R. Lee Ermey, Voice Of Sarge From Toy Story, Dies Aged 74

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R. Lee Ermey has sadly died aged 74 after suffering complications from pneumonia, his manager has confirmed.

The US marine-turned-actor was best known for his portrayal of military men, and won the hearts and minds of a nation for his role as Gunnery Sergeant ‘The Gunny’ Hartman in Vietnam War film Full Metal Jacket (1987).

You can read the statement below:

Bill Rogin, R. Lee Ermey’s long time manager said:

It is with deep sadness that I regret to inform you all that R. Lee Ermey (“The Gunny”) passed away this morning from complications of pneumonia. He will be greatly missed by all of us.

Semper Fi, Gunny. Godspeed.

Born in 1944 in Kansas, Ermey was a staff sergeant in the marine corps in the 1960s and early 1970s, serving tours in Japan and Vietnam.

He also served as a real-life drill instructor.

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Ermey later drew on his military experience for his breakout role in Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, winning a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of a hardened drill instructor putting young marine corps recruits through basic training.

One popular story about Ermey is he was initially hired as a technical advisor, but Kubrick was so impressed with his demonstration of a drill instructor’s role, he was offered the part.

Some of you might remember Ermey for his foul-mouthed portrayal of ‘The Gunny’. You’d certainly recognise him after his character was given the GIF treatment.

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But one of his lesser known roles, which also saw him lend his voice to the character of a military man, of sorts, was in the beloved children’s film Toy Story.

Ermey was charged with the voiceover of Sarge, the disciplined toy soldier and leader of the Green Army Men, who went on a recon mission to spy on Andy’s birthday presents so the other toys could be prepared for any new arrivals.

It’s no Vietnam, but Ermey certainly played a huge part in many of our childhoods growing up.

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In a 2010 interview with the Civilian Marksmanship Programme magazine, Ermey recalled being a ‘troublemaker and a bit of a hell-raiser’ in his youth.

He explained he eventually ended up in court, adding:

Basically a silver-haired judge… gave me a choice. He said I could either go into the military – any branch I wanted to go to – or he was going to send me where the sun never shines.

And I love sunshine, I don’t know about you.

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In a post on Facebook – since made inaccessible – his manager Bill Rogin said:

It is extremely difficult to truly quantify all of the great things this man has selflessly done for, and on behalf of, our many men and women in uniform.

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman of Full Metal Jacket fame was a hard and principled man. The real R Lee Ermey was a family man, and a kind and gentle soul.

Ermey was also a board member of powerful US gun lobby group the National Rifle Association (NRA).

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Francesca Donovan

A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.