| Iggie Wolfington | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ignatius Wolfington October 14, 1920 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | September 30, 2004 (aged 83) Studio City, California |
| Spouse | Lynn Wood (1972-) |
Ignatius 'Iggie' Wolfington (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 October 1920 – September 30, 2004, Studio City, California) was an American stage actor. Iggie is the youngest of the Wolfington family of Philadelphia, operators of a carriage business (1900's)and brother of the founder of Wolfington Body Company in Exton, Pa. He married Lynn Wood, an actress, about 1972.[1][2] Iggie is also the great-great uncle of Claire Cole.
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Wolfington attended West Philadelphia Catholic High School,[3] then studied at the Bessie V. Hicks School of Drama.[1]
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, with the assistance of his nephew (Steve Bennett) arrangements were facilitated in order that 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 the deep love he held for his country and the men he served with during his military career.[1][2]
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 would also play Mayor Shinn in the short-lived 1980 Broadway revival of The Music Man. He also played the role of Chef Ellsworth in "Mrs McThing",[4] a 1952 play which featured Helen Hayes.[1][2]
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.[1][2]
Wolfington appeared in the film Hex and the Steven Spielberg film 1941.[1][2]
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.[1][2]
At the time of his retirement in 1984, Wolfington received the following awards:
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ralph Bellamy |
Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award 1984 |
Succeeded by Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward |