R. Lee Ermey
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Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24, 1944) is a retired U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor who later made a career as an actor playing the roles of military or authority figures, such as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. He currently hosts Mail Call, a military history program on the The History Channel.
In May 2002 he received an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) by the then Commandant of the Marine Corps, James L. Jones, becoming the first retiree in the history of the Marines to be promoted.
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Biography
Born in Emporia, Kansas, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961. Ermey was arrested several times as a teenager and the judge gave him a choice of the military or jail. He later joked that the Marine Corps "put a screeching halt to my unconventional manner". He spent two years as a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, Ermey arrived in Vietnam where he served for 14 months with the Marine Wing Support Group 17. He then served two tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan. During that time, Ermey rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was medically discharged in 1972 for several injuries received during his tours. Ermey has admitted that he still has nightmares about his combat experiences.
Ermey's Marine Corps awards and decorations are as follows:
- Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star
- Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
- Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar
- Sharpshooter Badge with Pistol Bar
Ermey was cast in his first movie while he studied at the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. He played a helicopter pilot in Apocalypse Now; he also served as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola on that film. He played minor roles in films until 1987, when he was cast as the tough drill instructor in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket; Ermey also served as the technical advisor on the film. He was originally supposed to be just the technical advisor to the film, but Kubrick changed his mind after hearing Ermey's hair raising DI tirades, and even let him write some of his dialogue and improvise on set. Kubrick later acknowledged Ermey was one of the best people he's ever worked with, needing just 2 or 3 takes per scene. The performance won critical raves and Ermey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor.
He has since appeared in approximately sixty films, including Mississippi Burning, Dead Man Walking, Se7en, Leaving Las Vegas, Prefontaine, Saving Silverman, and the remakes of Willard and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ermey also lent his voice for Toy Story, Toy Story 2. He has appeared on television in shows including the Simpsons and Family Guy.
Filmography
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) .... Sheriff Hoyt
- Willard (2003) .... Frank Martin
- Y.M.I. (2002) .... John
- A.K.A. Birdseye (2002) .... Sheriff Gathers
- Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002) (V) (uncredited) .... Jockey Master
- The Salton Sea (2002) .... Verne Plummer
- Run Ronnie Run! (2002) .... Lead Kidnapper
- On the Borderline (2001) .... Capt. Elias
- Invader Zim (2001) .... Sergeant Hobo 678
- Taking Sides (2001) .... General Wallace
- Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001) .... President Richard Benson
- Recess: School's Out (2001) (voice) .... Colonel O'Malley
- Saving Silverman (2001) .... Coach Norton
- Jericho (2000) .... Marshall
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) (voice) .... Sarge
- Skipped Parts (2000) .... Caspar Callahan
- The Chaos Factor (2000) .... Col. Ben Wilder
- Toy Story 2 (1999) (voice) .... Army Sarge
- The Apartment Complex (1999) (TV) .... Frank Stanton
- Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1999) TV Series (voice) .... General Thorton
- Avalanche (1999) .... Gary
- Life (1999) .... Older Sheriff Pike
- You Know My Name (1999) (TV) .... Nix
- Gunshy (1998) .... Jerry
- The Sender (1997) .... Colonel Rosewater
- Switchback (1997) .... Sheriff Buck Olmstead
- Cracker (1997) TV Series .... Lieutenant Fry
- Rough Riders (1997) (TV) .... Secretary of State John Hay
- Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997) (TV) .... Billy Paxton
- Dead Men Can't Dance (1997) .... Sen. Pullman T. Fowler
- Prefontaine (1997) .... Bill Bowerman
- Soul of the Game (1996) (TV) .... Wilkie
- The Frighteners (1996) .... (ghost of) Sgt Hiles
- Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back (1995) (uncredited) .... Preacher Brian
- Dead Man Walking (1995) .... Clyde Percy
- Under the Hula Moon (1995) .... Lt. Col. J. P. McIntire
- Toy Story (1995) (voice) .... Sergeant
- Se7en (1995) .... Police Captain
- Leaving Las Vegas (1995) .... Conventioneer
- Murder in the First (1995) .... Judge Clawson
- Kidnapped (1994 film) (1994)
- Love Is a Gun (1994) .... Frank Deacon
- Savate (1994) (uncredited) .... Benedict
- Chain of Command (1994) .... Benjamin Brewster
- The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) (uncredited) .... Mess Hall Guard
- Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story (1994) (TV) (uncredited) .... Mr. Byrd
- On Deadly Ground (1994) .... Stone
- French Silk (1994) (TV) .... Chief Crowder
- Double Switch (1993) (VG) .... Lyle (the handyman)
- Body Snatchers (1993) .... General Platt
- Sommersby (1993) .... Dick Mead
- Hexed (1993) .... Det. Ferguson
- Kid (1991) .... Luke
- True Identity (1991) (uncredited) .... Houston's Boss
- Toy Soldiers (1991) .... General Kramer
- The Rift (1990) .... Capt. Phillips
- The Terror Within II (1990) .... Von Demming
- 83 Hours 'Til Dawn (1990) (TV) .... Glen Fairling
- I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990) (TV) .... Lt. Ackman
- The Take (1990) (TV) .... Weller
- Demonstone (1989) .... Col. Joe Haines
- Fletch Lives (1989) .... Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
- The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989) .... Sgt. Maj. Bill Hafner/Narrator
- Mississippi Burning (1988) .... Mayor Tilman
- Full Metal Jacket (1987) (as Lee Ermey) .... Gunnery Sergeant Hartman
- Purple Hearts (1984) .... Gunny
- Apocalypse Now (1979) (uncredited) .... Eagle Thrust Seven helicopter pilot
- The Boys in Company C (1978) (as Lee Ermey) .... SSgt. Loyce (Drill Instructor, Co. 163)
Mr. Ermey in popular culture
Mr. Ermey, particular his vocal intonations and vocabulary, has made it into other facets of popular culture, particularly animated television series. For example, he was imitated by Brad Carbunkle in the MLaaTR episode Doom With a View and by Ami in the Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi episode Neat Freak, and by the drill instructor in the training segment of Half-Life: Opposing Force.
External links
- R. Lee Ermey's official website (http://www.rleeermey.com)
- Template:Imdb nameja:リー・アーメイ