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Warren Oates

Actor

Warren Oates

Born July 5, 1928 in Depoy, Kentucky, USADied April 3, 198256 films

Warren Mercer Oates (July 5, 1928 – April 3, 1982) was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah including The Wild Bunch (1969) and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974). He starred in numerous films during the early 1970s which have since achieved cult status including The Hired Hand (1971), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) and Race with the Devil (1975). Oates also portrayed Sergeant Hulka in the box office hit Stripes (1981).

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In the Heat of the Night posterFirst watchIn the Heat of the Night19677.7as Deputy Sam WoodAfrican-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach

Filmography

56 films as actor
  1. 1983Tough EnoughJames Neese
  2. 1983Blue ThunderBraddock
  3. 1982The BorderRed
  4. 1981StripesSgt. Hulka
  5. 1980Baby Comes HomeMichael Kramer
  6. 19791941Col. 'Madman' Maddox
  7. 1979My Old ManFrank Butler
  8. 1979And Baby Makes SixMichael Kramer
  9. 1978The Brink's JobSpecs O'Keefe
  10. 1978China 9, Liberty 37Matthew Sebanek
  11. 1978Sleeping DogsCol. Willoughby
  12. 1978True Grit: A Further AdventureReuben J. 'Rooster' Cogburn
  13. 1977American RaspberryCelebrity Sportsman
  14. 1977The African QueenCapt. Charlie Allnut
  15. 1976DrumHammond Maxwell
  16. 1976Dixie DynamiteMack
  17. 197592 in the ShadeNichol Dance
  18. 1975Race with the DevilFrank
  19. 1975Rancho DeluxeHarmonica Player (uncredited)
  20. 1974Bring Me the Head of Alfredo GarciaBennie
  21. 1974CockfighterFrank Mansfield
  22. 1974The White DawnBilly
  23. 1973BadlandsHolly's Father
  24. 1973DillingerJohn Dillinger
  25. 1973Tom SawyerMuff Potter
  26. 1973The Thief Who Came to DinnerDave Reilly
  27. 1973Kid BlueReese Ford
  28. 1971ChandlerChandler
  29. 1971The Reluctant HeroesCpl. Leroy Sprague
  30. 1971The Hired HandArch Harris
  31. 1971Two-Lane BlacktopG.T.O.
  32. 1970There Was a Crooked Man...Floyd Moon
  33. 1970BarqueroJake Remy
  34. 1970The Movie MurdererAlfred Fisher
  35. 1969Lanton MillsGunman
  36. 1969The Wild BunchLyle Gorch
  37. 1969Crooks and CoronetsMarty Miller
  38. 1969Smith!Walter Charlie
  39. 1968Something for a Lonely ManAngus Duren
  40. 1968The SplitMarty Gough
  41. 1968Gallegher: The Mystery of Edward SimsJohn Blythe
  42. 1967In the Heat of the NightDeputy Sam Wood
  43. 1967Welcome to Hard TimesLeo Jenks
  44. 1966Return of the SevenColbee
  45. 1966The ShootingWillett Gashade
  46. 1965ShenandoahBilly Packer
  47. 1965Major DundeeO.W. Hadley
  48. 1965The RoundersHarley Williams (uncredited)
  49. 1964Mail Order BrideJace
  50. 1962Hero's IslandWayte Giddens
  51. 1962Ride the High CountryHenry Hammond
  52. 1960The Rise and Fall of Legs DiamondEddie Diamond
  53. 1960Private PropertyBoots
  54. 1959Yellowstone KellyCorporal
  55. 1959Up PeriscopeSeaman Kovacs
  56. 1957The Night America Trembled2nd Card Player