Harve Presnell, 1933-2009

Actor Harve Presnell died at the age of 75 yesterday, June 30, in California. Presnell was best known for starring on the Broadway stage in The Unsinkable Molly Brown opposite Tammy Grimes, then taking the same role in the 1964 film with Debbie Reynolds in the lead. Presnell also sang "They Call the Wind Maria" in the film version of Paint Your Wagon (and is often called the best thing about that movie). Presnell made a late-career resurgence with roles in Fargo (as William H. Macy's father-in-law), Saving Private Ryan, and other movies, and numerous appearances on television. Read the AP story --David

Comments

[Ted Logan on July 01, 2009 at 08:10 PM]

Loved him in Fargo and on The Pretender.
Great voice and presence on screen.
Salut!

[kamera stative on September 23, 2009 at 02:41 AM]

I really remember him from "Andy Barker, P.I." as well, where he was wonderful. So good that I felt I must have seen him somewhere before, and sure enough he'd be in a dozen or so movies, many of in which he'd played a small but crucial role. I think it's a compliment to his talent that he'd show up in things and you might not remember where you'd seen him before, because he was so convincing as whatever character he was playing that you thought only of that character, and not of the man portraying him. 75 is too young for a talent that was only being afforded the chance to shine in the past 15 years.