Veteran actor Pat Hingle dies at 84

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Veteran actor Pat Hingle dies at 84



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28494360/

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. - Pat Hingle, a veteran actor whose career included a recurring role as Commissioner Gordon in several Batman movies in the 1990s, has died. He was 84.

Family friend Michele Seidman says Hingle died at his home in Carolina Beach shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday.

Seidman says he decided to settle in the coastal town after shooting the movie "Maximum Overdrive" in the area in 1986. He lived there for more than 15 years.

She said Hingle had battled multiple health problems over the last several years.

[Bryan]

1. Aw, damn it

One less member of the company of fat, gruff Irish-American character actors. Fortunately, Charles Durning, Brian Dennehy, and M. Emmet Walsh are all okay at the moment.

[Fenris]

2. HA - "fat, gruff Irish-American character actors"

He seemed kind of typecast in that regard. But he was brilliant at playing that somewhat downtrodden yet defiant, overweight guy who doesn't take any guff from anyone.

[trof]

3. The good ones are going.

So many this year.

[SeattleGirl]

4. Aw, that's sad.

Don't think I ever saw him in a role I didn't like.

[LibDemAlways]

5. For many years he didn't age much. He played

Warren Beatty's father in Splendor in the Grass in 1961 and Tim Hutton's in Falcoln and the Snowman in the mid 80's and looked pretty much the same in both. A very good solid character actor.

[Aristus]

6. He played so many cops (including Commissioner Gordon) that he used to joke that

L.A. costumers all had their own "Pat Hingle cop costume". All they had to do was change the patches and badges on it, and then ship it out to the set.

I really like Gary Oldman's interpretation of Gordon, but Pat Hingle brought a warmth and humanity to the character that I really liked. There's a scene in the first Batman film where he's taking a report from one of his uniformed officers. The way he listened closely to the cop and slung an arm over his shoulders showed that he really cared for his personnel. That was cool.

He'll be missed... :(