Woodrow Parfrey

Quick Facts

Intro

American film and television actor

From

United States of America

was

Actor Television actor

Work field

Film, TV, Stage & Radio

Gender

Male

Birth

5 October 1922 People born on this day

Place of birth

New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Death

29 July 1984 (aged 61 years) People who died on this day

Place of death

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, U.S.A.

Age

61 years

Family

Children:

Adam Parfrey

The details (from wikipedia)

Biography

Woodrow Parfrey (October 5, 1922 – July 29, 1984) was an American film and television actor from the 1950s to the early 1980s. He appeared on Broadway in Advise and Consent (1961).

Early life

Parfrey was born Sydney Woodrow Parfrey on October 5, 1922, in New York City. He was orphaned as a teenager. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge during World War II and was wounded and captured by the Germans. He married Rosa Ellovich and trained under acting teacher Erwin Piscator at the New School for Social Research.

Career

Woodrow Parfrey received a rare screen credit as a "Special Guest Star" in the "My Friend, My Enemy" episode of Bonanza

Parfrey acted almost entirely on Broadway or regional stage in the late 1940s and 1950s, turning to television and film substantially in the 1960s. Though usually a supporting player, he played many focal television guest-star roles, mainly in the late 1960s when fantasy and spy shows relied heavily on distinctive guest players. He appeared five times on The Man From U.N.C.L.E., more than any other guest star except Jill Ireland, who also appeared five times. In 1962 he played the part of George Pickson in Perry Mason - The Case of the Bogus Books. In 1963, he played the part of George Moffgat in Perry Mason - "The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito." In 1967 he appeared as Brock in the 4th season of the science fiction TV show Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea in the episode named "Fatal Cargo." He is often remembered as "one of TV's great slimeball villains". He later appeared in The Moneychangers (1976), Backstairs at the White House (1979) and the short-lived 1979 CBS series Time Express.

Parfrey also scored a few big A-movie parts, most notably as a prisoner in Papillon (1973). Parfrey's frequent association with that film's director, Franklin Schaffner, also included a bit as Maximus, one of the three "See No Evil" orangutan judges in Planet of the Apes (1968). His many film credits include parts in Cattle King (1963), The War Lord (1965), The King's Pirate (1967), How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life (1968), Madigan (1968), Sam Whiskey (1969), Cold Turkey (1971), Dirty Harry (1971), Oklahoma Crude (1973), Charley Varrick (1973), Stay Hungry (1976), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979), Carny (1980), Bronco Billy (1980), Used Cars (1980), The Seduction (1982), Frances (1982) and Jinxed (1982).