Born in Los Angeles. Character actor with a soft-spoken, laidback demeanor, a crinkly yet boyish face and sparkling blue eyes, who worked in the movie industry for more than half a century. After a youth spent working as a cowboy and rodeo performer, Farnsworth answered a casting call for 500 Mongolian horsemen and subsequently made his film debut as a stunt rider in the Gary Cooper vehicle, THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO (1938). He went on to appear in more than 300 films, his notable stunts including: changing horses on the run in PONY EXPRESS (1953) with Charlton Heston; driving a chariot in Cecil B. De Mille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956); doubling for Henry Fonda in Anthony Mann's THE TIN STAR (1957); riding and fighting as a gladiator in Stanley Kubrick's SPARTACUS (1960); and numerous exploits for the Western TV series "Wild Bill Hickok," "Zorro," "Bonanza" and "High Chaparral." He co-founded the Stuntmen's Association in 1961. Farnsworth landed his first significant speaking role in THE DUCHESS AND THE DIRTWATER FOX (1976), a Western comedy starring Goldie Hawn and George Segal, and was nominated for an Oscar® for his performance in Alan J. Pakula's COMES A HORSEMAN (1978). He turned in charismatic supporting roles in THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER (1981), TOM HORN (1980) and RESURRECTION (1980). Farnsworth finally had a chance to shine in a lead role in Phillip Borsos' THE GREY FOX (1982), a beautifully photographed, gently elegiac meditation on the passing of the Old West set in the great white Canadian north. After this critical triumph came more memorable supporting roles, in Barry Levinson's THE NATURAL (1984), John Landis's INTO THE NIGHT (1985) and Rob Reiner's MISERY (1990). Other later credits include THE TWO JAKES and HAVANA (1990), HIGHWAY TO HELL (1992), THE GETAWAY and LASSIE (both 1994). His second acting nomination came in 1999 for his performance in the role of Alvin Straight in THE STRAIGHT STORY. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2000. His son, Richard "Diamond" Farnsworth, is a Hollywood stuntman.  Nominated for Supporting Actor 1978: COMES A HORSEMAN  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1999: THE STRAIGHT STORY 2 nominations