Biographie
Patrick M. Wright was a gruff, burly, and imposing fixture in a surprisingly large number of gritty drive-in exploitation films from the 1970s. Born on November 28, 1939, in San Francisco, California, Wright had a stocky, powerful build, thick mustache, curly brown hair, and a rough, scruffy demeanor. He was often cast as stern cops, rigid military personnel, prison guards, ruthless villains, and rough blue-collar characters. Brother to actress Mary Catherine Wright and husband to 1970s B-movie actress Talie Cochrane—with whom he frequently appeared on screen—Wright began his acting career in the late 1960s. He featured in three Russ Meyer films: "Good Morning ... and Goodbye!," "The Seven Minutes," and "Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens."
Some of Wright’s most notable roles include the ineffective Sheriff Mack in the campy creature feature "Track of the Moonbeast," a lecherous high school football coach in the bawdy "The Cheerleaders," the cruel leader of a white slavery ring in the sleazy "The Abductors," a sadistic henchman in Matt Cimber's trashy "The Candy Tangerine Man," a hostile gay biker in "Bare Knuckles," the jungle lord in the silly "Tarz and Jane and Boy and Cheetah," the crude patriarch of a hillbilly clan in "Sassy Sue," a friendly police sergeant in "Roller Boogie," and the wealthy sponsor of an illegal cross-country race in Paul Bartel's outrageous "Cannonball."
Wright also made guest appearances on TV shows such as "Wizards and Warriors," "Dynasty," "The Dukes of Hazzard," and "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams." Additionally, he directed the lowbrow teen sex comedy "Hollywood High," produced the unsuccessful horror spoof "Frightmare," and contributed to various films and TV projects in minor production roles. He sometimes performed under the names Silver Foxx, Bal Johnson, and Michael Wright. Patrick concluded his extensive film career with small roles in several direct-to-video releases. He passed away at age 65 on December 9, 2004, in Palmdale, California.
