Thick Wilson obit

Thick Wilson Has Died

 

He was not on the list.

Thick Wilson was a Canadian actor known for his supporting roles and voice work in film and television across several decades. Born on February 13, 1929, in Hamilton, Ontario, he appeared in notable productions such as The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Dark Crystal (1982) where he provided the voice of the Gourmand (SkekAyuk), and Tommy Boy (1995) as Mr. Brady (often credited under his alternate name Addison Bell).

Wilson frequently worked in Canadian productions later in his career, taking on character parts in television movies, series episodes, and films including Simon Birch (1998), Goosebumps (1996), and Twice in a Lifetime (1999).  He was recognized for his portly, distinctive presence and continued acting until the early 2000s, passing away in Canada in 2016.

Thick Wilson's entry into professional acting began in the early 1960s, with his earliest known credit in the British TV series The Rag Trade (1963).  His earliest documented film credit was in the war epic The Dirty Dozen (1967), where he played General Worden's Aide.  This marked his initial foray into international cinema, appearing in the MGM production filmed partly in England alongside a prominent ensemble cast.

Prior to and following this screen debut, Wilson had experience in television, including British series such as BBC Play of the Month (1966) and Callan (1967).

In the subsequent decade, Wilson built on this foundation with additional live-action appearances in various productions during the 1970s.

Voice acting and narration

Thick Wilson contributed significantly to voice acting in puppetry-driven and animated productions, often employing the pseudonym Addison Bell for narration and select roles. He provided the voice for the Gourmand (SkekAyuk), the Skeksis gourmand, in the 1982 fantasy feature The Dark Crystal.

Wilson also lent his voice to characters in the animated series ALF Tales from 1988 to 1990, portraying Bob Shumway and Larson Petty.  He voiced The Genie in the 1983 "Adventure" episode of the children's television program Today's Special.

Under the alternate name Addison Bell, Wilson handled narration for the 1989 documentary Sacrifice at Pearl Harbor and the 1995 short The Dreamcoat Special. His voice work occasionally overlapped with puppetry and fantasy genres, including an unbilled appearance in The Great Muppet Caper (1981).

Thick Wilson was born John Addison Bell on February 13, 1929, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

 

Actor

Josie Bissett, Grant Nickalls, and Craig Olejnik in Obituary (2006)

Obituary

4.9

TV Movie

Ivan Foster (as Addison Bell)

2006

 

Yellow Bird (2005)

Yellow Bird

7.1

Short

Roy Colback (as Addison Bell)

2005

 

A Christmas Haircut

Short

Nick (as Addison Bell)

2004

 

Phil the Alien (2004)

Phil the Alien

5.5

Jimmy (as Addison Bell)

2004

 

Jasper, Texas (2003)

Jasper, Texas

6.5

TV Movie

Judge (as Addison Bell)

2003

 

Gregory Hines in Bojangles (2001)

Bojangles

6.7

TV Movie

Stagehand (as Addison Bell)

2001

 

Corbin Bernsen, Patrick Duffy, and Al Waxman in Twice in a Lifetime (1999)

Twice in a Lifetime

7.2

TV Series

Judge Samuel Mooney (as Addison Bell)

1999

1 episode

 

Simon Birch (1998)

Simon Birch

6.8

Dr. Wells (as Addison Bell)

1998

 

Every 9 Seconds (1997)

Every 9 Seconds

4.8

TV Movie

Car Salesman (as Addison Bell)

1997

 

Jennifer Garner in Rose Hill (1997)

Rose Hill

6.6

TV Movie

Fat Cow Bates (as Addison Bell)

1997

 

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993)

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

6.5

TV Series

Steiger (as Addison Bell)

1997

1 episode

 

Goosebumps (1995)

Goosebumps

7.6

TV Series

Old Man (as Addison Bell)

1996

1 episode

 

The Dreamcoat Special

Short

Narration (voice, as Addison Bell)

1995

 

David Nerman in Witchboard III: The Possession (1995)

Witchboard III: The Possession

4.2

Finch (as Addison Bell)

1995

 

Picture Perfect (1995)

Picture Perfect

7.2

TV Movie

Bruce Miller (as Addison Bell)

1995

 

National Lampoon's Senior Trip (1995)

National Lampoon's Senior Trip

5.7

Congressional Chairman (as Addison Bell)

1995

 

Wild C.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams (1994)

Wild C.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams

6.6

TV Series

Additional Voices (as Addison Bell)

1994–1995

12 episodes

 

When the Dark Man Calls (1995)

When the Dark Man Calls

5.5

TV Movie

Judge (as Addison Bell)

1995

 

Chris Farley and David Spade in Tommy Boy (1995)

Tommy Boy

7.1

Mr. Brady (as Addison Bell)

1995

 

Henry Czerny, Dana Delany, and Rod Steiger in Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story (1995)

Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story

6.8

TV Movie

Bailiff (as Addison Bell)

1995

 

Keroppi in Robin Hood (1994)

Keroppi in Robin Hood

8.2

Video

Santa ClausReindeer's (voice, as Addison Bell)

1994

 

The Dark (1993)

The Dark

4.7

Al the Cook (as Addison Bell)

1993

 

Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story (1993)

Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story

5.7

TV Movie

Assm. Axelrod (as Addison Bell)

1993

 

Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals, and Hilary Pritchard in The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)

The Thief and the Cobbler

7.1

Hook (voice)

1993

 

E.N.G. - Created by Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz

E.N.G.

7.6

TV Series

Union OfficialDog Owner

1990–1992

2 episodes

 

Devlin (1992)

Devlin

5.6

TV Movie

Burgess

1992

 

Hello Kitty and Friends (1989)

Hello Kitty and Friends

6.4

TV Series

(voice, as Addison Bell)

1991–1992

4 episodes

 

In the Nick of Time (1991)

In the Nick of Time

6.0

TV Movie

Street Santa

1991

 

Babar (1989)

Babar

6.5

TV Series

Additional Voices

1989–1991

65 episodes

 

Around the World in 80 Days (1990)

Around the World in 80 Days

7.0

TV Movie

(voice)

1990

 

Avonlea (1990)

Avonlea

8.5

TV Series

Angus McCorkadale

1990

1 episode

 

The Admiral and the Princess (1990)

The Admiral and the Princess

7.9

TV Movie

The KingGrandfather (voice)

1990

 

C. David Johnson, Eric Peterson, and Sonja Smits in Street Legal (1987)

Street Legal

7.3

TV Series

Hank Striper

1989

1 episode

 

The Twilight Zone (1985)

The Twilight Zone

7.7

TV Series

Volkerps (voice)

1989

1 episode

 

A.L.F. (1987)

A.L.F.

6.1

TV Series

Bob ShumwayLarson Petty (voice)

1987–1989

26 episodes

 

Buying Time (1988)

Buying Time

5.2

Supervisor

1988

 

Adventures Beyond Belief (1988)

Adventures Beyond Belief

6.6

TV Series

Ten Per CentTen Percent

1988

5 episodes

 

The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985)

The Ray Bradbury Theater

7.3

TV Series

Fat Man

1988

1 episode

 

ALF Tales (1988)

ALF Tales

6.3

TV Series

Bob Shumway, Larson Petty (voice)

1988–1990

 

Dinosaucers (1987)

Dinosaucers

6.4

TV Series

Ichy

1987

19 episodes

 

Ken Pogue, Winston Rekert, Dixie Seatle, and Jonathan Welsh in Adderly (1986)

Adderly

7.7

TV Series

1987

1 episode

 

Sylvanian Families (1987)

Sylvanian Families

7.9

TV Series

Grandpa Ernest Evergreen (voice)

1987

13 episodes

 

Dreams Beyond Memory (1988)

Dreams Beyond Memory

5.2

Joe

1988

 

Ghost of a Chance (1987)

Ghost of a Chance

6.2

TV Movie

Wes

1987

 

Murder by the Book (1987)

Murder by the Book

5.3

TV Movie

1987

 

Bullies (1986)

Bullies

5.4

Sam Hogan

1986

 

Burt Lancaster and Hanna Schygulla in Barnum (1986)

Barnum

6.4

TV Movie

Museum Passerby

1986

 

The Edison Twins (1982)

The Edison Twins

7.0

TV Series

Grand Marshal

1986

1 episode

 

American Playhouse (1980)

American Playhouse

7.3

TV Series

Harry Blandford

1986

1 episode

 

Jimmy Valentine

6.9

TV Movie

Harry Blandford

1985

 

Murder in Space (1985)

Murder in Space

4.7

TV Movie

Man

1985

 

Morons from Outer Space (1985)

Morons from Outer Space

4.5

Duty cop in 'Bust'

1985

 

Jeff Hyslop, Clive VanderBurgh, and Nerene Virgin in Today's Special (1981)

Today's Special

8.1

TV Series

The Genie

1983

1 episode

 

Rick Moranis, Max von Sydow, Paul Dooley, Lynne Griffin, Angus MacInnes, and Dave Thomas in Strange Brew (1983)

Strange Brew

6.6

The Prosecutor

1983

 

Frank Oz, Jim Henson, Dave Goelz, Miki Iveria, Hus Levant, Patrick Monckton, Brian Meehl, Kathryn Mullen, and Susan Westerby in The Dark Crystal (1982)

The Dark Crystal

7.1

Gourmand (voice)

1982

 

Louis Del Grande in Seeing Things (1981)

Seeing Things

7.9

TV Series

Campbell

1982

1 episode

 

Hangin' In (1981)

Hangin' In

6.8

TV Series

Tickles

1982

1 episode

 

The Wizard of Oz (1982)

The Wizard of Oz

6.6

The Cowardly Lion (voice, voice: English version)

1982

 

Sex with the Stars (1981)

Sex with the Stars

3.5

Mr. Terson

1981

 

Frank Oz, Charles Grodin, Jim Henson, Diana Rigg, and Dave Goelz in The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

The Great Muppet Caper

7.1

Produce Vendor Dancer (uncredited)

1981

 

Elizabeth Taylor, Tony Curtis, Geraldine Chaplin, Rock Hudson, Angela Lansbury, Kim Novak, and Edward Fox in The Mirror Crack'd (1980)

The Mirror Crack'd

6.2

The Mayor

1980

 

Butch Minds the Baby (1979)

Butch Minds the Baby

6.3

Short

Voice of Big Butch

1979

 

Ian Ogilvy in Return of the Saint (1978)

Return of the Saint

6.7

TV Series

American Tourist

1978

1 episode

 

Lucky Luke: Ballad of the Daltons (1978)

Lucky Luke: Ballad of the Daltons

6.9

Averell DaltonBill (voice: English version)

1978

 

Come Play with Me (1977)

Come Play with Me

3.6

Fat Man

1977

 

Stratford Johns and Frank Windsor in Second Verdict (1976)

Second Verdict

8.2

TV Series

Edward J. Reilly

1976

1 episode

 

Jean-Guy Fechner, Polly Ling-Feng Shang-Kuan, Gérard Filippelli, Gérard Rinaldi, and Jean Sarrus in Bons baisers de Hong-Kong (1975)

Bons baisers de Hong-Kong

4.0

Fatty

1975

 

Shades of Greene (1975)

Shades of Greene

7.7

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

Derek Jacobi, Ronald Fraser, Charles Gray, Bernard Hepton, John Thaw, and Douglas Wilmer in The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971)

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

7.2

TV Series

Joe

1973

1 episode

 

Play for Today (1970)

Play for Today

7.8

TV Series

Television Voice - USA TomUSA Marshal

1971

1 episode

 

Edward Woodward in Callan (1967)

Callan

8.3

TV Series

Joe Linberg

1967

1 episode

 

Lee Marvin in The Dirty Dozen (1967)

The Dirty Dozen

7.7

General Worden's Aide

1967

 

BBC Play of the Month (1965)

BBC Play of the Month

7.1

TV Series

A Reporter

1966

1 episode

 

Peter Jones and Miriam Karlin in The Rag Trade (1961)

The Rag Trade

7.1

TV Series

1963

1 episode

 

Self

Sacrifice at Pearl Harbor (1989)

Sacrifice at Pearl Harbor

6.6

TV Movie

Self - Narrator (voice, as Addison Bell)

1989

 

Archive Footage

Don Lane in The Don Lane Show (1975)

The Don Lane Show

6.9

TV Series

Produce Vendor (archive footage, uncredited)

1981

1 episode