RIP: Full Metal Jacket star R. Lee Ermey

April 16th 2018, 2:44pm

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

On what has got to be one of saddest ways to start out a Monday morning, today we have the horrible news that the lovable curmudgeon R. Lee Ermey has passed away at the age of 74 from complications of pneumonia.

Ermey, who died on Sunday, was best known for his role as Gny. Sgt. Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET. But all of us also know him as Sheriff Hoyt from the remake of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and its prequel THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING.

His manager, Bill Rogin took to Facebook to share his thoughts:

It is extremely difficult to truly quantify all of the great things this man has selflessly done for, and on behalf of, our many men and women in uniform. He has also contributed many iconic and indelible characters on film that will live on forever.

On top of the above-mentioned classics, I will always remember him for his role in Peter Jackson's THE FRIGHTENERS, which was a loving parody of his character from Kubrick's film. What was your favorite R. Lee Ermey role? Make sure to hit us up and let us know in the comments below or on social media.

Mini-Bio via IMDb:

A talented character actor known for his military roles, Ronald Lee Ermey was in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps, after he served 14 months in Vietnam and later did two tours in Okinawa, Japan. After injuries forced him to retire from the Corps, he moved to the Phillipines, enrolling in the University of Manila, where he studied Criminology and Drama. He appeared in several Filipino films before being cast as a helicopter pilot in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979). Due to his Vietnam experiences, Coppola also utilized him as a technical adviser. He got a featured role in Sidney J. Furie's The Boys in Company C (1978), playing a drill instructor. Ermey worked with Furie again in Purple Hearts (1984).

However, his most famous (or infamous) role came as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987), for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He did win the best supporting actor award from The Boston Society of Film Critics. Since then, he has appeared in numerous character roles in such films as Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Se7en (1995) and Dead Man Walking (1995). However, Ermey prefers comedy to drama, and has a comedic role in Saving Silverman (2001). Ronald Lee Ermey continues to be one of the best character actors in the business, and you can bet that when his name appears in a movie's credits, he is going to be top notch in his role.