Veteran stage, film and TV actor James Whitmore died in his Malibu, California home today, February 6, of lung cancer. He was 88. Whitmore’s son Steve said he was surrounded by his family when he passed away this afternoon. He had been diagnosed with the disease the week before Thanksgiving. Whitmore was a many-faceted character actor who also specialized in one-man shows about Harry Truman, Will Rogers, and Theodore Roosevelt. The Tony and Emmy winning actor who was also nominated for an Oscar was later a commercial spokesman on TV for Miracle-Gro plant food. Whitmore appeared in two Spaghetti Westerns 1968’s “Guns of the Magnificent Seven” and 1971’s “Chato’s Land”. He is survived by his sons Steve, James Jr., Dan, third wife Noreen and eight grandchildren.
Friday, February 6, 2009
RIP James Whitmore
Veteran stage, film and TV actor James Whitmore died in his Malibu, California home today, February 6, of lung cancer. He was 88. Whitmore’s son Steve said he was surrounded by his family when he passed away this afternoon. He had been diagnosed with the disease the week before Thanksgiving. Whitmore was a many-faceted character actor who also specialized in one-man shows about Harry Truman, Will Rogers, and Theodore Roosevelt. The Tony and Emmy winning actor who was also nominated for an Oscar was later a commercial spokesman on TV for Miracle-Gro plant food. Whitmore appeared in two Spaghetti Westerns 1968’s “Guns of the Magnificent Seven” and 1971’s “Chato’s Land”. He is survived by his sons Steve, James Jr., Dan, third wife Noreen and eight grandchildren.
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Is there anyone left? My first memory of Whitmore was as the crusty Sgt. in MGM's classic war film BATTLEGROUND. Didn's know this before today....but I was born on his 23rd birthday.
ReplyDeleteNo he turned 23 the day you were born.
ReplyDeleteI also liked him in two good crime films, Don Siegel's MADIGAN and Enzo's HIGH CRIME.
ReplyDeleteRIP
Who is left now? Mr.Whitmore caught from when I was born on until 2007 with his acting.Harry Morgan with the Ox Bow Incident was further back,but poor harry can remember none to little of it today.Fifty eight years ago whitmore and ricardo montalban were in Across the Wide Missouri and passed on just weeks apart.Mr.Whitmore was in films with glenn ford,joel mccrea,sterling hayden,robert taylor,guy madison,van heflin,alan ladd,victor mature,tyrone power.Who is left living that can make that claim? He was gutsy to have made Black like Me.He was a fine human being and actor.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoyed Mr. Whitmore's performances. Like ephedrino, I thought he was outstanding in Enzo's HIGH CRIME (which I think is just simply one of the best crime films ever made).
ReplyDeleteJames Whitmore's passing is yet another sad loss to the entertainment community.
I just heard the actor Philip Carey, who starred in the TV series "Laredo", died of lung cancer yesterday the 6th. He was 83. Add another one to the list Raymie.
ReplyDeleteChrist but I just got word this evening that the last old man that I respected in my home county,at least as a horseman died friday too.I bumped into my second cousin last week and she has known him all her life and she said he was doing good.He was whitmores age and I'll go to the funeral home tomorrow.I am more impassive about Carey.He didn't glow and bask in the glory days of the 50s telling of the thrill of working with cooper and randy scott.He didn't do conventions and western festivals like so many others.If it's a california funeral,the rangers smith and brown will show.Unless he really alienated them too.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your loss Raymie. My last surviving Uncle who was 81 died today of cancer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had been battling the disease for three years. I don't fear death I just don't want to be there when it comes.
ReplyDelete