Meet "Gunny" R. Lee Ermey
R. Lee Ermey, actor & former marine, is renown for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the movie Full Metal Jacket. His vivid portrayal of the Gunny placed him front & center in the eyes of millions and earned him a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination. R. Lee Ermey will be at Kittery Trading Post to meet fans & sign autographs on:
Ermey spent 11 years in the US Marine Corp, two of which were as a Drill Instructor. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and medically retired for injuries received. Following his retirement in 1971, Ermey studied drama at the University of Manila in the Philippines. Francis Ford Coppola was also in the Philippines filming Apocalypse Now at the same time and ended up casting Ermey in a featured role.
In 1987, a foul-mouthed gunnery sergeant in Stanley Kubrick's Oscar-nominated film, Full Metal Jacket, stole the scenes, and the rest as they say, is history. Ermey went on to star or appear in approximately 60 films including Saving Silverman, Scenes of the Crime, Taking Sides and the remake & prequel of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Ermey also hosted his own show, Mail Call, for eight seasons on the History Channel. The show focused on military technology past, present and future. Lock N Load with R. Lee Ermey is his most recent venture in front of the screen. In May 2002, Ermey received an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7), becoming the first retiree in the history of the Marines to be promoted.
As spokesperson for the Young Marines Youth Organization, Ermey has made numerous appearances on behalf of law enforcement and the military, including several trips to the Middle East in support of our troops.
More on R. Lee Ermey's life and career can be found at www.rleeermey.com
R. Lee Ermey's guest appearance is presented & sponsored by Glock. As a leading global manufacturer of pistols, Glock, Inc. continues to advocate for safe & responsible ownership of firearms, strongly supports programs to educate and reduce the level of violence in our society and is focused on assisting those who go into harm's way to defend the freedoms we enjoy today.
