G. D. Spradlin

Gervase Duan Spradlin (August 31, 1920 – July 24, 2011) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive accent and voice, he often played devious authority figures. He is credited in over 70 television and film productions, and performed with actors such as Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Garner, Charlton Heston, George C. Scott, and Johnny Depp.

G. D. Spradlin
Born
Gervase Duan Spradlin

(1920-08-31)August 31, 1920
DiedJuly 24, 2011(2011-07-24) (aged 90)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Oklahoma
OccupationActor
Years active1966–1999
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Nell Spradlin
(19442000; her death),
Frances Hendrickson
(20022011; his death)
Children2
Signature

Early life

Spradlin was born August 31, 1920, in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. His parents both worked as schoolteachers. Spradlin obtained his bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Oklahoma. He was a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. He then served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, where he was stationed in China.[1]

Following World War II, Spradlin returned to the University of Oklahoma, where he completed a law degree in 1948.[1] He first began his career as an attorney working in Venezuela and then became an independent oil producer forming Rouge Oil Company.[1] Before he turned to acting, he was active in local politics, and he campaigned for John F. Kennedy in 1959. He joined the Oklahoma Repertory Theatre in 1964.[2]

Career

A notable break for Spradlin resulted from his work in television in the 1960s. Casting director Fred Roos had cast Spradlin in television shows such as I Spy (as the immediate superior of Pentagon spies Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott in the episode "Tonia"), Mannix (in an uncredited role as Senator Sid Abernathy in the episode "Turn Every Stone"), and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (as visiting Colonel Driscoll in the episode "Gomer Pyle Super Chef"). Spradlin portrayed Commander Maurice E. "Germany" Curts, Communications Officer, U.S. Pacific Fleet, in an uncredited role in Tora! Tora! Tora! in 1970. He was also in the counter-culture film Zabriskie Point (1970). He worked with Jack Webb on the series Dragnet, playing multiple roles from a safecracker to a low-level con man.[3]

When Roos co-produced The Godfather Part II, he recommended Spradlin for the role of Pat Geary, a corrupt U.S. senator from Nevada,[2] and Spradlin played a senator in the 1976 TV miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man Book II. Among his film credits are One on One (1977) (as an authoritarian basketball coach) and Apocalypse Now (as General Corman, the somber officer who assigns Martin Sheen's character to the search mission).[2] He played the head football coach B.A. Strother in North Dallas Forty (1979), and "Carolina Military Institute" commandant General Durrell in The Lords of Discipline (1983).

In 1984, Spradlin played a villainous Southern sheriff in Tank. In 1985, Spradlin turned in a memorable performance as President Lyndon B. Johnson in the mini-series Robert Kennedy and His Times, based on the book of the same name by presidential historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. In 1986, he again portrayed an American president when he played Andrew Jackson in the television movie Houston: The Legend of Texas. Also in 1986, he starred in the miniseries Dream West. In 1988, he played Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in the miniseries War and Remembrance. In 1989, Spradlin played a small role in the film The War of the Roses as a divorce lawyer, with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.[1]

Spradlin played a minister in Ed Wood (1994), a conspirator in the attempted assassination of a state governor in Nick of Time (1995), Bishop Dyer in the TV movie Riders of the Purple Sage (1996), which was adapted from Zane Grey's 1912 novel of the same name, and the President of the United States in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996).[3]

Spradlin retired from acting after Dick (1999), in which he played Ben Bradlee.[1] He reprised his role as Pat Geary in Electronic Arts' video game adaptation of The Godfather Part II in 2009.

Death

Spradlin died of natural causes at his cattle ranch in San Luis Obispo, California on July 24, 2011 at the age of 90. His first wife, Nell, with whom he had two daughters, died in 2000. He was survived by his second wife, Frances Hendrickson, whom he married in 2002.[1]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1967Will PennyAnse Howard
1969Number OneDoctor Tristler
1969Hell's Angels '69Detective
1970Zabriskie PointLee's Associate
1970Tora! Tora! Tora!Cmdr. Maurice E. Curts - Kimmel's Communications OfficerUncredited
1970Monte WalshHal Henderson
1971The Hunting PartySam Bayard
1972The Only Way HomePhilip
1974The Godfather Part IISenator Pat Geary
1977One on OneCoach Moreland Smith
1977MacArthurGeneral Eichelberger
1978Maneaters Are Loose!Gordon Hale
1979Apocalypse NowGeneral Corman
1979North Dallas FortyB. A. Strothers
1980The FormulaArthur Clements
1982Wrong Is RightJack Philindros
1983The Lords of DisciplineGen. Bentley Durrell
1984TankSheriff Buelton
1986Dream WestGen. Steven Watts KearneyTV Mini-Series, 2 episodes
1989The War of the RosesHarry Thurmont
1994CliffordParker Davis
1994Ed WoodReverend Lemon
1995Canadian BaconR. J. Hacker
1995Nick of TimeMystery Man
1996The Long Kiss GoodnightPresident
1999DickBen Bradlee(final film role)

References

  1. McLellan, Dennis (July 26, 2011). "G.D. Spradlin dies at 90; veteran character actor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  2. Martin, Douglas (July 27, 2011). "G.D. Spradlin, Prolific Character Actor, Dies at 90". The New York Times. p. B17. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  3. Wilonsky, Robert (July 27, 2011). "A Fond Farewell to G.D. Spradlin, Once the Coach of the North Dallas Bulls". Unfair Park. Dallas, TX: Dallas Observer. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
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