Tuesday marked thirty years since the untimely passing of Warren Oates. The great, grizzled actor’s work has fallen somewhat out of fashion these days — few, bar perhaps Quentin Tarantino, name Sam Peckinpah or Monte Hellman, Oates’ closest and most frequent collaborators, as influences. If you’re familiar with him at all, it’s likely from his parts as outlaw Lyle Gorch in “The Wild Bunch” or as Sgt. Hulka in Bill Murray comedy “Stripes.” But for a time in the 1970s, Oates was Hollywood’s go-to badass character actor, a man who everyone from Norman Jewison and William Friedkin to Steven Spielberg and Terrence Malick wanted to work with.
Born in Depoy, Kentucky in 1928, Oates discovered acting at the University of Louisville, and soon headed west to L.A. where he swiftly became a regular face in the golden era of TV westerns, including parts on “Rawhide,” “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” “Have Gun – Will Travel” and “Gunsmoke.” Crucially, this was also where he met Peckinpah, having been cast in several roles on the director’s TV series “The Rifleman.” They became fast friends, and Peckinpah gave him some of his earliest big-screen roles in “Ride the High Country” and “Major Dundee.”
As the ’60s went on, the roles got more and more prominent: first he played Sam Wood, the cop who comes under suspicion for murder in Norman Jewison‘s “In the Heat of the Night,” and two years later, perhaps his most iconic role, as part of Peckinpah’s “The Wild Bunch.” Work remained steady, but his hard living took its toll (on the set of Dennis Hopper‘s “Kid Blue,” Oates would reportedly invite co-stars Ben Johnson and Peter Boyle to his trailer for a three-course meal made up of magic mushrooms on toast, Dexedrine in brandy and vanilla LSD), and he fell out with Peckinpah in the mid 1970s.
Things took a brief stumble late in the decade, with the actor reduced to starring in TV remakes of “The African Queen” and “True Grit” (although it’s a testament to him that he could take up the mantle of Bogart and John Wayne), but “Stripes” and “Blue Thunder” (which was released posthumously) seemed to suggest that things were looking up again, until he suffered a heart attack at the age of 53. With thirty years passing since he died, this week seemed like a good opportunity to highlight the much-missed actor, and to pick out five of his finest pictures for those who might not be familiar with him.
“Two Lane Blacktop” (1971)
The richest of an extraordinary era of road films, Monte Hellman’s asphalt classic spotlights James Taylor and Dennis Wilson as two laconic youths drag-racing across the U.S. Of course, it’s about more than that, focusing instead on the sense of youth fading away from these two floppy-haired youngsters. They team with a pretty young girl, but neither have much interest in her, instead focusing on the silent serenity of the open road, creating symbiosis with Route 66. While the two share an appropriately dour thousand-mile stare, they’re paired against G.T.O. (Oates), a man completely out of time. G.T.O. stands to win this competition, though at his somewhat accelerated age compared to our two leads, it’s clear that it matters somewhat more to him than it does to them. With minimal dialogue, “Two Lane Blacktop” forces us to question our relationship with the open road, visually bending the definitions of “journey” and “destination,” as Hellman’s patient camera narrows in on the cinematic space separating a man and his vehicle. “Two Lane Blacktop” is as essential as it is ethereal, not so much a film as it is a vapor, one that lingers in subtle ways, through the concentrated sound design to the artful non-verbal improvisation of our two leads. There’s no end to their journey, and there might as well have never been a beginning. The road lives on forever.
Just have to say I am glad to read the kind words and to see that there are those still out there that appreciate the career of our father. I miss him dearly. I do have to consider myself lucky though as I can insert a tape, or DVD, and see him in one of his roles, though be it in character. And if I look closely enough, I can see our "Dad" come through!!! I miss you, Dad!
Yes, Warren Oates portraits of more or less desperate men and his achievement as an actor will be with us for a long time. Like Oates himself, I am glad he got to play "Dillinger", and I agree completely with you about his portrayal of Johnnie Dillinger, as well as the supporting cast being one of the best ever to appear together in one movie. Whatever Oates did, he did it with his heart, brain and guts. Not many actors do that today. And, as things are going, I often watch even "Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia" and think of it as a movie that is morally superior to many of those made today! Bennie has values. And a good heart. I also agree about what you wrote about Harry Dean Stanton in "Dillinger". Fantastic. Today, I feel Kris Kristofferson is the man who still carries the torch handed down by Warren & Peckinpah.
Don't forget KID BLUE and THE BRINKS JOB. The latter film, with Peter Falk, Peter Boyle, Paul Sorvino, and Gena Rowlands and directed by Billy Friedkin great. Art directed by Dean Tavolaris (apocalypse now, godfather movies, etc) and shot in the actual robbery locations it's a dirty little 70s masterpiece that ends on a CITY LIGHTS worthy close up of Oates' great, shattered face as it cracks the case.
There can only be one Warren Oates, but actors of his type need to be cast more, written for more. His humanity was in his ability to be a small-timer who embodied the hopes of a thousand "not-going-down-as-a-loser" types and shoulda-beens as they have their brief moment of glory before the end of the trail.
(Nicky Katt and Michael Bowen come to mind – where are their ALFREDO GARCIA roles? Probably in the same place the next Sam Peckinpah resides – in our dreams of a different, more just world.)
"Why not?" is Lyle Gorch's last words in THE WILD BUNCH. It could be Warren's epitaph.
By the way, Monty claims it was the gravy that killed him. He could handle the booze just fine.
I did a sketch of Oates last week: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=260938213998694&set=a.147331458692704.32802.147320312027152&type=3&theater
Warren seemed to me so good at what he did,at the time maybe some took for granted just how talented he was.His performances were always outstanding in movies like in the heat of the night and the brinks job,the wild bunch,major dundee,the hired hand,his tv appearances livened any show cimarron strip,the outer limits,lost in space,et al.Oates in two lane was great.He made that one his own.In alfredo garcia and cockfighter forget about it!He owns those as well.There is grit,soul,humanity,humour,edge to all his roles thanks to him!
I was fotunate enough to be Warren Oates agent in the early seventies,the film world lost a great talent way to early in his life,smart ,fun,and a really thoughtful,all those who worked with him were very lucky,I'm glad you remembered him
Echoing Rudy V below: What about Thomas McGuane's writing and directing effort "92 in the Shade" released in 1975? Warren Oates was so funny in this ensemble piece where every actor shined. It set a template for a new kind of off beat funny in film. Loved Warren Oates!
"You two guys are definitely on my shit list…"
As a disciple of all things Oates, I can not send enough praise your way for this post.
Clearly Badlands is a must watch film, but Oat's performance really stuck out for me when I first watched it. It is a small role, but he made the most of it without chewing up the scenery.
Excellent post, although I'd be inclined to agree with Huffy; Peckinpah's influence is massive. John Woo and Michael Mann spring immediately to mind, but there are many, many others.
"few, bar perhaps Quentin Tarantino, name Sam Peckinpah…as influences."
Yeah, it's not like Peckinpah influenced an entire generations of action directors or anything like that. Seriously, what the fuck are you talking about?
hey you guys should really rally for 92 in the Shade, great movie and joe spinell is in it