- He had been suffering from chest pains for six months before his death, but refused to see a doctor.
- Turned down the lead role in Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) in order to make The Wild Bunch (1969).
- The University of Louisville had a scholarship named after him for promising students in the arts programs.
- Friends like Peter Fonda denied that illegal drugs had contributed to Oates' early death. They said he was a heavy drinker and a chain smoker, but not a major user of drugs.
- In his long and prestigious career as one of the best character actors in film, he only had four leading roles: Bennie in "Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia", as well as the title roles in "Chandler", "Cockfighter", and "Dillinger". He got his most acclaimed lead role in "Garcia" as a gift from director Sam Peckinpah partly in appreciation for his work in two of his films, "Ride The High Country" and "The Wild Bunch", respectively.
- After his funeral, in accordance with Oates' wishes as part of his last will and testament, his body was cremated and his ashes were scattered at his ranch in Montana.
- Died in his sleep of a sudden heart attack at his home while taking an afternoon nap. His autopsy revealed that he had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It also showed that he had chronic emphysema caused by many years of chain smoking, both on-and-off-camera, which no doubt contributed to his fatal heart attack. He had been ill with a case of influenza for about two weeks before his death.
- He has appeared in five films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Ride the High Country (1962), In the Heat of the Night (1967), The Wild Bunch (1969), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) and Badlands (1973).
- Father of Jennifer Oates and Tim Oates.
- In 1965 played twin brothers in the film 'The Shooting' and also on television in the series 'Branded'.
- Sang in the backup chorus for "Rocket to Stardom" on Kris Kristofferson's 1975 album "Who's to Bless . . . Who's to Blame."
- In 1977 and 1978 played in television movies roles previously played by legends Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne in sequels to 'The African Queen ' and ' True Grit'.
- After high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps for two years (1946-1948), serving in its air wing as an aircraft mechanic and reaching the rank of corporal.
- His appearance in Tom Sawyer(1973) was the first musical he'd been in since being a student at Kentucky University.
- Brother of Gordon Oates.
- Although primarily a 1960's and 1970's icon, he's perhaps best recognized as Sgt. Hulka from Stripes from 1981; his line, "Lighten Up, Francis" has gained a cult status all its own.
- Subject of the song by "Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes", title "Warren Oates", from their album "You Wanna Be There But You Don't Wanna Travel" phonogram 1994
- Sidekicks with Ben Johnson in The Wild Bunch and then played his enemy in Dillinger.
- Dated Millie Perkins while filming The Shooting and Lee Purcell while filming Kid Blue.
- His roles in Blue Thunder, Tough Enough and an episode from Tales of the Unexpected were all posthumous.
- Co-starred in three movies with Peter Fonda: The Hired Hand, 92 in the Shade and Race with the Devil.
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