Richard William Farnsworth (September 1, 1920 – October 6, 2000) was an American actor and stuntman.
Farnsworth began his film industry career in the late 1930s, using his horse-riding skills to double for actors like Gary Cooper in Westerns. He also had small (and uncredited) roles in such films as Gone with the Wind, Red River, and The Ten Commandments.
It was not until the 1970s that he turned to acting full time and started playing more substantial parts. He appeared in the landmark television miniseries Roots and received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Comes a Horseman. In the '80s and '90s he could be seen in such films as The Grey Fox (his first starring role), The Natural, The Two Jakes, Misery, and Lassie. He played Alvin Straight in The Straight Story, which earned him a second Academy Award nomination. Sadly, it also proved to be his last role, as shortly thereafter he committed suicide by firearm at age 80 while suffering from terminal cancer.
Farnsworth was married to Margaret Hill from 1947 to her death in 1985. They had two children.
Filmography on TV Tropes:
- A Day at the Races (1937) as Jockey (uncredited)
- Gunga Din (1939) as Bit Part (uncredited)
- Gone with the Wind (1939) as Soldier (uncredited)
- Red River (1948) as Dunston Rider (uncredited)
- The Paleface (1948) as Minor Role (uncredited)
- Mighty Joe Young (1949) as Cowboy (uncredited)
- The Wild One (1953) as Minor Role (uncredited)
- The Ten Commandments (1956) as Chariot Driver (uncredited)
- Spartacus (1960) as Gladiator/Slave General (uncredited)
- The Cowboys (1972) as Henry Williams
- Ulzana's Raid (1972) as Trooper
- The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) as Outlaw
- Papillon (1973) as Manhunter #1 (uncredited)
- Blazing Saddles (1974) as Sheriff (uncredited)
- The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) as Mover (uncredited)
- The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) as Comanchero (uncredited)
- Resurrection (1980) as Esco Brown
- The Grey Fox (1982) as Bill Miner
- The Natural (1984) as "Red" Blow
- Rhinestone (1984) as Noah Farris
- Into the Night (1985) as Jack Caper
- The Two Jakes (1990) as Earl Rawley
- Misery (1990) as Sheriff Buster
- Highway to Hell (1992) as Sam
- The Getaway (1994) as "Slim"
- The Straight Story (1999) as Alvin Straight
- Wanted: Dead or Alive (2 episodes, 1960) as Rance/Hal
- Laramie (3 episodes, 1960–61) as Gault Ranch Hand/Manley/Hank
- The Big Valley (2 episodes, 1965–66) as Bolin/Businessman
- Cimarron Strip (2 episodes, 1967) as Dusty Rhodes/Benefiel
- Bonanza (3 episodes, 1971–72) as Sourdough/Tate/Troy
- The Wonderful World of Disney (2 episodes, 1972–81) as Farmer/Ridge Fenton
- Roots (1 episode, 1977) as Trumbull
- Little House on the Prairie (1 episode, 1978) as Wall
- Anne of Green Gables (TV movie, 1985) as Matthew Cuthbert
- Highway to Heaven (1 episode, 1987) as Grandpa Jet Sanders
