis Pitts [14]
1981 Second-Hand Hearts Deaf Attendant Posthumous release [15]
1983 Reckless (aka Reckless and in Love) Posthumous release [16]
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1957 The Gale Storm Show Episode: "The Blarney Stone"
1957–1975 Gunsmoke Various roles 38 episodes
1957–1961 Have Gun – Will Travel Hotel Clerk Episode: The Colonel and the Lady"
McCormack Episode: "Blind Circle"
1957 Trackdown Horsetrader Episode: "End of an Outlaw" (uncredited)
1957 Sugarfoot Boswell Newsom Episode: "Misfire"
1958 Playhouse 90 Pete Episode: "The Last Man"
1958 Perry Mason Phil Reese Episode: "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse"
Fred Haley Episode: "The Case of The Lucky Loser"
1958–1959 Yancy Derringer Captain Tom 9 episodes
1960–1964 Death Valley Days Judge Bristol Episode: "Shadows on the Window"
Stage Driver Episode: "The Vintage Years" (uncredited)
Episode: "The Last Stagecoach Robbery"
1960 Bat Masterson O'Malley Episode: "Six Feet of Gold"
1961 The Untouchables Burt Episode: "The Big Train: Part 2"
1961 Lassie Hank Loomis Episode: "The Trip"
1961 My Three Sons Edgar Loos Episode: "Deadline"
1965 The Andy Griffith Show Orville Hendricks Episode: "Aunt Bee's Invisible Beau"
Harlan Robinson Episode: "The Church Organ"
1966 The Wild Wild West Bill Wingo Episode: "The Night of the Flying Pie Plate"
1967 Cimarron Strip Oliver Wheelwright Episode: "The Beast That Walks Like a Man"
1969 Then Came Bronson Abner Hotchman Episode: "The Circle of Time"
1970 The Virginian MacIntosh Episode: "Experiment at New Life"
1971 Bearcats! Mayor Evans Episode: "The Feathered Serpent"
1973 Doc Elliot Kelsey Episode: "And All Ye Need to Know"
1974 Dirty Sally Doc Carter Episode: "I Never Saw the Pacific"
1974–1976 The Six Million Dollar Man Pop Episode: "The Midas Touch"
Mr. Savannah Episode: "The Bionic Boy"
1975 Disneyland Dakota Episode: "Wild Country: Part 2"
1975 Three for the Road Episode: "The Trail of Bigfoot"
1977 Police Woman Martin Shaw Episode: "Night of the Full Moon"
1977 Logan's Run Lab Tech One Episode: "Man Out of Time"
1978–1979 How the West Was Won Mr. McGreevy Episode: "Buffalo Story"
Episode: "Cattle Drive" (uncredited)
Episode: "Brothers"
Citizen Episode: "Hillary"
1980 The Waltons Zadok Walton Episode: "The Remembrance"
TV Film
Year Title Role Notes
1970 Cutter's Trail Thompson
1972 The Great Man's Whiskers Paddleford
1972 Footsteps Minister
1972 Gargoyles Uncle Willie
1973 Class of '63 Dr. Pillard
1973 The Red Pony Orville Frye
1974 The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Freedom Investigator Uncredited
1974 The Stranger Who Looks Like Me Paul
1975 Huckleberry Finn Auctioneer
1975 Perilous Voyage Uncredited
1977 There's Always Room McRaven
1978 Forever Grandfather
1978 Lassie: The New Beginning Victor Turkey
1979 Better Late Than Never Woody
1981 Murder in Texas Oilman Posthumous broadcast
1981 The Time Crystal Stable Master Posthumous broadcast

References

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  1. ^ "Woody Chambliss". findagrave.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  2. ^ "Brownfield Boy Has Leading Role In Broadway Play To Be Presented In October". Lubbock Morning Avalanche. Texas, Lubbock. October 5, 1939. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Woodrow Chambliss". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Three Strangers - Full Cast & Crew". tvguide.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  5. ^ "3:10 to Yuma - Full Cast & Crew". tvguide.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Woodrow Chambliss". tvguide.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  7. ^ "CAST & CREW INVITATION TO A GUNFIGHTER". mubi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  8. ^ "CAST & CREW WILD SEED". mubi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  9. ^ "CAST & CREW THE WILD COUNTRY". mubi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  10. ^ Canby, Vincent (September 20, 1971). "2 Innocents After The Bomb:Jim McBride's 'Glen and Randa' Arrives X Rating Belies Film's Philosophical Intent". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  11. ^ Canby, Vincent (August 1, 1972). "'Greaser's Palace'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "CAST & CREW CRY FOR ME, BILLY". mubi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  13. ^ "The Devil's Rain - Full Cast & Crew". tvguide.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  14. ^ "WOODROW CHAMBLISS". mubi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  15. ^ Canby, Vincent (May 8, 1981). "BARBARA HARRIS IN 'SECOND HAND HEARTS'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  16. ^ "Reckless - Full Cast & Crew". tvguide.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
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