Actor Morgan Woodward, known for playing "The Man with No Eyes" in Cool Hand Luke and a recurring guest role on Dallas, died Friday on February 22 morning at his home in California, the Fielder House Museum in Arlington, Texas. He was 93.
Thomas Morgan Woodward was born in Fort Worth, Texas, September 16, 1925. He was educated in the public schools of Arlington, graduated from high school in 1944, then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Pilot Training Program. This was natural, as he had been flying since the age of sixteen.
Following World War II, Woodward entered Arlington State College, where he majored in music and drama. During this period, Woodward began his professional career with the renowned Margo Jones Repertory Theatre in Dallas. His ultimate goal however, was the Metropolitan Opera. Later, the slow emergence of grand opera in America convinced him that this was not a promising career to pursue.
In 1948, Woodward transferred to the University of Texas and changed his major to Business Administration specializing in Corporate Finance, with a minor in music and drama. In addition to a full course of study, he had his own weekly radio show, a dance band, as well as a barber shop quartet. Some of his classmates during that time were Fess Parker, Jayne Mansfield, Rip Torn, Kathy (Mrs.Bing) Crosby, L.Q. Jones, Pat Hingle, Barbara Berry, in addition to Tommy Jones and Harvey Schmidt, co-authors of "The Fantastics" and "110 In The Shade", plus other outstanding Broadway musicals.