James Gammon has died at the age of 70. You may not know his name but if you’ve watched TV or movies in the last 40 years you’ve seen some of his movies and TV shows because he’s one of those “that’s what’s his name”/“that guy” actors. Some of his bigger credits are Major League, Nash Bridges (he played Johnson’s dad), and Cold Mountain, and there’s well over 100 more.
RIP.
One of the better of the gruff and gravel-voiced guys who could be as mean as needed or with that heart of gold when that was called for.
One of those guys who was able to make any part a significant part, merely by being in it. In the same class as M. Emmet Walsh, Barry Corbin and R.G Armstrong.
He will be missed!
I always think of him as the detective from I Love You To Death. Well, that and Major League, of course.
My favorite scene in Major League was when he got the call to manage the Braves. He has just been offered the job and he says (working from memory, so I might have it a bit off) “Can I put you on hold, the guy on the other line is interested in a set of radials.”
He made me believe that the sale of a set of radials was more important than being the manager of the Braves.
::: Raises glass:::
Well done sir! We enjoy your work and will not forget it.
::: drinks:::
“Well you might run like Hayes, but you hit like shit!” - Lou Brown
Indians, and it was white walls.
Yes, I did watch that movie a few too many times when I was young.
He played Teddy Roosevelt in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
That’s all I know.
“I think there’s only a couple of guys up there and this asshole is one of them!” - Silverado cameo as a robbery gang leader.
Love the scene in Major League where Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) comes up to him during spring training and says something about how his contract allows him not to take infield practice (or something like that.)
Lou (Gammon) drops the contract down on the ground and literally pisses on it.
With his gravelly voice and Dick Williams mustache, he probably could have got a gig in the majors off that performance.
I think he also had a recurring role as a baseball coach in the criminally-forgotten short-lived series “Homefront.”
