Ronald Lee Ermey nous a quittés RIP

Ronald Lee Ermey

Ronald Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018)[2][3] was an American actor and voice actor. Ermey is known for playing Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He is a former United States Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant; during his tenure in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served as a drill instructor.

Ermey has often been typecast in authority figure roles, such as Mayor Tilman in the film Mississippi BurningBill Bowerman in PrefontaineSheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick‘s Full Metal Jacket, Jimmy Lee Farnsworth in Fletch Lives, a police captain in Se7enplastic army menleader Sarge in the Toy Story films, Lt. “Tice” Ryan in Rocket Power, the warden in SpongeBob SquarePants, and John House in House.

Ermey has hosted two programs on the History ChannelMail Call, in which he answered viewers’ questions about various military issues both modern and historic; and Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey, which concerned the development of different types of weapons. He also hosted Gunny Time on the Outdoor channel.

Early life

Ermey was born in Emporia, Kansas, on March 24, 1944. He grew up with five brothers on a farm outside of Kansas City, Kansas.[4] In 1958, when Ermey was 14, he and his family left Kansas and moved to Toppenish, Washington.[4]As a teenager, Ermey often got in trouble with the local authorities, and had been arrested twice for criminal mischief by age 17.[4] After his second arrest, a judge gave him a choice between joining the military or being sent to jail; Ermey chose the military.

Military career

U.S. Marine Corps

In 1961, at age 17, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went through recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California.[4] For his first few years, he served in the aviation support field before becoming a drill instructor in India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, where he was assigned from 1965 to 1967.

Ermey then served in Marine Wing Support Group 17 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in OkinawaJapan.[4] In 1968, he was ordered to Vietnam with MWSG-17, and spent 14 months in country. The remainder of his service was on Okinawa where he was advanced to staff sergeant (E-6). He was medically discharged in 1972 because of several injuries incurred during his service.[5] On May 17, 2002, he received an honorary promotion to gunnery sergeant (E-7) by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James L. Jones.

Acting career

Films

Ermey was cast in his first film while attending the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. He played a First Air Cavalry chopper pilot in Apocalypse Now,[6] doubling as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola. Ermey then was cast as a Marine drill instructor in Sidney Furie‘s The Boys In Company C. For the next few years, Ermey played a series of minor film roles until 1987, when he was cast as drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket.[6]

Initially, he was intended to be only the technical advisor.[6] Kubrick changed his mind after Ermey put together an instructional tape, in which he went on an extended tirade towards several extras, convincing Kubrick he was the right man for the role.[6] Seeking authenticity for the film, Kubrick allowed Ermey to write or edit his own dialogue and improvise on the set, a notable rarity in a Kubrick film. Kubrick later indicated that Ermey was an excellent performer, often needing just two or three takes per scene, also unusual for a Kubrick film.[7]

Ermey’s performance won critical raves and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. He later played a drill instructor in the pilot episode of Space: Above and Beyond and the ghost of a drill instructor in the film The Frighteners, both similar to his character in Full Metal Jacket.

Ermey has since appeared in about 60 films, including Purple HeartsMississippi BurningThe Siege of Firebase GloriaDead Man WalkingSe7enFletch LivesLeaving Las VegasPrefontaineSaving SilvermanOn Deadly GroundSommersbyLifeMan of the HouseToy Soldiers, and The Salton Sea, as well as the remake of Willard, and as an evil sadist in two The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films.

Ermey also lent his voice to The Grim Adventures of Billy & MandyToy StoryToy Story 2, and Toy Story 3, as well as Roughnecks and X-Men 3. He usually appears in a commanding military role, for shows such as Kim PossibleThe SimpsonsFamily GuySpongeBob SquarePantsMiami ViceHouseScrubsMy Life as a Teenage Robot, and Invader Zim, in addition to hosting the documentary series Mail Call and Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey.

Ermey loading ammo for the Bofors 40 mm gunaboard a Lockheed AC-130H “Spectre” Gunship in 2006

Television

On December 14, 1994, Ermey played a Sheriff in Tales from the Crypt, season six, episode nine, “Staired In Horror.”[8] He also played the role of Reverend Patrick Findley, a minister on The X-Files Season 3, Episode 11 Revelations (The X-Files). On Mail Call, Ermey discussed weaponry, tactical matters, and military history. Mail Calls subject matter was dictated by viewer emails; one episode focused on an M1 Abrams tank, while others involved World War II secrets, and others focused on elements of medieval warfare. The set consisted of a military tent, other military gear and weapons, and a WW2 jeep.

Ermey traveled to Kuwait in June 2003 during the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom to film mail distribution by the Defense Department to service personnel for an episode of Mail Call. According to a 2005 episode of Mail Call filmed at Whiteman Air Force Base, he is the 341st person to fly in the B-2 stealth bomber. He also guest-starred in the episode “Second Chance” of Human Target.

Ermey also made guest appearances on the TV drama House, playing the role of Dr. Gregory House‘s father, who was a decorated naval aviator while serving in the Marine Corps (“Birthmarks“, “Daddy’s Boy“), and the sitcom Scrubs, playing the Janitor‘s father. He has also voiced Wildcat in several episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. In an episode of The Simpsons entitled “Sideshow Bob’s Last Gleaming“, Ermey voiced Colonel Leslie “Hap” Hapablap.

In the episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, “Inmates of Summer”, he voiced an irate warden of a maximum-security island prison who demoralized the inmates whenever he could. In the episode of The Angry Beavers, “Fancy Prance”, he voiced the Lipizzaner stallions‘ instructor, Drill Sergeant Goonther.

In 2009, Ermey hosted a second History Channel show entitled Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey, which discussed the history of various weapons used by militaries of today.

In late 2010, Ermey starred in a GEICO commercial as a drill-instructor-turned-therapist who insults a client, in a parody of some of his iconic characters.[6] Ermey also was featured each week on ESPN‘s College GameDay. His role was to insult the experts’ incorrect picks from the previous week. In that same year, Ermey appeared in the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit episode “Trophy” as a paroled sex offender.

In 2011, Ermey starred as a drill instructor on the X-Play special on Bulletstorm. In the “Family Guy” episode “Grumpy Old Man“, Ermey guest-starred, again as a drill instructor.

Ermey serves as host of GunnyTime, a program that debuted on Outdoor Channel in 2015.

Video games

In 1993, Ermey played Lyle The Handyman in the full-motion video game Mega-CD/Sega CD game Double Switch, a game also starring Corey Haim and Deborah Harry.

Ermey lends his voice to several video games, including Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (as General Barnaky) and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (as Wa-Wa). He also made a cameo in Real War: Air, Land, Sea, a retail real-time strategy computer game based on the official Joint Chiefs of Staff training game. In 2014, he did voice-over work for Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Several characters have made references to Ermey and the character of Hartman. In the game Fallout 3, a recruitable companion is named Sergeant RL-3, a modified military robot with a personality very similar to Ermey (the companion’s name is a reference to Ermey’s initials wherein the 3 is leetspeak for the letter E). In the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion is a character named “Lieutenant Emry” that speaks some of Ermey’s signature lines from Full Metal Jacket. In Half-Life: Opposing Force, the drill sergeant from the initial boot camp stage had dialogue and mannerisms very similar to Ermey’s character in Full Metal Jacket.

Commercials

Ermey is an official spokesman for Black Book (National Auto Research)Glock firearms, TRU-SPEC apparel, TupperwareVictory MotorcyclesHooverSOG Specialty KnivesWD-40Young Marines, and has appeared in commercials for Coors LightDick’s Sporting Goods, GEICO, and pistachio nuts. He has provided the introduction for the Professional Bull Riders.[9] He can be seen giving a service announcement for Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, demanding that viewers be quiet during the film.[10] He is a board member for the National Rifle Association.[11]

Business ventures

Ermey is the co-founder of the Bravery Brewing in Lancaster, California.[12]

Political views

Ermey describes himself as an independent. In 2008, he voted for Barack Obama, but subsequently criticized his policies.[4] Ermey said in an interview earlier in 2015 that he supported Texas Senator Ted Cruz for President. He said, “You know what, I just watched Ted Cruz – I mean, what a tough act to follow. I’m not going to tell you who I’m going to vote for, but I’m going to let you guess […] and the first two guesses don’t count!”[13]

Toys for Tots speech

On December 10, 2010, Ermey denounced the Obama administration‘s economic policies while speaking at a Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots rally, stating that it was difficult to raise money for the charity because “the economy sucks”. He went on to say:

In January 2011, Ermey posted an apology on his website, saying:

In spite of his apology, Ermey later told TMZ that he was “fired” by GEICO, which is owned by noted Obama supporter Warren Buffett‘s Berkshire Hathaway, with whom he made the above-mentioned 2010 “Drill Sergeant” commercial, because of his political beliefs.[16] The insurance giant also removed Ermey’s commercial from their official YouTube channel.[citation needed]

Ermey subsequently stated that his anti-Obama views had caused him to be blackballed by Hollywood, resulting in a lack of new film roles for him.[1]

Ermey knows Donald Trump Jr, and stated that he was confident that should Donald Trump become president, “our Second Amendment rights are solid as a rock”.[17]

Military appearances

On May 17, 2002, Ermey received an honorary post-service promotion to gunnery sergeant (E-7) from the Commandant of the Marine Corps General James L. Jones in recognition of his continuing support to Americans in military service.

He has also conducted morale tours visiting United States troops in locations such as Al Kut, Iraq, and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in which he filmed parts for his television show Mail Call. While at Bagram Airfield, he held a USO-type show in which he portrayed GySgt Hartman and conducted a comedy routine. He also did the same at Doha, Qatar and Camp Doha, Kuwait City, Kuwait, in 2003.

Personal life

Ermey married his wife, Nila, in 1975. They have four children. In Ermey’s television show Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey, he refers to his wife as “Mrs. Gunny”. He is also the official celebrity spokesperson of the youth organization, Young Marines.

Death

Ermey died from complications related to pneumonia on the morning of April 15, 2018.[2][3] He was 74 years old.

Military awards

R. Lee Ermey during the United States Marine Corps birthday ball

Ermey was retroactively awarded the Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon after he retired from the military due to his prior service as a Marine Corps recruit training instructor. Ermey’s military awards include:[18]

 

Bronze star
Bronze star

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Ribbon
Silver star

Meritorious Unit Commendation Good Conduct Medal w/ two 316” bronze stars
National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medalw/ one 316” silver star
Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960- Device
Rifle Marksman Badge Pistol Sharpshooter Badge

 

Selected TV and filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1978 The Boys in Company C Staff Sergeant Loyce (Drill Instructor, Platoon 163)
1979 Apocalypse Now Eagle Thrust Seven helicopter pilot Uncredited
1979 Up from the Depths Lee
1984 Purple Hearts Gunny
1987 Full Metal Jacket Gunnery Sergeant Hartman One of the rare performances Stanley Kubrick ever allowed to be improvised
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Miami Vice Detective Sergeant Ernest Haskell Guest star
TV series
Episode: “Rising Sun of Death”
1988 Mississippi Burning Mayor Tilman
1989 The Siege of Firebase Gloria Sergeant Major Bill Hafner/Narrator Uncredited screenwriter
Fletch Lives Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
Demonstone Colonel Joe Haines
1990 The Take Weller Television film
I’m Dangerous Tonight Lieutenant Ackman Television film
83 Hours ‘Til Dawn Glen Fairling Television film
The Terror Within II Von Demming
The Rift or Endless Descent Captain Phillips
1991 Toy Soldiers General Kramer
True Identity Houston’s Boss Uncredited
Kid Luke
1993 Hexed Detective Ferguson
Sommersby Dick Mead
Body Snatchers General Platt
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Marshal Brisco County Senior
Double Switch (video game) Lyle (the handyman) Credited as R. Lee Emrey in the Mega-CD/Sega CD version
1994 French Silk Chief Crowder Television film
On Deadly Ground Stone
Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story Mr. Byrd Television film
Uncredited
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult Mess Hall Guard Uncredited
Chain of Command Benjamin Brewster
Savate Benedict Uncredited
Love Is a Gun Frank Deacon
Kidnapped
1995 Murder in the First Judge Clawson
Leaving Las Vegas Conventioneer
Seven Police Captain
The X-Files Reverend Findley TV series
Episode: “Revelations
The Simpsons Colonel Leslie Hapablap Voice only
Animated series
Episode: “Sideshow Bob’s Last Gleaming
Under the Hula Moon Lt. Col. J. P. McIntire
Dead Man Walking Clyde Percy
Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back Preacher Brian Uncredited
Toy Story Sarge Voice only
Animated film
1996 Space: Above and Beyond Sergeant Major Bougus Television film
The Frighteners The late Master Sergeant Hiles
Soul of the Game Wilkie Television film
1997 Dead Men Can’t Dance Sen. Pullman T. Fowler
The Angry Beavers Sergeant Goonther Voice only
Animated series
Episode: “Fancy Prance/H2Whoa!
Weapons of Mass Distraction Billy Paxton Television film
Rough Riders Secretary of State John Hay
Prefontaine Bill Bowerman
Cracker Lieutenant Fry TV series
Switchback Sheriff Buck Olmstead
Starship Troopers News Announcer Uncredited
1998 Gunshy Jerry
1999 You Know My Name Nix Television film
Life Older Sheriff Pike
Avalanche Gary
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 President Richard Benson
Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot General Thorton TV series
The Apartment Complex Frank Stanton
Toy Story 2 Sarge Voice only
Animated film
2000 The Chaos Factor Col. Ben Wilder
Skipped Parts Caspar Callahan
Roughnecks: STC Sky Marshall Sanchez
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Sarge Voice only
Animated direct-to-video film
Jericho Marshall
2001 Saving Silverman Coach Norton
Recess: School’s Out Colonel O’Malley Voice only
Animated film
Family Guy Coach Voice only
Animated series
Episode: “Mr. Saturday Knight
Taking Sides General Wallace
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel General Barnaky Voice only
Video game
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex Wa-Wa the Water Elemental Voice only
Video game, credited as R. Lee Ermy
On the Borderline Captain Elias
Real War: Air, Land, Sea Voice only
Video game
Real War: Rogue States
2002 Run Ronnie Run! Lead Kidnapper
The Salton Sea Verne Plummer
Invader Zim Sergeant Hobo 678 Voice only
Animated series
History ChannelMail Call Gunny (Himself) TV series
Frank McKlusky, C.I. Jockey Master Uncredited
Direct-to-video
A.K.A. Birdseye Sheriff Gathers
Scrubs Janitor’s father Guest star
TV series
Episode: “My Old Man
Y.M.I. John
Fillmore! Colonel Thrift Guest star, voice only
Animated series
Episode: “South of Friendship, North of Honor”
Kim Possible General Sims Voice only
Animated series
2003 Willard Frank Martin
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Sheriff Hoyt Nominated – Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor
2004 The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Drill Sergeant Voice only
Animated series
Father of the Pride Sergeant Bunny Voice only
Animated series
Episode: “One Man’s Meat Is Another Man’s Girlfriend
2005 House John House TV series
Appeared in the episode “Daddy’s Boy
Man of the House Captain Nichols
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand Sergeant Voice only
Shark Bait Jack Voice only
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning Charlie Hewitt/Sheriff Hoyt
2007 SpongeBob SquarePants Prison Warden Voice only
Episode: “The Inmates of Summer
2008 Solstice Leonard
House John House TV series
Appeared in the episode “Birthmarks”
Eleventh Hour Bob Henson (Farmer) TV series
Appeared in the episode “Agro”
2009 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Wildcat Animated series
History ChannelLock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey Gunny (Himself) TV series
2010 Toy Story 3 Sarge Voice only
Animated film
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Walter Burlock TV series
Appeared in the episode “Trophy
2011 Family Guy Drill Sergeant with Alzheimers Disease TV series
Appeared in the Episode “Grumpy Old Man”
2012 The Watch Grumpy rural neighbor
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness General Tsin (The Most Dangerous Po) Voice only
2015 GunnyTime Gunny (Himself) TV series
2016 Military Makeover Gunny (Himself) TV Series.

Other media

  • He provided the voice for a speaking “motivational action figure” depicting him in USMC drill instructor uniform with programmed voice messages activated by pressing a button on the figure. The figures’ dialogue comes in two versions, one with (somewhat) family-friendly language and one with “extra-salty” dialogue which includes profanity, the latter of which is packaged with an R rating as a warning to consumers. One of these figurines also appears on occasion on Mail Call, wherein it is often referred to as ‘Mini-Lee’ by the host, sometimes seen berating a G.I. Joe figurine.
  • In the early 1990s, he appeared as a Martian pilot in a training video for Virtual World Entertainment‘s game “Red Planet”, alongside other actors such as Cheech MarinNora Dunn“Weird Al” YankovicJoan Severance, and Judge Reinhold.
  • In the Green Lantern series of comics published by DC, it is revealed that Green Lantern Kilowog, who trains all new Green Lantern recruits, was himself trained by a Green Lantern named Ermey.
  • He had a notable appearance on The Howard Stern Show in October 2002 appearing on the show as Sgt. Hartman.
  • He played as voice of the DLC drill instructor in Call of Duty: Ghosts.

He also starred in an instructional training video for Lockheed Martin dealing with the problems caused by Foreign Object Damage in manufacturing military equipment.

See also

References

  1. Jump up to:a b http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/07/05/gunnytime-host-r-lee-ermey-blackballed-from-hollywood-for-conservative-views.html
  2. Jump up to:a b @RLeeErmey (April 15, 2018). “Statement from R. Lee Ermey’s long time manager, Bill Rogin” (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. Jump up to:a b “R. Lee Ermey, Golden Globe Nominee for ‘Full Metal Jacket,’ Dies at 74”. The Hollywood Reporter. April 15, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  4. Jump up to:a b c d e f Gunny R. Lee Ermey Unplugged
  5. Jump up^ R. Lee Ermey’s Bio
  6. Jump up to:a b c d e Clark, Doug (August 31, 2010). “‘Gunny’ has a terrifying bark, but he won’t bite”The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  7. Jump up^ “The Kubrick Site: The Rolling Stone Interview”. Visual-memory.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
  8. Jump up^ IMDB – Tales from the Crypt: Season 6, Episode 9 (Staired in Horror)
  9. Jump up^ Ermy, Allan Join PBR TV Broadcasts Archived 2016-03-08 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. Jump up^ Drafthouse PSAs Archived 2011-11-21 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. Jump up^ Echols, Tucker (2012-02-15). “NRA aims to ‘Trigger the Vote’ with voter registration drive”. Washington Business Journal.
  12. Jump up^ “Bravery Brewing”. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  13. Jump up^ R. Lee Ermey on Ted Cruz (TV clip). Sportsman. Apr 16, 2015.
  14. Jump up^ Full Metal Jacket R Lee Ermey Rips into Obama Oministration Breitbart.tv
  15. Jump up^ http://www.military.com/news/article/ermey-sorry-for-obama-rant.html?col=1186032325324
  16. Jump up^ “Famous Drill Instructor Says GEICO Fired Him for Criticizing Obama Admin.” -Jonathon M. Seidl, The Blaze
  17. Jump up^ http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/01/20/iconic-marine-sgt-r-lee-ermey-of-gunny-time-reveals-the-one-firearm-hed-choose-if-he-could-have-only-one
  18. Jump up^ http://www.rleeermey.com/about.php Retrieved July 12, 2015

External links

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