R. Lee Ermey

Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24, 1944) is a retired U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor who later made a career as an actor playing the roles of military or authority figures. He currently hosts Mail Call, a military history program on the History Channel.

In May 2002 he received an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) by the then Commandant of the Marine Corps, James L. Jones and became the first retiree in the history of the Marines to be promoted.

Biography

Born in Emporia, Kansas, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961. He spent two years as a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, Ermey arrived in Vietnam where he served for 14 months with the Marine Wing Support Group 17. He then served two tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan. During that time, Ermey rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was medically discharged in 1972 for several injuries received during his tours.

R. Lee Ermey's Marine Corps awards and decorations are as follows:

Graphical representation of R. Lee Ermey's USMC awards

Ermey was cast in his first movie while he studied at the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. He played a helicopter pilot in Apocalypse Now, and also served as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola. He played minor roles in films until 1987, when he was cast as the tough drill sergeant in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. He also served as the technical advisor on the film. Ermey was originally supposed to be just the technical advisor to the film but Kubrick changed his mind after hearing Ermey's hair raising DI tirades, and even let him write some of his dialogue and improvise on set. Kubrick later acknowledged Ermey was one of the best people he’s ever worked with, needing just 2 or 3 takes per scene. The performance won critical raves and Ermey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor.

He has since appeared in approximately sixty films, including Mississippi Burning, Dead Man Walking, Se7en, Leaving Las Vegas, Prefontaine, Saving Silverman, and the remakes of Willard and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ermey also lent his voice for Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and an episode of The Simpsons.

Filmography

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