Sheb Wooley

American character actor in many Westerns, Sheb Wooley was also a figure in country-western music. Born and raised in Oklahoma, he spent his youth as a cowhand. His musical ability led to radio and subsequently film work. He played minor supporting roles for a dozen years starting in 1950, including one of the Frank Miller gang in High Noon (1952).

It is believed that he may be the person who recorded the famous Wilhelm Scream for the movie Distant Drums (1951) (in which he played a soldier). 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 of a "man getting bitten by an alligator" (as the Wilhelm Scream takes were slated).

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).

In 1958 he had a giant hit record with his own song "The Purple People Eater" (years later there was a movie made based on the song, Purple People Eater (1988)) and he followed it with a string of similar humorous country ditties, often recorded under the name Ben Colder.

Awarded Comedian of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1968.

In 1969 he 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.