R. Lee Ermey: Off to the last frontier

Ronald Lee Ermey, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, passed away on 15 April aged 74. Listed as R. Lee Emery in his film and TV appearances, his pet name was Gunny. Gunny’s roar, "What is your major malfunction, numbnut?"remains an iconic line, 30 years later. The performance made him a Globe Best Supporting Actor nominee, and Boston Society of Film Critics Award Winner, for Best Supporting Actor.

Before coming to filmdom, Ermey was in the United States Marine Corps, 1961-1972 as E-7 Honorary Gunnery Sergeant, and served in Vietnam. He retired due to health reasons

Ronald was a mischievous kid and teenager. At the age of 17, he was hauled up before a judge, on account of his misdemeanours. The judge gave him a choice that would forever change his life: Juvenile Detention or military service. He chose the latter, eventually becoming a Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, and deploying to Vietnam, with the Marine Wing Support Group 17.

After retirement, Ermey attended the University of Manila, Philippines, to study drama, where he met his future wife, Nila. He also had his first taste of Hollywood, with a bit role in the Sidney J. Furie film The Boys from Company C. Many have said that this film was inspiration for Full Metal Jacket, where he would also be cast as a Drill Instructor.

Francis Ford Coppola was shooting Apocalypse Now in the Philippines, which would pass off as Vietnam. They were stationed not too far from Ermey's university. Ermey met Coppola, and became the technical advisor to him. He shared his on-site experiences on set with Coppola, helping him know how things were actually done in Vietnam. Coppola also gave him a bit role, as a helicopter pilot.

His numerous roles in feature film include: Switchback, starring opposite Dennis Quaid and Danny Glover, Dead Man Walking, Seven, Leaving Las Vegas, Murder in the First, Life, The Frighteners and Sommersby as well as his critically acclaimed role opposite Jared Leto in Prefontaine. In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, he played Sheriff Hoyt, and mouthed another iconic line, "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. We got ourselves a killer."

Voice-over roles span The Simpsons to Family Guy to Toy Story 1 through 3 (voice of the little green army soldier). Toy Story 3 became the highest grossing animated film of all time. In late October of 2013, R. Lee Ermey released his new book, Gunny's Rules: How to Get Squared Away Like a Marine, part self-help, part autobiographical, peppered with stories from his interesting life in the Marine Corps and interesting stories of the making of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.

In 2012, Ermey appeared in The Watch, starring Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, and Jonah Hill, among his last screen sightings. Totally, he did some 70 films and 60 TV shows.

Announcing his death, Bill Rogin, Ermey's long-time manager, told Associated Press that while Ermey's characters were often hard and principled, “the real Ermey was a family man and a kind and gentle soul who supported the men and women who serve.”

We wish him bon voyage in his journey to the last frontier.

On being “blackballed” by Hollywood

"I'm an Independent, but I said something bad about the president (Obama). I had something unsavory to say about the president's administration, and even though I did vote for him the first time around, I was blackballed."

"Do you realize I have not done a movie in five to six years? Why? Because I was totally blackballed by the... liberals in Hollywood," he alleged. "They can destroy you. They're hateful people [who] don't just not like you, they want to take away your livelihood... that's why I live up in the desert on a dirt road... I don't have to put up with their crap."

     Filmography (alphabetical)

     83 Hours 'Til Dawn (1990)

     A.K.A Birdseye (2002)

     Apocalypse Now (1979)

     Avalanche (1999)

     Best of the Best 3 (1996)

     Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1999)

     Body Snatchers (1993)

     Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2001)

     Chain Of Command (1994)

     Cracker (1997)

     Dead Men Can't Dance (1997)

     Demonstone (1989)

     Endless Descent (1990)

     Fletch Lives (1989)

     Frank McKlusky C.I. (2002)

     French Silk (1994)

     Full Metal Jacket (1987)

     Gunshy (1998)

     Hexed (1993)

     I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990)

     Jericho (2000)

     Kid (1991)

     Kidnapped (1994)

     Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2012-2013) Last screen appearance

     Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

     Life (1999)

     Love Is A Gun (1994)

     Man of The House (2005)

     Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001)

     Mississippi Burning (1988)

     Murder In The First (1995)

     Naked Gun 33 1/3 (1994)

     On Deadly Ground (1994)

     On the Borderline (2001)

     Prefontaine (1997)

     Purple Hearts (1984)

     Recess: School's Out (2001)

    Rise and Walk (1994)

    Rough Riders (1997)

    Run Ronnie Run! (2002)

    Saving Silverman (2001)

    Scenes of The Crime (2001)

    Seven (1995)

    Skipped Parts (2000)

    Sommersby (1993)

    Soul Of The Game (1996)

    Switchback (1997)

    Taking Sides (2001)

    The Apartment Complex (1999)

    The Boys in Company C (1978)

    The Chaos Factor (2000)

    The Fighter (1994)

    The Frighteners (1996)

    The Salton Sea (2002)

    The Sender (1998)

    The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989)

    The Take (1990)

    The Terror Within 2 (1990)

    The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

    The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

    The Watch (2012)

    Toy Soldiers (1991)

    Toy Story (1995)

    Toy Story 2 (1999)

    True Identity (1991)

    Under the Hula Moon (1995)

    Weapons Of Mass Distraction (1997)

    Willard (2003)

    Y.M.I. (2002)

    You Know My Name (1999)