Actor R. Lee Ermey died on Sunday at age 74, his longtime manager announced via a tweet to Ermey’s official Twitter account.
"Statement from R. Lee Ermey's long time manager, Bill Rogin: It is with deep sadness that I regret to inform you all that R. Lee Ermey ("The Gunny") passed away this morning from complications of pneumonia. He will be greatly missed by all of us. Semper Fi, Gunny. Godspeed," the tweet read.
Ermey, who mostly had roles as an authority figure, was best known for his portrayal of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film "Full Metal Jacket," which earned him a Golden Globe nomination, according to Variety.
Ermey was in the military for 11 years as a staff sergeant and honorary gunnery sergeant and served as a drill instructor in the Marine Corps. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for one year until 1968, when he was moved to Vietnam and spent 14 months there.
His first film role was as a First Air Cavalry chopper pilot in "Apocalypse Now" in 1979.
In addition to his acting, he hosted two programs for the History Channel: "Mail Call," in which he gave expertise on military issues, and "Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey," which focused on the development of weapons.
Ermey was born March 24, 1944, in Emporia, Kansas, and moved with his family to Toppenish, Washington, when he was 14, where he became a "troublemaker and a bit of a hell-raiser," according to the Civilian Marksmanship Program's online magazine.
He said he went to the military after appearing in court for the second time, where the judge gave him a choice between prison or joining the armed forces.
Regarding his most famous role in "Full Metal Jacket," Ermey told the Spokesman Review that he did not really like that character, because "I'm basically a nice person."
Ermey stood out as a rare conservative in liberal Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In 2010, he did a commercial for Geico, but Ermey later said he was fired from the job after harshly criticizing then-President Barack Obama at a Toys 4 Tots benefit.
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