Fred Willard

Fred Willard, born as Frederic Charles Willard on September 18, 1933, was a notable American actor and comedian. Recognized for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films, Willard holds a rich filmography. Some of his prominent works are This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006) and Mascots (2016). His television accomplishments entail several Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his commendable work on the sitcoms like Everybody Loves Raymond and Modern Family. Willard's acting journey kickstarted in the late 1950s in New York, leading him to various stage performances. His film debut was in the 1967 exploitation film Teenage Mother. Wider fame greeted Willard in 1977–78 as Barth Gimble's sidekick, Jerry Hubbard, on the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman spinoffs. One of his celebrated roles was as Shelby Forthright, the CEO of the Buy 'n' Large Corporation, in the animated film WALL-E. Willard's later life saw him starring in popular TV series like Back to You and Modern Family. Willard made a special guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and had his final acting role in the 2020 Netflix comedy series, Space Force.