Gregory Walcott

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Gregory Walcott in Plan 9 from Outer Space.

Gregory Walcott is an American actor who was born Bernard Mattox on January 13, 1928 in Wendell, North Carolina.

Walcott has had a long career in films and television. After growing up in Wilson, N.C., and serving in the Army, he appeared as a drill instructor in the film Battle Cry and then as a military policeman in 1955's war-themed classic Mister Roberts with Henry Fonda.

He had roles in many television series, often in Westerns like Bonanza (which he appeared on seven times ), Maverick, Wagon Train, The Rifleman and several episodes of Rawhide, where he began a long collaboration with Clint Eastwood. Walcott would later appear in Eastwood's films Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, The Eiger Sanction, Joe Kidd and Every Which Way But Loose.

He is perhaps most well known for having appeared in the much-maligned 1959 Ed Wood film, Plan 9 from Outer Space. Whereas most people who appeared in Ed Wood films remained in the cult film genre for the rest of their careers, this was not the case with Walcott. After his appearance in "Plan 9" he prospered in far superior films and from 1961-62 starred in the television series 87th Precinct with Robert Lansing. He later had guest roles on many TV series including recurring roles in Dallas and Murder, She Wrote.

His film work also includes the comedy On the Double alongside Danny Kaye, plus Steven Spielberg's The Sugarland Express as well as 1979's Norma Rae starring Sally Field. Walcott also agreed to make a cameo appearance in the Ed Wood biopic starring Johnny Depp, directed by Tim Burton.