R. G. Armstrong

A flinty, often imposing presence in features and television for over half a century, character actor R.G. Armstrong played men whose mere presence elevated the tension in such films as "Ride the High Country" (1956), "El Dorado" (1966), "The Great White Hope" (1970), "Predator" (1986) and countless other screen appearances. He was a staple of Sam Peckinpah's features, often playing figures with unyielding religious conviction in "Major Dundee" (1965) and "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973), while Warren Beatty utilized his formidable screen presence to cut the levity in pictures like "Heaven Can Wait" (1975) and "Dick Tracy" (1991). Offscreen, he was a kind soul whose tireless work ethic contributed to his lengthy career, which culminated in 2001. His body of work, which encompassed films both classic and forgettable, ensured him the warm screen immortality afforded to only the best of Hollywood's character players.