R. Lee Ermey
R. Lee Ermey | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Gunny |
Allegiance | United States Marine Corps |
Years of service | 1961-1971 |
Rank | Gunnery Sergeant |
Unit | MCRD San Diego Marine Wing Support Group 17 |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Other work | Actor |
Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24, 1944) is a former 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 History Channel.
On May 17, 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.
Biography
Born in Emporia, Kansas, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961. Ermey had been 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. He did not receive a Purple Heart due to his injuries being non-combat in origin. Ermey has admitted that he still has nightmares about his combat experiences, a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. Ermey was later bestowed with the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps.
Ermey's Marine Corps awards and decorations are as follows:
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star
- Drill Instructor Ribbon
- Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
- Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Rifle Marksman Badge
- Pistol Sharpshooter Badge
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 Gunnery Sergeant Hartman 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, if not all, of his dialogue and improvise on set, a noted rarity in a Kubrick film. Kubrick later stated that Ermey was one of the best actors he had ever worked with, needing just two or three takes per scene. The performance won critical raves and Ermey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. He would later play a tough Drill Instructor in the pilot episode of Space Above and Beyond and in the film The Frighteners, both similar to his character in Full Metal Jacket.
He has since appeared in approximately sixty films, including Mississippi Burning, Dead Man Walking, Se7en, Leaving Las Vegas, Prefontaine, Saving Silverman, Man of the House, and the remakes of Willard and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as both sneering villains. Ermey also lent his voice for Toy Story and Toy Story 2, as well as Roughnecks. He has appeared on television in shows including The Simpsons, Family Guy, Miami Vice, House, Scrubs and Invader Zim, along with hosting the documentary series Mail Call.
In addition to his film and television credits, Ermey has lent his distinctive voice to several video games, including Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. He also made a cameo in Real War: Air, Land, Sea.
Filmography
- Billy and Mandy:The Adventures of Grimm - War between the Dwarves and Elves. A toon head of him appeared, censoring the battele in the Elves' Treehouse. He showed a Panda in some bamboo.
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) .... Sergeant (Voice)
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) .... Sheriff Hoyt
- Man of the House (2005) .... Captain Nichols
- House (2005) .... John House
- 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
- "Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex" (2001) (VG) .... Wa-Wa, the Water Elemental
- On the Borderline (2001) .... Capt. Elias
- 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
- Space, Above & Beyond (1996) (TV) ....Sgt. Maj. Bougus
- 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 33⅓: 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)
- History Channel's Mail Call who, as "Gunny" answers military related questions in an interesting manner.
Voice Work
- Ministry’s album "Rio Grande Blood". Credited as "Sgt. Major". (2006)
- Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex as Wa-Wa the Water Elemental.
- The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy as Drill Sergeant.
- X-Men: The Last Stand Orders soldiers to get rid of all metal and rearm with plastic weapons before they fight Magneto.
- Halo 2 MST. SGT. GUNNS in the Armory Level of Halo 2.
- The Simpsons episode Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming as Col. Leslie "Hap" Hapablap.
- Family Guy episode Mr. Saturday Knight as the jousting troupe leader.
- Invader Zim as Hobo 678