R. Lee Ermey
Highest Rated: 100% Toy Story 2 (1999)
Lowest Rated: 9% Man of the House (2005)
Birthday: Mar 24, 1944
Birthplace: Emporia, Kansas, USA
A few character actors make such an indelible impression with one role that they find it consistently impossible to outgrow that image. Anthony Perkins had it with Norman Bates, M. Emmet Walsh has it with Visser (from Blood Simple), and R. Lee Ermey will forever be associated with the sadomasochistic verbal rapist of a drill instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Hartman, from Stanley Kubrick's Vietnam opus, Full Metal Jacket (1987). Though Ermey never again quite matched the intensity of this role (or the gutter-bucket poetic invention of its obscene dialogue), it was enough to give him permanent recognition as a character actor among filmgoers, and to typecast him in a series of variants on that role, again and again, throughout his life.Born on March 24, 1944, in Emporia, KS, Ermey enlisted in the armed forces as a young man and hightailed it to Vietnam on a non-commissioned basis, but injuries forced him to retire from active duty. He received full disability pay and moved to Manila in the early '70s, where he managed to ably support himself on his USAF allotment (thanks to the lower cost of living) while studying for a degree in criminology. Each morning, Ermey visited the coffee shop at the Manila Hilton -- well-reputed as the haunt of American filmmakers shooting on-location in the Philippines -- until one of the directors happened to notice Ermey and asked him to pose for a series of blue jeans ads. This experience led to his film debut, a role as a retired soldier in a local production. By 1976, Ermey had appeared in several Filipino films. He broke into Hollywood films that year, when he slipped onto the set for Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now and convinced Coppola to hire him as a helicopter pilot. Indeed, the ex-officer's Vietnam experience came in handy and Coppola utilized him as a technical advisor. Ermey made his American cinematic debut -- and held to the military-man typecasting -- in Sidney J. Furie's comedy drama The Boys in Company C (1978), and the director's follow-up, Purple Hearts (1984). But his biggest break came shortly thereafter, when Stanley Kubrick -- a notorious tyrant himself -- tapped him to portray Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket (1987). Ermey's evocation of the satanically profane, vile, and sadistic Hartman, laden with the thankless, brutal job of toughening up raw recruits before sending them to Vietnam (who eventually gets blown away by one of his trainees) dominates the film's first 45 minutes and provides an unforgettably realistic, disturbing portrait of military training. Thanks to his unique countenance and authoritative voice, Ermey maintained his image as a rough-hewn, tough-as-nails SOB onscreen.Neither Company C or Purple Hearts received substantial critical and public recognition (or a very wide release); in contrast, the broader exposure of Full Metal Jacket (it received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and a National Board of Review nomination for Best Picture) boosted Ermey's prominence -- immeasurably so. He followed it up with spots in such well-received pictures as Alan Parker's racial drama Mississippi Burning (1988) and Abel Ferrara's Body Snatchers (1993). In 1995, Ermey spoofed himself to great effect as the voice of the leader of the little green soldiers in Toy Story, and doubled it up with a turn as the vengeful father of a homicide victim in Tim Robbins' capital punishment drama Dead Man Walking. A third role in that same year -- as the boss of Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in David Fincher's seminal work Seven -- elicited a positive (if limited) critical and public response for Ermey's portrayal.During the early 2000s, Ermey once again drew on his military expertise and background, albeit in a much different fashion, as host of the small-screen program Mail Call. Episodes featured him answering a series of viewer questions about various aspects of military life and history. In 2003, he returned to his dramatic roots (and managed to top the
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
| Credit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95% | Filmworker | Actor | — | 2018 |
| 17% | The Watch | Manfred | $34.2M | 2012 |
| 98% | Toy Story 3 | Sarge | $415M | 2010 |
| No Score Yet | Lock N Load With R. Lee Ermey | Actor | — | 2009 |
| No Score Yet | Y.M.I. | Actor | — | 2008 |
| No Score Yet | Solstice | Leonard | — | 2007 |
| 13% | The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning | Sheriff Hoyt | $39.5M | 2006 |
| No Score Yet | Shark Bait | Jack | — | 2006 |
| 57% | X-Men: The Last Stand | Seargant | $234.4M | 2006 |
| 9% | Man of the House | Capt. Nichols | $19.2M | 2005 |
| 37% | The Texas Chainsaw Massacre | Sheriff Hoyt | $80.2M | 2003 |
| 50% | Scenes of the Crime | Mr. Parker | — | 2003 |
| 64% | Willard | Mr. Martin | $6.8M | 2003 |
| 64% | The Salton Sea | Verne Plummer | $0.7M | 2002 |
| No Score Yet | Avalanche | Gary | — | 2002 |
| No Score Yet | Frank McKlusky, C.I. | Jockey Master | — | 2002 |
| 71% | Run Ronnie Run! | Lead Kidnapper | — | 2002 |
| 10% | Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 | Pres. Richard Benson | $5.7M | 2001 |
| No Score Yet | Jericho | Marshall | — | 2001 |
| 60% | Recess: School's Out | Colonel O'Malley | $34.9M | 2001 |
| No Score Yet | On the Borderline | Capt. Elias | — | 2001 |
| 18% | Saving Silverman | Football Coach | $19M | 2001 |
| No Score Yet | The Chaos Factor | Col. Ben Wilder | — | 2000 |
| No Score Yet | Skipped Parts | Caspar Callahan | — | 2000 |
| No Score Yet | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins | Actor | — | 2000 |
| 100% | Toy Story 2 | Sergeant | — | 1999 |
| 50% | Life | Older Sherriff Pike | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | You Know My Name | Nix | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | The Apartment Complex | Frank Stanton | — | 1999 |
| 20% | Gunshy | Jerry | — | 1998 |
| 32% | Switchback | Sheriff Buck Olmstead | — | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | Dead Men Can't Dance | Sen. Pullman Fowler | — | 1997 |
| 59% | Prefontaine | Bill Bowerman | — | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | The Sender | Col. Rosewater | — | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | Weapons of Mass Distraction | Titans' Owner | — | 1997 |
| 63% | The Frighteners | Sgt. Hiles | — | 1996 |
| 67% | Soul of the Game | Wilkie Wilkinson | — | 1996 |
| No Score Yet | Chain of Command | Benjamin Brewster | — | 1996 |
| 95% | Dead Man Walking | Clyde Percy | — | 1995 |
| 100% | Toy Story | Sergeant | — | 1995 |
| 90% | Leaving Las Vegas | Conventioneer | — | 1995 |
| 81% | Seven (Se7en) | Police Captain | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | The Rift (La Grieta) | Actor | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | Savate | Benedict | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | Under the Hula Moon | Colonel McIntire | — | 1995 |
| 50% | Murder in the First | Judge Clawson | — | 1994 |
| No Score Yet | Love Is A Gun | Frank Deacon | — | 1994 |
| 10% | On Deadly Ground | Stone | — | 1994 |
| No Score Yet | French Silk | Chief Crowder | — | 1994 |
| 62% | Sommersby | Dick Mead | — | 1993 |
| 71% | Body Snatchers | General Platt | — | 1993 |
| 9% | Hexed | Ferguson | — | 1993 |
| 43% | True Identity | Houston's Boss (uncredited) | — | 1991 |
| 36% | Toy Soldiers | General Kramer | — | 1991 |
| No Score Yet | 83 Hours 'til Dawn | Glen Fairling | — | 1990 |
| No Score Yet | I'm Dangerous Tonight | Actor | — | 1990 |
| No Score Yet | Kid | Luke | — | 1990 |
| No Score Yet | Endless Descent | Randall Phillips | — | 1990 |
| No Score Yet | The Terror Within II | Actor | — | 1990 |
| No Score Yet | The Take | Weller | — | 1990 |
| 37% | Fletch Lives | Jimmy Lee Farnsworth | — | 1989 |
| No Score Yet | The Siege of Firebase Gloria | Hafner | — | 1989 |
| No Score Yet | Demonstone | Col. Joe Haines | — | 1989 |
| 83% | Mississippi Burning | Mayor Tilman | — | 1988 |
| 91% | Full Metal Jacket | Hartman | — | 1987 |
| No Score Yet | Purple Hearts | Gunny | — | 1984 |
| 98% | Apocalypse Now | Heliocopter Pilot | — | 1979 |
| No Score Yet | The Boys in Company C | Sgt. Loyce | — | 1978 |
TV
| Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 71% |
Family Guy 1999 |
Voice |
2011 2001 |
| No Score Yet |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 1999 |
Walter Burlock |
2010 |
| 35% |
Eleventh Hour 2008-2009 |
Bob Henson |
2008 |
| 91% |
House 2004-2012 |
John House |
2008 2005 |
| No Score Yet |
Rocket Power 1999-2004 |
Voice |
2003 |
| 83% |
Scrubs 2001-2010 |
Janitor's Father |
2002 |
| 93% |
Action 1999-2000 |
Titus Titus Scroad |
2000 1999 |
| 60% |
Cracker 1997-1999 |
Lt. Fry |
1999 1998 1997 |
| No Score Yet |
Promised Land 1996-1999 |
Leo Greene |
1997 |
| 85% |
The Simpsons 1989 |
Voice |
1995 |
| 74% |
The X-Files 1993-2018 |
Rev. Finley |
1995 |
| 82% |
Tales from the Crypt 1989-1996 |
1994 |
|
| 91% |
The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. 1993-1994 |
Marshal County Brisco Sr. |
1993 |
| No Score Yet |
Miami Vice 1984-1990 |
Haskell |
1987 |
QUOTES FROM R. Lee Ermey CHARACTERS
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Well here`s something you won`t like, Private Snowball! They don`t serve fried chicken and watermelon down in the mess hall every day!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Well it looks to me like the best part of you ran down the crack of your momma's ass and ended up as a brown stain on the mattress! I think you've been cheated!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: What is your major malfunction numbnuts? Didn't mommy and daddy show you enough attention when you were a child?
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Didn't mommy and daddy give you enough attention when you were a child?!
Sheriff Hoyt says: I smell bullshit.
Hiles says: Get back in the goddamn ground,you unorganised grab-asstic gob of teleplasmic shit!
Sheriff Hoyt says: A man's home is his fuckin' castle!
Stone says: My guy in D.C. tells me that we are not dealing with a student here, we're dealing with the Professor. Any time the military has an operation that can't fail, they call this guy in to train the troops. He's the kind of guy that would drink a gallon of gasoline so he could piss in your campfire! You could drop this guy off at the Arctic Circle wearing a pair of bikini underwear, without his toothbrush, and tomorrow afternoon he's going to show up at your pool side with a million dollar smile and fist full of pesos. This guy's a professional, you got me?
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: You climb like old people fuck private pile!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: If god wanted you up there I am sure he would have miracled your ass up there by now private Pyle@
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: If god wanted you up there I am sure he would have miracled your ass up there by now, private Pyle.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: You like the kind of boy who could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
Hartman says: I bet you could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: [addressing the Privates] There will be no racial bigotry here! I do not look down on niggers, kikes, wops, or greasers! Here, you are ALL equally useless!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Where are you from, anyway?
Pvt. Cowboy says: SIR, TEXAS, SIR!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: TEXAS? Holy dogshit! Only steers and queers come from texas!! And you don't much look like a steer to me so that kind of narrows it down. Do you suck dick?
Pvt. Cowboy says: SIR, NO, SIR!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: I BET YOU'RE THE KIND OF GUY WHO'D FUCK A MAN IN THE ASS AND NOT HAVE THE COMMON COURTESY TO GIVE HIM A REACH-AROUND.
Sergeant says: Mrs. Potato Head. Repeat. Mrs. Potato Head.
Sergeant says: Potato Head! Repeat, a Mrs. Potato Head!
Mr. Potato Head says: Gee I better shave. (Pulls off mustache)
Mr. Potato Head says: Gee, I'd better shave! [pulls off mustache]
Buzz Lightyear says: Hey Sarge what are you doing?
Sarge says: War's over, me and the boys are shipping out!
Buzz Lightyear says: You're going AWOL?
Sarge says: We've done our duty. Andy's grown up.
Sarge says: It has been a honor serving with you good luck folks!
Woody says: Sergeant, establish a recon post downstairs. Code Red, You know what to do.
Sergeant says: Yes, sir! All right, men You heard him. Code Red! Repeat: we are at Code Red. Recon plan Charlie. Execute! Let's move, move,move, move, move!
Woody says: Hey Sarge have you seen Slinky?
Sergeant says: Sir, no sir!
Woody says: Whoa okay at ease!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: You're so ugly you could be a modern art masterpiece!
Manfred says: Shut your cocksucker!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Well Any Fucking Time Sweetheart!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Well any fucking time sweetheart!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: I want that head so sanitary and squared away that the Virgin Mary herself would be proud to go in there and take a dump.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: do you suck dick........ sir no sir bull shit i bet you could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Bullshit. I bet you could suck a golfball through a garden hose.
Mayor Tilman says: Do you like baseball, do you, Anderson?
Rupert Anderson says: Yeah, I do. You know, it's the only time when a black man can wave a stick at a white man and not start a riot.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: You little scumbag! I've got your name! I've got your ass! You will not laugh! You will not cry! You will learn by the numbers and I will teach you!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: How tall are you, private?
Pvt. Cowboy says: Sir, five-foot-nine, sir.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Five-foot-nine, I didn't know they stacked shit that high!
Police Captain says: ( picks up phone and slams it down) - This isn't even my desk!
Police Captain says: [picks up phone and slams it down] This isn't even my desk!
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: Hell I like you. You can come to my house and fuck my sister.
Sheriff Hoyt says: I started to think you like wasting my time blonde. Hurry up! (While Dean puts dead biker lady in front seat).
Sheriff Hoyt says: I started to think you like wasting my time blonde. Hurry up! [while Dean puts dead biker lady in front seat]
Sheriff Hoyt says: Get her in there God damn it she's deader than a God damn doornail.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Lift her up and just kind of pull her over your way there. She ain't gonna bite you. She's deader than a goddamn doornail.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: I will give you three seconds, exactly three fucking secinds, to wipe that stupid grin off your face, or I will gouge out your eyeballs and skull-fuck you!
Sheriff Hoyt says: People may not remember what we say here tonight, but by God they'll remember what we did.
Sheriff Wintson says: (about tom aka Leatherface) - If you raised that retard right...you and me, we ain't taking this drive right now.
Sheriff Wintson says: (about tom aka Leatherface) If you raised that retard right...you and me, we ain't taking this drive right now.
Sheriff Hoyt says: He ain't retarded, he's misunderstood
Sheriff Hoyt says: Come on Tommy, ain't no different than the slaughterhouse. Meat's meat, Bone's bone...Get it done.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Come on Tommy, ain't no different than the slaughterhouse. Meat's meat, Bone's bone. Get it done.
Chrissie says: (Hoyt finishes saying grace) I have a question for you. It involves the family tree, the lineage, if you will. It's like a system through a table...Do you guys f**k all your cousins, or just the ones you find attractive?
Chrissie says: (Hoyt finishes saying grace) I have a question for you. It involves the family tree, the lineage, if you will. It's like a system through a table. Do you guys f**k all your cousins, or just the ones you find attractive?
Sheriff Hoyt says: You blasphemous bitch! This is redemption lady, that's what this is! Oh your all gonna pay for your sins, that's right. And especially you!
Sheriff Hoyt says: There comes a time, when a boy, becomes a man.
Holden says: I'm looking for the girl.
Sheriff Hoyt says: The girl? She's right there. (Points to Bailey)
Holden says: That's not her.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Well if that's not the girl then...oh I don't think you wanna see the other one.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Tommy? Tommy? We need you upstairs. Bring your little toy with you.
Luda Mae says: What are you gonna do to him?
Sheriff Hoyt says: Nothing but a little surgery. Come on now Tommy.
Monty says: (Chainsaw revs, Monty's leg is sliced off, the other leg cut in the process) - AAAAAAAAAHH!
Monty says: (Chainsaw revs, Monty's leg is sliced off, the other leg cut in the process) AAAAAAAAAHH!
Sheriff Hoyt says: Now come on Tommy, that's sloppy work. Fix it up!
Luda Mae says: No...No!
Monty says: (Hoyt cuts off other leg clean) - AAAAAAAAAAHH!
Monty says: (Hoyt cuts off other leg clean) AAAAAAAAAAHH!
Luda Mae says: What on earth did you do that for?!
Sheriff Hoyt says: ...Balance.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Balance.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Get her in there! I think you like wasting my time blondie!
Luda Mae says: (seeing baby Leatherface for the first time) - Isn't he beautiful?
Luda Mae says: (seeing baby Leatherface for the first time) Isn't he beautiful?
Sheriff Hoyt says: That's the ugliest thing I ever saw.
Sheriff Hoyt says: My money says he ain't going nowhere!
Sheriff Hoyt says: (to Eric) - You don't like playing with me anymore 'cause I'm a pus*y, that's what you said. Well my nephew Tommy ain't no pus*y, maybe you wanna play with him for a little while.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (to Eric) You don't like playing with me anymore 'cause I'm a pus*y, that's what you said. Well my nephew Tommy ain't no pus*y, maybe you wanna play with him for a little while.
Chrissie says: Why are you doing this?
Sheriff Hoyt says: No talking until I've said grace, a**hole.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (after shooting the sheriff of a small town) - Damn, I just killed the entire police department!
Sheriff Hoyt says: (after shooting the sheriff of a small town) Damn, I just killed the entire police department!
Sheriff Hoyt says: We're on our own tonight people...and alone, we shall rise above it all!
Sheriff Hoyt says: We're on our own tonight people and alone, we shall rise above it all!
Sheriff Hoyt says: As long as we stick together there ain't nothing we can't handle!
Sheriff Hoyt says: (after seeing Leatherface with a mask for the first time) - I like your new face.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (after seeing Leatherface with a mask for the first time) I like your new face.
Sheriff Hoyt says: See whatcha did boy?
Erin Hardesty says: What's wrong with you fu**ing people?
Sheriff Hoyt says: (smiles) - Nothing wrong with us.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (smiles) Nothing wrong with us.
Sheriff Hoyt says: You kids shouldn't have messed with that little girl.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (talking to Morgan; who's in the back seat of the cop car) - Where was y'all headed?
Sheriff Hoyt says: (talking to Morgan; who's in the back seat of the cop car) Where was y'all headed?
Morgan says: Dallas...for a Skynyrd concert.
Morgan says: Dallas, for a Skynyrd concert.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Skynyrd? Hell, i like Skynyrd. By god, how about that? We got something in common, don't we? Ha-ha-ha...Well, what are you gonna do with your tickets now, hot shot?
Sheriff Hoyt says: Skynyrd? Hell, I like Skynyrd. By god, how about that? We got something in common, don't we? Ha-ha-ha. Well, what are you gonna do with your tickets now, hot shot?
Morgan says: You can have them.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Is that bribery? (Smashes Morgan in the face with a glass bottle; breaking his teeth) Oh, that was really rude, wasn't it? Oh, look at you. How about that? Look at that shit. (The Sheriff pulls out his fake teeth) We got something else in common now. Ha-ha-ha...
Sheriff Hoyt says: Is that bribery? (Smashes Morgan in the face with a glass bottle; breaking his teeth) Oh, that was really rude, wasn't it? Oh, look at you. How about that? Look at that shit. (The Sheriff pulls out his fake teeth) We got something else in common now. Ha-ha-ha.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (talking to Morgan) - You ain't lying to me again, are you? - Because i have never seen a weapon go off without somebody's finger on the fu**ing trigger.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (talking to Morgan) You ain't lying to me again, are you? Because I have never seen a weapon go off without somebody's finger on the fu**ing trigger.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Now we're getting someplace...Who's killing who?!
Sheriff Hoyt says: Now we're getting someplace. Who's killing who?!
Sheriff Hoyt says: [sniff-sniff-sniff] I smell bullsh*t.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Protect and serve. That's what we do.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (talking to Morgan and Andy as they're putting the dead girl in the backseat of the cop car) - Hey! Get that nasty goddamn thing out of the back seat of my goddamn car! Put it in the trunk. What the hell's the matter with you? - ...Don't break...Don't break my stuff.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (talking to Morgan and Andy as they're putting the dead girl in the backseat of the cop car) Hey! Get that nasty goddamn thing out of the back seat of my goddamn car! Put it in the trunk. What the hell's the matter with you? Don't break. Don't break my stuff.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (about the dead girl in the van) - I bet she's real unhappy, real sorry that you're getting fu**ing her blood all over your goddamn arm. You know, back when i was a young patrolman, i used to love wrapping up these young honies.
Sheriff Hoyt says: (about the dead girl in the van) I bet she's real unhappy, real sorry that you're getting fu**ing her blood all over your goddamn arm. You know, back when i was a young patrolman, i used to love wrapping up these young honies.
Andy says: Yeah, i bet you did.
Sheriff Hoyt says: Yeah, cop me a little bit of a feel every now and then, you know...Oh, look at that. She's kind of wet down there. What you boys been doing with this dead body anyway?
Sheriff Hoyt says: (about removing the dead girl from the van) - How about giving me a hand here, a**hole? You don't expect me to do this by myself?
Sheriff Hoyt says: (about removing the dead girl from the van) How about giving me a hand here, a**hole? You don't expect me to do this by myself?
Sheriff Hoyt says: Now, it's just an educated guess, but my money says your dead body is right there in that van.
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman says: What is your major malfunction?