Actor Clu Gulager (1928-2022) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 08-06-2022, 08:27 PM

https://www.indiewire.com/2022/08/cl...ad-1234748962/

Clu Gulager, the character actor who famously played Burt in “The Return of the Living Dead” and Mr. Walsh in “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge” among hundreds of other credits, has died at the age of 93.

Gulager was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma in 1928. His legal name was William Martin Gulager, but he received the Cherokee nickname “Clu” at a young age because his middle name is Martin and purple martins are often referred to as “clu-clu birds.” Gulager made his screen acting debut in a 1955 episode of “Omnibus,” and soon found success as a television Western star.

He famously played Billy the Kid on the NBC series “The Tall Man” for its entire two season run, and later joined “The Virginian” in Season 3 as Deputy Sheriff Emmett Ryker, eventually appearing in 104 episodes. He also guest starred on many other Western series including hits like “Wagon Train” and “Bonanza.” He also notably collaborated with Don Siegel in 1964’s “The Killers” and appeared in Peter Bogdanovich’s “The Last Picture Show” in 1971.

Despite this early success, another two decades went by before Gulager did what many consider to be his most memorable work. He played the lead role in Dan O’Bannon’s “The Return of the Living Dead,” and his role in the cult classic led to him frequently working as a character actor in horror films.

Though he was always best known for his work in the 1980s, Gulager continued to work as a performer into his final years. He appeared in most of the movies directed by his son, John Gulager, beginning with “Feast” in 2005. That collaboration led him to appear in “Piranha 3DD” in 2012 as well as two “Feast” sequels and “Children of the Corn: Runaway.”

His final role came in 2019, when he appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as the owner of a bookstore that Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate visits. He also collaborated with Sean Baker, notably playing The Cherokee in “Tangerine.”

Dude111 · 08-07-2022, 12:17 PM

Very sad....

Torgo · 08-08-2022, 08:23 AM

He was an icon in horror thanks to his performance in Return Of The Livng Dead.

He played an excellent jerk father in Nightmare On Elm Street 2

A creepy performance as a psycho killer in the 80s horror anthology From A Whisper To A Scream

And on the comedy-side, the perfect bady guy in the John Cusack/Tim Robbins comedy Tapeheads

AB · 08-23-2022, 08:28 PM

Rest in peace. I liked him in The Virginian.

08-06-2022, 08:27 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,385	Actor Clu Gulager (1928-2022) https://www.indiewire.com/2022/08/cl...ad-1234748962/ Clu Gulager, the character actor who famously played Burt in “The Return of the Living Dead” and Mr. Walsh in “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge” among hundreds of other credits, has died at the age of 93. Gulager was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma in 1928. His legal name was William Martin Gulager, but he received the Cherokee nickname “Clu” at a young age because his middle name is Martin and purple martins are often referred to as “clu-clu birds.” Gulager made his screen acting debut in a 1955 episode of “Omnibus,” and soon found success as a television Western star. He famously played Billy the Kid on the NBC series “The Tall Man” for its entire two season run, and later joined “The Virginian” in Season 3 as Deputy Sheriff Emmett Ryker, eventually appearing in 104 episodes. He also guest starred on many other Western series including hits like “Wagon Train” and “Bonanza.” He also notably collaborated with Don Siegel in 1964’s “The Killers” and appeared in Peter Bogdanovich’s “The Last Picture Show” in 1971. Despite this early success, another two decades went by before Gulager did what many consider to be his most memorable work. He played the lead role in Dan O’Bannon’s “The Return of the Living Dead,” and his role in the cult classic led to him frequently working as a character actor in horror films. Though he was always best known for his work in the 1980s, Gulager continued to work as a performer into his final years. He appeared in most of the movies directed by his son, John Gulager, beginning with “Feast” in 2005. That collaboration led him to appear in “Piranha 3DD” in 2012 as well as two “Feast” sequels and “Children of the Corn: Runaway.” His final role came in 2019, when he appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as the owner of a bookstore that Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate visits. He also collaborated with Sean Baker, notably playing The Cherokee in “Tangerine.”

08-08-2022, 08:23 AM	#3
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,033	He was an icon in horror thanks to his performance in Return Of The Livng Dead. He played an excellent jerk father in Nightmare On Elm Street 2 A creepy performance as a psycho killer in the 80s horror anthology From A Whisper To A Scream And on the comedy-side, the perfect bady guy in the John Cusack/Tim Robbins comedy Tapeheads
	__________________ "I'm going to go do something productive. I'm gonna go watch television." - Ray Peterson, The 'burbs "I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries." - Stephen King "There's nothing wrong with G-rated movies, as long as there's lots of sex and violence." - Elvira

08-07-2022, 12:17 PM	#2
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 36,319	Very sad....

08-23-2022, 08:28 PM	#4
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	Rest in peace. I liked him in The Virginian.