Powers Boothe
{{distinguish|text=Power Boothe, an American abstract painter}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Short description|American actor (1948–2017)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Powers Boothe
| image = Powers-boothe-zumawirewestphotos963564.jpg
| caption = Boothe in 2005
| birth_name = Powers Allen Boothe{{Cite web |title=Powers Boothe Obituary (1948 - 2017) - Los Angeles, CA - Cleveland.com |url=https://obits.cleveland.com/us/obituaries/cleveland/name/powers-boothe-obituary?pid=185391896 |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=Legacy.com}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|06|01}}
| birth_place = Snyder, Texas, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|05|14|1948|06|01}}
|death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| education = {{ubl|Texas State University (BA)|Southern Methodist University (MFA)}}
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1974–2016
| spouse = {{marriage|Pamela Cole|1969}}
| children = 2
| signature = Powers Boothe.png
}}
Powers Allen Boothe (June 1, 1948 – May 14, 2017) was an American actor known for his commanding character actor roles on film and television. He received a Primetime Emmy Award and nominations for two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his portrayal of Jim Jones in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980). He also played saloon owner Cy Tolliver on Deadwood from 2004 to 2006, President Noah Daniels on 24 in 2007, and Lamar Wyatt in Nashville from 2012 to 2014. He also appeared in the limited series Hatfields & McCoys (2012).
He is also known for his performances as "Curly Bill" Brocius in the western Tombstone (1993) and Alexander Haig in historical drama Nixon (1995). Other notable film roles include Southern Comfort (1981), Red Dawn (1984), Blue Sky (1994), Sudden Death (1995), Frailty (2001), and Sin City (2005). He also played a Chuykov, a Soviet general in World War II above Stalingrad's operation against Nazi's Wermacht under Gen. Friedrich von Paulus.
He portrayed Gideon Malick in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's The Avengers (2012), and in the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. from 2015 to 2016. He was also the voice of Gorilla Grodd in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.
Early life
Boothe, the youngest of three boys, was born June 1, 1948, at home on a cotton farm in Snyder, Texas, to Merrill Vestal Boothe, a rancher, and his wife Emily (née Reeves) Boothe. His father named him after his best friend, who had been killed in World War II.{{cite web|last=Carlson|first=Michael|title=Powers Boothe obituary|work=The Guardian|date=May 16, 2017|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/16/powers-boothe-obituary|access-date=May 23, 2017}}
Boothe attended Snyder High School, where he played football and appeared in school plays. He was the first in his family to go beyond high school, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, and earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in Drama from Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.{{cite news|last=Victor |first=Daniel |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2017/05/16/actor-powers-boothe-known-for-deadwood-and-other-dark-roles/5vb8XN1UxKngDoqaYyAw0N/story.html|title=Actor Powers Boothe, 68, known for 'Deadwood' and other dark roles|work=The Boston Globe|date=May 17, 2017|access-date=May 17, 2017}}{{cite news|last=Bethel|first=Brian|url=http://www.reporternews.com/story/news/2017/05/15/actor-powers-boothe-snyder-native-dies/101729274|title=Actor Powers Boothe, Snyder native, dies|work=Abilene Reporter-News|date=May 15, 2017|access-date=May 17, 2017}}
Career
After graduating from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, Boothe joined the repertory company of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, with roles in Henry IV, Part 2 (portraying Henry IV of England), Troilus and Cressida, and others. His New York City stage debut was in the 1974 Lincoln Center production of Richard III. Five years later, his Broadway theater debut came in a starring role in the one-act play Lone Star, written by James McLure.{{Citation needed |date=August 2023}}
Boothe first came to national attention in 1980, playing Jim Jones in the CBS TV film Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones. Boothe's portrayal of the crazed cult leader received critical acclaim. In Time{{'s}} story on the production, Boothe was praised: "There is one extraordinary performance. A young actor named Powers Boothe captures all the charisma and evil of 'Dad', Jim Jones." Boothe won the Emmy Award for his role, beating out veterans Henry Fonda and Jason Robards. As the Screen Actors Guild were on strike in the fall of 1980, he was the only actor to cross picket lines to attend the ceremonies and accept his award, saying at the time, "This may be either the bravest moment of my career or the dumbest."{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2007/12/13/writers-strike-any-one-gonna-cross-picket-line-to-get-a-gg.html|title=Writers' Strike: Any One Gonna Cross Picket Line To Get A GG?|last=Wells|first=Jane|date=December 13, 2007|website=CNBC|access-date=May 28, 2016}}
Boothe portrayed Philip Marlowe in a TV series based on Raymond Chandler's short stories for HBO in the 1980s. He appeared in such films as Southern Comfort, A Breed Apart, Red Dawn, The Emerald Forest, Rapid Fire and Extreme Prejudice, as well as the HBO films Into the Homeland and By Dawn's Early Light. In 1989, Boothe appeared in the Mosfilm production of "Stalingrad", in which he played the role of General Chuikov, commander of the Soviet 62nd Army. Additionally, he appeared in the 1990 CBS-TV film Family of Spies, in which he played traitor Navy Officer John Walker. Boothe portrayed Curly Bill Brocius in the hit 1993 Western Tombstone, the disloyal senior Army officer in Blue Sky (opposite Jessica Lange's Oscar-winning performance), and the sinister lead terrorist in Sudden Death. He was also part of the large ensemble casts for Oliver Stone's Nixon (as Chief of Staff Alexander Haig) and U Turn (as the town sheriff).
In 2001, he starred as Flavius Aëtius, the Roman general in charge of stopping the Hun invasion in the made-for-TV miniseries Attila. Boothe played a featured role as brothel-owner Cy Tolliver on the HBO series Deadwood, and the corrupt senator Ethan Roark in the motion picture Sin City (2005), as well as its sequel, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). He is the voice of one of the characters in the 2005 video game Area 51 and of Gorilla Grodd, the hyper-intelligent telepathic supervillain in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. He voiced the villain, Kane, in the 2008 video game Turok.
He was a special guest star on 24, where he played Vice President Noah Daniels. He returned in the prequel to the seventh season, 24: Redemption. Just after taking the role as acting President, Boothe is seen exiting Air Force Two with F-15s in the background. Boothe played a downed F-15 pilot in Red Dawn. In March 2008, he narrated a television campaign ad for Senator John McCain's presidential campaign.{{cite web|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/03/a-new-mccain-ad-and-texas-ties.html|title=TRAIL BLAZERS Blog: The Dallas Morning News|publisher=Trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com|date=March 28, 2008|access-date=August 26, 2012}}
In 2012, Boothe appeared in Joss Whedon's The Avengers as Gideon Malick, a shadowy governmental superior to S.H.I.E.L.D. From 2015–16, he reprised the role in the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.{{Cite web|url=https://news.marvel.com/tv/25289/marvels_agents_of_shield_adds_powers_boothe/|title='Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Adds Powers Boothe|last=Strom|first=Marc|date=October 15, 2015|website=Marvel.com|language=en-US|access-date=April 17, 2018}}
Boothe appeared in the 2012 miniseries Hatfields & McCoys as Judge Valentine "Wall" Hatfield. Boothe was also cast as Lamar Wyatt in the ABC musical drama series Nashville.Matt Webb Mitovich, [http://tvline.com/2012/08/14/fall-tv-preview-nashville-abc/ Fall TV First Impression: ABC's Nashville Sings], TVLine, August 14, 2012 Boothe also lent his voice to Hitman: Absolution, a 2012 video game developed by IO Interactive, voicing the character of Benjamin Travis.
Personal life
Boothe married his college sweetheart Pam Cole in 1969 and they remained married until his death.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?pid=185423317|title=Powers Boothe Obituary|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 18, 2017}} They had two children, Parisse and Preston.{{cite web|url=http://americanprofile.com/articles/powers-boothe-reflects-on-texas-upbringing-life-in-nashville|title=Powers Boothe Reflects on Texas Upbringing, Life in Nashville|website=americanprofile.com|date=September 16, 2012|access-date=March 3, 2016}}
Boothe was a member of the Friends of Abe.{{cite news|last=Gizzi|first=John|url=https://capitalresearch.org/article/friends-of-abe-a-refuge-for-hollywood-conservatives/|title=Friends of Abe: A refuge for Hollywood conservatives|work=Capital Research|date=31 May 2016}}
Death
Boothe died in Los Angeles, on the morning of May 14, 2017, from pancreatic cancer.{{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/30/powers-boothe-heart-attack-cancer-death-certificate|title=Powers Boothe Died of Heart Attack Due to Pancreatic Cancer, According to Death Certificate |publisher=TMZ.com |date=May 30, 2017 |access-date=June 3, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/powers-boothe-dead-agents-shield-sin-city-actor-was-68-1003667|title=Powers Boothe, 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' and 'Sin City' Actor, Dies at 68|last1=Nordyke|first1=Kimberly|last2=Rahman|first2=Abid|date=May 14, 2017|website=Hollywood Reporter|access-date=May 14, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thewrap.com/powers-boothe-emmy-winning-character-actor-dead-68|title=Powers Boothe, Emmy-Winning Character Actor, Dead at 68|date=May 14, 2017|website=The Wrap|access-date=May 15, 2017}}
Theatre credits
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role !Venue ! class="unsortable" |Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974
|Ensemble member |Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Off-Broadeway | |||
| 1978
|Roderigo |Roundabout Stage I, Off-Broadway | |||
| rowspan="2" |1979 | Pvt. Wars | Natwick (understudy)
| rowspan="2" |Century Theatre, Broadway | Broadway debut{{Cite web |title=Powers Boothe – Broadway Cast & Staff {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/powers-boothe-84621 |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=www.ibdb.com}} |
| Lone Star | Roy |
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable unsortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1977
| Richard III Cast | |
| 1980
| Cruising | Hankie Salesman | |
| 1981
| Corporal Charles Hardin | |
| rowspan="2"|1984
| Mike Walker | |
| Red Dawn
| Lt. Col. Andrew "Andy" Tanner | |
| 1985
| Bill Markham | |
| 1987
| Cash Bailey | |
| 1988
| Sapphire Man | Ryan | Short film |
| 1989
| General Vasily Chuikov | |
| 1992
| Lieutenant Mace Ryan | |
| 1993
| |
| 1994
| Blue Sky | Colonel Vince Johnson | |
| rowspan="3"|1995
| Mutant Species | Frost | |
| Sudden Death
| Joshua Foss | |
| Nixon
| |
| rowspan="2"|1997
| Con Air | Officer at leaving ceremony (voice) | Uncredited |
| U Turn
| Sheriff Virgil Potter | |
| 2000
| Captain Pullman | |
| 2001
| Frailty | FBI Agent Wesley Doyle | |
| 2005
| Sin City | Senator Ethan Roark | |
| 2006
| Lex Luthor (voice) |
| 2007
| Jim Van Scoyoc | |
| 2008
| George T. Edison (voice) |
| 2010
| Colonel Jim Faith | |
| rowspan="2"|2012
| Credited as "World Security Council" |
| Guns, Girls and Gambling
| The Rancher | |
| 2013
| Father | |
| 2014
| Sin City: A Dame to Kill For | Senator Ethan Roark | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="4"|1980
| Skag | Whalen | 6 episodes |
| The Plutonium Incident
| Dick Hawkins | rowspan="3"|Television film |
| Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones |
| A Cry For Love
| Tony Bonnell |
| 1983–1986
| 11 episodes |
| 1987
| Jackson Swallow | Television film |
| rowspan="2"|1990
| 2 episodes |
| By Dawn's Early Light
| Major Cassidy | Television film |
| rowspan="2"|1992
| Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyenas | Narrator (voice) | Documentary |
| Wild Card
| Preacher | rowspan="6"|Television film |
| 1993
| Marked for Murder | Mace "Sandman" Moutron |
| 1994
| Dr. Philip Benesch |
| 1996
| Dalva | Sam |
| 1997
| Bartlett McClure |
| 1998
| The Spree | Detective Bram Hatcher |
| rowspan="2"|1999
| 3 episodes |
| A Crime of Passion
| Dr. Ben Pierce | Television film |
| 2001
| Attila | General Flavius Aetius | 2 episodes |
| 2002–2003
| Gorilla Grodd (voice) |
| 2003
| Kelton Reed | Television film |
| 2004–2006
| Deadwood | 34 episodes |
| 2005–2006
| Gorilla Grodd (voice) |
| 2006
| National Geographic: Lions v. Hyenas | The Narrator | Voice; documentary |
| 2007
| 24 | rowspan="2" | Noah Daniels | 14 episodes |
| 2008
| Television film |
| 2009
| rowspan="2"|Sunder (voice) | Episode: "Singlehanded" |
| 2010
| Episode: "The Transmogrification of Eunice" |
| rowspan="2"|2011
| Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Dead Justice (voice) | Episode: "Dead Justice" |
| The Looney Tunes Show
| Leslie Hunt (voice) |
| 2012
| Judge Valentine "Wall" Hatfield | 3 episodes |
| 2012–2014
| Lamar Wyatt | 26 episodes |
| 2015–2016
| 11 episodes |
| 2015
| Eo Jaxxon (voice) | Episode: "Glitzotrene: One Town's Seduction" |
= Video games =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Voice role ! class="unsortable" |Notes |
|---|
| 2005
| Area 51 | Major Bridges |
| 2008
| Turok | Roland Kane | |
| 2010
| Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction | Sunder |
| 2012
| Benjamin Travis |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Project ! class="unsortable" |Result |
|---|
| 1980
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones | {{won}} |
| 1983
| rowspan="2"|CableACE Award | Best Actor in a Dramatic Presentation | {{nom}} |
| 1987
| Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries | {{nom}} |
| 1995
| rowspan="2"|Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture | Nixon | {{nom}} |
| 2007
| Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series | {{nom}} |
| 2012
|Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | {{nom}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|959}}
- {{tcmdb name|id=19257|name=Powers Boothe}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20040407071848/https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/cast/actor/powersboothe.shtml Biography from HBO]
{{Portalbar|Biography|Texas|Los Angeles|California|Film|Television}}
{{EmmyAward MiniseriesLeadActor}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boothe, Powers}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American art collectors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male video game actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:California Republicans
Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in California
Category:Male actors from Los Angeles
Category:Male actors from Texas
Category:People from Snyder, Texas
Category:Snyder High School (Texas) alumni