R. Lee Ermey
Biography
R. Lee Ermey was an American actor and former Marine drill instructor who was often cast as authority figures. Born in Emporia, Kansas, he served in the Marine Corps and worked as a drill instructor before attending the University of Manila, where he was cast in The Boys in Company C (1978). He moved into technical advising, then took the part of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987), which earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe as best supporting actor. He was typecast in similar roles afterward, playing Mayor Tilman in Mississippi Burning (1988), Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and its prequel, and voicing Sarge in Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999). On television he hosted the History Channel programs Mail Call and Lock n' Load with R. Lee Ermey, and later GunnyTime. He died in 2018.
74years old at death
- Born Emporia
- Died Santa Monica
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Also credited as Ronald Lee Ermey, Lee Ermey, R. Lee Ermy, Ronald Lee Ermy, Lee Ermy and Ronald Ermey
Movie Career
- Films
- 45
- Career span
- 40 years1978 to 2018
Genres
First and latest
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Big break
Ermey saw that Kubrick was viewing the tapes he made with Colceri, so he used them to try out for the part of Hartman. He kept yelling at recruits after Colceri's 30-minute practice session finished and got stagehands to throw tennis balls and oranges at him.
Behind the camera
For a war movie, Kubrick let Ermey write, edit and improvise his own lines. Ermey wrote more than half of his dialogue, and no other performance in a Kubrick film had so much of it improvised.
First role
After leaving the Marines, Ermey used his G.I. Bill benefits to attend the University of Manila in the Philippines. While there, he landed his first film role as a Marine drill instructor in The Boys in Company C.
A first
A 2005 Mail Call episode was filmed at Whiteman Air Force Base. Ermey flew in the B-2 stealth bomber, becoming the 341st person to do so.
R. Lee Ermey movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning2006as Uncle Charlie Hewitt / Sheriff Hoyt
IMDb rating 5.883K votes
Most often with
John Lasseter directed two of these films, Brian Trenchard-Smith two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Dee Wallace's page
Tim Colceri's page
Wallace Shawn's page
Tom Hanks's page
Stephen Tobolowsky's page
All films by John Lasseter
All films by Brian Trenchard-Smith
Also two films together31 more actors
- Brad DourifMurder in the First (1995) and Mississippi Burning (1988)
- James Earl JonesSommersby (1993) and True Identity (1991)
- Matthew ModineFilmworker (2018) and Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Vincent D'OnofrioThe Salton Sea (2002) and Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Michael BiehnMegiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001) and Dead Men Can't Dance (1997)
- Frankie FaisonSommersby (1993) and Mississippi Burning (1988)
- John RatzenbergerToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Jared LetoPrefontaine (1997) and Switchback (1997)
- Jack AngelToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Tim AllenToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Dale DyeRough Riders (1997) and Kid (1990)
- Meat LoafThe Salton Sea (2002) and Gunshy (1998)
- Andrew StevensThe Terror Within II (1991) and The Boys in Company C (1978)
- John LarroquetteThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
- Annie PottsToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Laurie MetcalfToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Kevin CooneySwitchback (1997) and Dead Man Walking (1995)
- Don RicklesToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Badja DjolaGunshy (1998) and Mississippi Burning (1988)
- Jim VarneyToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Andrew BryniarskiThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
- Mel RodriguezThe Watch (2012) and Shark Bait (2006)
- Richard HamiltonOn Deadly Ground (1994) and Sommersby (1993)
- Mädchen AmickScenes of the Crime (2002) and I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990)
- Terrence EvansThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
- Peggy LiptonSkipped Parts (2000) and True Identity (1991)
- Kathy LamkinThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
- Marietta MarichThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
- Stan KellySommersby (1993) and Toy Soldiers (1991)
- John MorrisToy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story (1995)
- Richard KuhlmanThe Sender (1998) and The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1988)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What R. Lee Ermey's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$2.2 billion
24 of the 45 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 45 films: 24 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas; 17 figure not found.
- 24Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 3Never in cinemas
- 17Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 88% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$962M44.2% of the total
- 2$497M22.9% of the total
- 3$140M6.4% of the total
- 4$107M4.9% of the total
- 5$68M3.1% of the total
- 6$51M2.3% of the total
- 7$49M2.3% of the total
- 8$46M2.1% of the total
$255 millionfrom the other 16 films with a worldwide figure, 12% of the total
Awards
Six awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Won | ||
| Combat Action Ribbon | Won | ||
| Gallantry Cross | Won | ||
| National Defense Service Medal | Won | ||
| Vietnam Campaign Medal | Won | ||
| Vietnam Service Medal | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.