Menu
Walter Barnes

Walter Barnes

Known For Acting
Birthday Jan 26, 1918
Died Jan 06, 1998 (79)
Birthplace Rennert, North Carolina, USA
Popularity 0.5 (history)
Updated Aug 10, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Walter Lee Barnes was an American football guard and actor who played in National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. He played in the (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and in college at Louisiana State University. Barnes was an actor in both American and European films. He appeared in several f ... ilms with John Wayne, Lex Barker, and Clint Eastwood. Barnes entered acting after appearing several times on The Eagles Nest, a local Philadelphia television show. WCAU television placed him on several local shows. His contacts with Walt Silver, a producer for Warner Bros. Television, led him into several appearances on television and films. Some of his more notable appearances included Bronco, Gunsmoke, Cheyenne, Bonanza, Have Gun – Will Travel and Death Valley Days. John Wayne got him a small role as Charlie the Bartender in Rio Bravo. Tiring of small roles and seeing opportunities overseas, Barnes was one of the many American actors who moved to Italy in the early 1960s. Kirk Douglas recommended him for a role in his The Vikings television spinoff Tales of the Vikings that was filmed for Douglas's production company in Germany. From 1960 to 1969, he was first active in pirate movies, then Karl May film adaptations and Spaghetti Westerns. Barnes returned to the United States in 1969 and appeared in more films and television series, which included The High Chaparral. His friendship with Clint Eastwood on Rawhide later led him to several roles in Eastwood's films. He retired from acting in 1987 and became increasingly ill due to his diabetes. He was the father of German former actress Lara Wendel, who was born Daniela Barnes.

Known For

Headshots

Profile
Profile
Filmography

Smokey Bites the Dust

Smokey Bites the Dust

1981

as Sheriff Turner

Bronco Billy

Bronco Billy

1980

as Sheriff Dix

Power

Power

1980

as Al Grove

Every Which Way but Loose

Every Which Way but Loose

1978

as Tank Murdock

The Young Runaways

The Young Runaways

1978

as Sgt. Abel

Day of the Animals

Day of the Animals

1977

as Ranger Tucker

Pete's Dragon

Pete's Dragon

1977

as Captain

Escape to Witch Mountain

Escape to Witch Mountain

1975

as Sheriff Purdy

Mackintosh and T.J.

Mackintosh and T.J.

1975

as Jim Webster

The Blue Knight

The Blue Knight

1975

as Personnel Officer

Hog Wild

Hog Wild

1974

as Tobias

Daddy's Deadly Darling

Daddy's Deadly Darling

1973

as Doctor

High Plains Drifter

High Plains Drifter

1973

as Sheriff Sam Shaw

Cahill: United States Marshal

Cahill: United States Marshal

1973

as Sheriff Grady

Movin' On

Movin' On

1972

as Mr. Daniels

The Christian Licorice Store

The Christian Licorice Store

1971

as P.C. Stayne

The Traveling Executioner

The Traveling Executioner

1970

as Sheriff

Rampage at Apache Wells

Rampage at Apache Wells

1965

as Bill Campbell

Frontier Hellcat

Frontier Hellcat

1964

as Martin Baumann Sr.

Westbound

Westbound

1959

as Willis - Stage Depot Cook

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo

1959

as Charlie (uncredited)

Revolt in the Big House

Revolt in the Big House

1958

as Guard Capt. Starkey

Oregon Passage

Oregon Passage

1957

as Sgt. Jed Erschick

No data available

No data available

No data available

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

North and South

as Benny Haven

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Nov 03, 1985

Gunsmoke

as O' Dell

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1955

The High Chaparral

as Bartender

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1967

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

as Herbie Sanford

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 01, 1957

Sugarfoot

as Hefferman

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 17, 1957

Bat Masterson

as Paulson

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1958

Letter to Loretta

as Casey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1953

Maverick

as First Outlaw

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 22, 1957

Gunsmoke

as Haney

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1955

Gunsmoke

as Burke

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1955

Kodiak

as Jack Capp

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1974

Bonanza

as Will Griner

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 12, 1959

Action in the Afternoon

Episodes: 76

First Aired: Feb 02, 1953

Tales of the Vikings

Episodes: 39

First Aired: Sep 08, 1959

Walking Tall

Episodes: 7

First Aired: Jan 17, 1981

Cheyenne

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 20, 1955

Mission: Impossible

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 17, 1966

Kung Fu

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 14, 1972

Alias Smith and Jones

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 05, 1971

Stingray

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 14, 1985

Have Gun, Will Travel

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 14, 1957

Bronco

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 23, 1958

State Trooper

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 25, 1956

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 5 9 3
2024 7 13 21 4
2024 8 9 19 3
2024 9 9 21 3
2024 10 4 8 1
2024 11 3 5 1
2024 12 4 7 2
2025 1 6 16 1
2025 2 3 7 1
2025 3 3 6 1
2025 5 1 1 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 7 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

Return to Top