- published: 30 Jul 2012
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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 Sergeant Hulka in Stripes (1981).
Oates was born and raised in Depoy, Kentucky, a tiny rural community west of Greenville in Muhlenberg County, the son of Sarah Alice (née Mercer) and Bayless E. Oates, who owned a general store. He attended high school in Louisville, became interested in theater at the University of Louisville and starred in several plays there in 1953 for the Little Theater Company. He got an opportunity in New York City to star in a live production of the television series Studio One in 1957.
The actor migrated to Los Angeles where he began to carve out a niche playing guest roles in Western television programs of the period including Wagon Train, Tombstone Territory, Rawhide,Trackdown, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Have Gun-Will Travel, The Big Valley and Gunsmoke. Oates first met Peckinpah when he played a variety of guest roles on The Rifleman (1958–1963), the popular television series created by the director. He also played a supporting role in Peckinpah's short-lived TV series The Westerner in 1960. The collaboration continued as he worked on Peckinpah's early films Ride the High Country (1962) and Major Dundee (1965).
Actors: Greg Travis (director), Bill Oberst Jr. (actor), Greg Travis (actor), Greg Travis (producer), Greg Travis (writer), Blanca Blanco (actress), Berenice Noriega (actress), Rocky Hart (actor), Chris Pina (actor), Susan Compo (actress), Jamal Tayag (editor), David Dougherty (actor),
Plot: What was it like in 1973, when director Sam Peckinpah co-wrote and directed a film entitled 'Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia'. The film was made in and around Mexico City. One week into a difficult shoot, the head of United Artists threatened to pull the plug on the entire production. After a long hot day of shooting, Sam Peckinpah and his producer partners leapt into action in order to save their motion picture.
Genres: Drama, Short,