I first became aware of James Whitmore as a small child watching Sunrise Theatre, Sunday mornings on my hometown TV station. My siblings and I would get up at the crack of dawn...sneak downstairs, and watch "horror" movies on our little black and white television set. The Wasp Woman, The Black Scorpion, Mars Attacks, and one of our favorites...Them. Them was the giant ant movie which starred James Whitmore. Although at the age of seven, I just thought he was Spencer tracy...or maybe that Tracy was him?
James Whitmore was one of the greatest character actors in the history of American film and television. Thankfully, Them was not the pinnacle of his career, and he went on to create innumerous memorable characters in television, movies, and in live theatre. A Yale graduate, triple threat kind of actor who could, literally, do it all.
He sang and danced in Oklahoma and Kiss Me Kate...he played Joe Keller in a TV production of All My Sons that knocked me out. I watched him on so many old television shows I couldn't even count them, and he broke my heart as Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption.
He was also a marine who fought on the front lines in World War II. For real...can you even imagine?
And then, even at the age of 87, and sick with cancer...there was this....
Mr. Whitmore died today, at the age of 87.
And then, even at the age of 87, and sick with cancer...there was this....
Mr. Whitmore died today, at the age of 87.
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