Ignatius Wolfington

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Iggie Wolfington
Born Ignatius Wolfington
14 October 1920
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died 30 September 2004
Studio City, California
Spouse(s) Lynn Wood (1972-2004)

Ignatius 'Iggie' Wolfington was a stage actor who was born 14 October 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died September 30, 2004 in Studio City, California. He married Lynn Wood, an actress, about 1972.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] Education

Wolfington attended West Philadelphia Catholic High School,[3] then studied at the Bessie V. Hicks School of Drama.[4]

[edit] Military Service

Lt. Wolfington served with distinction in the 102nd Infantry Division (United States) at the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He received a battlefield commission as a first lieutenant. He was awarded the Silver Star for his role in saving thirty men. He also received the Purple Heart for wounds he received in battle. Upon his death, Wolfington was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery attended by a large group of relatives, Lt. Wolfington's headstone witnesses his duty to the service of his country and a deep love he held for his country.[5][6]

[edit] Stage career

Wolfington is best known for his role as Marcellus Washburn in the Broadway musical The Music Man, which earned him a nomination to receive the 1958 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. He also played the role of Chef Ellsworth in "Mrs McThing",[7] a 1952 play which featured Helen Hayes.[8][9]

[edit] Television career

Wolfington worked in the earliest days of live television, then became a familiar face on popular television shows like “Gunsmoke,” “Get Smart,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Waltons,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Fantasy Island,” and “The Rockford Files”. He made a few television movies.[10][11]

[edit] Appearance in Film

Wolfington appeared in the film Hex and the Steven Spielberg film 1941.[12][13]

[edit] Labor Union Career

For many years, "Iggie" Wolfington was a council member of the Actors' Equity Association, a New York City-based labor union for stage actors. In 1969, Wolfington saw the need for a West Coast office of the Actors' Fund of America to provide medical and financial assistance to actors beyond Broadway, NY. Until that time, stage actors outside of New York had experienced difficulty securing adequate support from the headquarters there. Wolfington handled over 10,000 cases in the fifteen years preceding his 2004 death.[14][15]

[edit] Awards

At the time of his retirement in 1984, Wolfington received the following awards:

[edit] References

  1. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  2. ^ Iggy Wolfington,Veteran Actor, Dies at 84, The New York Times, October 11, 2004
  3. ^ West Philadelphia Catholic High School
  4. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  5. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  6. ^ Iggy Wolfington,Veteran Actor, Dies at 84, The New York Times, October 11, 2004
  7. ^ IMDb
  8. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  9. ^ Iggy Wolfington,Veteran Actor, Dies at 84, The New York Times, October 11, 2004
  10. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  11. ^ Iggy Wolfington,Veteran Actor, Dies at 84, The New York Times, October 11, 2004
  12. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  13. ^ Iggy Wolfington,Veteran Actor, Dies at 84, The New York Times, October 11, 2004
  14. ^ Actors Equity Archive
  15. ^ Iggy Wolfington,Veteran Actor, Dies at 84, The New York Times, October 11, 2004
  16. ^ Actors Equity Archive

[edit] External links

Awards
Preceded by
Ralph Bellamy		 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award
1984		 Succeeded by
Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward