- Born
- Died
- Birth nameNoble Henry Willingham
- Height5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- Noble Willingham appeared in more than 30 feature films, including Up Close & Personal (1996), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Chinatown (1974), City Slickers (1991), and The Distinguished Gentleman (1992).
He was born in the small town of Mineola, Texas, east of Dallas. After graduating from North Texas State College in 1953, he earned a master's degree in educational psychology from Baylor University. Willingham was a teacher before following his long-time dream of becoming an actor. Willingham auditioned for a part in the Academy Award-winning film The Last Picture Show (1971), which was filmed in Texas. He won the role, which led to another, in the Academy Award-winning comedy Paper Moon (1973).
On television, he had recurring roles on Home Improvement (1991) and Walker, Texas Ranger (1993), and appeared as a guest star on other television series, including Matlock (1986), L.A. Law (1986), Quantum Leap (1989), Murder, She Wrote (1984), and Northern Exposure (1990), as well as such films and made-for-television movies as Men Don't Tell (1993), Woman with a Past (1992), The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1987), and Unconquered (1989).- IMDb Mini Biography By: Robert Sieger (updated)
- SpousesPatti Ross(December 27, 2000 - January 17, 2004) (his death)Doris Jewel Humphreys(August 22, 1954 - November 15, 1984) (divorced, 1 child)
- Returned to acting after he lost his bid for a Republican congressional seat. His last film appearance was in Blind Horizon (2003), starring Val Kilmer and was released posthumously.
- Before launching his career in television and film, Willingham taught economics at Sam Houston High School in Houston, Tx.
- Worked as a roustabout and steamfitter in the Texas oil fields before receiving his master's degree in educational psychology at Baylor University and teaching government and economics at a Houston Texas high school.
- Unsuccessful Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000 for the First Congressional District of Texas against Representative Max Sandlin.
- 1953 graduate of North Texas State University (became University of North Texas - May 1988) Denton, Texas USA
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