RIP Geoffrey Lewis, 79

April 8, 2015 4:35 PM

Intense-eyed character actor and frequent Clint Eastwood collaborator Geoffrey Lewis, father of Juliette Lewis, died april 7th in his home, of natural causes.

Besides being a prolific actor, he was also a storyteller, with the group Celestial Navigations:

The Winner

Horses

The Dwarf

posted by Mister Moofoo (36 comments total)

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posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:37 PM on April 8, 2015

This guy was one of the first character actors I can remember recognizing as a kid. My first "that guy, from that other thing".
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:38 PM on April 8, 2015 [10 favorites]

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posted by Atom Eyes at 4:41 PM on April 8, 2015

I love that guy! Definitely someone I've noticed since childhood, although I remember him best in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I was always glad to see him turn up in a role.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 4:43 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

RIP. That guy could invest even the most minor role ( I remember him playing the bartender on Flo and being funny and cool) with humanity. I just imagine him getting cast and thinking 'what do I do to make this guy the most real, human guy I can?" and succeeding. RIP Mr Lewis.
posted by jonmc at 4:51 PM on April 8, 2015 [3 favorites]

Terrific character actor. He is indelibly in my mind from Any/Every Which Way You Can/But Loose (lousy movies I've seen 100 times) and Night of the Comet (great movie I've seen 100 times.)

I had no idea he was Juliette Lewis's father.

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posted by dirtdirt at 4:57 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

I had no idea they were any relation either. I think I first saw him with Celestial Navigations on the short-lived '80s revival of the Smothers Brothers when I was a kid; it was totally unlike anything else I'd ever seen on television, and just so cool.
posted by Strange Interlude at 5:06 PM on April 8, 2015 [3 favorites]

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posted by valkane at 5:09 PM on April 8, 2015

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posted by allthinky at 5:25 PM on April 8, 2015

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He seems to be an indelible part of my "Saturday afternoon UHF movie" youth (And I proclaim the awesomeness of "Any Which Way But Loose" with no shame).
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 5:30 PM on April 8, 2015 [3 favorites]

Another one of those great "It's That Guy" actors.

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posted by Thorzdad at 5:34 PM on April 8, 2015

Yeah, the moment when he sneezed on the Black Widow's tattoo on Every Which Way But Loose is classic.

That said, he also holds a special place in my heart horror wise - he played the undertaker in the first TV version of Salem's Lot, and I still get a shiver when I think of him saying "Looook at me, teacher."

Good stuff.

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posted by Mooski at 5:43 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

He's the guy in this trailer who screams "Who Are You?" at Clint Eastwood toward the end. Yes, I have seen High Plains Drifter one too many times.
posted by dortmunder at 5:56 PM on April 8, 2015

RIP.

Loved him in Way of the Gun.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 6:26 PM on April 8, 2015

How he never ended up on one of the Star Treks, at least once, I'll never know.

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posted by Halloween Jack at 6:45 PM on April 8, 2015 [2 favorites]

He was also a Scientologist, OT5.
posted by scalefree at 6:59 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

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posted by oceanjesse at 7:01 PM on April 8, 2015

I saw him not long ago in the unjustly-neglected revisionist western Bad Company, which I recommend to everyone just on general principle.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:03 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

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posted by calamari kid at 7:09 PM on April 8, 2015

There was a TV movie called The Annihilator, that I'm pretty sure was a pilot, that I so, so wanted to go to series, and he was much of what I liked about it. I already knew his face, if not his name, and he played a scientist rather than a Grimy Redneck #3 type, and he had such, well, I didn't know the word "gravitas" yet, but that was what he had, in that probably crappy, low-budget scifi alien invasion conspiracy flic.
It made an impression on Little Moofoo, that's for sure.
I may have to try to dig that one up.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 7:13 PM on April 8, 2015

Any/Every Which Way You Can/But Loose (lousy movies I've seen 100 times)

I will fight you, bro.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 7:32 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

He granted immortality to Agent Scully. We all owe him a debt.

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posted by tzikeh at 7:33 PM on April 8, 2015 [6 favorites]

RIP.
You were enjoyed.

Also, does everyone in that family have a super distinct voice?
posted by Senor Cardgage at 7:34 PM on April 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

He was always there, always great . . . but I do remember that Scientology connection! Wasn't he in a Scientology bio-doc-commercial thingy, as one of the founders? Regardless, his presence will be missed. (His, and James Best's!)

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posted by pt68 at 8:03 PM on April 8, 2015

Yes, I have seen High Plains Drifter one too many times.

Unpossible
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:27 PM on April 8, 2015 [2 favorites]

Enjoyed his work, had no idea he was Juliette Lewis' dad.

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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 8:47 PM on April 8, 2015

I had no idea he was Juliette Lewis's father.

But now that you mention it...
posted by Thella at 12:17 AM on April 9, 2015

Always wonderful work.

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posted by On the Corner at 1:00 AM on April 9, 2015

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posted by heatvision at 3:14 AM on April 9, 2015

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posted by Gelatin at 3:15 AM on April 9, 2015

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posted by Renoroc at 5:11 AM on April 9, 2015

From The Way Of The Gun (one of my favourite movies obviously)

"Es verdad?"

:(
posted by longbaugh at 7:17 AM on April 9, 2015

I know his voice and face better than those of my paternal uncles. Strange world.
posted by the Real Dan at 9:41 AM on April 9, 2015

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SCULLY: You know, most people want to live forever.

FELLIG: Most people are idiots. Which is one of the reasons I don't.

SCULLY: I think you're wrong. How can you have too much life? There's too much to learn, to experience.

FELLIG: 75 years... is enough. Take my word for it. You live forever, sooner or later you start to think about the big thing you're missing and that everybody else gets to find out about but you.

SCULLY: What about love?

FELLIG: What, does that last forever? 40 years ago I drove down to the city hall, down to the hall of records... record archives, whatever they call it. I wanted to look up my wife. It ... bothered me I couldn't remember her name. Love lasts... 75 years, if you're lucky. You don't want to be around when it's gone.

-- Tithonus
posted by jammy at 11:19 AM on April 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

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posted by mkim at 6:38 PM on April 9, 2015

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posted by eclectist at 9:55 AM on April 10, 2015