Within the last few weeks we've lost very memorable celebrity faces. Former childstar Gary Coleman died of an epidural hematoma on May 26, and actor Dennis Hopper died prostate cancer on the 29th. My heart goes out to their families.
Now I, and most everyone, mainly know Gary Coleman from the 1980s sitcom Different Strokes, a show I never watched unfortunately. But really, you didn't have to watch the show to know Coleman's unforgettable pop culture imbued (right word?) catchphrase: "What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Few people have not used a variation of that catchphrase in the past. Although, it begs the question as to whether or not we might find the epitaph on Gary Coleman's tombstone reading: "What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Still, because of his fine performance on Different Strokes, Coleman was labeled "one of TV's Most Promising Actors" in the 80s and even got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, Coleman's career after Different Strokes was not that great. I mean sure everyone knew who he was and he was a celebrity but there weren't that many people calling for Coleman as an actor, unless it was some kind of parody of his Different Strokes run. This gave way to a less than charmed life in which Coleman unsuccessfully ran for Governor of California (showing Californians may never be swayed by a short statured African American man, but there is never enough room for a large, muscle-bound, white Austrian) as well as having himself numerous legal issues: car wrecks, assualts, attempted suicides. Even with these problems, it's not like nobody liked Coleman. I thought he seemed cool whenever he made appearances. He may not have been that big of an actor, but a life is a life and Gary Coleman lost his and, with that said, my hat is off to him.
Now for a man I am a lot more familiar with. Dennis Hopper. Here's a guy I am even more saddened to have gone. Hopper had acted, directed, wrote, and produced for over forty years. Many probably remember him, especially from my homeland of Indiana, from the basketball film legend Hoosiers, in which he played the drunken but nevertheless basketball savvy Shooter. I'd only watched Hoosiers recently (so sue me) but I really did think Hopper was the film's best actor, even surpassing the powerhouse Gene Hackman. Hoosiers was good, but I most remember Dennis Hopper for his zany, wild, often intimidating roles. Roles like the hippie biker Billy in Easy Rider (which he also co-wrote and directed), the unstable Photojournalist from Apocalypse Now, the infamous psychopathic gangster Frank Booth from Blue Velvet, Rusty James and The Motorcycle Boy's disillusioned father in Rumble Fish, the very weird character of Feck from River's Edge, and the villainous Howard Payne from Speed. Most villains, all insane, all fun to watch. Recently he'd done voice acting in video games and such, as well as starring in the short-lived series Crash, spun off from the 2005 best picture winner. Also, in his last years, Hopper gained wide fame as a wonderful artist and photographer. Just a couple of months before his death, he had his own star put on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, neighboring the also deceased Gary Coleman. It was sad to hear of his death. He has always been a film favorite of mine and it's sad when anyone you like passes. Dennis Hopper was a cool, talented, and versatile celebrity with many years of work behind him and my hat is off to him as well.
May both of these men rest in peace. This has been another goodbye from Your Modest Guru. Thanks for reading.
1 comment:
Post a Comment