R.I.P. Brian Dennehy

Aged 81 years, of natural causes, at home with his family in his native CT. Actual Marine from '59-63 (which he later famously got caught padding into falsely claiming "Vietnam service", to which he never got close)*, and one of the few Hollywood stars to have earned degrees, the later an MFA in drama from Yale, before hitting the pavement to find roles. It took him about 8 years to start getting regular work in Hollywood, and he went back and forth from stage to screen.
After numerous television parts, his big break was as the villain in First Blood, above, followed by memorable parts in Cocoon, both F/X movies, and as the villain again in 1985's Silverado, the quintessential modern western. His stage work earned him two well-deserved Tony awards, including the performance of his career as Willie Lomax in a revival of Death Of A Salesman.
We got to meet Mr. Dennehy exactly once, working on a TV pilot for what became the short-lived Fighting Fitzgeralds, and are happy to say we got to thank him at that time for his career efforts, and wish him a well-deserved "Semper Fi", from one Marine to another. The best thing we can say about him is that we have no wild idea what his politics were (though service as a Marine before it was cool, a degree in history, five well-adjusted kids from 2 marriages, the later one lasting 32 years, as well as living in CT, and not Malibu or Beverly Hills, gives one a pretty good idea he didn't fit in well with the radical chic in Hollyweird).
Do as you like, but we know what's going to be playing on the video tonight:

And if you do likewise, we beseech you to watch a widescreen version, and not some pan-and-scan disaster, because the final showdown was shot with Lawrence Kasdan, God bless him, using every bit of the 70mm frame for the climactic duel, and low-quality TV edits always edit out the fact that like Han Solo, Dennehy's Sheriff Cobb reaches for his gun first.

G'bye, Cobb.









*{Most people guilty of Stolen Valor are unredeemed douches. We give Dennehy a pass for his confessed transgression, both because he actually served - just not in combat nor a war zone - and because he did so, amongst an industry where one may count the actual military veterans, anywhere but among the film crew, on one's thumbs. If you can name ten living and current A- or B-list actors who ever actually served ever, anywhere, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din. I'll even spot you the first five: Sir Sean Connery served briefly in the Royal Navy; he's now 89. Michael Caine - Sir Maurice to his friends - was in actual combat in Korea with the Royal Fusiliers, and he's 87 years old. Sir Anthony Hopkins did his two years' service in the British Army from '58-60. He's now 80. Chuck Norris was in the Air Farce as a sky cop from '58-62, and he's 80. Tom Selleck joined the CA ANG from '67-73. He's now 75. See if you can spot a trend. Good luck finding five more like that.

BTW, fun Chuck Norris fact:
Chuck Norris was infected by COVID-19.
Chuck is fine, but the virus is now on life support.
You're welcome.}