In the last several weeks, we have seen the passing of several notable actors, including two who played big roles in my youth: Catherine O’Hara and Robert Duvall.
Catherine O’Hara is instantly recognizable for a variety of reasons. Many people know her as Kevin’s mom in the “Home Alone” movies. We grew up on those films and, although she might lose a few points for leaving her kid at home, she was a force to be reckoned with as a mom and always entertaining, even in what could have been small roles.
Later in life, I came to enjoy the various Christopher Guest films she appeared in. My favorite is the kooky “Best in Show,” about a Westminster Kennel Club style event. All of Christopher Guest’s movies brought together a funny cast of characters, but Catherine O’Hara was among the best. In “A Mighty Wind,” she played a hippie-like folk musician with an angelic voice. Visit YouTube and search the song “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” to see an example of what I mean.
In later years, she played Moira Rose on the TV show “Schitt’s Creek.” There was so much to admire about her performance, including the outrageous wardrobe and ever-changing wigs. She truly was a comedic genius. She made such an impression on me and my friends that our entire Oscar-theme party is based around her this year.
Now, Robert Duvall. Oh, Gus. Robert Duvall played many acclaimed and well-known film roles in his 90-plus years, but none are more significant to me than his turn as Augustus McCrae in the 1989 made-for-TV movie “Lonesome Dove.”
That movie was a staple of my childhood, to the extent that we planned activities around making sure we could watch all four parts when they aired. The whole family gathered to watch. Even years later, when it was on TV on a Sunday at my parents’ house and I needed to leave for a run, I could barely peel myself away from the screen.
Duvall’s role as the retired Texas Ranger turned cattleman was fun, warm, dynamic, and heartbreaking all at once. Most of the quotable lines from that movie are delivered by Gus, and when he dies at the end, it is heart wrenching. Perhaps I love that role so much because, in large part, it reminds me of versions of my dad.
Gus was such a pivotal fictional character in my life that I toyed with naming one of my kids after him. I could go on about how fabulous “Lonesome Dove” is and how memorable his role was, but I will leave you with a little Gus wisdom so this column does not run too long.
“If you want any one thing too badly, it’s likely to turn out to be a disappointment. The only healthy way to live life is to learn to like all the little everyday things, like a sip of good whiskey in the evening, a soft bed, a glass of buttermilk, or a feisty gentleman like myself.”
