Willis Macon McCalman (December 30, 1932 – November 29, 2005) was an American television, stage and big screen movie actor.

Acting career

Nicknamed "Sonny", McCalman helped form the Front Street Theatre in his hometown of

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

. During the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

, he served in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

. Over the course of his acting career McCalman appeared in various film and TV guest roles, usually in supporting parts, both dramatic and comedic often as heavies and authoritarian figures. He got his acting start on Broadway appearing in productions of ''The Last of Mrs. Lincoln'' (1971), ''An Enemy for the People'' (1971), and a comedy, ''The Playboy Of the Western World''. His first Hollywood film role was in ''

Deliverance ''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American survival thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their feature film debuts. The screenplay was adapted ...

'' (1972). He had supporting parts in '' The Concorde ... Airport '79'' (1979), ''

The Falcon and the Snowman ''The Falcon and the Snowman'' is a 1985 American spy drama film directed by John Schlesinger. The screenplay by Steven Zaillian is based on the 1979 book ''The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage'' by Robert Lin ...

'' (1985), ''

Fried Green Tomatoes ''Fried Green Tomatoes'' is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel ''Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe''. Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, Jessic ...

'' (1991), and ''

Falling Down ''Falling Down'' is a 1993 American action film directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Ebbe Roe Smith and released by Warner Bros. in the United States on February 26, 1993. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster, a ...

'' (1993). He also appeared in the

Roger Donaldson Roger Lindsey Donaldson (born 15 November 1945) is an Australian-born List of New Zealand film makers, New Zealand film director, producer and writer whose films include the 1981 relationship drama ''Smash Palace'', and a run of titles shot in ...

directed film ''

Marie Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in Tr ...

'' (1985). He appeared in guest roles in television shows such as ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...

'', ''

Starsky and Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...

'', ''

Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American action crime drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theodopolis "Theo" Kojak. Taking the time slot of the popular ''Cannon'' series, it ...

'', ''

Lou Grant Lou Grant is a fictional character played by Ed Asner in two television series produced by MTM Enterprises for CBS. The first was ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), a half-hour light-hearted situation comedy in which the character ...

'', ''

Three's Company ''Three's Company'' is an American sitcom television series that aired for eight seasons on ABC from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. It is based on the British sitcom ''Man About the House''. The story revolves around three single roomma ...

'', ''

Murder She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series ...

'' as well as such miniseries and television movies as ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

'' (1977) and ''

Captains and the Kings ''Captains and the Kings'' is a 1972 historical novel by Taylor Caldwell chronicling the rise to wealth and power of an Irish immigrant, Joseph Francis Xavier Armagh, who emigrates as a penniless teenager to the United States, along with his you ...

'' (1976).

Death

McCalman retired from acting and returned to Memphis in 1997 after suffering a heart attack. He died in a Memphis hospital in 2005, one month shy of his 73rd birthday, from complications of a series of strokes.

Filmography

Film

* ''

'' (1972) .... Deputy Queen * ''

Lipstick Lipstick is a cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick dates back to ...

'' (1976) .... Police Photographer * '' Slap Shot'' (1977) .... Soap Opera patient (uncredited) * ''

Smokey and the Bandit ''Smokey and the Bandit'' is a 1977 American road action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. The directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham, the film follows ...

'' (1977) .... Mr. B * ''

Comes a Horseman ''Comes a Horseman'' is a 1978 American Western drama film starring Jane Fonda, James Caan, Jason Robards, and Richard Farnsworth, directed by Alan J. Pakula. Set in the American West of the 1940s but not a typical Western, it tells the story ...

'' (1978) .... Virgil Hoverton * '' The Pirate'' (1978) .... Hutchinson * '' The Concorde ... Airport '79'' (1979) .... Carl Parker * '' The Last Word'' (1979) .... Welfare Caseworker * ''

The Incredible Shrinking Woman ''The Incredible Shrinking Woman'' is a 1981 American science-fiction comedy film directed by Joel Schumacher (in his theatrical directing debut), written by Jane Wagner and starring Lily Tomlin, Charles Grodin, Ned Beatty, John Glover, and Eliz ...

'' (1981) .... Dr. Atkins * '' Dead & Buried'' (1981) .... Ben * ''

Carbon Copy Before the development of photographic copiers, a carbon copy was the under-copy of a typed or written document placed over carbon paper and the under-copy sheet itself (not to be confused with the carbon print family of photographic reproduc ...

'' (1981) .... Tubby Wederholt * '' Rollover'' (1981) .... Jerry Fewster * '' Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann'' (1982) .... Dr. Sam * ''

Honkytonk Man ''Honkytonk Man'' is a 1982 American comedy-drama musical western film set in the Great Depression. Clint Eastwood, who produced and directed, stars with his son, Kyle Eastwood. Clancy Carlile's screenplay is based on his 1980 novel of the same ...

'' (1982) .... Dr. Hines * '' Fleshburn'' (1984) .... Earl Dana * ''

'' (1985) .... Larry Rogers * '' Cold Feet'' (1989) .... Store Owner * ''

Doc Hollywood ''Doc Hollywood'' is a 1991 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Caton-Jones and written by Daniel Pyne along with Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman, based on Neil B. Shulman's book ''What? Dead...Again?'' The film stars Michael J. F ...

'' (1991) .... Aubrey Draper * ''

'' (1991) .... Prosecutor Percy * ''

'' (1993) .... Detective Graham * ''

Murder Between Friends ''Murder Between Friends'' is an American murder mystery television film of 1994, directed by Waris Hussein. It is based on the true story of the murder of Janet Myers, a Louisiana woman killed in 1984 by her husband, or his best friend, or both ...

'' (1994) .... Janet’s LawyerAlvin H. Marill, ''Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999'' (2005), p. 350 * ''

The Client Client(s) or The Client may refer to: * Client (business) * Client (computing), hardware or software that accesses a remote service on another computer * Customer or client, a recipient of goods or services in return for monetary or other valuabl ...

'' (1994) .... Ballatine * '' A Walk in the Clouds'' (1995) .... Conductor * ''

Rosewood Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. True rosewoods All genuine rosewoods belong to the genus ''Dalbergia''. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated in ...

'' (1997) .... Gov. Hardee (final film role)

Television

* ''

Starsky & Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...

'' (1975) .... Officer Bernie Glassman * ''

'' (1976) .... McKee * ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of List of The Jeffersons episodes, 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longe ...

'' (1976) (TV) .... Roger Tulley * ''

'' (1976; TV miniseries) .... Dolan * ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psy ...

'' (1977) .... Dr. Malcolm * '' Maude'' (1977) .... Mark Duncan / Wendall Glendale * ''

Carter Country ''Carter Country'' is an American sitcom that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from September 15, 1977 to August 23, 1979. It starred Victor French and Kene Holliday. A young Melanie Griffith appeared in two episodes. Synopsis ''C ...

'' (1977) .... Drunk * ''

'' (1977; TV miniseries) .... Poston * ''

'' (1978) .... Mr. Penrose * ''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset lifes ...

'' (1979) .... Dr. Harry Capello * ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book ''Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 film ...

'' (1979-1980) .... Deputy Sheriff / Deputy Abe * ''

'' (1979–1983) .... Roland Wood / Mr. Penrose * ''

'' (1981-1982) .... Dolph Masterson / Kibbee * ''

Diff'rent Strokes ''Diff'rent Strokes'' is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, r ...

'' (1981-1983) .... Dr. Kalsa / George Endicott * ''

'' (1982) .... Darrell Stabell * ''

Remington Steele ''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from Oc ...

'' (1983) .... Uncle Tim * ''

Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkins) ...

'' (1983) .... Motel Manager * ''

Emerald Point N.A.S. ''Emerald Point N.A.S'' is an American primetime soap opera created by ''Dynasty''s Richard and Esther Shapiro which premiered on CBS on Monday, September 26, 1983. The series revolved around the lives of personnel stationed on a naval air stati ...

'' (1983) .... Harry Bogard * '' St. Elsewhere'' (1984) .... Henry Judson * ''

Newhart ''Newhart'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, ...

'' (1984) .... Paul Frazier * '' The Red-Light Sting'' (1984) .... Jeffers * ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'' (1984) .... Mr. Fitzgerald * ''

Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series ''Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...

'' (1985) .... Calvin Holmes * ''

Family Ties ''Family Ties'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC for seven seasons, premiering on September 22, 1982, and concluding on May 14, 1989. The series, created by Gary David Goldberg, reflected the move in the United States f ...

'' (1986) .... Professor Spanos * ''

The Deliberate Stranger ''The Deliberate Stranger'' is a book about American serial killer Ted Bundy written by '' Seattle Times'' reporter Richard W. Larsen that was published in 1980. The book spawned a television miniseries of the same title, starring Mark Harmon as ...

'' (1986) .... Larsen's editor * ''

Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

'' (1987) TV series * ''

Silver Spoons ''Silver Spoons'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982, to May 11, 1986, and in first-run syndication from September 27, 1986, to May 30, 1987. The series was produced by Embassy Television for the fi ...

'' (1987) .... Stockwell * ''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

'' (1987) .... Gorman * ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' (1987–1991) .... Nolan Hayes / Hotel Det. Fritz Rice * ''

Duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...

'' (1988) .... Mr. Paxton * '' Perfect Strangers'' (1989) .... Dr. Shukin * ''

Guns of Paradise ''Paradise'' (later renamed ''Guns of Paradise'') is an American Western family television series, broadcast by CBS from October 27, 1988 to May 10, 1991. Created by David Jacobs and Robert Porter, the series presents the adventures of fictit ...

'' (1989) .... Warren Turtle * ''

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series that ran for eight seasons on NBC, from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it centers on the partners, associates and staff of a Los ...

'' (1989–1991) .... Judge Whitney Baldwin * ''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS from September 29, 1986, to May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomason M ...

'' (1989) .... Paul Webster * '' Scattered Dreams'' (1993) .... Virgil * ''

The Wonder Years ''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age situation comedy, comedy/Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol L. Black, Carol Black. It ran on American Broadcasting Company ...

'' (1993) .... Karl Gustafson * '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (1994) .... Willie * ''

Goode Behavior ''Goode Behavior'' is an American sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996, on UPN. The series was cancelled after one season, airing its last episode on May 19, 1997, for a total of 22 episodes. Synopsis Willie Goode (Sherman Hemsley) is a newly ...

'' (1996) .... Mr. Kaufman

References

External links

* *
Macon McCalman
Aveleyman) {{DEFAULTSORT:Mccalman, Macon 1932 births 2005 deaths American male stage actors American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Memphis, Tennessee United States Army personnel of the Korean War 20th-century American male actors