TMZ reports that actor Edward Herrmann has passed away from cancer at age 71.
In St. Elsewhere's finest episode(s), the fourth season two-parter "Time Heals", we meet the hospital's founder, an Irish Catholic priest from Southie named Father Joseph McCabe, played by Edward Herrmann. McCabe re-appeared in the fifth season opener, "Where There's Hope, There's Crosby", returning from Arizona (with Herrmann in old-age makeup) suffering from ALS. For that appearance, Herrmann was nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Performance by a Guest Actor.
According to a report from TMZ, Herrmann had been battling brain cancer and had been in the ICU for the past three and half weeks. He was taken off life support and passed away this morning at the age of 71.
Herrmann was more recently known for his role on Gilmore Girls, and he assembled a long list of credits dating back to the early seventies. To 80s kids like me, he was the King of the Vampires in The Lost Boys.
Follow this link to a YouTube playlist to enjoy Edward Herrmann's performance in "Time Heals".
Edward Herrmann will also be remembered for his uncanny portrayal of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in two made for TV movies from the 1970s - "Eleanor and Franklin" and "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" (both of which earned him Best Actor Emmy Award nominations), And as recently as last year, Herrmann was the voice of FDR in Ken Burns' documentary series "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History," I always thought that Hermann reminded me a little of FDR when he played Father McCabe in those legendary St. Elsewhere episodes, especially the flashback scenes that he's in from the 1930s and 1940s.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteI've been think that this opening scene is how I always remember Edward Hermann. it was nice to find it again.
When he played the old man in the fifth season opener, he was again Fr. Joseph MCabe (back from Arizona where the character had been transferred according to events described in 'Time Heals.'). He was such a wonderful presence on St. Elsewhere that the character was often referenced in later seasons - even adding another 'McCabe' as a young chaplain in the final season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment; I have updated the wording so it's more clear what I meant!
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