Men Of Character Character Actors
Woodrow Parfrey
The Outlaw Josey Wales/ The Carpetbagger
Planet Of The Apes/ Dr. Maximus
Papillon/ Chusiot
So Loverly, So Deadly/ Bill Emerson
American character actor Woodrow Parfrey was born at New York City in 1922. but was orphaned as a teenager.
He fought in World War Two at The Battle Of The Bulge. He was wounded during the war and was captured by the Germans.
Parfrey was of the most interesting character actors to develope in the late 1950's and 1960's.. He brought a quirky charisma to all of his roles.
He could be a nasty villian, a meek bank clerk or a conniving salesman.
The role that set the stage for his type of characterizations was that of the unbalanced informer in the Broadway play Advise And Consent.
Parfrey acted almost entirely on Broadway or regional stage in the late 1940's and 1950's.. He turned to television and film mainly in the 1960's.
Some of the film roles of Woodrow Parfrey were:
So Lovely, So Deadly (1957) as Bill Emerson
Johnny Gunman (1957) as Sidney Wells
Cattle King (1963) as Stafford
The War Lord (1965) as Piet
The King's Pirate (1967) as Gow
The Flim Flam Man (1967) as Super Market Manager
How To Save A Marriage And Ruin You're Life (1968) as Eddie Rankin
Planet Of The Apes (1968) as Maximus
Madigan (1968) as Marvin
The Sunshine Patriot (1968-TV) as Bearnis
Sam Whisky (1969) as Thurston Bromley
Silent Night, Lonely Night (1969-TV) as Dr. Hyatt
Hastings Corner (1970-TV) as Ta Ta Honker
The Movie Murderer (1970-TV) as Linderman
The Andersonville Trial (1970-TV) as Louis Schade
Crowhaven Farm (1970-TV) as Sam Wardwell
Who Killed The Mysterious Mr. Forster? (1971) as Doc Waters
Cold Turkey (1971) as Tobacco Executive
The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971-TV) as Ike Godsey
Dirty Harry (1971) as Mr. Jaffe
A Very Missing Person (1972-TV) as Eberhardt
Wheeler And Murdoch (1972-TV) as Weston
No Place To Run (1972-TV) as Hotel Manager
Hunter (1973-TV) as Tyson
Oklahoma Crude (1973) as Lawyer
Charley Varrick (1973) as Harold Young
The Alpha Caper (1973) as Minister
Papillon (1973) as Clusiot
Planet Of The Apes (1974-TV Miniseries) as Veska
This Is The West That Was (1974) as Mel Castlewaite
The Family That Nobody Wanted (1975-TV) Elmer Franklin
The Big Rip Off (1975-TV) as Peabody
Hearts Of The West (1975) as Mr. Gates - Producer
Stay Hungry (1976) as Uncle Albert
The Return Of The World's Greatest Detective (1976-TV) as Himmel
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) as Carpetbagger
Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers (1976-TV Miniseries) as Mr. Tottenhoe
When Every Day Was The Fourth Of July (1978-TV) as Dr. Moss
The Seniors (1978) as First Attorney
The New Maverick (1978) as Leveque
The Incredible Journey Of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979-TV) as Messerschmidt
Backstairs At The White House (1979-TV Miniseries) as Louis Howe
The Tenth Month (1979) as Tad Jones
Carny (1980) as W C Hannon
Bronco Billy (1980) as Dr. Canterbury
Used Cars (1980) as Mr. Ghertner
The Seduction (1982) as Store Salesman
Jinxed! (1982) as Insurance Agent
Frances (1982) as Dr. Doyle
The Sting II (1983) as Georgie
Mr. Parfrey was very active on television appearing in such programs as Danger, Man Against Crime, Studio One In Hollywood, Kraft Theater, Kaiser Aluminum Hour, Robert Montgomery Presents, Play Of The Week, The DuPont Show Of The Month, Armstrong Circle Theater, Naked City, The Defenders, Sam Benedict, Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel, The Untouchables, Empire, The Dakotas, Temple Houston, Perry Mason, Breaking Point, Combat, My Three Sons, Suspense, The Richard Boone Show, Hazel, The Rogues, No Time For Sergeants, The Munsters, Laredo, The Farmers Daughter, The Fugitive, My Favorite Martian, Honey West, A Man Called Shenandoah, Death Valley Days, Family Affair, Batman, The Man From UNCLE, Get Smart, Hogan's Heroes, Lost In Space, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Iron Horse, The Flying Nun, Felony Squad, The Virginian, Bewitched, Judd For The Defense, I Dream Of Jeannie, Daniel Boone, Love American Style, Mayberry RFD, The Doris Day Show, The Name Of The Game, That Girl, The FBI, Adam-12, Alias Smith And Jones, The Waltons, Mission Impossible, Bonanza, Room 222, Mod Squad, Hunter, Kung Fu, The New Perry Mason, Maude, Ironside, Good Times, The Street Of San Francisco, Movin' On, The Rookies, Mannix, McCloud, Lucas Tanner, The Blue Knight, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Ellery Queen, Police Story, Kojak, Charlie's Angels, Little House On The Prairie, Police Woman, Baretta, B J And The Bear, Dallas, Barnaby Jones, $Vegas, Flo, CBS Afternoon Playhouse, The Fall Guy, Quincy ME, Remington Steele and The Yellow Rose among many others.
Mr. Parfrey was married from 1950 until his death to Rose Ellovitch. The couple had four children. Mr Parfrey was known to be quite a family man.
Woodrow Parfrey passed away in 1984 from a heart attack.
I always though that this actor was outstanding in his part. I enjoyed him in his many TV guest appearances as well as in the films Planet Of The Apes, Madigan, Crowhaven Farm, Dirty Harry, Charley Varrick, Papillion, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Backstairs At The White House ,The Sting II and The War Lord.
Louie The Movie Buff