Warren Oates

imjin138 · May 16, 2009

One of my favorite actors is Warren Oates, I enjoy watching him in movies especially westerns. ( I can't forget Sgt. Hulka either).

I just picked up a biography of him titled 'Warren Oates; A wild life' by Suasan Compo.

So far it is pretty good, a good old boy from a coal mining town in Kentucky makes good.

If you get a chance pick it up and read it.

george minze · May 16, 2009

He was one of the greatest character actors of all time. Peckinpah even tried to make him a leading man (of sorts)in "Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia) " why Not!!" in Wild Bunch is still a classic.

BlindJustice · May 16, 2009

Yeah, great character actor, one movie I kinda wondered about him pulling off the roll was Two Lane Blacktop with James Taylor and
Dennis Wilson of all people.

Don't know why I'm also thinking of Jack Elam but both did a lot of work in cow operas.

R-

tomhenry · May 16, 2009

Originally posted by BlindJustice:
one movie I kinda wondered about him pulling off the roll was Two Lane Blacktop with James Taylor and Dennis Wilson of all people.

Definitely a goofy role in a goofy movie.

I think it was a cinematic experiment/philosophical statement ("man has no meaning other than the fruitless search for meaning") kind of thing.

Or maybe it was just some guys had a free weekend, got bored and said, "Hey, I know. Let's make a movie!"

Burt Reynolds did it all the time.

2152hq · May 16, 2009

Always liked him in 'Dillinger'

Jack Flash · May 16, 2009

My favorite was The Hired Hand. Warren Oates co-starred with Peter Fonda. Oates is very good in that one.

Kid Blue is an odd one, but it has some funny stuff in it. A long rambling movie about the West in the 1900s. Oates plays a married man who is interested in taking a bath with a kid played by a young Dennis Hopper. Just because that's the way the Romans used to do, of course.

smith revolver cop · May 16, 2009

Originally posted by 2152hq:
Always liked him in 'Dillinger'

+1. Probably one of his most famous roles. And. don't forget, he was one of the Sparta policemen in "In the Heat of the Night," playing opposite Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. (It's funny to watch him in that role- looks young and skinny, but the voice and expressions are unmistakeable!) Of course, some of the younger generation got to see him as Sgt. Hulka- a perfect straight man for that comedy! ("Where's you're Sergeant, men?" "Bloooooown up, Sir!")

RonJ · May 16, 2009

I always think of Warren Oats & Jack Elam at the same time too.
I guess because I was envious of their good looks.

ColtSmith · May 16, 2009

One of his very best roles was in an obscure movie entitled "White Dawn", the story of sailors whose whaling vessel (IIRC) became trapped in Arctic ice for some extended period of time. The impact those men had on the locals (Eskimos?) who saved their lives and befriended them was devastating!! Deep story with many moving and disturbing scenes. He made a big impression on me at the time, and have always associated him with that flick.

Think it came out in the mid-late '70's, and seems to be IMPOSSIBLE to find anywhere. I would very much like to get a copy of that to add to my library.

RonJ · May 16, 2009

ColtSmith, check this link:

http://www.amazon.com/White-Da...-Oates/dp/B000291Q4I

ColtSmith · May 16, 2009

RonJ: Thank you very much! That link will do the trick.

What a great place this is.

shawn mccarver · May 16, 2009

Originally posted by imjin138:
One of my favorite actors is Warren Oates, I enjoy watching him in movies especially westerns. ( I can't forget Sgt. Hulka either).

I just picked up a biography of him titled 'Warren Oates; A wild life' by Suasan Compo.

So far it is pretty good, a good old boy from a coal mining town in Kentucky makes good.

If you get a chance pick it up and read it.

Wasn't it Warren Oates who played the title character in the movie "Dillinger?"

In addition, he played a supervising Border Patrolman in the Jack Nicholson movie "The Border."

I loved that line where he threw his patrol car keys to the mechanic and said "the speedometer on my car goes up to 140 and by God the next time I need my car to go 140, it damn well better," or words to that effect!

Wyatt Burp · May 17, 2009

I know he lived in montana. In Rancho Deluxe jimmy Buffet and band are jammin' in a bar in Livingston Montana. I can swear that's Warren Oates on harmonica. Do they mention that in the book?

imjin138 · May 17, 2009

I just finished that part, he did play the harmonica in Rancho Deluxe.

Climber · May 18, 2009

I will add "Ride the High Country". '61 or '62. Sam Peckinpah's first big screen direction. The last movie for Randolf Scott and one the last for Joel McCrea. They brought both actors out of retirement to film the movie. Also Mariette Hartley's first big screen appearence.

Oates was at his usual best in this movie as a whacky hell raising bad guy. Oates can also be seen in a lot of '50s tv westerns. He did parts in "The Rifleman". "Rawhide" and many others.

Memphis · May 18, 2009

I'm thinkin that was him in "Two Lane Blacktop" with my main man James Taylor. A very obscure movie I must say.

Roger

Wyatt Burp · May 18, 2009

Originally posted by Climber:
I will add "Ride the High Country". '61 or '62. Sam Peckinpah's first big screen direction. The last movie for Randolf Scott and one the last for Joel McCrea. They brought both actors out of retirement to film the movie. Also Mariette Hartley's first big screen appearence.

Oates was at his usual best in this movie as a whacky hell raising bad guy. Oates can also be seen in a lot of '50s tv westerns. He did parts in "The Rifleman". "Rawhide" and many others.

Warren Oates uses a Remington model 8 in that movie. One of my personal favorite rifles. Mines an 81, though. He gets lots of screen time shooting that rifle. His handgun is a colt Sheriff's model. Great movie.

piebiter · May 19, 2009

Oates held his own in just about every movie, TV show I ever saw him in.

jrm53 · May 19, 2009

The first time I saw Warren Oates was in the TV series Stoney Burke. Jack Lord was a rodeo rider and Oates was a kind of clown jack of all trades at the rodeos, I remember him driving a 37 Ford sedan between rodeos. This had to be about 1962 or 63. There was another rodeo show on the same year that had Earl Holiman and Andrew Prine they were both good shows better than any thing now.

GoHogs · May 19, 2009

Thanks for the tip on the book.
Warren Oates was always compelling on screen.
He did a fine job in "Dillinger" where he also handled the Colt 1911s and BARs mighty well.

Warren Oates

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