James Gammon, popular character actor from the Major League baseball-movie series and of course Urban Cowboy, died last Friday of cancer in Costa Mesa, Calif. He was 70.
Rocks Off has been spotlighting Urban Cowboy this past month for the Houston-based film's 30th anniversary. Gammon's character, ex-rodeo star Steve Strange, was an integral part of the classic movie, propelling the storyline from a basic drunken white-trash love story to the epic fake bull-riding tale it became in the last half of the film. He was pals with Bud's Uncle Bob and used to ride bulls with him and helped along that side of the plot.
But it was Gammon's role as Manager Lou Brown in 1989's Major League that we will remember him the most. His turn as tire-store manager turned no-nonsense skipper of the misfit Indians who are destined to fail offers almost endless quotes.
The actor was a fixture on many Wild West television series before moving to films with 1968's Cool Hand Luke. He had a lengthy stage and screen career and was an actor's actor, always a favorite in his field and was said to be an incredibly nice guy.