Most people today know Wilford Brimley as the television spokesperson for diabetes, but in the late 1970's and early 1980's he did some wonderful work in several pretty good films.
I first noticed him in the Jack Lemon / Jan Fonda thriller, The China Syndrome, where his character finally caves into guilt and spills the beans on an unsafe nuclear power plant. He did equally impressive work a few years later in John Carpenter's incredibly scary remake of The Thing and Ron Howard's heartwarming film about the fountain of youth, Cocoon.
I think what makes Wilford Brimley's work stand out is the fact that you never feel like you're watching an actor. He looks and sounds just like a neighbor or relative. And while you watch him on the screen, you not only believe him, but feel that you know him as well.
Thanks to television shows like Family Guy, which pokes fun at Wilford Brimley's diabetes commercials, younger audiences are not aware of the talent that this man has contributed to the entertainment world. If you're one of those that think he's just the butt of jokes on that animated show, then I urge you to discover his films.
I first noticed him in the Jack Lemon / Jan Fonda thriller, The China Syndrome, where his character finally caves into guilt and spills the beans on an unsafe nuclear power plant. He did equally impressive work a few years later in John Carpenter's incredibly scary remake of The Thing and Ron Howard's heartwarming film about the fountain of youth, Cocoon.
I think what makes Wilford Brimley's work stand out is the fact that you never feel like you're watching an actor. He looks and sounds just like a neighbor or relative. And while you watch him on the screen, you not only believe him, but feel that you know him as well.
Thanks to television shows like Family Guy, which pokes fun at Wilford Brimley's diabetes commercials, younger audiences are not aware of the talent that this man has contributed to the entertainment world. If you're one of those that think he's just the butt of jokes on that animated show, then I urge you to discover his films.
ADDENDUM
Wilfred Brimley passed away on August 1, 2020. He was a wonderful actor. Thankfully, his performances will live on in the many movies he appeared in.
He's as famous as he'd ever was gonna be for a big furry fat character actor...
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that they are still making fun of Wilford Brimley and the fact that he has, or I should say had, diabetes. But maybe that's because of how he always said it. "Diabeetus". RIP Wilford.
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