Ed Lauter - Hyder Rudge in The Car episode

[ForeverWaltons]

Ed Lauter who played Hyder Rudge in the Waltons episode, "The Car", died yesterday 10/16/2013. It was the episode that John Boy worked for Hyder in order to acquire a car. He died of a rare form of cancer - mesothelioma (so did Merlin Oleson who played Jonathan Garvey on LHOTP).

Mr. Lauter was at last year's 40th Waltons Reunion Event in California, that Ray Castro & Kami Cotler (Elizabeth) had. I carried a photo of him to autograph but either he got by on the red carpet without me seeing him or he did not enter by the red carpet. I saw him during the program but I would have loved to have met him. He was a fine character actor & was working up until his death.

www.vulture.com/2013/10/character-actor-ed-lauter-dead-at-74.html?mid=imdb

tv.yahoo.com/news/r-p-character-actor-ed-lauter-01083709.html

[e knight]

He was 74? I figured he was a geezer back when he did that show! I guess he was just a very capabl;e actor. It's always a shame to lose one of those.

[Steve James]

Ed Lauter was, imo, one of those actors who, when listed in the credits, I just knew would always deliver a great performance. Sort of on the par of (for instance, and perhaps to a marginally lesser degree) Robert Duvall, he'd usually lend a sense of legitimacy to even a questionable script. For me, he always gave believable and convincing performances regardless which character he played.

So long, Hyder.

[awesomemixtape10]

Yeah, he was great.

[literary]

I thought he was excellent in The Car.

I'll have to do some research with regard to his other acting portrayals, but as a man seeming to be let down by fate, and then his health, it was a very convincing performance.

I say this as it is fresh in my memory; The Waltons on repeat has left my screens just now, and seeing as this news became apparent recently, what better way to remember him than to watch the actual episode. My question would most likely be.... are there other Waltons episodes with him in?

literary

[ForeverWaltons]

Oct 25, 2013 10:57:52 GMT -5 literary said:

I thought he was excellent in The Car.

I'll have to do some research with regard to his other acting portrayals, but as a man seeming to be let down by fate, and then his health, it was a very convincing performance.

I say this as it is fresh in my memory; The Waltons on repeat has left my screens just now, and seeing as this news became apparent recently, what better way to remember him than to watch the actual episode. My question would most likely be.... are there other Waltons episodes with him in?

literary

That was the only episode he appeared in.

[literary]

Thank you, ForeverWaltons..

literary

[jimbobwaltonlover94]

I liked him in the movie the Longest yard

[JeriJet]

Some of his East Coast family went out to L.A. last week, and I heard from one of his cousins last night -- she was also part of our Thespian group, and he sometimes stayed at her house because it was closer to school (C.W. Post) than his home in Long Beach.... I've been trying to think of a good personal story about him and she reminded me about the time (when she and I were high school juniors) that our "crowd" held an Awards Ceremony of rather silly awards.... he surprised us by showing up, taking over the emcee duties, and was a riot -- easy to see why he first thought of becoming a stand-up comedian!

FYI, he was also related to Elaine Stritch, which is how I met her and got work on "Company" at the City Center....

[nedandres]

Wow, Jeri. I would love to sit down and chat theatre with you. You have worked with some of my favorites (Yul Brynner and Elaine Stritch, among them). I would love to hear some of your stories.

[JeriJet]

Nov 8, 2013 20:16:17 GMT -5 nedandres said:

Wow, Jeri. I would love to sit down and chat theatre with you. You have worked with some of my favorites (Yul Brynner and Elaine Stritch, among them). I would love to hear some of your stories.

Yeah, you and I have had a couple of good chats about the theatre.... but most folks here don't show any interest at all, so I don't say much... just occasionally, when it relates directly.  It stings/hurts too much when my anecdotes elicit no response.  Oh, and I have not even scratched the surface.... all those years of hard work and great fun.  There's nothing like the closeness that develops back-stage.

Yul and Elaine may well be my "biggest" .... most actors I worked with, especially in stock, were not as big -- nowadays, who remembers there was a Darryl Hickman ?!

[nedandres]

Well, I can share that frustration when other people are not interested. I have one good friend who loves the theatre. Others, including my wife, are not so interested. So when I saw "Annie" and "Cinderella" this summer in NYC, I enjoyed it very much but did not really have anyone to talk to about it, but that's okay.

When I saw "A Little Night Music" with Elaine, I wrote to her at the theatre and requested an autograph for my friend who ADORES her. Well, she came through and sent me one as well. That was nice of her. I read that there is a documentary about her coming out in February which I hope to see at some point. I guess she is struggling somewhat with her new life in Michigan after so many years in NY. That is quite an adjustment. Are you still in touch with her at all? Sorry for being nosy!!!

Did you read any of the biographies about Yul, including his son's. I wondered how accurate they are, in your opinion, and which one you thought was the best. I don't have time to read everything. Ethel Mermon is another of my favorites, although I never saw her live. Some of the others I have seen in person are Chita, Julie Andrews, Carol Channing. Have enjoyed it very much. Tickets are kind of high priced for a missionary salary, though, but I treat myself sometimes.

A while back you asked for my impressions of going to college in central/western NY. I went to Houghton College, a small Wesleyan college which hovers around 1000 students even today. Of course, Houghton is a town without any traffic lights, and the college really IS the town in many senses. I enjoyed it immensely, the brilliant autumn leaves, the snow, "borrowing" trays from the cafeteria to ride down the hilly sidewalks, Letchworth State Park and the wonderful waterfalls there, learning about Mary Jemison, the Irish American girl who was kidnapped by the Native Americans and she lived the rest of her life among them. I ran cross country and track and we always competed against Alfred U. where your brother worked. We normally ate at the university cafe so I didn't really get to know their town, but it was great to get off our campus and go to Rochester, Buffalo, etc. Alfred had a wooden indoor track which was quite small and took many laps to run a mile. That was always one of our first winter meets at their track. My legs always hurt for a while after that meet every year.

I like Western New York and try to get back there when I am in the USA which isn't very often. Usually we are in Ecuador for 4 years and then one year in the USA to visit family, friends and financial supporters and to make presentations at churches. I am sure that will be a challenge next time (starting in summer 2015) with our twin boys (who are 21 months old now). Our older son and daughter are troopers, 10 and 7 years old.

We usally go to Niagara Falls, which is a great trip for all of us, walking over the rainbow bridge into Canada. Hope to do it again.

Well, that's a bit more for you to read, Jet. Take care and I promise to buy your autobiography if you ever write one!!!!!

[clyde]

most actors I worked with, especially in stock, were not as big -- nowadays, who remembers there was a Darryl Hickman ?!

Quote by JeriJet

I Googled Darryl Hickman, and found that he was the older brother of Dwayne Hickman. That's the one I remember. He played Dobie Gillis on a TV program about 100 years ago. Wikipedia said that Darryl was on the program once.

I was surprised to hear that Ed Lauter died of Mesothelioma. My father died of that very same rare cancer. It is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. Wonder what other type of work Ed did besides acting?

Jeri, you will just have to write your Memoirs. You have too many interesting stories to just let them go begging.

[JeriJet]

Thanks, nedandres and clyde....
I specifically mentioned Darryl Hickman because he was actually a very prolific actor -- but not as recognizable as his brother, Dwayne, who people remember mostly because of Dobie Gillis.... Darryl probably played over twice the number of roles, while Dwayne went into the production side.... I worked with Darryl in a regional theatre for a month -- the show was extended two weeks largely because of HIM! There were so many actors I knew along the way -- you'd be surprised how many really good and more well-known actors fill their time with regional theatre, and I think most true actors (the ones who need it to live!) prefer the stage.... That makes a lot of sense -- in movies and tv, almost anyone can play a role with a zillion takes, much like when a photographer takes 50 shots of the same thing -- one of them is bound to be good!!

Actors who really want to act, not just make a lot of money and bask in notoriety, usually prefer the stage because it is a truer test of their abilities, it challenges them.... and is so much more fun!!

[nedandres]

That is one of the reasons why stunt casting bothers me because many actors seem to do it more for the money than for the love of the stage, and the producers seem to do it for the love of money. Of course, if a show is not successful, it will not go on, so I suppose it must be a delicate balance, but there are so many talented stage actors out there hungering for work. Not all film and TV actors make good stage actors for the reasons Jeri mentioned. It is a different level of acting.

Ralph, Michael and Richard have all done extensive stage work, and some of the others as well, Ronnie Claire and Judy among them, but Michael and Richard being the most prolific. I have enjoyed seeing them do live theatre over the years.