Warren Mercer Oates (July 5, 1928 – April 3, 1982) was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah including The Wild Bunch (1969) and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974). He starred in numerous films during the early 1970s which have since achieved cult status including The Hired Hand (1971), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) and Race with the Devil (1975). Oates also portrayed John Dillinger in the biopic Dillinger (1973) and Sergeant Hulka in the comedy Stripes (1981).
A slight upturned grin, often communicating incredulousness
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Often played sweaty, conflicted men who are proved to be unreliable
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Raspy but loud voice
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Distinctive, squarish mug
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Often played violent-tempered, prideful characters
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Quote
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I believe what Camus [Albert Camus] says. When the curtain rings down, your job is done. The responsibility is pitched to someone else as to what the meaning is of what you played. What you represent is always one aspect of a moral question.
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What I'm beginning to wonder about myself is, have I removed myself from society? Have I been away too long on all of my location trips? Do I read enough? Do I question enough? My reason for being an actor, like most any other actor, is to really nail something important down, to really find something to say in my work. And I tell myself that if I am sincere about my work, I should understand the time I live in.
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I'm not angry because I'm not the leading man. Whatever they give me to do, I do. I don't want to be typed but I have learned a lesson in patience and resignation. If it's an anti-hero they want, I'm more than happy to oblige.
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I don't intentionally set out to be a villain. I do what is given me to do and from there I evolve my attitude and comment. Heavies are closer to life than leading men. The heavy is everyman -- everyman when he faces a tough moment in life. It's the heavy that has to do with the meat of life.
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[on Sam Peckinpah] I don't think he's a horrible maniac; it's just that he injures your innocence, and you get pissed off about it.
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Hopalong Cassidy and Ben Johnson have rubbed off on my life. That's about all I have to say.
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[on Sam Peckinpah] Sam has always believed, and I believe rightly, that he is there to make the film and that anyone who stands in his way is dead. They're in deep, deep trouble. And anyone who doesn't come up to snuff and do their job absolutely perfectly is in deep trouble with Sam.
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I feel most uncomfortable in a western role, because my image of the western man is John Wayne and I'm just a little shit.
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Fact
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His autopsy showed he had chronic emphysema. He had been ill with flu in the weeks before his death.
In his long and prestigious career as one of the best character actors in film, he only had four leading roles: Bennie in "Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia", as well as the title roles in "Chandler", "Cockfighter", and "Dillinger". He got his first official lead role in "Garcia" as a gift from director Sam Peckinpah partly in appreciation for his work in two of his films, "Ride The High Country" and "The Wild Bunch", respectively, and because Oates had never been the star before.
The University of Louisville had a scholarship named after him for promising students in the arts programs.
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Sang in the backup chorus for "Rocket to Stardom" on Kris Kristofferson's 1975 album "Who's to Bless . . . Who's to Blame."
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Subject of the song by "Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes", title "Warren Oates", from their album "You Wanna Be There But You Don't Wanna Travel" phonogram 1994
$12 Million
