Morgan Woodward was an award-winning actor from Arlington, Texas, who appeared in over 125 movies and TV shows throughout his 40-year career.

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Morgan Woodward

Thomas Morgan Woodward (1925-2019) was born in Fort Worth but grew up in Arlington—and we’re proud to claim him as one of our own. One of five brothers, he graduated from Arlington High School in 1944 with early ambitions of becoming an opera singer. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, hosted a weekly radio show in college, earned a Business Administration degree, enrolled in law school, and served in the Korean War before becoming an actor.

Morgan Woodward in Los Angeles, 2003 (Photo Credit: Giulio Marcocchi/Getty Images & IMDB)

A tall and recognizable character actor known for Westerns and dramas, Woodward’s IMDB page lists over 125 acting credits from 1956 to 1997. Although best known for his role as Boss Godfrey in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, he appeared in several other movies throughout his career. His TV career was prolific, though, with roles on such shows as The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Perry Mason, Rawhide, Hondo, Bonanza, and dozens of others. From 1957 to 1974, he guest-starred 19 times on Gunsmoke, playing a different character nearly every time. He also was a regular on Dallas in the 1980s, playing the character Punk Anderson for 55 episodes.

Still shot of Morgan Woodward as Boss Godfrey in Cool Hand Luke (Photo Credit: IMDB)

Former mural in Downtown Arlington depicting his character from Cool Hand Luke

Woodward received several awards and recognitions during and after his acting career, including the “Golden Boot Award” and “Golden Lariat Award,” both presented to actors who made significant contributions to the Western genre. In 1990, he was honored at the “Walk of Western Stars”—similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame—in Santa Clarita, California. He retired from acting in 1997.

One of Woodward’s hobbies was restoring, rebuilding, and flying antique airplanes. He was considered an expert authority on Early American Aircraft and completed many restoration projects. Woodward was married to Enid Anne Loftis for nearly 70 years until his death.

Morgan Woodward (1925-2019) headstone at Arlington Cemetery

Morgan Woodward died on February 22, 2019, and is buried in Arlington Cemetery. Arlington honors Woodward with a street named Morgan Woodward Way, and at one time, there was a downtown mural depicting his character from Cool Hand Luke. Fielder Museum has a small Morgan Woodward exhibit, with photos, awards, movie memorabilia, and personal items displayed.

Photos from the Morgan Woodward exhbit at Fielder Museum

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More info –

www.morganwoodward.com
www.imdb.com/name/nm0940971

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Blog post & photos (except where noted) by Jason S. Sullivan, 02-22-24