In Memoriam

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Roy Scheider
Nov. 10, 1932 to Feb. 10, 2008

I was so sad when I heard that Roy Scheider died. He was such a tremendous actor, a guy who came off as real, even if the particular film he was appearing in wasn't that good.

I remember seeing him in The French Connection, where he had the unenviable task of playing Gene Hackman's partner.

I think a lot of other actors would have been overwhelmed by Hackman's blowout performance as Popeye Doyle, but Scheider held his own.

He went on to star in several films, including Jaws, of course, All That Jazz, and Blue Thunder.

He also did a flick called The Seven-Ups, which I didn't like too much when I first saw it in the theater.

However, I saw the movie again a few years after that on television and I enjoyed it a lot more.

It's been a while, but as I recall it was a very gritty cop movie that took place in all these grungy locations in the outer boroughs--the kinds of places where you really believe that bad people would get together to do bad things.

There was a car chase in the middle of thing, which, while spectacular, had nothing really to do with the story. But this was a post-French Connection cop movie, so car chases were pretty much required in cop movies.

So we lost another talented actor. And I hate to sound like a geezer, but looking around at the current crop of stars, I have to say that I'm not impressed.

Rest in peace.

Comments

Anonymous said…
These days, there's way too much "star" power and not nearly enough talent power. And when an actor DOES some decent work, five minutes later he or she is being lionized by James Lipton. yeesh. Signed, Not Quite a Geezer
10:50 AM
Rob K said…
There's way too much "star" power and not nearly enough talent power.

Well said, N.Q.G.!
2:22 PM
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