Willard Parker

Who was Willard Parker?

Willard Parker was an American film and television actor.

He was born Worster Van Eps in New York City. Prior to becoming an actor, he was a meter reader and a tennis pro. Although he had some stage experience, he mainly appeared as a second lead in films after 1938. Tall and with wavy hair, he was married to the actress Virginia Field.

Parker was cast as Ranger Jace Pearson in the 52-episode CBS television series, Tales of the Texas Rangers, which aired from 1955 to 1958. His co-star was Harry Lauter as Ranger Clay Morgan. The series was rerun thereafter on ABC.

He guest starred in a few other television series, including the CBS anthology series, Schlitz Playhouse and Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. He also appeared on Lee Marvin's NBC crime drama, M Squad, and ABC's religion drama series, Going My Way, starring Gene Kelly and Leo G. Carroll as Roman Catholic priests in New York City. Parker was cast as Msgr. Joe Giblin in the 1962 episode, "The Crooked Angel."

Parker died of a heart attack at the age of eighty-four in Rancho Mirage in Riverside County, California.