Wally Cox
Wally Cox was a beloved character actor who made his mark in television and ranks as one of the medium's most memorable performers. His ability to show his range likely was limited by his short stature, slight frame, and high-pitched voice, which along with his talent for being very funny, made him ideal for comedy parts such as his memorable turn as Professor P. Caspar Biddle in "The Bird-Watchers" episode of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) in 1966. His television persona was that of a shy, timid man in horn-rimed glasses who spoke in a tentative, though distinctly enunciated, voice. It was a persona that his long-time friend Marlon Brando said was completely at odds with the real man. Cox always will be remembered as the eponymous "Mr. Peepers" and the voice of "Underdog," but he was an actor of wider talents seldom used by the industry, as can be seen in his turns as the sonar operator in The Bedford Incident (1965) and as the potential suicide Wally Haverstraw in The Bill Cosby Show (1969) episode "Goodbye, Cruel World" in 1970. Dying unexpectedly on February 15, 1973, from what some newspapers described as an accidental overdose of sedatives but which Marlon Brando in his autobiography said was a heart attack, Wally Cox's cremated remains were kept hidden in a closet by his old friend for three decades. According to Brando's son Miko, both his father's and Cox's ashes were scattered at the same time in Death Valley, California, in a ceremony following Brando's death, thus reuniting the lifetime friends.
Known For
Credits
- 1999 · Television: The First Fifty Years as Robinson J. Peepers (archive footage)
- 1990 · Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths as (archive footage)
- 1985 · Reel Horror as Clyde (archive footage)
- 1973 · The Night Strangler as Mr. Berry
- 1972 · Once Upon a Mattress as The Jester
- 1972 · Magic Carpet as Harold Kane
- 1972 · Search as
- 1971 · McMillan and Wife as
- 1971 · The Barefoot Executive as Mertons
- 1971 · Alias Smith and Jones as
- 1970 · Up Your Teddy Bear as Clyde King
- 1970 · Night Gallery as
- 1970 · The Wacky Zoo of Morgan City as Becker
- 1970 · The Odd Couple as Mr. Fegivney
- 1970 · The Boatniks as Jason
- 1970 · The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County as Mr. Bester
- 1970 · The Young Country as Aaron Grimes / Ira Greebe
- 1970 · Quarantined as Wilbur Mott
- 1969 · The Bill Cosby Show as Wally Haverstraw
- 1969 · The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour as Self
- 1968 · Here's Lucy as Rock Barnett
- 1968 · Here's Lucy as Wally Manley
- 1968 · Here's Lucy as Gustav Vandemeer
- 1968 · Here's Lucy as Tommy Tucker
- 1968 · The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
- 1968 · The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band as Mr. Wampler
- 1968 · It Takes a Thief as Tourist
- 1967 · Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In as Self
- 1967 · A Guide for the Married Man as Technical Adviser (Married 14 years)
- 1967 · Ironside as Scoutmaster
- 1966 · Hollywood Squares as Self
- 1966 · Mission: Impossible as Terry Targo
- 1966 · The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. as
- 1965 · The Bedford Incident as Seaman Merlin Queffle
- 1965 · Get Smart as
- 1965 · Mister Roberts as
- 1965 · Lost in Space as Tiabo
- 1965 · I Spy as Herbie
- 1965 · Morituri as Dr. Ambach
- 1964 · The Yellow Rolls-Royce as Ferguson
- 1964 · Fate Is the Hunter as Ralph Bundy
- 1964 · Underdog as
- 1964 · The Hollywood Palace as Self
- 1963 · Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre as
- 1963 · Burke's Law as Count Carlo Szipesti
- 1963 · Burke's Law as Dr. Heresford Handy
- 1963 · Vacation Playhouse as Alfred
- 1963 · Spencer's Mountain as Preacher Goodman
- 1963 · Marilyn as Self ("Something's Got to Give") (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1962 · The Lucy Show as Harold Tuttle
- 1962 · The Merv Griffin Show as Self
- 1962 · The Beverly Hillbillies as Professor P. Caspar Biddle
- 1962 · State Fair as Hipplewaite
- 1962 · Something's Got to Give as Shoe Salesman
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1961 · The Dick Van Dyke Show as
- 1959 · The Twilight Zone as James Elwood
- 1957 · DuPont Show of the Month as Messenger 7013
- 1957 · The Lux Show as Self
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Vincent Eaglewood
- 1957 · Tonight Starring Jack Paar as Self
- 1956 · The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
- 1956 · The Adventures of Hiram Holliday as Hiram Holliday
- 1956 · The Steve Allen Show as Self
- 1955 · Babes in Toyland as Grumio, the Toymaker
- 1955 · Matinee Theater as
- 1954 · Babes in Toyland as Grumio, the Toymaker
- 1954 · Max Liebman Presents as
- 1953 · Letter to Loretta as Leslie Nettleton
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Monroe Winkler
- 1952 · Mister Peepers as Robinson Peepers
- 1950 · Danger as
- 1950 · The Colgate Comedy Hour as Self
- 1950 · Your Show of Shows as
- 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Panelist
- 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
- 1949 · Suspense as
- 1949 · Suspense as Ace McCoy
- 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self