James Whitmore dies at 87; Tony and Emmy Award- winning actor...

Los Angeles Times ^ | February 6, 2009 | Dennis McLellan

[EveningStar]

James Whitmore, the veteran Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor who brought American icons Will Rogers, Harry Truman and Theodore Roosevelt to life in one-man shows, died today. He was 87.

[FlingWingFlyer]

They don’t make movies like that anymore.

[LeavingNewYork]

One of his best roles was in “Combat.”
He played a German Lt. who to avoid capture masqueraded as a Priest.
A very poignant scene where he’s hearing the confession of a young soldier.

He was a very very good actor.

RIP

[Nekman]

Then again, there was always “THEM”.....

[exit82]

Scary movie THEM 1954—scared my little head silly.

[P.O.E.]

One of my favorite Twilight Zones:

Captain Benteen, RIP

[mware]

Served in WW2 as a Marine if I recall correctly.

[mware]

A stocky World War II Marine Corps veteran

[mware]

Wan’t that Richard Basehart???

[EveningStar]

Possibly the best of the hour-long episodes.

[Krankor]

The ants got him in the end. Love that movie.

[WorkingClassFilth]

The gung-ho cop who gets eaten in the 50’s scifi movie ‘Them.’

[mware]

Oh dear.

Although not always politically active, in 2007, Whitmore generated some publicity with his endorsement of Barack Obama for President of the United States. In January 2008, Whitmore appeared in television commercials for the First Freedom First campaign, which advocated preserving the separation of church and state, and protecting religious liberty.[4

[chessplayer]

All of the greatest actors/actresses are leaving us. And we are being left with crap.

[P.O.E.]

That ending packed an emotional wallop.

[BerryDingle]

Good actor. I remember the scene where a GI in a passing truck yells at Whitmore, “Hey, handsome, here!”, and throws him a cigar.

His acting through that whole movie was great. Van Johnson was in Battleground and just passed on in Dec, 08, and Ricardo Montalban just passed away Jan 14, 09.

Bless them all.

[Sursum Corda]

You are remembering the Combat episode entitled “The Cassock”. Masterful!

Sursum Corda

[LeavingNewYork]

No. Basehart may have been in another Combat but not that one. I can get the title for you, I’ve got the complete Combat on DVD.

[Interesting Times]

I remember seeing his Will Rogers show in Ponca City about 1970. RIP...

[Ciexyz]

He'll be gardening those roses in heaven.

[USNBandit]

I saw his Mark Twain show in the late eighties when I was a midshipman at Annapolis. Don’t know if he got paid by the alumni association or not, but my ticket was free. It was a great show.