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Bill McKinney

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For other people named William McKinney, see William McKinney (disambiguation).

Bill McKinney
McKinney in Every Which Way but Loose
Born
William Denison McKinney

(1931-09-12)September 12, 1931
Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedDecember 1, 2011(2011-12-01) (aged 80)
San Fernando, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1967–2011
Spouse(s)Norma Shannon, Janelle Booth, Donna Lamana, Felicity McKinney
Children2[1]

William Denison McKinney (September 12, 1931 – December 1, 2011) was an American character actor. He played the sadistic mountain man in John Boorman's 1972 film Deliverance and appeared in seven Clint Eastwood films, most notably as Captain Terrill, the commander pursuing the last rebels to "hold out" against surrendering to the Union forces in The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Early life

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William Denison McKinney was born September 12, 1931, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He had an unsettled life as a child, moving 12 times. At the age of 19, he joined the Navy during the Korean War. He served two years on a mine sweeper in Korean waters, and was stationed at Port Hueneme in Ventura County, California. After being discharged in 1954, he settled in California, attending acting school at the Pasadena Playhouse in 1957. His classmates included Dustin Hoffman and Mako Iwamatsu. During this time, McKinney became an arborist to earn money, a job which he would hold until the mid-1970s.[2]

Career

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After the Pasadena Playhouse, McKinney moved on to Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio, making his movie debut in exploitation pic She Freak (1967). For 10 years he was a teacher at Cave Spring Middle School. He made his television debut in 1968 on an episode of The Monkees and attracted attention as Lobo in Alias Smith and Jones. The film Deliverance (1972) proved to be his breakthrough, playing the beloved backwoods mountain man who violently rapes Ned Beatty's character.[1]

McKinney's other films in the early 1970s included appearances in Junior Bonner (1972),[3] The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) and The Parallax View (1974).[4]

It was with Clint Eastwood that McKinney would become most associated, becoming part of Eastwood's stock company after they worked together in Michael Cimino's Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974).[3][5]

He appeared in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) under Eastwood's direction.[3] He appeared in six more Eastwood films, including The Gauntlet (1977), Every Which Way but Loose (1978), Any Which Way You Can (1980) and Pink Cadillac (1989).[4]

Other memorable roles include Jay Cobb, who is done in by John Wayne in Wayne's final film The Shootist (1976). He also appeared in such later films as First Blood (1982), Back to the Future Part III (1990) and The Green Mile (1999). He appeared in the television film The Execution of Private Slovik (1974) and guest-starred on such television shows as Sara, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Starsky & Hutch, The A-Team, Hunter, Murder, She Wrote, Columbo: Swan Song and In The Heat of The Night.[4]

McKinney took up singing in the late 1990s, eventually releasing an album of standards and country and western songs appropriately titled Love Songs from Antri, reflecting Don Job's pronunciation of the infamous town featured in Deliverance. One of his songs featured in the film Undertow, directed by David Gordon Green.[5] He voiced Jonah Hex in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series called "Showdown". He appeared in a cameo in 2001 Maniacs (2005) and had a role in the Robin Hood–inspired horror film Sherwood Horror (2010).[6][7]

Death

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On December 1, 2011, McKinney died from esophageal cancer at his home in San Fernando, California. He was 80. McKinney's death was announced on his Facebook page on the same day. The announcement read:[8][9][10]

Today our dear Bill McKinney passed away at Valley Presbyterian Hospice. An avid smoker for 25 years of his younger life, he died of cancer of the esophagus. He was 80 and still strong enough to have filmed a Dorito's commercial 2 weeks prior to his passing, and he continued to work on his biography with his writing partner. Hopefully 2012 will bring a publisher for the wild ride his life was. He is survived by son Clinton, along with several ex-wives. R.I.P. Bill sept.12 1931 – dec. 1 2011 [sic].

Selected filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1967 She Freak Steve St. John
1968 Firecreek Bearded Gunfighter Uncredited
1968 The Road Hustlers Hays
1970 Angel Unchained Shotgun
1972 Deliverance Mountain Man
1972 Junior Bonner Red Terwiliger
1972 Kansas City Bomber Buddy Taylor Uncredited
1972 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Fermel Parlee
1973 Cleopatra Jones Purdy
1973 The Outfit Buck Cherney
1974 Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Crazy Driver
1974 The Parallax View Parallax Assassin
1974 For Pete's Sake Rocky Uncredited
1975 Breakheart Pass Reverend Peabody
1976 The Outlaw Josey Wales Captain Terrill
1976 Cannonball Cade Redman
1976 The Shootist Cobb
1977 Valentino Policeman
1977 The Gauntlet Constable
1978 Every Which Way but Loose Dallas
1979 When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? Tommy Clark
1980 Carny Marvin Dill
1980 Bronco Billy Lefty LeBow
1980 Any Which Way You Can Dallas
1981 St. Helens Kilpatrick
1982 Tex Pop McCormick
1982 First Blood Dave Kern
1983 Heart Like a Wheel Don Garlits
1984 Against All Odds Head Coach
1985 Final Justice Chief Wilson
1987 Under the Gun Miller
1988 War Party Mayor
1989 Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects Father Burke
1989 Pink Cadillac Coltersville Bartender
1990 Back to the Future Part III Engineer
1994 City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold Matt
1998 Where's Marlowe? Uncle Bill
1999 The Green Mile Jack Van Hay
2001 True Legends of the West Mayor
2003 Asylum of the Damned Gas Station Attendant
2003 The Commission Roy Truly
2003 Looney Tunes: Back in Action Acme Vice President
2004 Undertow Grandfather
2005 2001 Maniacs Chef
2006 The Garage Bernie
2006 The Devil Wears Spurs Barkeeper
2007 Take Benjamin Gregor
2007 Lucky You Satellite Cashier
2007 Ghost Town Victor Burnett
2008 Pride and Glory Cop
2009 Fuel Jake
2010 How Do You Know Maitre d'
2011 The Custom Mary Silent Boss

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1972 Alias Smith and Jones Lobo Riggs Episode: "The Biggest Game in the West"
1993 Love, Cheat & Steal Kolchak Television film
1995 Batman: The Animated Series Jonah Hex (voice) Episode: "Showdown"[11]
1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Sheriff Bridges Episode: "Point After"

References

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  1. ^ a b Slotnik, Daniel E. (December 5, 2011). "Bill Kinney, Actor in 'Deliverance,' Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  2. ^ Rosebrook, Jeb; Rosebrook, Stuart (2019). "Act One". Junior Bonner: The Making of a Classic with Steve McQueen and Sam Peckinpah in the Summer of 1971. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-62933-289-5.
  3. ^ a b c "Bill McKinney Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2015. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Cammila Collar (2015). "Bill McKinney". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Wiegand, Chris (December 8, 2011). "Bill McKinney obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  6. ^ "Sherwood Horror Adds a Legendary Character Actor". Dread Central. February 2, 2010. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  7. ^ "Sherwood Horror Finds Deliverance Baddie". Shock Till You Drop. February 2, 2010. Archived from the original on August 14, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  8. ^ O'Connell, Michael (December 2, 2011). "Bill McKinney, 'Deliverance' Mountain Man, Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  9. ^ Grossberg, Josh (December 2, 2011). "Bill McKinney, Deliverance's Mountain Man and Eastwood Sidekick, Dead at 80". E! News UK. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  10. ^ "Bill McKinney". Facebook. December 1, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  11. ^ "Bill McKinney (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 12, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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