RIP Michael Clarke Duncan (54)

[308Mike]

I really enjoyed his role in The Green Mile - may he rest in peace:

Oscar-nominated actor Michael Clarke Duncan dies at 54
Published September 03, 2012 | Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Michael Clarke Duncan, the hulking, prolific character actor whose dozens of films included an Oscar-nominated performance as a death row inmate in "The Green Mile" and such other box office hits as "Armageddon," "Planet of the Apes" and "Kung Fu Panda," is dead at age 54.

Clarke died Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was being treated for a heart attack, said his fiancee, Reverend Omarosa Manigault, in a statement released by publicist Joy Fehily.

The muscular, 6-foot-4 Duncan, a former bodyguard who turned to acting in his 30s, "suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered," the statement said. "Manigault is grateful for all of your prayers and asks for privacy at this time. Celebrations of his life, both private and public, will be announced at a later date."

In the spring of 2012, Clarke had appeared in a video for PETA, the animal rights organization, in which he spoke of how much better he felt since becoming a vegetarian three years earlier.

"I cleared out my refrigerator, about $5,000 worth of meat," he said. "I'm a lot healthier than I was when I was eating meat."

Duncan had a handful of minor roles before "The Green Mile" brought him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. The 1999 film, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930s. Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer with a surprisingly gentle demeanor and extraordinary healing powers.

Duncan's performance caught on with critics and moviegoers and he quickly became a favorite in Hollywood, appearing in several films a year. He owed some of his good fortune to Bruce Willis, who recommended Duncan for "The Green Mile" after the two appeared together in "Armageddon." Clarke would work with Willis again in "Breakfast of Champions," "The Whole Nine Yards" and "Sin City."

His industrial-sized build was suited for everything from superhero films ("Daredevil") to comedy ("Talledega Nights," "School for Scoundrels"). His gravelly baritone alone was good enough for several animated movies, including, "Kung Fu Panda," "Delgo" and "Brother Bear." Among Clarke's television credits: "The Apprentice," "The Finder," "Two and a Half Men" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody."

Born in Chicago in 1957, Duncan was raised by a single mother whose resistance to his playing football led to his deciding he wanted to become an actor. But when his mother became ill, he dropped out of college, Alcorn State University, and worked as a ditch digger and bouncer to support her. By his mid-20s, he was in Los Angeles, where he looked for acting parts and became a bodyguard for Will Smith, Jamie Foxx and other stars. The murder of rapper Notorious B.I.G., for whom Duncan had been hired to protect before switching assignments, led him to quit his job and pursue acting full-time.

Early film and television credits, when he was usually cast as a bodyguard or bouncer, included "Bulworth," "A Night at the Roxbury" and "The Players Club."

[Rod]

"I cleared out my refrigerator, about $5,000 worth of meat," he said. "I'm a lot healthier than I was when I was eating meat."

Hell, there's what killed him right there.

[Dub_James]

And in all seriousness, what killed him was being big, black, and middle aged.

True. Bernie Mac comes to mind. Both very enjoyable actors.

[MiddleAgedKen]

Yeah. I liked his work. Requiescat in pace, Mr. Duncan.

[Termite]

And in all seriousness, what killed him was being big, black, and middle aged.

I wonder if he traveled 'Roid Road for a while.........

[308Mike]

And in all seriousness, what killed him was being big, black, and middle aged.

I wonder if he traveled 'Roid Road for a while.........

I wouldn't be surprised, 'cause some of the photos I have seen of him - he's HUGE!!

No doubt his size played a significant role in his health issues. Personally, I would NOT want to be the one paying his food bill. I'm sure that food bill was quite substantial at the height of his physical activity. Hell, I'm only 5'8" and at the height of my triathlon training I was eating over 6,000 calories per day - and I COULD NOT gain ANY weight. To lose weight, all I had to do was think about it and I dropped pounds. Some of my female co-workers were really disgusted when I could eat an entire large pizza, by myself, and not gain a single pound - it would drive them CRAZY!!! I sure wish I could do that NOW!!! Everything's now reversed!! I can LOOK at food and gain weight!! UGH!!

Unfortunately, for Mr. Duncan (a couple of years older than myself), he probably had issues with his genes and a family history of medical problems. Although with the millions he'd made, you would have thought he may have had a detailed genetic study done to review some of his more prominent serious issues and start looking to address them after reaching 50 years old. I know *I* would have if I had MILLIONS to play with. OTOH, perhaps he did and made a decision he was going to live his life as he wanted and damn the consequences. It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone had done this. At least he would have had a choice.

I don't know the man's politics, but I enjoyed his movies. I LOVED the characters he played in Armageddon, The Green Mile, and even in the Mission Impossible joke movies. It's too bad he went so young. I imagine they might have had a difficult time locating a replacement heart large enough for his VERY LARGE body, and he was probably on a replacement transplant list when he passed.

May he be taken home and welcomed as John Coffey, a creature from Heaven (even if it was a Stephen King creation).

[Highspeed]

Pah

That dude was an actor. You want a real black American hero and patriot then check out Chappie James

[Highspeed]

And in all seriousness, what killed him was being big, black, and middle aged.

Remind me to write a note to Neil deGrasse Tyson asking him to take care of his health....

[TheIrishman]

I wonder if he traveled 'Roid Road for a while.........

I doubt it. He was 6'5" and weighed 300lbs(before dropping weight after the first heart attack). That's not really all that big(for his frame, he's still a big man) when you consider he's always had a gut. I'm not talking a beer belly, but he was never a 6 pack abs guy. I know quite a few guys that big who have never done steroids.

[arctictom]

Liked his work , have friends that are black, middle aged , and big who have been carefull for a while arround cardiac health , genetics suck some times.