The buddy was making too much noise so Durning’s character shot him?
The only work of his that I have seen is him playing the Catholic priest that the Barone family go to see during the Everybody Loves Raymond TV show.
God bless you and his family always!!!
Holly
Nothing to add except I liked every performance of his that I saw.
RIP Doc Hopper. You’re frying up frog legs in heaven now.
^^^ Wow, I didn’t realize that was him in the Muppet Movie! I love that film! 
God bless you and his family always!!!
Holly
No, I think he hit him in the head. And it was on Iwo Jima. The NCIS episode is “Call of Silence” from 2004.
And Charles Durning was nominated for an Emmy for his role. It’s a great episode.
this. I knew he was a decorated soldier but I never heard this before.
I’ll always remember him for The Side-step. I bet he was great on Broadway.
You got the details right. Ducky matched the butt of Durning’s .45 to the indentation in his buddy’s skull. The guy had already had both his legs blown off by a land mine and was dying in Durning’s arms; he had to put him out of his misery to keep him from revealing his squad’s position to a Japanese patrol, and had blotted the event from his memory.
One episode of that series that actually brought tears to my eyes, especially when he was waltzing with Kate. The scene where the Marine MPs saluted him as a Medal of Honor winner was priceless.
Oddly enough, the role of his that sticks in my mind is the dark-horse US president in The Twilight’s Last Gleaming.
When I first read this thread I thought for a moment it was Charles Dutton. I like 'em both though, and I’m sad for Durning. 
My favorite episode of this show. Always brings tears to my eyes.
He was the police detective in one of my favorite movies, Dog Day Afternoon. He was memorable in every scene he played in.
God rest ye, Doc Hopper. 
Hmm, that reminds me that Larry L. King died four days before Durning. The beginning of a TBLWHIT curse?
Toot, toot, tootsie, Goodbye.
I’ll always remember him from “The Front Page,” with the immortal line, “May the wind at your back always be your own.” At least I think that was him, and not Kenneth McMillan!