{"id":6781,"date":"2009-02-07T17:14:11","date_gmt":"2009-02-07T07:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fernbyfilms.com\/?p=6781"},"modified":"2009-02-23T13:47:13","modified_gmt":"2009-02-23T04:17:13","slug":"vale-james-whitemore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fernbyfilms.com\/2009\/02\/07\/vale-james-whitemore\/","title":{"rendered":"Vale – James Whitmore"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"James
James Whitmore - 1921-2009<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have some sad news today, as information filters through of the recent passing of one of my favourite character actors on film: James Whitmore. Who, you might ask? Well, it’s a fair point, since Whitmore was last on screen in a major way in The Shawshank Redemption<\/em>, in the mid-nineties, playing the old librarian Brooks Hatlen, one of the most moving and poignant images of that film.<\/p>\n

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\"As
As Brooks Hatlen in The Shawshank Redemption.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whitmore was born in October of 1921, and achieved recognition for his role of Kinnie in Battleground<\/em> (1950), so much so he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to appear in a number of successful films during the following years, including Them!<\/em>, Kiss Me Kate<\/em>, Tora! Tora! Tora<\/em>, Oklahoma<\/em>, and The Asphalt Jungle<\/em>. In more recent times, he appeared in Peter Hyams’ schlock-horror flick The Relic<\/em>, as well as the defining role of his latter years, Brooks Hatlen in Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption<\/em>. It is for his performance in this role that Whitmore is best remembered by audiences today. He made a small appearance in Darabonts film The Majestic<\/em>, later. Late last year, Whitmore was diagnosed with lung cancer.<\/p>\n

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\"Whitfield
Whitmore (centre) in the film The Next Voice You Hear (1950)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whitmore appeared in numerous stage and television productions, including The Practice<\/em>, C.S.I.<\/em>, and The Twilight Zone<\/em>. On Broadway he received a Tony Award for his role in Command Decision<\/em>, a play about air force commanders in the US military during World War II.<\/p>\n

Tonight, I think I’ll give Shawshank<\/em> a spin on the old DVD player, in memory of a fine actor, and wonderful talent.<\/p>\n

Mr Whitmore was 87.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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