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Willard Pugh is a veteran actor, most known as "Harpo" from the classic movie The Color Purple, which also stars Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Akosua Busia and Margaret Avery. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, he rose to fame as a Hollywood actor gracing the silver screen many times over.

 

Pugh's acting career began with roles in various films, including the adventure Toy Soldiers (1984) with Jason Miller, the comedy, Moving Violations (1985) with John Murray, the horror film The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1985) with Michael Berryman, the Harrison Ford hit action picture Air Force One (1997) and Up Against Amanda (2001) with Justine Priestley. Other movie roles includes Made in Heaven (1987) with Timothy Hutton, Robocop 2 (1990) with Peter Weller, and the Lou Diamond Phillips drama, Ambition (1991). He also had a guest role in The Guyver (1992) and the Gordon Currie fantasy sequel Puppet Master 5 (1994). 

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His television appearances includes The 1986 Miss Universe Pageant (CBS, 1985-86), the TV movie Deadly Care (CBS, 1986-87), Martin (Fox, 1991-97), and Family Law (CBS, 1999-2002). He was also featured in the TV movie High Freakquency (BET, 1999-2000). More recently, he tackled roles in the Stephen Baldwin comedy Under the Hula Moon (1995), and a part on John Tucker Must Die (2006).

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In addition to his career as an actor, for more than 20 years he served as a probation officer for the Los Angeles County Probation Department, the largest in the nation. His passion for acting led him to serve, teaching others. For 11 years he was a professor teaching World Film History, American Film and Video Production at Chafey College in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. He has a heart for senior citizens working in elder care.