R.I.P. Rip Torn (1931-2019)

Rip Torn

On July 9, 2019, an actor of stage and screen Rip Torn passed away at the age of 88 in Lakeview, Connecticut. Among his most noteworthy credits was being a character actor known for his curmudgeon roles in films like Defending Your Life, Men in Black, and Dodgeball. He has also appeared on TV in series like The Larry Sanders Show and was in the original production of Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth. He leaves behind an impressive career spanning almost 60 years and so many memorable roles. With so many career highs, he will be missed for making the world of film, TV, and theater a lot more interesting and far less conventional than it was before.

Torn was born Elmore Rual Torn Jr. in Temple, Texas on February 6, 1931. His father, Rual Sr., was an agriculturalist and economist who promoted the consumption of black-eyed peas as a custom of New Year's Day. The nickname "Rip" was a family tradition that stuck with him. He was also related to Sissy Spacek and David Torn, who were both cousins. He graduated from Taylor High School in 1948 before graduating from the University of Texas. He studied acting under Shakespeare professor Iden Payne. He would also serve with the Military Police in the United States Arm. He would move to Hollywood in 1956 and study in the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg, eventually becoming a prolific actor.

Throughout his career, he would have a lot of bit parts in TV and film. His cinematic debut came as an extra in the Tennessee Williams adaptation Baby Doll, and he would also feature in the original cast of Williams' play Sweet Bird of Youth, where he starred opposite Geraldine Page (his first wife). He would split time between doing film, TV, and theater over the course of his career, including numerous appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Over the course of his career, he would do 10 Broadway productions and a few Off-Broadway productions, of also which he did some directing and won in 2967 the Obie Award. In 1983, he would receive a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Cross Creek. 

His career would continue to flourish as the decades continued. He had an especially successful period in the 1990s where he starred in the HBO series The Larry Sanders Show. He would receive six nominations and one win for his performance as well as a CableACE Award for it. He would also appear in the successful sci-fi film Men in Black where he received a Satellite Award nomination. Later on, he would become more of a character actor with the memorable turn in the sports comedy Dodgeball and the cult favorite Freddy Got Fingered. He would continue to work on various projects throughout the later years with his most recent credits being voice work for video game God of War III. 

Behind the scenes, he was a bit more of a complicated man. He was described as being "irascible" and became easily angry or sad. Among the most noteworthy exchanges came in 1970 when working on Maidstone opposite Norman Mailer. He used a hammer to attack Mailer, which leads to the attacked biting Torn's ear as cameras rolled. It was also said that Easy Rider was written with him in mind for the Jack Nicholson role, but Torn's fights with Dennis Hopper lead to a firing. This would lead to a defamation lawsuit in 1994, of which Torn won. In more recent conflicts, Torn was arrested in 2010 for breaking into a bank that he believed was his house. This encouraged him to go into rehab and try to get sober. 

Torn is an actor who has transcended several decades and produced so many memorable roles in the process. He radiated every time he came on screen or on stage and produced a lot of magnetic work. He leaves behind an impressive body of work that exemplifies his gifts as a dramatic actor as well as his ability to do comedy. With over 50 years of experience to pull from, there's a towering body of work that will continue to entertain anyone who has an interest in the arts. While he was considered to be irascible and sometimes out of control, the work he produced speaks for itself and shows just how much gravitas he had. He was a one of a kind actor who will be greatly missed.