Clu Gulager, ‘The Virginian’ and ‘Return of the Living Dead’ Actor, Dies at 93
07.08.2022 - 01:39
/ variety.com
J. Kim Murphy Clu Gulager, a veteran actor known for his roles in the NBC series “The Virginian” and the 1985 horror-comedy “The Return of the Living Dead,” has died of natural causes. He was 93 years old.Gulager’s son, John, shared a photo of his father on his Facebook as a tribute.
Filmmaker Sean Baker, who directed Gulager on the 2015 feature “Tangerine,” confirmed the news of his death on Twitter.RIP Clu Gulager. I had the honor to work with the legend in Tangerine and a fashion shoot for V Magazine in 2016. He was incredibly talented, hilarious, gentle and kind.
And he adored cinema. We will miss you Clu. pic.twitter.com/hy6r1v7QRs— sean baker (@Lilfilm) August 6, 2022Diane Goldner, Gulager’s daughter-in-law, also shared a family statement on Facebook confirming the news, saying that he died “surrounded by his loving family.”“Clu was as caring as he was loyal and devoted to his craft, a proud member of the Cherokee nation, a rule-breaker, sharp and astute and on the side — always — of the oppressed.
He was good-humored, an avid reader, tender and kind. Loud and dangerous,” reads the statement. “He was shocked that he lived, for even a day after Miriam Byrd-Nethery, the love of his life, died 18 years ago.”Gulager’s acting career stretched across seven decades, beginning with small guest performances in 1950s television series.
A mainstay of TV Westerns, Gulager starred as Billy the Kid in NBC’s “The Tall Man” for its two-season run and took a regular role in the network’s “The Virginian” for four of its nine seasons. In the 1980s, Gulager was reintroduced to a new generation of viewers with prominent roles in horror films. The actor starred alongside Vera Miles in 1984’s “The Initiation.