Walter Barnes
Acting
Born January 26, 1918, Rennert, North Carolina, USA
Walter Lee Barnes was an American football guard and actor who played in National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. He played in the (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and in college at Louisiana State University. Barnes was an actor in both American and European films. He appeared in several films with John Wayne, Lex Barker, and Clint Eastwood. Barnes entered acting after appearing several times on The Eagles Nest, a local Philadelphia television show. WCAU television placed him on several local shows. His contacts with Walt Silver, a producer for Warner Bros. Television, led him into several appearances on television and films. Some of his more notable appearances included Bronco, Gunsmoke, Cheyenne, Bonanza, Have Gun – Will Travel and Death Valley Days. John Wayne got him a small role as Charlie the Bartender in Rio Bravo. Tiring of small roles and seeing opportunities overseas, Barnes was one of the many American actors who moved to Italy in the early 1960s. Kirk Douglas recommended him for a role in his The Vikings television spinoff Tales of the Vikings that was filmed for Douglas's production company in Germany. From 1960 to 1969, he was first active in pirate movies, then Karl May film adaptations and Spaghetti Westerns. Barnes returned to the United States in 1969 and appeared in more films and television series, which included The High Chaparral. His friendship with Clint Eastwood on Rawhide later led him to several roles in Eastwood's films. He retired from acting in 1987 and became increasingly ill due to his diabetes. He was the father of German former actress Lara Wendel, who was born Daniela Barnes.
Filmography
- North and South — Benny Haven
- Stingray
- 1981Smokey Bites the Dust — Sheriff Turner
- Walking Tall
- 1980Bronco Billy — Sheriff Dix
- 1979The Sky Trap — Harry Shaughnessy
- 1978Every Which Way but Loose — Tank Murdock
- 1978The Young Runaways — Sgt. Abel
- 1977Another Man, Another Chance — Foster
- 1977Day of the Animals — Ranger Tucker
- 1977Pete's Dragon — Captain
- 1975Escape to Witch Mountain — Sheriff Purdy
- 1975Mackintosh and T.J. — Jim Webster
- 1975The Blue Knight — Personnel Officer
- 1974Hog Wild — Tobias
- Kodiak — Jack Capp
- 1973Cahill: United States Marshal — Sheriff Grady
- 1973Daddy's Deadly Darling — Doctor
- 1973High Plains Drifter — Sheriff Sam Shaw
- Kung Fu — Sheriff
- 1972Movin' On — Mr. Daniels
- Alias Smith and Jones
- 1971The Christian Licorice Store — P.C. Stayne
- 1970The Traveling Executioner — Sheriff
- 1969Coup D'Etat — (uncredited)
- 1969The Magnificent Tony Carrera — Barnes
- 1968Garter Colt — General Droga
- 1968The Long Day of Inspector Blomfield — Fred Lancaster
- 1968The Moment to Kill — Bull
- 1967Clint the Stranger — Walter Shannon
- 1967Halleluja for Django — Key Jarrett / Clay Thomas
- 1967Liebesnächte in der Taiga — Jurij
- 1967Target Frankie — Col. O’Connor
- 1967The Big Gundown — Brokston
- The High Chaparral — Bartender
- Mission: Impossible
- 1966Winnetou and the Crossbreed — Mac Haller
- 1965Challenge of the Gladiator — Nero
- 1965Duel at Sundown — Old McGow
- 1965Rampage at Apache Wells — Bill Campbell
- 1964Frontier Hellcat — Martin Baumann Sr.
- 1963Apache Gold — Bill Jones
- 1963Captain Sindbad — Rolf
- 1963Revenge of the Musketeers — Porthos
- 1963Sign of Zorro — Mario
- 1963Slave Girls of Sheba — Friar Metachini
- 1962Avenger of the Seven Seas — Van Artz
- 1961Drakut the Avenger — Nicolas
- 1961Romulus and the Sabines — Stilicone
- 1961The Adventures of Mary Read — Captain Poof
- 1961The Secret of the Black Falcon — Calico Jack
- 1961The Secret of the Blue Men — Matthias
- 1960Robin Hood and the Pirates — Guercio / Orbo
- 1960Under Ten Flags
- Bonanza — Will Griner
- 1959Rio Bravo — Charlie (uncredited)
- Tales of the Vikings
- 1959Westbound — Willis - Stage Depot Cook
- Bat Masterson — Paulson
- Bronco
- 1958Revolt in the Big House — Guard Capt. Starkey
- Have Gun, Will Travel
- Maverick — First Outlaw
- 1957Oregon Passage — Sgt. Jed Erschick
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective — Herbie Sanford
- Sugarfoot — Hefferman
- Cheyenne
- Gunsmoke — O' Dell, Haney, Burke
- The Wonderful World of Disney — Sheriff Purdy
- Action in the Afternoon
- Letter to Loretta — Casey