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Paul Brinegar (December 19, 1917 - March 27, 1995) was an American character actor.
Brinegar made over 100 appearances between 1946 and 1994, appearing in many western films, and played the barman in Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter in 1973. He was best known for his long-running role as the cook, "Wishbone," on Eastwood's CBS series Rawhide from 1959 to 1966, which also co-starred Eric Fleming. In 1969, he appeared in the Western Charro! starring Elvis Presley.
The role of Wishbone was loosely carried over into the 1968-1970 CBS western series Lancer in which Brinegar played Jelly Hoskins. His co-stars were Andrew Duggan, James Stacy, and Wayne Maunder.
In the early 1980s Brinegar played an occasional humorous cowboy-like character, "Lamar Pettybone" during the first season of ABC's TV series Matt Houston (unknown number of episodes from 1982-1983).
"I love the role, My appearance (always) suited me more for character roles than straight or romantic parts."
Paul Brinegar (on the Wishbone part in 1959)
Paul Brinegar had a very long acting career which began back in 1946 with the and continued until 1994.
Paul Brinegar
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Paul Brinegar
19 December 1917, Tucumcari, New Mexico
27 March 1995, Los Angeles, California
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In the 40's he appeared on the big screen in Abilene Town (1946), Larceny (1948), Take One False Step (1949), Sword in the Desert (1949), The Gal Who Took the West (1949).
Paul continued his film career into the 50's and also began appearing on various tv shows such as "The Adventures of Jim Bowie" (1956), "Cheyenne" (1956), "Whirlybirds", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957),
Although he was portraying a 65-year-old man in the series that helped launch Clint Eastwood, Brinegar was only 41 at the time of the interview. When his hair started turning gray at the age of 32, Brinegar began to appreciate his receding hairline and craggy, lined face as profitable attributes.
He appeared in 226 episodes of "Rawhide," 51 episodes of the series "Lancer," 38 episodes of "Wyatt Earp" and 13 episodes of "Matt Houston."
Last year Brinegar received the Golden Boot Award at a Beverly Hills ceremony for his efforts to further Westerns on television and in film.
Born in Tucumcari, N.M., Brinegar started acting in high school plays and continued as a student at Pasadena City College.
He served as a chief radioman in the Navy during World War II and supported himself after the war as a radio repairman while taking bit parts in movies.
As an early television actor, Brinegar won roles in "Dragnet" and "Racket Squad." His first big break came when he was cast as the mayor of Dodge City in the "Wyatt Earp" series starring Hugh O'Brian.
Brinegar went on to the film "Cattle Empire," which was directed by Charles Marquis Warren, the producer of "Rawhide." Warren decided Brinegar would be the ideal camp cook.
Brinegar guest-starred more than 200 times in a variety of television series, commercials and music videos.
Along with many colleagues from Western shows, Brinegar appeared in the 1994 movie "Maverick" starring Mel Gibson and James Garner.
In private life, Brinegar was honorary sheriff and fire chief of Granada Hills.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley; two sons, Paul III and Mark, and a brother, Warren.
The family has asked that any memorial contributions be made to the Motion Picture and Television Fund in Woodland Hills.
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