Sam Bottoms
Sam Bottoms | |
---|---|
![]() Sam Bottoms in Apocalypse Now | |
Born | Samuel John Bottoms October 17, 1955 |
Died | December 16, 2008 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 53)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1971–2007 |
Spouses | Susan Arnold
(m. 1980; div. 1987)Laura Bickford (m. 2002) |
Children | 2 |
Relatives |
|
Samuel John Bottoms (October 17, 1955 – December 16, 2008) was an American actor and producer.
Early life
[edit]Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California in 1955, the third son of James "Bud" Bottoms (a sculptor and art teacher) and Betty (Chapman), both of whom outlived him. He was the brother of actors Timothy Bottoms (born 1951), Joseph Bottoms (born 1954) and Ben Bottoms (born 1960).[1][2]
Career
[edit]When Bottoms was 16 years old, he was on the set of The Last Picture Show, in which his older brother Timothy starred, when the director Peter Bogdanovich decided to give him a screen test. He ended up in the movie as the character of Billy, who has no spoken lines but plays a pivotal role in the drama. Five years later, Bottoms appeared with Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Bottoms may be best remembered for his role as surfer Lance B. Johnson, a Navy Gunner's Mate stationed on a river boat in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. Bottoms acquired hookworm during the chaotic production in the Philippines, and the parasite "wrecked his liver".[3]
Death
[edit]At age 53, Bottoms died of glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain tumor, on December 16, 2008.[4] He was cremated and his ashes given to his widow.[5] He had 2 children.
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | The Last Picture Show | Billy | |
1973 | Class of '44 | Marty | |
1974 | Zandy's Bride | Mel Allan | |
1976 | The Outlaw Josey Wales | Jamie | |
1979 | Apocalypse Now | Lance B. Johnson | |
Up from the Depths | Greg Oliver | ||
1980 | Bronco Billy | Leonard James | |
1984 | Gringo mojado | Murray Lewis Jr. | |
1985 | Prime Risk | Bill Yeoman | |
1986 | Hunter's Blood | David Rand | |
1987 | Gardens of Stone | Lt. Webber | |
1988 | After School | Father Michael McCarren | |
1991 | Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse | Himself | Documentary |
Dolly Dearest | Elliot Wade | ||
Ragin' Cajun | s Legs | ||
1992 | North of Chiang Mai | Michael | |
1993 | Sugar Hill | Oliver Thompson | |
The Trust | James Baker | ||
1995 | Project Shadowchaser III | Kody | |
1997 | Snide and Prejudice | Therapist Schaub | |
1998 | Joseph's Gift | Robert Keller | |
2001 | The Unsaid | Joseph Caffey | |
Shadow Fury | Mitchell Madsen | ||
2002 | Looking Through Lillian | Gene | |
True Files | Alex Lomax | ||
2003 | Seabiscuit | Mr. Blodget | |
2005 | Havoc | Lt. Maris | |
Shopgirl | Dan Buttersfield | ||
Winter Passing | Brian | ||
2006 | SherryBaby | Bob Swanson Sr. | |
2007 | Finishing the Game | Martey Kurtainbaum | Final film role |
Television
[edit]- Doc Elliot (1974) as Gary Basquin
- Savages (1974) as Ben Campbell
- Lucas Tanner (1974) as Ron Gibbons
- Cage Without a Key (1975) as Buddy Goleta
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1976) as Ed
- Greatest Heroes of the Bible (1978) as Joseph
- The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978) as Harlan Fields
- East of Eden (1981) as Cal Trask
- Desperate Lives (1982) as Ken Baynes
- Return to Eden (1983)
- No Earthly Reason (1984) as Coley
- Island Sons (1987) as Sam Faraday
- The Witching of Ben Wagner (1987) as Mr. George 'Dad' Wagner
- Murder, She Wrote (1989–1991) as Joe Hellinger / Sgt. Joe Rice
- 21 Jump Street (1990) as Robert Johnson
- Zooman (1995) as Policeman
- The X Files (1995) as Michael Kryder
- My Neighbor's Daughter (1998) as Dennis Cromwell
- Mercenary II: Thick & Thin (1997) as Camera Man
- NYPD Blue (2004) as David Lewis
Producer
[edit]- Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (1991)
References
[edit]- ^ Ben Bottoms at IMDb
- ^ Sam Bottoms FilmReference.com
- ^ Biskind, Peter (December 13, 2011). Easy Riders, Raging Bulls. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 352. ISBN 978-1439126615.
- ^ "Sam Bottoms dies at 53; actor appeared in 'Apocalypse Now,' 'Last Picture Show'". Los Angeles Times. December 17, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3d ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-1476625997 – via Google Books.