September 25 Birthday Wishes

Aldo Ray [1926 - 1991]
Lee Aaker [1943 - ]
Michael Madsen [1957 - ]

Howdy Manco!!

Aldo Ray was a Navy frogman during WW II and saw action at Iwo Jima. He began his film career in 1951, with appearances as the not too bright boxer in Pat And Mike and as the escaped convict in We're No Angels. His career spanned almost 40 years. He also appeared in Battle Cry, God's Little Acre, and the Duke's, Green Berets. I will probably remember him best as the wild man from Bodie, in Welcome To Hard Times with Henry Fonda and Keenan Wynn

Lee Aaker was a child star actor, who began his film career in 1951. He had uncredited appearances in High Noon and The Greatest Show On Earth before being cast in Hondo with John Wayne. He also appeared in Ride Clear Of Diablo with Audie Murphy and the 1954 film Destry. He will be best remembered as "Rusty", the boy who was adopted by the Calvery at Fort Apache in the 1954-1959 t.v. series, The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin. Aaker did his last acting in 1963. Like so many child stars, he never made the transition from child star to adult actor.

Michael Madsen began his film career in 1982, in bit parts in film and on t.v. He hit it big in 1989 in the film Kill Me Again with Val Kilmer. He next took on the role of the boyfriend in he hit film, Thelma And Louise. Since then, his career hasn't slowed down, with appearances in films like Wyatt Earp, Kill Bill Vol 1 and Kill Bill Vol II, the remake of The Getaway with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger and also the film, Donnie Brasco. I haven't seen the other western Madsen made, titled Cole Younger And The Black Train. I wil remember Madsen best for his role of .Mr Blonde in the Quentin Tarentino film, Reservoir Dogs. Who could ever forget hs role in the final scenes, as the sadistic killer who poured gas on the kidnapped cop and then sliced his ear off, while the radio played " Stuck In The Middle With You"??

Ed

I had Lee Aaker on yesterday. My mistake.

Aldo Ray is really sadistic in Welcome to Hard Times, and yet he was good as a deaf mute in an episode of The Virginian.

Also today:

Christopher Reeve (1952-2004) was an unknown actor when he was cast as the Man of Steel in 1978's Superman, and he returned to the role for 3 sequels. A marvelous actor, who appeared in movies like Gray Lady Down, Deathtrap, and Remains of the Day, and on TV in The Sea Wolf, Anna Karenina, and the Black Fox Trilogy. In 1995, he was injured during an equestrian competition and was paralyzed from the neck down. He went through some serious rehab and was able to breathe by using an apparatus in which he pumped aid into his airway with his chin. He went on to act in episodes of Smallville and The Practice, and a remake of Rear Window. He also became an activist for people with spinal injuries and for stem cell research. In 2004, he went into cardiac arrest, which may have been caused by a reaction to an antibiotic, resulting in his death. His wife Dana was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, and passed away 7 months later.

Apparently Aldo Ray had some conflicts with John Wayne during the making of The Green Berets. It seems that Ray, a combat veteran from WWII, didn't agree with some of the things Wayne had his 'soldiers' do in the face of combat. I can't find a more detailed description of their disagreement, if anyone has more info, give it up. :-)