Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman Remembered Through His Films, Quotes and Photos.

above photo by Mark Abrahams

All of a sudden my blogging about Super Bowl spots seems so shallow and insignificant. That's because we lost one of the greatest actors of all time this Sunday Morning.



above: Philip Seymour Hoffman at the 2014 Sundance Film festival in a tintype photo by Victoria Will for Esquire Magazine

Now I'm not one who gets 'crushes' on movie stars, nor do I pretend to know them based on my knowledge of their films or the gossip I have read in magazines. But I truly had a great respect for Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose passing leaves me saddened and empty. Found with a needle in his arm in his West Village apartment by a friend at 11:30 am this morning, it seems he has lost his battle with drugs. After 23 years clean, he fell off the wagon a year ago, did ten days in rehab in May of 2013, but apparently heroin got the best of him. Numerous news reports will follow, details will emerge, but it doesn't change the fact that his superb talent is no longer, denying us future performances.

Having won an Oscar in 2006 for his amazing 2005 turn as the lead role in 'Capote,'  he also boasts memorable performances (worth seeing if you have not) in such films as The Master, The Savages, Doubt, Moneyball, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead, Charlie Wilson's War, Boogie Nights, Almost Famous, Magnolia, Happiness, The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Big Lebowski.

In this small tribute to the actor which could never do his talent justice, I am sharing with you many of my favorite portraits of him, personal quotes of his, a full filmography, his honors, awards and a short bio.


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote by Nigel Parry

On playing Capote, Philip said "I knew that it would be great, but I still took the role kicking and screaming. Playing Capote took a lot of concentration. I prepared for four and a half months. I read and listened to his voice and watched videos of him on TV. Sometimes being an actor is like being some kind of detective where you're on the search for a secret that will unlock the character. With Capote, the part required me to be a little unbalanced, and that wasn't really good for my mental health. It was also a technically difficult part. Because I was holding my body in a way it doesn't want to be held and because I was speaking in a voice that my vocal cords did not want to do, I had to stay in character all day. Otherwise, I would give my body the chance to bail on me."


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by Miller Mobley

On quitting drinking at age 22, Philip said "I think I would have drank myself to death, literally, if I didn't just stop, once and for all when I did. I am not ever going to preach to anyone about drugs or drinking. But, for me, when they were around, I had no self control."


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by Herb Ritts

"Other people disagree with me, but Scent of a Woman really was my breakthrough. I was working in the prepared foods section of a deli when I was cast in that movie, and I've never had a non-acting job since. That's amazing". - Philip Seymour Hoffman


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by Brigitte Lacombe

"Actors are responsible to the people we play. I don't label or judge. I just play them as honestly and expressively and creatively as I can, in the hope that people who ordinarily turn their heads in disgust instead think, 'What I thought I'd feel about that guy, I don't totally feel right now.' " - Philip Seymour Hoffman on his responsibility as an actor.


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by Dan Busta

"My favorite thing about acting is being alone and going through the scripts and working on it and getting ideas and asking myself questions, looking outside myself for them and researching and getting to the bottom of something and being creative with it as an actor and how to express it in a creative fashion. That's my favorite part. And, the actual acting of it." - Philip Seymour Hoffman


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by unknown photographer

"Acting is so difficult for me that, unless the work is of a certain stature in my mind, unless I reach the expectations I have of myself, I'm unhappy. Then it's a miserable existence. I'm putting a piece of myself out there. If it doesn't do anything, I feel so ashamed. I'm afraid I'll be the kind of actor who thought he would make a difference and didn't. Right now, though, I feel like I made a little bit of difference." - Philip Seymour Hoffman


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by Christopher Wahl

"Study, find all the good teachers and study with them, get involved in acting to act, not to be famous or for the money. Do plays. It's not worth it if you are just in it for the money. You have to love it." - On his advice to aspiring actors.


above portrait of Philip Seymour Hoffman by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin

I don't think most people knew of his enormous body of work, playing both comedic and dramatic roles, voiceovers and more. I am devastated by the fact that he will not be able to bring us more on-screen joy but am thrilled that he has left behind a legacy of movies that will continue to entertain for decades.


above: his incredible range can be illustrated by his roles in Boogie Nights (above left) to Doubt (above right)

Here are his films in chronological order from most recent:

Presently in post production
• TV series (Happyish) and
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

2014
• God's Pocket
• Recently wrapped: A Most Wanted Man
• Recently wrapped: Günther Bachmann

2013
•The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Plutarch Heavensbee)

2012
• Back Beyond (Video short in which he played Lancaster Dodd)
• A Late Quartet (Robert Gelbart)
• The Master (Lancaster Dodd)

2011
• Moneyball (Art Howe)
• The Ides of March (Paul Zara)
• A Child's Garden of Poetry (TV Movie) (voice)

2010
• Jack Goes Boating (Jack)
• Arthur (TV Series playing Will Toffman)
• No Acting Please/Prunella Deegan and the Disappointing Ending (2009) ... Will Toffman (voice)
• The Invention of Lying (Jim the Bartender)
• Pirate Radio (The Count)
• Mary and Max - Max Jerry Horovitz (voice)

2008
• Doubt (Father Brendan Flynn)
• Synecdoche, New York (Caden Cotard)

2007
• Charlie Wilson's War (Gust Avrakotos)
• Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Andy)
• The Savages (Jon Savage)

2006
• Mission: Impossible III (Owen Davian)

2005
• Capote (Truman Capote)
• Empire Falls (TV Movie playing Charlie Mayne)
• Strangers with Candy (Henry)

2004
• Along Came Polly (Sandy Lyle)

2003
• Cold Mountain (Reverend Veasey)
• Mattress Man Commercial (Video short playing Dean Trumbell)
• Owning Mahowny (Dan Mahowny)

2002
• 25th Hour (Jacob Elinsky)
• Red Dragon (Freddy Lounds)
• Punch-Drunk Love (Dean Trumbell)
• Love Liza (Wilson Joel)
• Almost Famous (Lester Bangs)

2000
• State and Main (Joseph Turner White)

1999
• The Talented Mr. Ripley (Freddie Miles)
• Magnolia (Phil Parma)
• Flawless (Rusty)

1998
• Patch Adams (Mitch)
• Happiness (Allen)
• The Big Lebowski (Brandt)
• Next Stop Wonderland (Sean)
• Montana (Duncan)

1997
• Liberty! The American Revolution (TV Mini-Series)
- The Times That Try Men's Souls: 1776-1777 (1997) ... Joseph Plumb Martin
- Oh, Fatal Ambition: 1777-1778 (1997) ... Joseph Plumb Martin
- The Reluctant Revolutionaries: 1763-1774 (1997) ... Joseph Plumb Martin
- Blows Must Decide: 1774-1776 (1997) ... Joseph Plumb Martin
• Culture (Short in which played Bill)
• Boogie Nights (Scotty J.)
• Twister (Dustin Davis)

1996
• Hard Eight Young Craps Player (as Phillip Seymour Hoffman)

1995
• The Fifteen Minute Hamlet (Short in which he played Bernardo / Horatio / Laertes )

1994
• Nobody's Fool (Officer Raymer)
• When a Man Loves a Woman (Gary)
• The Yearling (TV Movie, played Buck)
• Szuler (Martin)
• The Getaway (Frank Hansen)

1993
• Money for Nothing (Cochran)
• My Boyfriend's Back (Chuck Bronski)
• Joey Breaker (Wiley McCall)

1992
• Scent of a Woman ( he played bartender George Willis, Jr. and claims this as his 'breakout' role)
• Leap of Faith (Matt)
• My New Gun (Chris)

1991
• Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole (Klutch)
• Law & Order (TV Series)

Some of his awards, nominations and honors:




to see a complete list of awards and honors, go here



IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwoo:
Film and stage actor and theater director Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in the Rochester, New York, suburb of Fairport on July 23, 1967. After becoming involved in high school theatrics, he attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with a B.F.A. degree in Drama in 1989. He made his feature film debut in the indie production Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole (1991) as Phil Hoffman, and his first role in a major release came the next year in My New Gun (1992). While he had supporting roles in some other major productions, his breakthrough role came in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997). He quickly became an icon of indie cinema, establishing a reputation as one of the screen's finest actors, in a variety of supporting and second leads in indie and major features, including Todd Solondz's Happiness (1998), Flawless (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia (1999), Almost Famous (2000) and State and Main (2000). He also appeared in supporting roles in such mainstream, big-budget features as Red Dragon (2002), Cold Mountain (2003) and the upcoming Mission: Impossible III (2006).

Hoffman is also quite active on the stage. On Broadway, he has earned two Tony nominations, as Best Actor (Play) in 2000 for a revival of Sam Shepard's "True West" and as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) in 2003 for a revival of Eugene O'Neill (I)'s "Long Day's Journey into Night". His other acting credits in the New York theater include "The Seagull" (directed by Mike Nichols for The New York Shakespeare Festival), "Defying Gravity", "The Merchant of Venice" (directed by Peter Sellars), "Shopping and F*@%ing" and "The Author's Voice" (Drama Desk nomination). He is the Co-Artistic Director of the LAByrinth Theater Company in New York, for which he directed "Our Lady of 121st Street" by Stephen Adly Guirgis. He also has directed "In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings" and "Jesus Hopped the A Train" by Guirgis for LAByrinth, and "The Glory of Living" by Rebecca Gilman at the Manhattan Class Company.

Hoffman consolidated his reputation as one of the finest actors under the age of 40 with his turn in the title role of Capote (2005), for which he won the Los Angeles Film Critics Award as Best Actor. In 2006, he was awarded the Best Actor Oscar for the same role.

My heart goes out to his family, friends and fans,
Rest in peace, Philip.

Actor of Screen and Stage, James Gandolfini Dies Far Too Young.

Best remembered as mob boss Tony from seven seasons on "The Sopranos" for which he won three Emmys, actor James Gandolfini has sadly and unexpectedly passed away. The New York Times reports, with confirmation from HBO, that the actor died Wednesday morning in Rome of a massive heart attack while vacationing with his family.


above: Still of James Gandolfini, Steven Van Zandt, Michael Imperioli and Tony Sirico in The Sopranos

The 51 year old New Jersey native was both a superb stage actor (he appeared as Michael in God of Carnage on and off Broadway) and screen actor who helped to make HBO Sunday Nights an occasion in homes worldwide.

His loss will be felt by family, friends and fans alike.

The Million Dollar Mermaid Swims Out Of Our Lives. All About The Lovely Esther Williams. (35 photos)

Most of my readers are too young to know who Esther Williams was. But if you like bathing beauties, pin-up girls, singing, acting, swimming, big production numbers (Busby Berkeley) and corny romances, you'll want to know more about the legend we just lost at the age of 91.



I grew up watching her beautiful face -predominately smiling at me from underwater- and marveled at her swimming, acting, singing, figure and ability to seemingly do it all submerged in a pool. She aged as gracefully as she swam, a beauty until the very end.


above: Esther William's in Neptune's Daughter, 1949

I've gathered some of my favorite images, facts, movies and more about the Million Dollar Mermaid for your entertainment and education.

"Wet she was a star." --Hollywood producer Joe Pasternak



Biography:
She was born Esther Jane Williams in Inglewood, CA on Aug. 8, 1921, to Lou, an artist and Bula, a member of the Inglewood Board of Education who helped raise funds for neighborhood school's swimming pool. Esther took to the water at a very early age, earning her first paycheck at the age of eight as a towel girl at a local swimming pool. Her older brother Stanton Williams was the first member of the family to become a star by appearing in a handful of silent films and stage productions before his untimely death at age 16. His sister took the athletic route and gained fame as a teenage swimming champion; by 16, she had earned three national championship titles in freestyle and breaststroke. Eventually, she made the 1940 Olympic swimming team, but her dreams of a medal were dashed by the outbreak of World War II.




Undaunted, she took up part-time work as a model while studying at Los Angeles City College. Theater impresario Billy Rose saw one of her print layouts and immediately contacted her to audition for his Aquacade, an all-singing, all-dancing, all-swimming production at the San Francisco World's Fair. Former Olympic swimming medalist-turned-movie Tarzan, Johnny Weismuller, was the star of the show, and according to showbiz legend, he personally selected her to be his Aquabelle No.1.



Williams' looks and flawless skill with the show's choreographed swimming duets captured the attention of audiences, as well as executives at MGM, who saw a box office bonanza in her abilities. She was quickly signed up for a screen test opposite none other than Clark Gable, the then-reigning King of the Movies. Both the star and the studio liked what they saw, and Williams was signed to a contract. Her movie debut came with a small role in 1942's "Andy Hardy's Double Life," with star Mickey Rooney giving Williams her first screen kiss.


above: Mickey Rooney and Esther Williams on the set of Andy Hardy's Double Life, 1942

Audience response to Williams was overwhelming. She was already a star by her third picture, a Red Skelton comedy originally titled "Mr. Coed" that was transformed into a starring vehicle for Williams and re-dubbed "Bathing Beauty" (1944). A special tank was built at Stage 30 on the MGM lot to accommodate choreographer Busby Berkeley's elaborate water routines. The film's climax, which sees Williams crowned as queen amidst an orgy of smoke, flames, synchronized swimmers and gushing fountains, became one of the most iconic numbers in Hollywood history. The film itself became the third highest-grossing title in MGM's history to that date.


above: Esther Williams in Bathing Beauty, 1944

The film's success led to a 10-year string of aquatic-themed musicals for Williams, each more lavish than its predecessor. There were occasional forays out of the MGM pool, such as 1946's "The Hoodlum Saint," which paired the 24-year-old actress with the 54-year-old William Powell as her love interest, and Berkeley's terrific "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (1949), in which baseball players Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly vied for the hand of new owner Williams.


above: Esther Williams publicity still from Hoodlum Saint

above: Esther Williams in Take Me Out To The Ballgame in which Busby Berkeley was sure to give her a swimming scene

But for the most part, audiences preferred seeing Williams in the water in features like "Million Dollar Mermaid" (1953), a biopic about real-life swimming star Annette Kellerman, or "Jupiter's Darling" (1955), which found her in the improbable role of a Roman woman who helps Hannibal (Howard Keel) swim the Tiber River. The aquatic features were challenging and even dangerous - prolonged exposure to the studio tank led to repeated eardrum ruptures, near drownings and a broken neck during a diving sequence for "Mermaid" - but Williams was "America's Mermaid," as the press dubbed her, so she had little choice in the matter.



above: images of Esther in Million Dollar Mermaid

But she was also shrewd enough to realize that her particular brand of musical was limited - there were just so many films that could be built around her swimming routines. She departed MGM as audience demand for their musical product began to dry up, and moved to Universal for her first drama, "The Unguarded Moment" (1956). A lurid melodrama about a high school teacher (Williams) who becomes the object of obsession for a deranged student (John Saxon), the film raised eyebrows with its sexually suggestive subject matter but failed to translate into a lasting dramatic career for Williams. She appeared in several more forgettable features before retiring at the demand of her third husband, actor Fernando Lamas, in the early 1960s.



In the late latter part of that decade, Williams was approached by swimming pool manufacturers, the Delair Group, to license her name to their above-ground models. The decision was a savvy one, and the line became one of the most popular for suburbanites across the United States. Further licensing agreements led to her own line of swimwear for older women, based on the suits she wore in her movies, and a modern line for younger women. All three business decisions proved to be lucrative and popular for the former actress.


above: Esther designing her line of swimwear

above: The Esther Williams Collection of Swimwear, still in business

In 1999, Williams penned her autobiography, The Million Dollar Mermaid, with co-author Digby Diehl. The tome generated a great deal of press for its controversial stories about her love life, which included trysts with co-stars Victor Mature and Jeff Chandler; a revelation about the latter actor's penchant for women's clothing was among the book's most scandalous statements.



Williams also discussed her three marriages (she had a fourth after the book was written), which included loveless unions with a former college classmate and singer/actor Ben Gage, whom she described as an alcoholic spendthrift.

In addition, the book recounted her various struggles with studio heads, fending off the amorous advances of Weismuller and Howard Hughes, and dealing with the egos of co-stars like Gene Kelly and Lamas, who reportedly demanded total servitude from Williams.



Some career milestones:
1941: Signed MGM contract
1942: Film acting debut in "Andy Hardy's Double Life"
1942: First came to attention in her first swimming film, "Bathing Beauty"
1949: Twice made the annual exhibitors' poll of top ten box office stars; placed eighth both years
1955: Last major aqua-musical, "Jupiter's Darling"
1955: Ended MGM contract (date approximate)
1957: Made TV debut in "Lux Video Theatre's The Armed Venus"
1958: Last film for three years, "Raw Wind in Eden"
1961: Made one-shot return to films to play a leading role in "The Big Show"
:Retired from the industry in the early 1960s
1994: Was one of the hosts of the musical compilation documentary "That's Entertainment III"



above: publicity stills of Esther in Pagan Love Song

Husbands/Companions/Lovers:
Hubby #1: Leonard Kovner. Married in 1940; divorced in 1944; met when he was pre med student at USC.
Hubby #2: Ben Gage. Radio announcer. Married in 1945; divorce became final in 1958.
Companion: Jeff Chandler. Actor. Worked together on "Raw Wind in Eden" (1958).
Hubby #3: Fernando Lamas. Actor. Married in two separate ceremonies: a civil ceremony in Europe (some sources say in 1963, others 1967) and one in a church (Founders' Church of Religious Science, near Hollywood) on December 31, 1969; born on January 9, 1915; died in 1982.
Hubby #4: Edward Bell. Businessman. Married on October 24, 1994; met during 1984 Summer Olympics.



10 Fun Facts About Esther
1. She First Gained Fame in California as a Competitive Swimmer.
Born in 1921, Williams started swimming at an early age and quickly distinguished herself for her speed. By 16 she was winning national championships, and by 19 she had shattered records for breast stroke and freestyle. Williams planned on competing in the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, but the event was canceled due to the outbreak of World War II.

2. in 1941, she signed with MGM studios, with whom she began starring in "Aqua-musicals."
In her memoir, Williams said that just a year after the end of her swim racing career she, "walks through the gates of MGM a year later and swims her way to movie stardom." Her first films helped to show off her swimming abilities by prominently featuring her in pools and bathing suits.



3. She appeared in some of the highest-grossing movies of the 1940s and 1950s.
The 1940s and 50s catapulted her to stardom. During this movie she started in movies with Mickey Rooney, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, and Frank Sinatra. Many of her films, like Thrill of Romance and Neptune's Daughter were some of the highest grossing films in the years they were made.


above: Esther in Neptune's Daughter, 1949

4. Her nickname was the "Million Dollar Mermaid."
The name of one of her most popular films, Million Dollar Mermaid would stick with her as a nickname for the rest of her life. The 1952 film was a major hit and earned an Academy Award Nomination for Best Cinematography. The nickname also stuck because as her fame grew in the 1940s and 1950s, so too did her income.



5. She left MGM in 1959 and retired from movies in the 1960s.
Her memoir explains that the time period around 1959 was a dark time for her.She had recently gotten a divorce, she suffered from alcoholism and exhaustion, and she found herself in an increasingly fragile mental state. She eventually retired from film.

6. She created a line of swimwear and lent her name to a brand of swimming pools.
Later in her life, Williams helped to create a line of retro-style swimwear like the kind she wore in her hit films. This business, as well as the pool company named after her, helped to keep her busy until her death.

Vintage Cole of California Esther Williams Swimwear ads:



7. She served as a commentator during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
In 1984 she served as a commentator for swimming events, specifically synchronized swimming, in the Los Angeles olympics. According to a New York Times interview, she had a face lift before the event to look her best.

8. She was married four times, the last marriage being to Edward Bell. She had three children: Benjamin Gage, Born in 1949; Kimbell Gage, Born in 1950 and Susan Gage, Born in 1953.

9. In 1959, Cary Grant claims he used LSD with Williams, she confirmed this in her autobiography.

10. She suffered a stroke in 2007.
some of the above 10 facts are courtesy of Heavy





Her complete filmography:

Cast (feature film)
1. Busby Berkeley: Going Through The Roof (1998) as Interviewee.
2. That's Entertainment! III (1994) as Host; Song Performer.
3. MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992)
4. The Big Show (1961) as Hillary Allen .
5. Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) as "Sheila Brooks" from Andy Hardy's Double Life .
6. Raw Wind in Eden (1958) as Laura .
7. The Unguarded Moment (1956) as Lois Conway .
8. Jupiter's Darling (1955) as Amytis .
9. Easy to Love (1953) as Julie Hallerton .
10. Dangerous When Wet (1953) as Katy [Higgins] .
11. Skirts Ahoy! (1952) as Whitney Young.
12. Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) as Annette Kellerman .
13. Texas Carnival (1951) as Debbie Telford .
14. Callaway Went Thataway (1951) as .
15. Duchess of Idaho (1950) as Christine Riverton Duncan .
16. Pagan Love Song (1950) as Mimi Bennett .
17. Neptune's Daughter (1949) as Eve Barrett .
18. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) as K. C. Higgins .
19. On an Island with You (1948) as Rosalind Rennolds .
20. Fiesta (1947) as Maria Morales .
21. This Time for Keeps (1947) as Leonora "Nora" Cambaretti .
22. Till the Clouds Roll By (1947) as Movie star .
23. The Hoodlum Saint (1946) as Kay Lorrison .
24. Ziegfeld Follies (1946) as Dancer in "A Water Ballet" .
25. Easy to Wed (1946) as Connie Allenbury .
26. Thrill of a Romance (1945) as Cynthia Glenn .
27. Bathing Beauty (1944) as Caroline Brooks .
28. A Guy Named Joe (1944) as Ellen Bright .
29. Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942) as Sheila Brooks .

Cast (special)
30. Glorious Technicolor (1998) as Interviewee.
31. Golden Globe's 50th Anniversary Celebration, The (1994)
32. Stars and Stripes: Hollywood and World War II (1991)
33. 48th Annual Golden Globe Awards, The (1991) as Presenter.
34. Thalians, The (1991)
35. Happy Birthday, Hollywood! (1987)
36. Esther Williams at Cypress Gardens (1960) as Host.

Cast (short)
37. INFLATION (1943) as Mrs. Smith.

Esther Williams aged beautifully as you can see from these later photos (with the admitted help of a face lift or two):




Esther Williams Movies on Amazon

Purchase her Autobiography:


An Esther Williams Paper Doll Book:




The Million Dollar Mermaid will be missed. Swim In Peace, Esther.


information and images courtesy of IMDB and  TCM