James Whitmore (left) with Ernest Borgnine (right) in Chuka
James Whitmore (1921 - 2009)
Film Deaths:
- Them! (1954) [Sgt. Ben Peterson]: Killed by a giant ant while rescuing two children from a storm drain.
- The Last Frontier (1955) [Gus]: Wounded and unhorsed he is shot in the back by an Indian in the final battle in the woods. (Thanks to Brian)
- The Young Don't Cry (1957) [Rudy Krist]: Shot to death by J. Carrol Naish as James and Sal Mineo are trying to get away in a boat; James then falls overboard.
- Chuka (1967) [Lou Trent]: Shot twice in the chest by Arapaho warriors during the assault on the fort. (Thanks to Robert and Brian)
- The Split (1968) [Herb Sutro]: Shot (off-screen) by Gene Hackman. His death is later confirmed, when Jim Brown reads about it in the newspaper.
- Chato's Land (1972) [Joshua Everette]: Shot in the back by Ralph Waite.
- High Crime (La Polizia incrimina, la legge assolve) (1973) [Commissioner Aldo Scavino] Shot by Bruno Corazzari.
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994) [Brooks Hatlen]: Commits suicide by hanging himself in his apartment, unable to handle life outside of prison.
- The Relic (1997) [Dr. Albert Frock]: Killed (off-screen) by the monster (a mutated Lewis Van Bergen), after he stays behind rather than slow down Penelope Ann Miller and Tom Sizemore's escape. We only see him being confronted by said monster as it lunges cutting to his empty, overturned wheelchair when Penelope and Tom return. (Thanks to Brian)
TV Deaths:
- The Detectives: Act of God (1961) [Frank Murphy]: Crushed by debris when the partly demolished house in which he has found the dying Bruce Dern finally collapses on top of them. (Thanks to Brian)
- Combat!: The Cassock (1965) [Hertzbrun]: Killed by Vic Morrow with a submachinegun as James tried to blow up a bridge to slow the allies in their advancement.
- The Big Valley: The Death Merchant (1966) [Handy Random]: Shot to death by Linda Evans, just as James is about to club Lee Majors with his shotgun, after Lee has already fatally shot him in the chest. (Thanks to Harry)
- The Big Valley: Target (1966) [Joshua Hawks]: Killed by falling debris when his plan to blow up the town council officials goes awry after Barbara Stanwyck unexpectedly arrives, which leads to him being shot in the leg by Peter Breck and his henchman Strother Martin has already set off the dynamite in the basement. (Thanks to Brian)
- The Invaders: Quantity: Unknown (1967) [Harry Swain]: Fatally injured when he falls from a fountain while fighting with Roy Thinnes; he dies while destroying the alien cylinder. As an alien, his body disintegrates after death.
- Gunsmoke: Women For Sale Part 2 (1973) [Timothy Fitzpatrick]: Shot in the stomach by Nicholas Hammond when he tries to stop Nicholas running off with captive Kathleen Cody. (Thanks to Brian)
Notable Connections:
- Ex-Mr. Audra Lindley
- Mr. Noreen Nash
- Father of James Whitmore Jr. (director)
Gallery
James Whitmore just before his death in The Relic
James Whitmore's death in Them!
James Whitmore dead in The Shawshank Redemption