Friday, July 23, 2010

July 23

This post is dedicated to That Guy Ronny Cox, a folk singer who became an 80's Hollywood action staple. Born in New Mexico, Ronny had an affinity for music: he was calling at square dances at 11. As a teenager, he sat in Buddy Holly's Peggy Sue sessions in nearby Clovis, and recorded music for producer Norman Petty. He even earned his way through college through a rock n' roll band he played in with his two brothers.
In 1972, his musical ability helped him secure his first movie role, in the action film 'Deliverance'. He qualifies for this blog for this scene alone:


When Deliverance became a box-office smash, Ronny Cox suddenly had an acting career. He had his own series in 1974, playing the head of a modern family moving to a small town in 'Apple's Way'. But he found more success as a character actor, playing cranky doctors, slimy corporate executives, disapproving dads and plenty of cops. After his role as Police Captain Bogomil in the Beverly Hills Cop series, he became the go-to guy for The Police Chief Who Has to Reign the Loose Cannon In.
Here he is, playing that role, in what was supposed to be ex-Oakland Raider John Matuszak's breakthrough action film:

(Matuszak's greatest role in his brief career would come later, in 1985's "The Goonies"...)

Ronny Cox also developed another speciality character: the slimy bureacrat. Whether it was political ('Total Recall') or just business ('Robocop'), audiences found him eminently hissable. Here's a recent meme, featuring a memorable scene from 'Robocop':

Besides bellicose police administrators and creepy corporate climbers, he's played plenty of politicians ('Murder, She Wrote', Stargate SG-1... he's even played the President in 3 different movies) and military types (Taps, Star Trek:TNG).


The roles that ask him to pick up a guitar have been slight in his resume. There was, however, his moment while playing the police chief in 'Cop Rock', the 90's version of 'Glee':

In the 90's, he resumed his focus on his first love: music. These days, his music's squarely in the folk/americana vein. He tours regularly, and has recorded six albums so far.

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