Before writing this post, I always knew Wilford Brimley as the guy in The Thing and the second Ewok Adventures movie, who was always shilling Quaker Oats, but after researching him…well, what else can I say but “damn”? This guy has done everything! He started off as a ranch hand, farmer and rodeo rider, then moved into television acting with The Waltons in the 1970’s. He soon branched out into film with movies including Cocoon, The Firm and The China Syndrome, and also did his part to raise awareness for diabetes, as he was diagnosed with the disease in 1979. Oh yeah, and he was a bodyguard for Howard Hughes! But he’ll always be the guy from The Thing and the second Ewok Adventures movie. Brimley turns 77 today, and looks an awful lot like this cat:
