Paul Brinegar

Paul Brinegar Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: December 19, 1917

Death Date: March 27, 1995

Birth Place: Tucumcari, New Mexico

Paul Brinegar was born and raised in New Mexico, but he left to become an actor in Hollywood. He began appearing in films in 1946 with an uncredited role in the western romance "Abilene Town." Two years later he received his first credit when he appeared as a mechanic in the 1948 film noir "Larceny." He went on from there to appear in scores of films, usually Westerns, eventually making a name for himself as the quintessential cowboy sidekick.

In 1959, he took on his best known role, playing the grumpy cook, Wishbone, in Clint Eastwood's long-running western TV series, "Rawhide." He played that role until 1965. In 1973, he made one of his last major film appearances when he worked with Eastwood again, playing a barman in the film "High Plains Drifter." He later appeared on programs like the backwoods car-chase comedy "The Dukes of Hazzard," the medical drama "Trapper John, M.D.," and the private detective show "Matt Houston," where he played a recurring role, fittingly, as a comedic cowboy named Lamar Pettybone. In total Brinegar appeared in over 100 different film and TV roles throughout his almost 50-year career.

Credits

15 Minute Movies

Actor
Rivero
Show
2010

Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone

Actor
Jim "Dog" Kelly
Movie
1994

Knight RiderStream

Guest Star
Chuck
Series
1982

Trapper John, M.D.

Guest Star
Series
1979

The Dukes of HazzardStream

Guest Star
Dewey Stovall
Series
1979

CHiPsStream

Guest Star
Series
1977

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams

Guest Star
Trapper Tom
Series
1977

The QuestStream

Guest Star
Series
1976

Harry O

Guest Star
Show
1974

Little House on the PrairieStream

Actor
Glover
Series
1974

Little House on the PrairieStream

Guest Star
Glover
Series
1974

Petrocelli

Guest Star
Series
1974

The Six Million Dollar ManStream

Guest Star
Rafe Morris
Series
1973

Cannon

Guest Star
Charlie Tompkins
Series
1971

Charro!Stream

Actor
Opie Keetch
Movie
1969

Lancer

Actor
Series
1968

The Guns of Will Sonnett

Guest Star
Series
1967

Iron HorseStream

Guest Star
Series
1966

Country Boy

Actor
Mr. Byrd
Movie
1966

BonanzaStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

RawhideStream

Actor
Wishbone
Series
1959

Cattle Empire

Actor
Tom Jefferson Jeffrey
Movie
1958

How to Make a MonsterStream

Actor
Rivero
Movie
1958

Trackdown

Guest Star
Zach Armstead
Show
1957

Perry MasonStream

Guest Star
Tom Sackett
Series
1957

Tales of Wells FargoStream

Guest Star
Shorty Tannin
Series
1957

The Vampire

Actor
Willy Warner
Movie
1957

Mark of the Vampire

Actor
Willy Warner
Movie
1957

Highway Patrol

Guest Star
Series
1955

Alfred Hitchcock PresentsStream

Actor
Police Officer
Series
1955

Cheyenne

Guest Star
Series
1955

The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpStream

Actor
Jim Begley
Series
1955

The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpStream

Guest Star
Mayor Jim Kelley
Series
1955

Lassie

Guest Star
Ben Adams
Series
1954

Human DesireStream

Actor
Brakeman
Movie
1954
58%

The Man Behind the Badge

Actor
Don Kammer
Show
1953

The Loretta Young Show

Actor
Pete
Show
1953

Captain Scarface

Actor
Clegg
Movie
1953

Fast Company

Actor
Smokey
Movie
1953

Death Valley DaysStream

Actor
James "Jimmy" Dalton
Series
1952

Here Come the Nelsons

Actor
Thin Cop
Movie
1952

The Captive City

Actor
Police Sergeant
Movie
1952

The Lone RangerStream

Guest Star
Frankie
Series
1949