David Huddleston, Actor on 'Blazing Saddles' and 'The Big Lebowski,' Dies at 85

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: Variety


David Huddleston, the burly comic actor who specialized in playing blustery characters like the Big Lebowski in the legendary Coen Brothers 1998 film, has died. He was 85.

Huddleston, who portrayed another blowhard — Mayor Olsen Johnson, one of the many Johnsons in town — in the Mel Brooks comedy classic Blazing Saddles (1974), died Tuesday of heart and kidney disease in Santa Fe, N.M., his wife Sarah told The Hollywood Reporter.

In The Big Lebowski, inspired by the noirish work of Raymond Chandler, Huddleston played a multimillionaire (or so he appeared) who shared the last name of the film's protagonist, the hippie Jeff "the Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges). Julianne Moore portrayed his daughter.

In a career of more than 60 films, his breakthrough role came as a vicious gang leader with a sense of humor in Robert Benton’s directorial debut, the Civil War-set Bad Company (1972), which also starred Bridges.

Read more: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/david-huddleston-dead-big-lebowski-917418

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[Siwsan]

1. Good character actors are the backbone of the film industry

It is always sad to lose one.

[63splitwindow]

2. Agreed. As comfortable to watch as an old tshirt is to watch. RIP.

[spiderpig]

3. Awwwwww...

He really tied the room together.

RIP

[Judi Lynn]

4. Always great. Thanks for providing these clips. n/t

[CentralMass]

5. Bummer.

[ncgrits]

6. So great in O Brother Where Art Thou

"I'll press your flesh, you dimwitted sumbitch! You don't tell your pappy how to court the electorate. We ain't one-at-a-timin' here. We're MASS communicating!"

[SixString]

8. That was Charles Durning.

Pappy O'Daniel

[ncgrits]

15. Ugh. You're right of course. And unfortunately he's passed away too! :o(

But, like Trump, I can admit my mistake!

[montana_hazeleyes]

7. Aw. I just love him.

Thanks for the clips. He is unforgettable and you'd recognize his voice anywhere too.

[Person 2713]

9. Great clips thank you

[47of74]

10. RIP Mr. Lebowski!

[drm604]

11. RIP Mr. Huddleston.

You've entertained us many times, and you will continue to entertain people long after we're all gone.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. R.I.P. and ditto post #1 about good character actors

Some classic films noted and his roles helped to make them memorable!

[MrScorpio]

13. Rest in power, Mr. Huddleston

[whistler162]

14. One of those actors you thought was

older than they actually where! I would have thought he was in his 50's or 60's when he was in Blazing Saddles.

[Mc Mike]

16. He was a great actor.

I had never seen the '12 campaign vid he'd done.

So many times, I've seen some gop er telling some transparent outrageous lie, and flashed back to the scene where he says 'I say I entrusted the money to you, and you stole it!' The look of cruel triumph in his eyes and face, his energetic aggresive manner in delivering the line. He's saying 'We both know I'm lying, and there's no one to hold me accountable. I'm winning.' just using his facial muscles, body movement, and line delivery.

I see some gop er doing the same thing, in real life or media, and think 'he's pulling a big lebowsky', which makes me feel less bad or upset. His performance in that role contributes to my physiological health, frequently.

[Initech]

17. I shall go watch the Big Lebowski in his honor.

[Paladin]

18. Another fine character actor who made the most of every role. RIP. (nt)