James Gammon
James Gammon, a rangy, gruff character actor who found his natural mileau in a slew of plays by Sam Shepard, died in Costa Mesa on July 16. He was 70 years old.
With his grizzled, weather-beaten face and hoarse voice, Mr. Gammon was a natural resident of the mythical and mourned American West Shepard used as the backdrop of many of his plays. Squinting under what seemed to be a never-setting Oklahoma sun, Mr. Gammon would alternately growl, mutter and bark his lines in such plays as Curse of the Starving Class, The Late Henry Moss, and the New York premieres of A Lie of the Mind and Simpatico.
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"Shut Up, Dorn"
Probably one of my favorite movie lines ever, and one I consistently mimic.
This actor was simply one of my favorites. He always gave me good vibes and great hope as a character actor myself.
I saw him a few times on stage, most notably in Simpactico at the Public Theatre and Buried Child on Broadway, where his Dodge was just brilliant.
Also, saw him at a SAG Conversation a couple years ago. Awesome fellow. Out here in LA he was an early pioneer of making good quality contemporary theatre.
This news make me really sad...
R.I.P. James Gammon
