The Chance Encounter
The following stories are about my chance meeting
with one of my all time heoes. If you have ever seen Full
Metal Jacket, you will never forget R. Lee Ermey as the
scathing DI that, in his own words to me, "ripped them a new
asshole," speaking of the actors portraying Marine Corps recruits
bound for Vietnam...
In The Beginning...
At my immediate prompting, the conversation quickly turned
and stayed the Full Metal Jacket. The movie, which
has attained near cult-status among Marines, was my main interest
and Lee was kind enough to tell me all I wanted to know.
The Fear Was Real
The most interesting story Lee told was that he kept the
savage drill instructor persona going throughout the shoot,
never getting close to the actors.
He Even Scared Me
Lee told me a story related to "The
Fear Was Real" that has a personal twist to it. I will
start with the story.
Who Were Those Privates, Anyway?
I asked him if the extras were real Marines and he smiled
and said that it was a mitake he had made from the beginning.
Sleeping with the Smokey
The last scene in the first half of the movie called
for a sleeping Gunnery SergeantHartman to be awakened by
Private Pyle and Private Joker who were in the head.
What Have You Done To Me?
Before we finished our conversation, I had to relay to
him what effect he had had n my early career.
All Good Things Must Come to An End
As our conversation came to an end, I felt the impending
doom of having to say god-bye to not only a man that I literally
worshipped, but to a good conversation that I will remember
for the rest of my life.
Other Real-Life Run-Ins with R. Lee Ermey
R. Lee Visits San Diego
My
"R. Lee Ermey Picture Page"
Filmogrophy of R. Lee
Ermey
