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49-629: The film features a large supporting cast, including Yaphet Kotto , Jane Alexander , Murray Hamilton , David Keith , Tim McIntire , Matt Clark , M. Emmet Walsh , Everett McGill and an early appearance by Morgan Freeman . It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 1981 Academy Awards . In 1969, Henry Brubaker arrives at Wakefield State Prison in Arkansas disguised as an inmate. He immediately witnesses rampant abuse and corruption, including open and endemic sexual assault , torture, worm-ridden diseased food, fraud, and rampant graft. During

98-477: A 1988 sequel. Through these and other roles, Brimley became widely known for portraying gruff or stodgy old men, most notably on the 1980s NBC drama series Our House , also starring Deidre Hall , Chad Allen , and Shannen Doherty . One exception was when he played William Devasher, sinister head of security for a Mafia -associated law firm , in the Tom Cruise film The Firm (1993). After portraying

147-587: A 1997 episode of Seinfeld (" The Junk Mail "), who forces Kramer to end his boycott of the mail service. After several more years of independent film and TV acting, Brimley had a supporting role in Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009), making witty exchanges with star Hugh Grant . Brimley frequently appeared in commercials, including a series of commercials for Quaker Oats , a campaign which became famous for his repeating their slogan "It's

196-465: A bodyguard for businessman Howard Hughes as well as a ranch hand , wrangler , and blacksmith . He then began shoeing horses for film and television. At the behest of his close friend and fellow actor Robert Duvall , he began acting in the 1960s as a riding extra and stunt man in westerns . In 1979, he told the Los Angeles Times that the most he ever earned in a year as an actor

245-604: A brief but pivotal appearance in Absence of Malice (1981) as the curmudgeonly, outspoken Assistant Attorney General James A. Wells. In the movie The Thing (1982) he played the role of Blair, a biologist among a group of men at an American research station in Antarctica who encounter a dangerous alien that can perfectly imitate other organisms. Brimley's close friend Robert Duvall (who also appeared in The Natural )

294-599: A dramatic standoff involving Walter, a deranged prisoner who was being held in solitary confinement , Brubaker reveals himself to be the new prison warden, to the amazement of both prisoners and officials alike. Brubaker attempts to reform the prison, with an eye towards prisoner rehabilitation and human rights, clashing frequently with corrupt officials on the state prison board who have profited from graft for decades. He recruits several longtime prisoners, including trustys Larry Lee Bullen, Richard "Dickie" Coombes, and former warden's clerk Purcell (who secretly remains loyal to

343-536: A group of geriatrics who encounter a magically reinvigorating swimming pool by their retirement home . Brimley was only 49 when he was cast in the role, and turned 50 during filming; he was at least 20 years younger than any of the actors playing the other retirement home residents. In order to look the part, Brimley bleached his hair and moustache to turn them gray, and had wrinkles and liver spots drawn on his face. He also starred in Cocoon: The Return ,

392-936: A lively rendition of " Oh! Susanna " much to the delight, and surprise, of Ferguson and the studio audience. In 2013, Riders in the Sky partnered with Brimley to produce the album Home on the Range , which featured him singing a variety of country and folk songs. Brimley was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was married to Lynne Bagley from July 6, 1956, until her death in June 2000. They had four sons together: James Charles, John Michael, William Carmen, and Lawrence Dean. He married Beverly Berry on October 31, 2007. They split their time between homes in Greybull, Wyoming , and Santa Clara, Utah . In 2009, they founded

441-425: A sadistic trustee, takes notice, and he, Purcell, and Rauch lure Abraham to the medical ward, where he is tortured with a Tucker Telephone . Brubaker attends the prison board meeting, where he discovers that many of the members are enraged at the disruption of their graft schemes via his reforms and are uninterested at investing any money to improve the prison. Brubaker accuses prison board head John Deach of defrauding

490-427: A shoddy, uninsured roof, Brubaker terminates Woodward's contract. He also oversees the formation of an inmate council, allowing the inmates to govern themselves. During the first meeting of the inmate council, Abraham Cook, an elderly black inmate still imprisoned three years after the end of his sentence, pulls Brubaker aside and confesses that he was instructed to construct coffins for murdered prisoners. Eddie Caldwell,

539-592: A view up South Front Street in Columbus. A paperback screenplay novelization by the celebrated and award-winning American novelist and short story writer William Harrison was issued shortly in advance of the film's release (as was the custom of the era) by Ballantine Books . Brubaker was a critical and commercial success. Produced on a budget of $ 9 million, the film grossed $ 37,121,708 in North America, earning $ 19.3 million in theatrical rentals , making it

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588-596: A warm, rich voice". In 1993, Brimley sang with the Cal State Northridge Jazz Band for a concert benefiting the college's Jazz Endowment Scholarship Fund. In 2004, he released This Time, The Dream's On Me , an album of jazz standards named after the Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer -penned title track . He was also an accomplished harmonica player; during his 2011 appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson , Brimley performed

637-495: Is based on the real-life experiences of warden Thomas Murton , co-author with Joe Hyams of the 1969 book, Accomplices to the Crime: The Arkansas Prison Scandal . In 1967, he was hired by Governor Winthrop Rockefeller to reform Arkansas' Tucker State and Cummins State Prison Farms , but Murton was dismissed less than a year into the job because his work was creating too much bad publicity for

686-533: Is fine 'cause I'm Harry." Brimley then appeared as Pop Fisher, world-weary manager of a slumping baseball team, in The Natural (1984). Brimley appeared in the 1984 film Country as Otis, the patriarch of a family farm, which took a sobering look at farms in crisis in the 1980s. Shortly thereafter, Brimley secured his first leading role in Ron Howard 's Cocoon (1985), portraying Ben Luckett, leader of

735-622: Is from the Philippines , in 1998. Kotto was versed in the Hebrew liturgy and incorporated Jewish prayers at turning points throughout his life. He said his father "instilled Judaism" in him. Kotto supported Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. He also expressed support for Black Lives Matter and shared content adjacent to the beliefs of QAnon . In 2000, he was living in Marmora, Ontario , Canada. Kotto died at

784-561: Is sent to the gallows, Abraham provides spiritual solace. Bing Russell also appeared in this segment. Kotto retired from film acting in the mid-1990s, though he had one final film role in Witless Protection (2008). However, he continued to take on television roles. Kotto portrayed Lieutenant Al Giardello in the long-running television series Homicide: Life on the Street . As a black Sicilian proud of his Italian ancestry,

833-471: The 19th highest-grossing film of 1980 . The movie was also well received by critics, holding a 75% "Fresh" rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote: The movie (refuses) to permit its characters more human dimensions. We want to know these people better, but the screenplay throws up a wall; they act according to

882-585: The 1978 film Blue Collar . The following year he played Parker in the sci-fi – horror film Alien . He followed with a supporting role in the 1980 prison drama Brubaker . In 1983, he guest-starred as mobster Charlie "East Side Charlie" Struthers in The A-Team episode "The Out-of-Towners". In 1987, he appeared in the futuristic sci-fi movie The Running Man , and in 1988, in the action-comedy Midnight Run , in which he portrayed Alonzo Moseley, an FBI agent. A memo from Paramount indicates that Kotto

931-753: The Blues" / "Have You Dug His Scene" (Chisa Records, CH006). In 1973, he landed the role of the James Bond villain Mr. Big in Live and Let Die , as well as roles in Across 110th Street and Truck Turner . He played a police officer, Richard "Crunch" Blackstone, in the 1975 film Report to the Commissioner . Kotto portrayed Idi Amin in the 1977 television film Raid on Entebbe . He starred as an auto worker in

980-448: The Street (1993–1999) as Lieutenant Al Giardello . His films include the science-fiction horror film Alien (1979), the neo-noir action thriller Across 110th Street (1972), the science-fiction action film The Running Man (1987), the James Bond film Live and Let Die (1973) in which he portrayed the main villain Dr. Kananga, and the action comedy Midnight Run (1988). Kotto

1029-414: The age of 81 on March 15, 2021, near Manila , Philippines . His wife announced the news on Facebook . A hardcore punk band from California took its name from the actor. He was also mentioned by Childish Gambino on the track 'yaphet kotto (freestyle)'. Wilford Brimley This is an accepted version of this page Anthony Wilford Brimley (September 27, 1934 – August 1, 2020)

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1078-647: The banning of cockfighting in New Mexico on the basis of his support of individual rights. He also spoke at a 1998 Phoenix rally opposing an Arizona ballot proposition to ban cockfighting, arguing that a ban could lead to efforts to restrict the use of hunting dogs, which opponents of cockfighting called a distraction from the issue. Brimley enjoyed playing poker and played in the World Series of Poker Main Event. Brimley lent his support to John McCain in

1127-558: The character was a breakout for television. He has written the book Royalty and also wrote scripts for Homicide . In 2014, he voiced Parker for the video game Alien: Isolation , reprising the role he played in the movie Alien in 1979. Kotto's first marriage was to a German immigrant, Rita Ingrid Dittman, whom he married in 1959. They had three children together before divorcing in 1976. Later, Kotto married Toni Pettyjohn, and they also had three children together, before divorcing in 1989. Kotto married his third wife, Tessie Sinahon, who

1176-708: The facility. Angola's solitary confinement block, which had no air conditioning and had the highest suicide rates in the United States, was closed in 2018 after a 2013 lawsuit. Rosenberg replaced Bob Rafelson , who was removed as director early in production. This would become Rosenberg's second prison film after directing Cool Hand Luke in 1967. Rafelson filed a breach-of-contract and slander lawsuit in May 1979 asking for damages of $ 10 million, claiming that Fox had assured him that he would have complete autonomy and creative control and had made statements that implied that he

1225-557: The father of Kevin Kline in In & Out (1997), Brimley retreated from Hollywood in favor of involvement in more independent productions. He made an auspicious mainstream comeback with the TNT film Crossfire Trail (2001), co-starring with Tom Selleck (whom he had previously worked with in the 1980s film High Road to China ). He played an intimidating United States Postmaster General in

1274-514: The former prison doctor out of the facility when he learns inmates were being charged for medical treatment, and burns down an illicit pleasure shack on prison grounds where influential trusty Huey Rauch and his girlfriend Carol lived. After a faulty roof cave-in in the prison barracks, Brubaker meets with C.P. Woodward, a lumber salesman and longtime participant in the prison graft scheme. Accusing Woodward of using prisoners as slave labor and purposely pocketing contract money while intentionally building

1323-538: The governor's office, and Gray, alongside Edwards, a liberal member of the prison board, and corrupt State Senator Hite, attempt to convince Brubaker to stop excavating graves with the promise of funding for the prison, trying to convince him he has instead discovered an old pauper's graveyard. Brubaker refuses, and continues the excavations. Rauch rudely laments Abraham's confession, and Coombes, knowing Rauch's involvement in Abraham's death, threatens Rauch, who then escapes

1372-568: The ideological positions assigned to them in the screenplay, and that's that. ... Half of Redford's speeches could have come out of newspaper editorials, but we never find out much about him, What's his background? Was he ever married? Is this his first prison job? What's his relationship with the Jane Alexander character, who seems to have gotten him this job? (Alexander has one almost subliminal moment when she fans her neck and looks at Redford and, seems to be thinking unpolitical thoughts, but

1421-467: The movie hurries on.) Brubaker is a well-crafted film that does a harrowingly effective job of portraying the details of its prison, but then it populates it with positions rather than people." Wins Nominations Yaphet Kotto Yaphet Frederick Kotto (November 15, 1939 – March 15, 2021) was an American actor for film and television. He starred in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on

1470-970: The nonprofit organization Hands Across the Saddle (HATS) in the Bighorn Basin . Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1979, Brimley began working to raise awareness of the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) honored him in 2008 with an award to recognize his lifetime of service. The ADA presented the award to him at the Port St. Lucie headquarters of Liberty Medical on December 19, 2008. He visited Veterans Administration hospitals and communities to advise patients on how to manage their diseases. His television advertisements for Liberty Medical became an Internet meme due to Brimley's dialectal pronunciation of "diabetes", often rendered as "diabeetus" ( / ˌ d aɪ ə ˈ b iː t ə s / ), contrasting with his overall serious tone. Brimley spoke against

1519-603: The prison and hides out at a local restaurant. Brubaker and several trustys pursue him, and in the resulting gunfight, Bullen and Rauch are killed. Due to the spillage of violence outside the prison walls, the board fires Brubaker and holds a hearing about the exhumed bodies where the board continues to lie about their origin. Brubaker walks in and makes a comment about saving taxpayer money by shooting prisoners rather than sending them to Wakefield, which enrages Deach. Brubaker leaves and Gray follows him, imploring him to compromise, but he refuses to compromise over murder. Brubaker exits

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1568-461: The prison as the new warden, hardline disciplinarian Rory Poke, addresses the prisoners. Coombes approaches Brubaker and tells him simply, "You were right." Coombes begins clapping, and the convicts ignore Poke and approach the fence, clapping a farewell to a teary Brubaker. A pre-credits title card reads: Two years after Henry Brubaker was fired -- 24 inmates, led by Richard "Dickie" Coombes, brought suit against Wakefield Prison. The Court ruled that

1617-454: The prison through insurance policies on nonexistent farm equipment (while leaving the prison buildings uninsured) before storming out of the meeting. The morning after the prison board meeting, Brubaker awakes and discovers Abraham's body suspended from the warden's residence flagpole. While excavating the area Abraham disclosed to him, Brubaker discovers multiple unmarked graves which contain bodies of prisoners who died violently. Word reaches

1666-579: The right thing to do." Developed by advertising agency Jordan, McGrath, Case & Taylor, the campaign began in 1987. Brimley appeared in numerous television advertisements for Liberty Medical , a company specializing in home delivery of medical products (including diabetes testing supplies). He appeared in commercials for the American Diabetes Association and was the voice-over for a Bryan Foods television commercial campaign. Brimley has been described as "a fine singer with

1715-410: The state's penal system—in particular, the discovery of numerous graves belonging to prisoners who had been killed in these prisons. Much of the squalid conditions, violence and corruption depicted in the film was the subject of a 1970 federal court case, Holt v. Sarver , in which the federal court ruled that Arkansas' prison system violated inmates' constitutional rights, and ordered reform. The film

1764-418: The treatment of prisoners at Wakefield was unconstitutional and ordered the prison be reformed or closed. The governor was not re-elected. In addition, Wilford Brimley , Nathan George and William Newman appeared as Prison Board Members, John McMartin as State Senator Charles Hite, and Nicolas Cage appeared in an uncredited background role as a prisoner, one year before his first credited role. The film

1813-411: The unscrupulous trustys) to assist him with the reform. Lillian Gray, a public relations specialist for the governor's office, also attempts to influence Brubaker to reform the prison in a way that will cast the governor in a positive light. To improve the prison, Brubaker fires his crooked bookkeeper, who built up a stash of illicit food ostensibly for inmates but actually sold to generate profit, tosses

1862-513: Was $ 20,000. He had no formal training as an actor, and his first experience in acting in front of a live audience was in a theater group at the Los Angeles Actors' Theater . Brimley's onscreen breakthrough came when he was cast in the popular 1970s television series The Waltons as Walton's Mountain resident and blacksmith Horace Brimley; he made seven appearances between 1974 and 1977. His first credited feature film performance

1911-736: Was a child, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. By the age of 16, Kotto was studying acting at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio. At age 19, Yaphet Kotto made his professional acting debut in Othello . He was a member of the Actors Studio in New York . Kotto got his start in acting on Broadway , where he appeared in The Great White Hope , among other productions. His film debut

1960-585: Was among those being considered for Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation , a role which eventually went to Patrick Stewart . Kotto was cast as a religious man living in the southwestern desert country in the 1967 episode "A Man Called Abraham" on the syndicated anthology series Death Valley Days , hosted by Robert Taylor . In the story line, Abraham convinces a killer named Cassidy ( Rayford Barnes ) that Cassidy can change his heart despite past crimes. When Cassidy

2009-625: Was an Englishman from Wigan , while his paternal grandmother's parents were a Scottish couple from Glasgow . His mother was half Danish and also had English, German , Swiss , and Welsh ancestry. Prior to a career in acting, he dropped out of high school at age 14 and worked as a cowboy in Arizona , Idaho , and Nevada . Brimley joined the Marines in 1953 and served in the Aleutian Islands for three years. He also worked as

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2058-462: Was an American actor. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and working odd jobs in the 1950s, Brimley started working as an extra and stuntman in Western films in the late 1960s. He became an established character actor in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as The China Syndrome (1979), The Thing (1982), Tender Mercies (1983), The Natural (1984), and Cocoon (1985). Brimley

2107-488: Was born in New York City . His mother, Gladys Marie, was an American nurse and U.S. Army officer of Panamanian and West Indian descent. His father, Avraham Kotto (who was, according to his son, originally named Njoki Manga Bell), was a businessman from Cameroon who emigrated to the United States in the 1920s. Kotto's father was raised Jewish and his mother converted to Judaism . The couple separated when Kotto

2156-547: Was in The China Syndrome (1979) as Ted Spindler, a friend and coworker of plant shift supervisor Jack Godell (portrayed by Jack Lemmon ). That same year, he appeared in the Robert Redford/Jane Fonda feature film "The Electric Horseman" cast as simply "The Farmer" while assisting Redford and Fonda's characters evade troopers while transporting the horse in a cattle hauler. Later, Brimley made

2205-521: Was in 1963, aged 23, in an uncredited role in 4 for Texas . He performed in Michael Roemer 's Nothing but a Man (1964) and played a supporting role in the caper film The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). He played John Auston, a confused Marine Lance Corporal, in the 1968 episode "King of the Hill", on the first season of Hawaii Five-O . In 1967, he released a single, "Have You Ever Seen

2254-613: Was incompetent, emotionally unstable, and not qualified to direct a major motion picture. Most exteriors were filmed at the then-recently closed Junction City Prison in Junction City , southeast of Columbus in central Ohio . Additional locations included Bremen , New Lexington , and the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in Lancaster . The opening scenes of the prison bus departure show the skyline and

2303-719: Was instrumental in securing for him the role of Harry in Tender Mercies (1983). Duvall, who had not been getting along with director Bruce Beresford , wanted "somebody down here that's on my side, somebody that I can relate to." Beresford felt Brimley was too old for the part but eventually agreed to the casting. Brimley, like Duvall, clashed with the director; during one instance when Beresford tried to advise Brimley on how Harry would behave, Duvall recalled Brimley responding: "Now look, let me tell you something, I'm Harry. Harry's not over there, Harry's not over here. Until you fire me or get another actor, I'm Harry, and whatever I do

2352-625: Was known for playing characters at times much older than his age. He was the long-term face of American television advertisements for the Quaker Oats Company . He also promoted diabetes education and appeared in related television commercials for Liberty Medical , a role for which he became an Internet meme . Anthony Wilford Brimley was born in Salt Lake City on September 27, 1934, the son of Lola (née Nelson) and real estate broker Wilford Brimley. His paternal grandfather

2401-600: Was originally based on the Louisiana State Prison (Angola) but the State of Louisiana successfully sued to block publication of both the novel and the screenplay if it made references to conditions at Angola. Due to the successful legal outcome, violence and slavery-era treatment of inmates at Angola continued unabated throughout the 1980s and 1990s until two lawsuits were filed in 2013 regarding medical care and inhumane treatment, and excessive high temperatures at

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