Sheb Wooley

Biography

Among pop culture scholars, Sheb Wooley is most beneficial remembered for his past due-’50s rock & roll/comedy hit “Crimson People Eater,” which distributed over 3 million copies. But among nation music afficianados, specifically supporters of cowboy music, Sheb Wooley may be the true content, or as near as you reaches it today. A rodeo rider from enough time that he was a youngster, he was earning money in the circuit as an adolescent, before he ever considered music being a profession. He considered music and acting, showing up in such Westerns as Great Noon, before he was ever well-known being a vocalist, and afterwards spent six periods playing cowhand Pete Nolan on the tv screen series Rawhide, even while he pursued a profession in nation music. Furthermore to cowboy music, his repertory contains traditional nation music and hillbilly music, combined with the ubiquitous “Crimson People Eater.” Down the road in the 1960s, he also created a drunken comic persona called Ben Colder, whose achievement in satirizing several elements of nation music, its market, and its own sensibilities in fact threatened to eclipse Sheb Wooley. Sheb Wooley was created in Erick, Fine, on Apr 10, 1921. A devoted rider from an early on age group, he was contending in regional rodeos before he was a decade outdated, and by enough time he was an adolescent was one of the better young riders in the circuit. Music was also one of is own passions, and Wooley got his initial electric guitar when his father swapped a shotgun for the device. The family members was poor, and living was extremely tough through the 1930s; more often than once their plants were virtually impressed by the dried out dust dish winds. Wooley led his personal nation band in senior high school, but music didn’t provide prospect of a full time income, and he produced his living for a while working the essential oil areas of Oklahoma like a welder. Much like many Oklahomans buying better long term, Wooley going to California in the past due ’30s and almost earned a full time income at a packaging plant, shifting crates of oranges. At that time Wooley was wedded to Melba Miller, the old sister of potential nation music celebrity Roger Miller. When Globe Battle II broke out, Wooley discovered himself tagged 4-F (ineligible for armed service service) due to injuries he’d experienced like a rodeo rider, and he spent a lot of the battle working in protection plant life. In 1945, he produced his first information for the Bullet label in Nashville, and started appearing being a vocalist/guitarist on WLAC; the work paid nothing at all, but allowed him to receives a commission function somewhere else. His Bullet edges had been cut at WSM, house from the Grand Ole Opry, however they saw minimal play or publicity of any sort. A year afterwards he transferred to Fort Value, TX, and got a normal i’m all over this radio there, sponsored by Calumet Cooking Natural powder. Finally, in 1949, on the recommendation of a pal at WSM, Wooley made a decision to make the leap and mind for California in wish to getting some film function. For this same period, he was authorized like a songwriter to Hill & Range, the posting company, which, subsequently, resulted in his being authorized by the recently founded MGM Information in 1950. MGM currently had a famous number in its roster, in the individual of Hank Williams, but nation music was flourishing, and there is room for as much worthwhile talents because the label may find. He also required acting lessons within the hope to getting some focus on the display. Wooley succeeded a lot more than he might have hoped with this capability, appearing in little parts in 40 feature movies, you start with Rocky Hill, Errol Flynn’s last American, in 1949. His perhaps most obviously display screen came 2 yrs later within the traditional Great Noon (1952), where he performed Ben Miller, the first choice from the outlaw gang gunning for city marshal Gary Cooper. He also performed an important helping function within the traditional drama Small Big Horn (1951), starring Lloyd Bridges and John Ireland, and was observed in The Man With out a Superstar (1955), Large (1956), and Rio Bravo (1959), starring John Wayne. Amid most of his film function, Wooley continued documenting and writing music. It wasn’t until 1958, nevertheless, that he previously popular of any effect, and it had been a most unforeseen melody. Wooley wrote several songs which were strikes for additional singers, especially “ARE YOU CURRENTLY Satisfied,” which surely got to quantity 11 on the united states charts as documented by Rusty Draper in 1955. Wooley experienced always displayed something special for parody, as well as the music he finally scaled the pop graphs with was “Crimson People Eater,” a parody of varied pop tradition crazes including monster films (some individuals at that time recommended — improperly — the sci-fi/horror traditional The Blob, starring Steve McQueen, that was released at around once as Wooley’s music, was practically a film from the music). Wooley needed to fight to obtain the melody released, and it eventually became one of the primary strike singles in the annals of MGM Information. He was struggling to follow-up the achievement of “Crimson People Eater,” nevertheless, and it wasn’t until 1962 that he previously another hit, this time around a nation chart-topper known as “That’s MY FATHER.” In 1958, Wooley was ensemble within the function of Pete Nolan in the tv screen Traditional western Rawhide, starring Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood, which premiered in January of 1959. He afterwards composed some scripts for the series aswell, and in 1959, to be able to accomplish open public demand for a documenting from the series’ name melody, he documented his own edition from the Rawhide theme music and a whole album of Traditional western songs, which didn’t graph. He later documented an recording of folk-style materials that premiered within the wake from the MGM wide-screen epic blockbuster film How the Western Was Won, but this also didn’t capture on with the general public. His film function continued during this time period, and it had been because of film and tv commitments that he was struggling to record the music “Don’t Go Close to the Indians.” Rather, former film cowboy/vocalist Rex Allen documented it and got popular with it. In response to his misfortune, Wooley cut a tale parody follow-up towards the music, entitled “Don’t Proceed Close to the Eskimos,” and developed a fresh, inebriated comic persona to provide it. “Ben Colder” was created with “Don’t Move Close to the Eskimos,” as well as for the others of his profession Wooley — in a way anticipating the large amount of David Johansen/Buster Poindexter — needed to divide his time taken between performances as “direct” nation/cowboy vocalist Sheb Wooley and drunken comic Ben Colder. (A number of the various other brands that Wooley acquired considered because of this persona, regarding to one supply, had been “Ben Freezin” and “Klon Dyke”). In 1969, once the nation music display Hee Haw continued the environment, Wooley became the show’s citizen songwriter, offering the series’ comic musical quantities. Ben Colder continued to have many more strikes, including “Nearly Persuaded No. 2,” and in 1968 the Colder persona was voted Comedian of the entire year. Wooley continued documenting under both guises in to the 1980s, although his last graph one in either persona dated back again to 1971. In 1998, Wooley was identified as having leukemia and spent another couple of years in and out of private hospitals battling the problem. On Sept 16, 2003 Sheb Wooley passed on at age 82. The prior year Wooley have been honored by Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, who described the vocalist/songwriter/acting professional as an “American treasure.”

Quick Facts

• Facts
• Filmography
• Awards
• Salaries
• Quotes
• Trademarks
• Pictures



#	Fact
1	In 1969 Wooley was one of the original members of the cast of Hee Haw (1969), the-long running country slapstick series. He also wrote the familiar theme song. He left the show after only filming 13 episodes due to other professional demands. He returned from time to time as a guest.
2	He got the idea for his hit song, Purple People Eater, when a friend of his mentioned that his young son came home from elementary school with a joke he had heard: "What has one eye, one horn, flies and eats people?" "A one-eyed, one-horned flying people eater!".
3	It is believed that he may be the person who recorded the famous Wilhelm Scream for the movie Distant Drums (1951). He was one of the few actors assembled for the recording of additional vocal elements for the film. It is very likely he was asked on the spot to perform other things for the film, including the screams for a "man getting bit by an alligator" (as the Wilhelm Scream takes were slated).
4	Was one of the four gunslingers who stalked Gary Cooper in the western film classic High Noon (1952) (for the record, the others were Ian MacDonald, Robert J. Wilke, Lee Van Cleef).
5	The running lyric to Sheb's huge novelty song hit went like this: "It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater." It spent six weeks at No. 1 and sold 3 million copies in 1958. Other silly songs included "Talk Back Blubbering Lips," "Sunday Morning Fallin' Down," "Harper Valley PTA (Later That Same Day)," "The Happiest Squirrel in the Whole U.S.A." and "Fifteen Beers Ago." He also recorded the parody "Don't Go Near the Eskimos," based on Rex Allen's 1962 hit "Don't Go Near the Indians.".
6	Formed his own radio band, The Plainview Melody Boys, at the age 15.
7	Awarded Comedian of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1968.
8	His wife Linda was also his manager.



Actor

Actor

Title	Year	Status	Character
Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection	1991	Video
Murder, She Wrote	1990	TV Series	Billy Ray Parker
Purple People Eater	1988		Harvey Skitters
Hoosiers	1986		Cletus
Uphill All the Way	1986		Anson Sudro
Silverado	1985		Cavalry Sergeant
The Dollmaker	1984	TV Movie	Mr. Kendrick
The Outlaw Josey Wales	1976		Travis Cobb
The Young Rebels	1970	TV Series
Mod Squad	1969	TV Series	Wild Bill Hannachek
The War Wagon	1967		Snyder
Country Boy	1966		Sheb Wooley
Rawhide	1959-1965	TV Series	Pete Nolan
Death Valley Days	1965	TV Series	Jeb Slade / Fred Nelson
Rio Bravo	1959		Cowboy (scenes deleted)
Terror in a Texas Town	1958		Baxter (uncredited)
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp	1956-1957	TV Series	Rex Jones / Luke McGuire
Ride a Violent Mile	1957		Jonathan Long
Tales of Wells Fargo	1957	TV Series	Lenny
Maverick	1957	TV Series	Sheriff
Sugarfoot	1957	TV Series	Pete Martin
Trooper Hook	1957		Cooter Brown
Playhouse 90	1957	TV Series
The Oklahoman	1957		Cowboy / Henchman (uncredited)
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin	1954-1957	TV Series	Gang Member / Monte / Morgan / ...
The Ford Television Theatre	1957	TV Series	Tag Bailey
Cheyenne	1957	TV Series	Chev Jones
The Black Whip	1956		Bill Lassater
Zane Grey Theater	1956	TV Series	Brock
Giant	1956		Gabe Target
My Friend Flicka	1956	TV Series	Harry Runyon
Cavalry Patrol	1956	TV Movie	Lank Clee
Trial	1955		Butteridge (uncredited)
The Second Greatest Sex	1955		Silas - Jones City Leader
The Lone Ranger	1953-1955	TV Series	Tex / Hatton / Don Wyman / ...
Man Without a Star	1955		Latigo
The Adventures of Kit Carson	1953-1955	TV Series	Johnny / Walt Denton / Rand 'Doc' Hale / ...
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers	1954		Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Johnny Guitar	1954		Posseman (uncredited)
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger	1954	TV Series	Lawson
Arrow in the Dust	1954		Trooper (uncredited)
Stories of the Century	1954	TV Series	Jim Younger
Rose Marie	1954		Corporal (uncredited)
The Boy from Oklahoma	1954		Pete Martin
Texas Bad Man	1953		Mack
The Range Rider	1953	TV Series	Saber Jack Tyrell / Baxter Vale / Ed Harrison
Sky Full of Moon	1952		Balladeer (voice)
The Cisco Kid	1952	TV Series	Bill Bronson / Roy Stokes
Toughest Man in Arizona	1952		Army Officer (uncredited)
The Lusty Men	1952		Gambler with Buster (uncredited)
Cattle Town	1952		Miller
Hellgate	1952		Neill Price
High Noon	1952		Ben Miller
Fireside Theatre	1951-1952	TV Series
Bugles in the Afternoon	1952		Gen. George Armstrong Custer (uncredited)
Distant Drums	1951		Pvt. Jessup (uncredited)
Fort Worth	1951		Outrider (uncredited)
Little Big Horn	1951		Quince
Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison	1951		Chick Fullis (uncredited)
Apache Drums	1951		Townsman (uncredited)
Rocky Mountain	1950		Kay Rawlins

Soundtrack

Soundtrack

Title	Year	Status	Character
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt	2015	TV Series writer - 1 episode
The German Doctor	2013	writer: "Purple People Eater" " - uncredited
One Hit Wonderland		TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode, 2012 writer - 1 episode, 2012
Monsters vs. Aliens	2009	performer: "Purple People Eater" / writer: "Purple People Eater"
Fetching Cody	2005	performer: "Listening For Your Footsteps" / writer: "Listening For Your Footsteps"
Contact	1997	writer: "Purple People Eater"
Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection	1991	Video performer: "Purple People Eater" / writer: "Purple People Eater" - as Wooley
Kidsongs: Very Silly Songs	1991	Video short writer: "The Purple People Eater"
Parents	1989	performer: "Purple People Eater" / writer: "Purple People Eater"
Purple People Eater	1988	performer: "The Purple People Eater" / writer: "The Purple People Eater"
Aloha Summer	1988	performer: "Purple People Eater" / writer: "Purple People Eater"
DTV: Pop & Rock	1984	Video performer: "The Purple People Eater" / writer: "The Purple People Eater"
The Outlaw Josey Wales	1976	performer: "Rose of Alabamy Reprise", "Cripple Creek", "The Irish Washerwoman" - uncredited
Wild Rovers	1971	performer: "Wild Rover"
The Split	1968	lyrics: "A Good Woman's Love" / music: "A Good Woman's Love" / performer: "A Good Woman's Love"
Country Boy	1966	performer: "Draggin' the River' / writer: "Draggin' the River'
Hootenanny Hoot	1963	performer: "Hootenanny Hoot", "Building a Railroad" / writer: "Hootenanny Hoot"
Rawhide	1960	TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Many Rivers to Cross	1955	performer: "Higher Up The Berry Tree"

Writer

Writer

Title	Year	Status	Character
Rawhide	1961	TV Series story - 1 episode

Self

Self

Title	Year	Status	Character
Hee Haw	1969	TV Series	Himself
The Kraft Music Hall	1968	TV Series	Himself
Shivaree	1966	TV Series	Himself
Hootenanny	1964	TV Series	Himself / Himself - Performer
Hootenanny Hoot	1963		Himself
The Juke Box Jury	1958-1959	TV Series	Himself
Studio One in Hollywood	1958	TV Series	Himself
The Ed Sullivan Show	1958	TV Series	Himself

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

Title	Year	Status	Character
Official Drummer	2016	TV Special	The Yell
Aparté	2015	TV Mini-Series documentary
DTV: Pop & Rock	1984	Video	Himself

Won awards

Won awards

Year	Award	Ceremony	Nomination	Movie	Award shared with
1992	Golden Boot	Golden Boot Awards
1962	Bronze Wrangler	Western Heritage Awards	Fictional Television Drama	Rawhide (1959)	· Endre Bohem (producer) · George Templeton (director) · John Dunkel (writer) · Paul Brinegar (actor) · Eric Fleming (actor) · Clint Eastwood (actor) · Darren McGavin (actor)
1961	Bronze Wrangler	Western Heritage Awards	Fictional Television Drama	Rawhide (1959)	· Ted Post (director) · Charles Marquis Warren (producer) · John Dunkel (writer) · Dan O'Herlihy (actor) · Paul Brinegar (actor) · Eric Fleming (actor) · Clint Eastwood (actor)



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#	Quote
1	[on how he got the idea for his "Purple People Eater" hit song] The Space Age was upon us. Everyone was thinking about rockets and wondering if maybe we would find people up there. A songwriter friend of mine told me his son had come home from school with a joke about a people eater from space. I wrote the song in a matter of minutes--just dashed it off as a sort of afterthought.
2	I came out to Hollywood to become a singing cowboy but when I got here in 1950 they didn't want any singing cowboys, even if you had your own guitar. So I got into the other end of the cowboy business and played mostly heavies in my film career.



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