Golden Globe-nominated actor R. Lee Ermey best known for his roles as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, and the disciplined Sarge in the Toy Story films has passed away at 74.
The news was announced on his Twitter account by his long time manager Bill Rogin, who shared a photo of the actor.
The statement reads explains that Ermey - who was nicknamed 'The Gunny' - died from 'complications of pneumonia'.
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Since the statement was issued, tributes have been flooding in for the late actor, including from former co-stars Matthew Modine and Vincent D'Onofrio.
According to ABC, Ermey actually served in the Marine Corps himself, spending 14 months in Vietnam and then in Okinawa, Japan, where he became staff sergeant.
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He then channeled that experience into his role as the petrifying Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam classic Full Metal Jacket, who would shriek at his recruits and bully them into becoming combat-ready Marines.
His performance proved so iconic that it not only spawned many timeless quotes like 'What is your major malfunction?', but also earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He also later landed the similar vocal role of 'Sarge' in Toy Story - yet another stony disciplinarian, albeit slightly less scary than his Full Metal Jacket original.
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RIP.
Featured Image Credit: PA
