LOS ANGELES–Robert Forster, the stalwart leading man whose Oscar-nominated performance as a nefarious bail bondsman in Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” made for one of Hollywood’s most heartwarming comeback stories, died at his home here Oct. 11. He was 78.
MSTies will recall his performance as Nick Thorne in the movie in episode 1104- AVALANCHE.
The Hollywood Reporter has the story.
Thanks to Paul for the heads up.
Excellent article about his career and the power of not giving up. RIP I hope he’s enjoying a hot chocolate beer in heaven.
Absolutely loved him in Jackie Brown and The Black Hole. A sad day. He seemed like a class act all the way around. RIP.
For a very long time I knew this Brando story where he took a new actor into his trailer and terrorized a few PAs by sticking his head out the door and just barking demands at them. Brando told the actor that you have to earn respect through fear or else people will walk all over you. Only a couple years ago I learned that new actor was Robert Forster, who at that moment said to himself “if I ever get to the point where I have to be mean to people to get respect, I am quitting this business.” A beautiful soul that man. These days, 78 is way too young. This loss is really heartbreaking.
Don’t forget his appearance in “Alligator” a pretty good giant reptile movie. He had a long career because he was a reliable actor that could play many different characters in all different types of films, not like ones that are “hot” for a few years and then disappear from the industry.
The movie that had the last role he completed before dying was El Camino, the Breaking Bad coda. I watched it on Friday night and woke up to the news that he had died. It was a fitting end to a great career. He will be missed.
He was a breath of fresh air to Avalanche. I loved him in Jackie Brown. RIP
And before that, Sherriff Truman’s brother Frank, on the ’17 “Twin Peaks” revival, filling in for the late Michael Ontkean.
(What? Ontkean was still alive and just didn’t want to come back? What a jerk!)
“Nefarious?” That’s an eccentric reading of his character. But one of the greatest performances of all time, in my opinion. Particularly for someone who was middle aged, but had very little footprint in my cinematic consciousness beforehand. Breaking Bad also specialized in giving great roles, big and small, to powerful actors who mostly flew under the radar. So he was in august company there.
Rest in Peace and condolences to all his loved ones.
He was also in the RiffTrax movie “Dragon Wars: D Wars”.
Yeah, I wouldn’t call his character in Jackie Brown nefarious. Samuel L. Jackson’s character was nefarious. David Lynch wanted Robert Forster to play the sheriff in the first run of Twin Peaks, and Robert wanted to do it, but he had a previous commitment to be in a friends project. So his role in the recent Twin Peaks return was in a way the role he should have had in the first place.
Watched El Camino last weekend. He had a pivotal role, and was excellent as usual. I also loved him in the new Twin Peaks. What a great actor- He will be missed.