Lee Ermey from 'Full Metal Jacket' Dies at 74
"My demeanor happens to be a bit more authoritative and film directors, producers want to capitalize on that". And, we will honor his memory with hope and kindness.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James L. Jones honorarily promoted Ermey to the rank of gunnery sergeant in 2002.
Ermey, born in Kansas on March 24, 1944, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1961 at age 17.
His military career earned him several awards, including the National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Meritorious Unit Commendation and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Ermey, is a former United States Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant; during his tenure in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served as a drill instructor. Please support your men and women in uniform.
Kubrick told Rolling Stone that 50 percent of Ermey's dialogue in the film was his own. He said, "do it and do it right, that's all I care about". "He loved it. He just let me go insane".
According to Kubrick, Ermey also had a bad vehicle accident one night in the middle of production and was out for four and half months with broken ribs. "There are many Gunny's, but this one was OURS", Rogin said.
Ermey's first acting role was as a helicopter pilot in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now.
Ermey was famous for his Marine style roles in movies like "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), Se7ven (1995) and "Saving Silverman" (2001).
The part he would become most well-known for, in Full Metal Jacket, wasn't even originally his. But he also lent his voice to Toy Story and a History Channel series called Mail Call in which he answered questions about the military. The actor starred in TV shows and more recently did voice work in commercials and video games.
Ermey famously bashed President Barack Obama in December 2010, saying his administration was trying to "impose socialism" on the American people and was "destroying the country".
Ermey's tough-guy persona on television and in movies contrasted his real life.