27/03/2023
🎂On March 24, 1944 the actor and U.S. Marine drill instructor R. Lee Ermey was born Ronald Lee Ermey in Emporia, Kansas. He achieved fame for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Ermey was also a U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant. He served in the Marines from 1961 to 1972. Ermey was often typecast in authority figure roles, such as Mayor Tilman in the film Mississippi Burning (1988), Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine (1997), Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake (2003) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), Jimmy Lee Farnsworth in Fletch Lives (1989), a police captain in Seven (1995), plastic army men leader Sarge in Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010), General Kramer in Toy Soldiers (1991), The Late Master Sergeant Hiles in The Frighteners (1996) and Frank Martin in the Willard remake (2003). On television, Ermey hosted two programs on the HISTORY Channel: Mail Call (2002-2009), in which he answered viewers' questions about various military issues both modern and historic; and Lock n' Load with R. Lee Ermey (2009), which concerned the development of different types of weapons. He also hosted GunnyTime on the Outdoor Channel (2015-2017). His other notable work in film include The Boys in Company C (1978), Apocalypse Now (1979), Up from the Depths (1979), Purple Hearts (1984), The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989) Demonstone (1990), The Rift (1990), Kid (1990), The Terror Within II (1991), Body Snatchers (1993), Chain of Command (1994), On Deadly Ground (1994), Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), Murder in the First (1995), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Under the Hula Moon (1995), Dead Man Walking (1995), Switchback (1997), All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series (1998 - voice), Life (1999), Saving Silverman (2001), Taking Sides (2001), Man of the House (2005) and The Watch (2012). His other notable work on television include Miami Vice (1987), I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990), The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), Tales from the Crypt (1994), Space: Above and Beyond (1995), The X-Files (1995), The Simpsons (1995, 2015 - voice), Rough Riders (1997), Cracker (1997-1998), Family Guy (2001, 2011 - voice), Scrubs (2002), The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2004 - voice), House (2005, 2008), SpongeBob SquarePants (2007 - voice) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2010). Ermey passed away on April 15, 2018 at the age of 74 in Santa Monica, California.🎂
