Richard Farnsworth

American actor

Born: September 1, 1920  ·  Died: October 6, 2000

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Richard Farnsworth
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Who was Richard Farnsworth?

Richard William Farnsworth (September 1, 1920 – October 6, 2000) was an American actor and stuntman. Farnsworth was born in Fairfield, Washington. His mother was a homemaker and his father was an engineer. After high school he enrolled in the United States Air Force during WWII, where he served as a pilot in the 344th Bombardment Group with the rank of First Lieutenant and received the Silver Star medal for gallantry and bravery in combat. Farnsworth gradually moved into acting in Western movies. He made uncredited appearances in numerous films, including Gone with the Wind (1939), Red River (1948), The Wild One (1953), and The Ten Commandments (1956).

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Historical significance

He was twice nominated for an Academy Award: in 1978 for Best Supporting Actor for Comes a Horseman, and in 2000 for Best Actor in The Straight Story, making him the second-oldest nominee for the award for the latter. Farnsworth was also known for his performances in The Grey Fox (1982), for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, as well as Anne of Green Gables (1985), Sylvester (1985), and Misery (1990).

Selected movies: Richard Farnsworth Full IMDb filmography
Gone with the Wind 1939 · View on IMDb Spartacus 1960 · View on IMDb The Ten Commandments 1956 · View on IMDb Misery 1990 · View on IMDb Papillon 1973 · View on IMDb The Outlaw Josey Wales 1976 · View on IMDb
Selected exact acting credits from Wikidata. Title links open on IMDb; ratings, reviews, images, and descriptions are not imported.
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MLA

“Richard Farnsworth.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/richard-farnsworth/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

APA

Richard Farnsworth. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/richard-farnsworth/

Chicago

“Richard Farnsworth.” thisDay. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/richard-farnsworth/.

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