James Whitmore, 'Shawshank' Librarian, Dies at 87
Actor James Whitmore, whose career spanned nearly 60 years, died on Friday at his home in Malibu, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 87.
Whitmore embodied the role of Brooks Hatlen in Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption (1994) with rueful grace and heartfelt regret. As the longtime librarian, he was a wise and kind friend to the initially floundering Andy (Tim Robbins). But he had absolutely no idea how to live outside the prison walls. This scene (link to a big spoiler if you haven't seen the movie) with just the right touch in the narration by Whitmore as he writes to his buddies, is heartbreaking, and I found it impossible to watch all the way through after hearing the news of his passing.
My personal, sentimental favorite remains Them! (1954), the greatest giant ant movie ever made. Whitmore played a New Mexican police Sergeant who finds a little girl wandering in the desert, and soon finds himself courageously facing down nature gone amuck. He was so friendly and calm, yet authoritative, that I never doubted for a moment that giant ants were a serious threat to mankind.
He was much more fiery in Give 'em Hell, Harry! (1975), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. The film was an adaptation of a one-man stage play about President Harry S Truman. I was spellbound in the movie theater for 100 minutes, held captive once more by Whitmore's authority, but also by the sparkle in his eyes as his moved brusequely around the stage.
I started looking out for movies and TV shows in which he appeared (Where the Red Fern Grows, I Will Fight No More Forever, The White Shadow), and slowly began to appreciate the consistency of his performances. Eventually I caught up with his other Academy Award-nominated performance in William Wellman's Battleground (1949), in which he played a tough Sergeant who never complained about his frozen feet while his squad was trapped in the forest during the Battle of the Bulge.
He remained committed in his personal life, giving speeches early in behalf of Barack Obama. He was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly before Thanksgiving last year. His son Steve Whitmore said that his father was surrounded by family during the last months of his life. Film critic Joe Leydon remembers Whitmore as "a very gracious and gregarious gent." And that's the way he always came across on screen.
Feel free to share your memories in the comments section. (Planet of the Apes, anyone?) Here's a clip from TCM in which Whitmore recalls how John Huston directed him in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). The actor does a nice little imitation of Huston's voice about midway through.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-07-2009 @ 12:29PM
chris said...
I will always remember his Twlight Zone portrayal of a leader of interstellar castaways who are finally rescued. His reluctance to give up his benign authority to the promise of a renewed and parklike earth was performed to perfection and his final words: "I want to go Home" haunt me to this day.
He was a master of his craft and art.
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2-07-2009 @ 7:13PM
Allen Blank said...
I'll always remember his piercing eyes, of both authority and kindness. I watched every TV series he stared in from "The Law And Mr. Jones", to "My Friend Tony, "Temperture's Rising" and more recently "Mr. Smith". He always gave a wonderful performance. He was an actor I could always count on. He was great as the touch but kind sargent in "Battleground" then there was his funny Shakespeare loving gangster in "Kiss Me Kate". I am sad at his passing, my heart goes to his passing. But what loss i feel is that there will never be another new James Whitmore performance to look forward to.
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2-07-2009 @ 10:37PM
LC-72 said...
I liked James Whitmore because he was a good actor who didn't overact, nor did he underact. He came accross to me as a tough, no-nonsense, dedicated type of person who was also fair.
I still like James Whitmore best in the movie "THEM" (1954)(B&W), which was a very well scripted, directed and acted.. A very intelligent movie, overall.
One of my favorite lines in this movie was in the alcoholic ward when the drunk said, "Make me a sergeant in charge of the booze."
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2-08-2009 @ 2:27AM
rjdez said...
Whitmore was well loved by the theatre community here in NH for his many performances with The Peterborough Players, for whom he played his final stage role this past summer as The Stage Manager in OUR TOWN. I remember seeing him perform there in YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, how the audience was abuzz at his entrance (of course). There was a flash of recognition, a twinkle in his eye, but then he was all business playing his role with delightful energy.
He was recognized at the NH Theatre Awards last night, sadly the day he died, with a clip from OUR TOWN, and many, many kind words of remembrance, including a note from playwright Ernest Thompson, who was present to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Thompson, who had spoken with Whitmore earlier in the week, dedicated his award to Whitmore, an early star of Thompson's ON GOLDEN POND, as he told him he would when they spoke.
Rest in peace, old friend. Thanks for so many jobs so well done.
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2-08-2009 @ 11:26AM
j said...
my heart is broken. rest in peace.
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2-14-2009 @ 12:03PM
Mike Carter said...
How sad, one of my favorite actors. I watched him in "Give Hell Harry" just the other day, what a performance. He was great in "Battleground", and in "Them", he was the giant, not those silly ants. I tried to email Mr. Whitmore not long ago just to tell him how much I, just a fan, enjoyed his work, but could never find an address to send it to. I'm glad I have his movies, his work will be just a DVD player away.
Rest in Peace.
Mike.
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