Does anyone else remember William Hootkins?
Somehow I wound up on his Wikipedia page, while scrambling down the rabbit hole in search of more information on a Lalo Schifrin piano concerto. Schifrin is the composer of over 100 film and television scores, including those for “Cool Hand Luke,” “Bullitt,” “Dirty Harry,” “Enter the Dragon,” “Rush Hour,” and of course “Mission: Impossible.”
You know how it is. You look up a recording, then the artist, you click on a link to the composer, glance over his film credits, click on a film, and then take a look at the cast. In this case, while running my eyes down a page devoted to a totally forgotten 1998 film called “Something to Believe In,” I recognized a familiar name in the role of “Car Dealer.”
Although his parts were generally quite small, William Hootkins was a highly visible character actor to those of us of the “Star Wars” generation. He would have first been imprinted on our consciousness as Rebel pilot Jek Porkins (a.k.a. Red Six) during the climactic dogfight over the first Death Star.
He was also Major Eaton, who sent Indiana Jones on his quest for the Ark of the Covenant in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” He played a corrupt cop in Tim Burton’s “Batman,” opposite Jack Nicholson. He was Dr. Zarkov’s turncoat assistant in 1980’s “Flash Gordon.” He also appeared in a couple of “Pink Panther” films, “A River Runs Through It,” and the 1996 version of “The Island of Dr. Moreau.”
The same year as “Star Wars,” 1977, he played Fatty Arbuckle in Ken Russell’s “Valentino.” At the time of his death, he was at work on a screenplay for a projected biopic in which he planned to reprise his role as the disgraced silent comic.
On stage, Hootkins scored his biggest success as Alfred Hitchcock, in a London production of “Hitchcock Blonde.” With talk of a Broadway opening, it seemed as if he was poised for wider recognition at last. Sadly, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The illness would claim his life in 2005, at the age of 57. “Hitchcock Blonde” was not performed in the United States until a year after his death.
“Hoot” was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1948. A high school classmate of Tommy Lee Jones, he attended Princeton University, where he pursued astrophysics and oriental studies. It was John Lithgow who recommended he study acting at the London Academy of Music and Arts.
Hoot’s residence in the UK made him easily accessible to American productions that set up shop at Elstree and Pinewood Studios.
Although he was rarely onscreen for more than a few minutes, he was always a memorable presence. His prolific film work ensured a kind of cumulative recognition.
I am posting about him here because of his unexpected Princeton connection, and as one of millions of adolescents who actually gave a hoot about Hootkins.
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