Moved to California at the age of six

Dropped out of school to serve in Marines during the Korean War

After Korea, drifted though the western states working as a ranch hand, blacksmith and wrangler

Spent three years in the late 1950s as a bodyguard for Howard Hughes

Shoed horses for stables that furnished animals for movie and TV Westerns

Moved to Idaho

Returned to Los Angeles; became a riding extra for Westerns

Befriended by actor Robert Duvall who urged him to pursue acting as a career

Got Screen Actors Guild card for work as stuntman

Film debut, an uncredited bit part in "True Grit"

Credited as Bill Brimley for movie role in "Lawman"

Landed recurring role on CBS series "The Waltons"

Was founding member of Los Angeles Actors Theater

TV-movie debut in "Oregon Trail"

Breakthrough supporting role, the plant foreman, in "The China Syndrome"

Played Robert Redford's reluctant baseball manager in "The Natural"

Portrayed disillusioned farm patriarch in "Country"

Delivered memorable performance as leader of spunky senior citizens in Ron Howard's "Cocoon"

Co-starred in "Our House", an NBC-TV comedy-drama

Acted role of Governor Lew Wallace (author of "Ben Hur") in "Gore Vidal's 'Billy the Kid'", a TNT movie

Parlayed his folksey down-home image into job as spokesperson for Quaker Oats

In a departure from type, gave an outstanding performance as the sinister head of security in "The Firm"

Reunited with good friend Robert Duvall for a sixth time in the feature "My Fellow Americans"

Appeared as Kevin Kline's father and Debbie Reynolds' husband in Frank Oz's comedy "In & Out"

Acted in the PBS aired production "All My Friends Are Cowboys"

Co-starred in the CBS movie "The Ballad of Lucy Whipple"

Played a sheriff in "Brigham City"

Starred in an Off-Broadway revival of "The Petrified Forest"