R. Lee Ermey
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- March 24, 1944 in Emporia, Kansas, USA
- Died
- April 15, 2018
- Active Years
- 1978–2020 (43 Years)
- Total Credits
- 125 credits in database
Biography
Ronald Lee Ermey, born March 24, 1944, in Emporia, Kansas, was a United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor. Throughout his career, he frequently portrayed authority figures in film and television. His notable acting credits include the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine, and Sheriff Hoyt in the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He also provided the voice for the character Sarge in the Toy Story film series. Additionally, Ermey hosted two History Channel programs: Mail Call, which addressed questions regarding militaria, and Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, which explored the development of various weapons. Ermey died on April 15, 2018.
Career overview
Ronald Lee Ermey was a United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor born on March 24, 1944, in Emporia, Kansas. Throughout his career, he became known for portraying authority figures in film and television. His breakout performance was as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the film Full Metal Jacket. Among his other notable film roles, he played Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine, and Sheriff Hoyt in the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Additionally, he provided the voice for the character Sarge, the leader of the plastic army men, in the Toy Story film series.
In addition to his film work, Ermey hosted two programs for the History Channel. In the program Mail Call, he answered viewer questions regarding modern and historic militaria. He also hosted Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, a series that focused on the development of various types of weapons. Ermey, who was also known as The Gunny, held 122 known acting credits during his life. He passed away on April 15, 2018, at the age of 74.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
125 titles- Kubrick by Kubrick (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Filmworker (2018) as Self
- Toy Story at 20: To Infinity and Beyond (2015) as Self
- Kubrick Remembered (2014) as Self
- The Watch (2012) as Manfred
- Toy Story 3 (2010) as Sarge (voice)
- Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010) as Self
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008) as Wildcat (voice)
- Eleventh Hour (2008) as Bob Henson
- Solstice (2008) as Leonard
- The Pixar Story (2007) as Sergeant (voice) (archive footage)
- Down to the Bone: Anatomy of a Prequel (2007) as Self
- Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil (2007) as Self
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) as Uncle Charlie Hewitt / Sheriff Hoyt
- Shark Bait (2006) as Jack (voice)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) as Sergeant (voice)
- Man of the House (2005) as Captain Nichols
- House (2004) as John House
- Father of the Pride (2004) as Bunny (voice)
- Chainsaw Redux: Making a Massacre (2004) as Self - Sheriff Hoyt
- Y.M.I. (2004) as John
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) as Sheriff Hoyt
- Willard (2003) as Mr. Martin
- Kim Possible (2002) as Additional Voices (voice)
- Kim Possible (2002) as General Sims (voice)
- Mail Call (2002)
- My Life as a Teenage Robot (2002)
- Pet Star (2002) as Self - Judge
- Fillmore! (2002)
- Birdseye (2002) as Sheriff Gathers
- The Salton Sea (2002) as Verne Plummer
- Scenes of the Crime (2002) as Mr. Parker
- Run Ronnie Run (2002) as Lead Kidnapper
- Taking Sides (2002) as General Wallace
- Scrubs (2001) as Janitor's Father
- The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (2001) as Sergeant / Drill Sergeant
- Invader ZIM (2001)
- Saving Silverman (2001) as Coach
- Recess: School's Out (2001) as Colonel O'Malley (voice)
- Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Tophet Campaign (2001) as Sky Marshall Sanchez
- Sarge! (2001) as Himself
- Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001) as Richard Benson
- On the Borderline (2001) as Captain Elias
- Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Tesca Campaign (2001)
- Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Pluto Campaign (2001)
- The District (2000) as Jim Bodsworth
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) as Sarge (voice)
- Skipped Parts (2000) as Caspar Callahan
- Jericho (2000) as Marshall
- The Chaos Factor (2000) as Col. Ben Wilder
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Walter Burlock
- Family Guy (1999) as Coach (voice)
- Family Guy (1999) as Warden (voice)
- Toy Story 2 (1999) as Sarge (voice)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) as Prison Warden (voice)
- Action (1999) as Titus Scroad
- Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (1999) as Sanchez (voice)
- The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1999) as General Thornton (voice)
- Life (1999) as Older Sheriff Pike
- The Apartment Complex (1999) as Frank Stanton
- You Know My Name (1999) as Marshal Nix
- Escape from Alaska (1999) as Gary
- Gunshy (1998) as Jerry
- Maximum Bob (1998) as Col. Theodore Baker
- The Sender (1998) as Colonel Rosewater
- The Angry Beavers (1997)
- Starship Troopers (1997) as Voice heard on speaker (voice) (uncredited)
- Cracker (1997) as Lieutenant Fry
- Rough Riders (1997) as Secretary of State John Hay
- Switchback (1997) as Sheriff Buck Olmstead
- Dead Men Can't Dance (1997) as Senator Fowler
- Prefontaine (1997) as Bill Bowerman
- Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997) as Billy Paxton
- Promised Land (1996)
- High Incident (1996) as Tony Van Camp
- All Dogs Go To Heaven: The Series (1996) as Sergeant Yorkie (voice)
- The Frighteners (1996) as Hiles
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
- Soul of the Game (1996) as Wilkie
- Stanley Kubrick: The Invisible Man (1996) as Self
- Toy Story (1995) as Sergeant (voice)
- Se7en (1995) as Police Captain
- Space: Above and Beyond (1995) as Sgt. Major Bougas
- Leaving Las Vegas (1995) as Conventioneer
- Dead Man Walking (1995) as Clyde Percy
- Murder in the First (1995) as Judge Clawson
- Savate (1995) as Benedict
- Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back (1995) as Preacher Brian
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) as Prison Guard (uncredited)
- On Deadly Ground (1994) as Stone
- Sweet Justice (1994) as Luke
- Love Is a Gun (1994) as Frank Deacon
- Chain of Command (1994) as Benjamin Brewster
- French Silk (1994) as Chief Crowder
- The X-Files (1993) as Reverend Patrick Findley
- The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) as Brisco Country Sr.
- The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) as Brisco County Sr.
- Sommersby (1993) as Dick Mead
- Body Snatchers (1993) as General Platt
- Hexed (1993) as Detective Ferguson
- Human Target (1992)
- Civil Wars (1991)
- Street Justice (1991) as Special Agent Landau
- True Identity (1991) as Houston’s Boss
- The Terror Within II (1991) as Von Demming
- Toy Soldiers (1991) as General Kramer
- Kid (1990) as Luke Clanton
- I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990) as Captain Aikman
- 83 Hours 'Til Dawn (1990) as Glen Fairling
- The Rift (1990) as Captain Phillips
- The Take (1990) as Weller
- Demonstone (1990) as Col. Joe Haines
- The Simpsons (1989) as Colonel Hapablap (voice)
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Sheriff
- Fletch Lives (1989) as Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
- The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989) as Sgt. Maj. Bill Hafner / Narrator
- China Beach (1988)
- Mississippi Burning (1988) as Mayor Tilman
- Full Metal Jacket (1987) as Gny. Sgt. Hartman
- Miami Vice (1984) as Ernest Haskell
- Purple Hearts (1984) as Gunny
- Apocalypse Now (1979) as Eagle Thrust Seven Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
- Up from the Depths (1979) as Arnold (uncredited)
- The Boys in Company C (1978) as Sergeant Loyce
- A Modern Art Masterpiece: The Untold Story of Full Metal Jacket as Self (archive footage)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is R. Lee Ermey best known for?
R. Lee Ermey is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Watch (2012), Toy Story 3 (2010), A Brighter Summer Day (1991), Eleventh Hour (2008).
When and where was R. Lee Ermey born?
R. Lee Ermey was born on March 24, 1944 in Emporia, Kansas, USA. They passed away on April 15, 2018.
How many credits does R. Lee Ermey have?
R. Lee Ermey has accumulated over 125 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1978 to 2020.
What is R. Lee Ermey's background in cinema and television?
Ronald Lee Ermey, born March 24, 1944, in Emporia, Kansas, was a United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor. Throughout his career, he frequently portrayed authority figures in film and television. His notable acting credits include the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in M...
R. Lee Ermey by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- House (2004) as John House — aged about 60
- Invader ZIM (2001) — aged about 57
- Se7en (1995) as Police Captain — aged about 51
- The X-Files (1993) as Reverend Patrick Findley — aged about 49
- Apocalypse Now (1979) as Eagle Thrust Seven Helicopter Pilot (uncredited) — aged about 35
- Scrubs (2001) as Janitor's Father — aged about 57
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