Morgan Woodward, who appeared in more than 250 movies and TV shows during a 40-year acting career, died Feb. 22 at his Hollywood Hills home. He was 93.
The versatile character actor played oil man Marvin “Punk” Anderson on TV show Dallas in 55 episodes from 1980-1987, but also had two appearances on the original Star Trek series, was Elder Morgan in the film Logan’s Run, and was a regular on the long-running Gunsmoke TV series. The veteran actor played hard-bitten or menacing types.
Woodward grew up in Arlington, Texas, one of five brothers. He obtained a pilot’s license and served in World War II in the Army Air Corps and in the Korean War in the Military Air Transport Command.
His acting career began at Arlington State College, where he majored in music and drama, but later returned to school and obtained a degree in corporate finance from the University of Texas in 1948.
After several years of work in music, he moved to Hollywood in 1955, hoping to break into musicals. He appeared in such films as Walt Disney’s The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) and Westward Ho, the Wagons!
He then starred opposite Hugh O’Brian in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, playing Earp deputy Shotgun Gibbs for four seasons. That role stamped him in westerns, and he went on to appearances in Gunsmoke and Wagon Train.
Woodward’s biggest film role was in Cool Hand Luke, where he played an overseer known as “the man with no eyes” thanks to his reflective sunglasses.
He went on to become the first human to mind-meld with Mr. Spock on Star Trek.
Woodward was awarded the Golden Boot Award from the Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Fund in August 1988, and was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
No information on survivors or a memorial service was immediately available.
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