Early life

Ermey was born in Emporia, Kansas, on March 24, 1944, and was raised with his five brothers on a farm outside of Kansas City, Kansas. In 1958, when Ermey was 14, he and his family left Kansas and moved to Toppenish, Washington. As a teenager, Ermey often got in trouble with the local authorities, and had been arrested twice for criminal mischief by age 17. After his second arrest, a judge gave him a choice between joining the military or being sent to jail; Ermey chose the former.

Military career

U.S. Marine Corps

In 1961, at age 17, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went through recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California. For his first few years, he served in the aviation support field, before becoming a drill instructor in India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, where he was assigned from 1965 to 1967.

Ermey then served in Marine Wing Support Group 17 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. In 1968, he was ordered to Vietnam with MWSG-17, and spent 14 months in country. The remainder of his service was in Okinawa, where he was advanced to Staff Sergeant (E-6). He was medically discharged in 1972 because of several injuries incurred during his service.

On May 17, 2002, he received an honorary promotion to gunnery sergeant (E-7) by Commandant James L. Jones, becoming the first retiree in the history of the Marines to be promoted.

Acting career

Films

Ermey was cast in his first film while attending the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. He played a First Air Cavalry chopper pilot in Apocalypse Now, doubling as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola. Ermey then was cast as a Marine Drill Instructor in Sidney Fury's "Boys In Company C." For the next few years, Ermey played a series of minor film roles until 1987 when he was cast as drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.

Initially he was intended to be only the technical advisor. Kubrick changed his mind after Ermey put together an instructional tape, in which he went on an extended tirade towards several extras, convincing Kubrick he was the right man for the role. Seeking absolute military authenticity for the film, Kubrick allowed Ermey to write or edit his own dialogue and improvise on the set, a notable rarity in a Kubrick film. Kubrick later indicated that Ermey was an excellent performer, often needing just two or three takes per scene, also unusual for a Kubrick film.

Ermey's performance won critical raves and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. He later played a drill instructor in the pilot episode of Space: Above and Beyond and the ghost of a drill instructor in the film The Frighteners, both similar to his character in Full Metal Jacket.

Ermey has since appeared in approximately sixty films, including Purple Hearts, Mississippi Burning, The Siege of Firebase Gloria, Dead Man Walking, Seven, Fletch Lives, Leaving Las Vegas, Prefontaine, Saving Silverman, On Deadly Ground, Sommersby, Life, Man of the House, Toy Soldiers, The Salton Sea, as well as the remakes of Willard and as an evil sadist in the two The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films.

Ermey also lent his voice to The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3, as well as Roughnecks and X-Men 3. He usually appears in a commanding military role, for shows such as Kim Possible, The Simpsons, Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, Miami Vice, House, Scrubs, My Life as a Teenage Robot and Invader Zim, in addition to hosting the documentary series Mail Call and Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey.

Television

December 14, 1994. Tales From The Crypt. Season 6 Episode 9. "Staired In Horror", Ermey is the sheriff.

On Mail Call, Ermey discussed weaponry, tactical matters, and military history. Mail Call's subject matter was dictated by viewer emails; one episode focused on an M1 Abrams tank, while others involved World War II secrets, while others focused on elements of medieval warfare. The set consisted of a military tent, other military gear and weapons, and Ermey's personal jeep armed with his own 30 cal. M1919 Browning machine gun.

Ermey traveled to Kuwait in June 2003 during the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom to film mail distribution by the Defense Department to service personnel for an episode of Mail Call. According to a 2005 episode of Mail Call filmed at Whiteman Air Force Base, he is the 341st person to fly in the B-2 Stealth Bomber. He also guest-starred in the episode "Second Chance" of Human Target.

Ermey also made guest appearances on the TV drama House, playing the role of Dr. Gregory House's father, who was a decorated Naval Aviator while serving in the Marine Corps ("Birthmarks", "Daddy's Boy"), and the sitcom Scrubs, playing the Janitor's father. He has also voiced Wildcat in several episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. In an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", Ermey voiced Colonel Leslie "Hap" Hapablap.

In the episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, "Inmates of Summer", he voiced an irate warden of a maximum security island prison who demoralized the inmates whenever he could. In the episode of The Angry Beavers, "Fancy Prance", he voiced the Lipizzaner Stallions' instructor, Drill Sergeant Goonther.

In 2009, Ermey hosted a second History Channel show entitled Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, which discussed the history of various weapons used by militaries of today.

In late 2010, Ermey starred in a GEICO commercial as a drill-instructor-turned-therapist who insults a client, in a parody of some of his iconic characters. Ermey also was featured each week on ESPN's College GameDay. His role was to insult the experts' incorrect picks from the previous week. In that same year, Ermey appeared in the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Trophy" as a paroled sex offender.

In 2011, Ermey starred as a drill instructor on the X-Play special on Bulletstorm. In the "Family Guy" episode "Grumpy Old Man" Ermey guest-starred, again as a drill instructor.

Ermey serves as host of GunnyTime, a program that debuted on Outdoor Channel in 2015.

Video games

In 1993, Ermey played Lyle The Handyman in the full-motion video game Mega-CD/Sega CD game Double Switch, a game also starring Corey Haim and Deborah Harry.

Ermey lends his voice to several video games, including Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (as General Barnaky) and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (as Wa-Wa). He also made a cameo in Real War: Air, Land, Sea, a retail real-time strategy computer game based on the official Joint Chiefs of Staff training game. In the game Fallout 3, there is a recruitable companion named Sergeant RL-3, a modified military robot with a personality very similar to Ermey (the companion's name is a reference to Ermey's initials wherein the 3 is leetspeak for the letter E). In the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion there is a character named "Lieutenant Emry" that speaks some of Ermey's signature lines from Full Metal Jacket. In 2014, he did voice over work for the popular game Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Commercials

Ermey is an official spokesman for Black Book, Glock firearms, TRU-SPEC apparel, Tupperware, Victory Motorcycles, Hoover, SOG Specialty Knives, WD-40, and the Young Marines, and has appeared in commercials for Coors Light, Dick's Sporting Goods, GEICO, and pistachio nuts. He has provided the intro for the PBR. He can be seen giving a service announcement for Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, demanding that viewers be quiet during the film. He is a board member for the National Rifle Association.

Business ventures

Ermey is the co-founder of the Bravery Brewery in Lancaster, California.

Political views

Ermey, an outspoken Republican, said in an interview earlier in 2015 that he supports Texas Senator Ted Cruz for President. He said, "You know what, I just watched Ted Cruz - I mean, what a tough act to follow. I'm not going to tell you who I'm going to vote for, but I'm going to let you guess and the first two guesses don't count!"

Toys for Tots speech

On December 10, 2010, Ermey criticized the Obama administration's economic policies while speaking at a Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots rally, stating that it was difficult to raise money for the charity because "the economy sucks". He went on to say:

“

We should all rise up, and we should stop this administration from what they're doing because they're destroying this country. They're driving us into bankruptcy so that they can impose socialism on us, and that's exactly what they're doing, and I'm sick and damn tired of it and I know you are too.

”

In January 2011, Ermey posted an apology on his website, saying:

“

I regret that I delivered a monologue that was inappropriately critical of the President. My comments were misguided and emotionally biased, and for that I am truly sorry.

”

In spite of his apology, Ermey later told TMZ that he was "fired" by GEICO, which is owned by noted Obama supporter Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, with whom he made the above-mentioned 2010 "Drill Sergeant" commercial because of his political beliefs. The insurance giant also removed Ermey's commercial from their official YouTube channel.

Military appearances

On May 17, 2002, Ermey received an honorary post-service promotion to gunnery sergeant (E-7) from the Commandant of the Marine Corps General James L. Jones in recognition of his continuing support to Americans in military service, a rank consistent with Ermey's character as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.

He has also conducted morale tours visiting United States troops in locations such as Al Kut, Iraq, and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in which he filmed parts for his television show Mail Call. While at Bagram Airfield he held a USO type show in which he portrayed GySgt Hartman and conducted a comedy routine. He also did the same at Doha, Qatar and Camp Doha, Kuwait City, Kuwait, in 2003.

Personal life

Ermey married his wife, Nila, in 1975. They have four children. In Ermey's television show Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, he refers to his wife as "Mrs. Gunny".

Military awards

Ermey was retroactively awarded the Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon after he retired from the military due to his prior service as a Marine Corps Recruit Training Instructor. Ermey's military awards include:

Combat Action Ribbon		Meritorious Unit Commendation		Good Conduct Medal w/ two 3⁄16" bronze stars
National Defense Service Medal		Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal		Vietnam Service Medal w/ one 3⁄16" silver star
Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon		Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm		Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960- Device
Rifle Marksman Badge			Pistol Sharpshooter Badge

Selected TV and filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	The Boys in Company C	Staff Sergeant Loyce (Drill Instructor, Platoon 163)
1979	Apocalypse Now	Eagle Thrust Seven helicopter pilot	uncredited
1979	Up From The Depths	Lee
1984	Purple Hearts	Gunny
1987	Full Metal Jacket	Gunnery Sergeant Hartman	One of the rare performances Stanley Kubrick ever allowed to be improvised Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
	Miami Vice	Detective Sergeant Ernest Haskell	guest star "Rising Sun of Death" Episode 9, Season 4 TV series
1988	Mississippi Burning	Mayor Tilman
1989	The Siege of Firebase Gloria	Sergeant Major Bill Hafner/Narrator	Uncredited screenwriter
	Fletch Lives	Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
	Demonstone	Colonel Joe Haines
1990	The Take	Weller	television film
	I'm Dangerous Tonight	Lieutenant Ackman	television film
	83 Hours 'Til Dawn	Glen Fairling	television film
	The Terror Within II	Von Demming
	The Rift aka Endless Descent	Captain Phillips
1991	Toy Soldiers	General Kramer
	True Identity	Houston's Boss	uncredited
	Kid	Luke
1993	Hexed	Detective Ferguson
	Sommersby	Dick Mead
	Body Snatchers	General Platt
	The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.	Marshal Brisco County Senior
	Double Switch (video game)	Lyle (the handyman)	Credited as R. Lee Emrey in the Mega-CD/Sega CD version
1994	French Silk	Chief Crowder	television film
	On Deadly Ground	Stone
	Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story	Mr. Byrd	uncredited; television film
	Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult	Mess Hall Guard	uncredited
	Chain of Command	Benjamin Brewster
	Savate	Benedict	uncredited
	Love Is a Gun	Frank Deacon
	Kidnapped
1995	Murder in the First	Judge Clawson
	Leaving Las Vegas	Conventioneer
	Seven	Police Captain
	The X-Files	Reverend Findley	episode "Revelations" TV series
	The Simpsons	Colonel Leslie Hapablap	voice only episode "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" animated series
	Under the Hula Moon	Lt. Col. J. P. McIntire
	Dead Man Walking	Clyde Percy
	Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back	Preacher Brian	uncredited
	Toy Story	Sarge	voice only animated film
1996	Space: Above and Beyond	Sergeant Major Bougus	television film
	The Frighteners	The late Master Sergeant Hiles
	Soul of the Game	Wilkie	television film
1997	Dead Men Can't Dance	Sen. Pullman T. Fowler
	The Angry Beavers	Sergeant Goonther	voice only episode "Fancy Prance/H2Whoa!" animated series
	Weapons of Mass Distraction	Billy Paxton	television film
	Rough Riders	Secretary of State John Hay
	Prefontaine	Bill Bowerman
	Cracker	Lieutenant Fry	TV series
	Switchback	Sheriff Buck Olmstead
	Starship Troopers	News Announcer	uncredited
1998	Gunshy	Jerry
1999	You Know My Name	Nix	television film
	Life	Older Sheriff Pike
	Avalanche	Gary
	Megiddo: The Omega Code 2	President Richard Benson
	SpongeBob SquarePants	Prison Warden	voice only episode "The Inmates of Summer" and "To Save a Squirrel"
	Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot	General Thorton	TV series
	The Apartment Complex	Frank Stanton
	Toy Story 2	Sarge	voice only animated film
2000	The Chaos Factor	Col. Ben Wilder
	Skipped Parts	Caspar Callahan
	Roughnecks: STC	Sky Marshall Sanchez
	Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins	Sarge	voice only animated direct-to-video film
	Jericho	Marshall
2001	Saving Silverman	Coach Norton
	Recess: School's Out	Colonel O'Malley	voice only animated film
	Family Guy	Coach	voice only episode "Mr. Saturday Knight" animated series
	Taking Sides	General Wallace
	Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel	General Barnaky	voice only video game
	Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex	Wa-Wa the Water Elemental	voice only video game Credited as R. Lee Ermy
	On the Borderline	Captain Elias
	Real War: Air, Land, Sea		voice only video game
	Real War: Rogue States		voice only video game
2002	Run Ronnie Run!	Lead Kidnapper
	The Salton Sea	Verne Plummer
	Invader Zim	Sergeant Hobo 678	voice only animated series
	History Channel's Mail Call	Gunny (Himself)	TV series
	Frank McKlusky, C.I.	Jockey Master	uncredited direct-to-video
	A.K.A. Birdseye	Sheriff Gathers
	Scrubs	Janitor's father	guest star episode "My Old Man" TV series
	Y.M.I.	John
	"Fillmore!"	Colonel Thrift	guest star, voice only episode "South of Friendship, North of Honor" animated series
	Kim Possible	General Sims	voice only animated series
2003	Willard	Frank Martin
	The Texas Chainsaw Massacre	Sheriff Hoyt	Nominated - Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor
2004	The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy	Drill Sergeant	voice only animated series
	Father of the Pride	Sergeant Bunny	voice only animated series episode "One Man's Meat Is Another Man's Girlfriend"
2005	House	John House	Appeared in the episode "Daddy's Boy" TV series
	Man of the House	Captain Nichols
2006	X-Men: The Last Stand	Sergeant	voice only
	The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning	Charlie Hewitt/Sheriff Hoyt
2008	Solstice	Leonard
	House	John House	Appeared in the episode "Birthmarks" TV series
	Eleventh Hour	Bob Henson (Farmer)	Appeared in the episode "Agro" TV series
2009	Batman: The Brave and the Bold	Wildcat	animated series
	History Channel's Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey	Gunny (Himself)	TV series
2010	Toy Story 3	Sarge	voice only animated film
	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Walter Burlock	Appeared in the episode "Trophy" TV series
2011	Family Guy	Drill Sergeant with Alzheimers Disease	Appeared in the Episode "Grumpy Old Man" TV series
2012	The Watch	Grumpy rural neighbor	Alien victim
	Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness	General Tsin (The Most Dangerous Po)	voice only
2015	GunnyTime	Gunny (Himself)	TV series

Other media

• Provided the voice for a speaking "motivational action figure" depicting him in USMC drill instructor uniform with pre-programmed voice messages activated by pressing a button on the figure. The figures' dialogue comes in two versions, one with (somewhat) family-friendly language and one with "Extra-Salty" dialogue which includes profanity, the latter of which is packaged with an R rating as a warning to consumers. One of these figurines also appears on occasion on Mail Call, wherein it is often referred to as 'Mini-Lee' by the host, sometimes seen berating a G.I. Joe figurine.
• In the early 1990s, appeared as a Martian pilot in a training video for Virtual World Entertainment's game "Red Planet", alongside other actors such as Cheech Marin, Nora Dunn, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Joan Severance, and Judge Reinhold.
• In the Green Lantern series of comics published by DC, it is revealed that Green Lantern Kilowog, who trains all new Green Lantern recruits, was himself trained by a Green Lantern named Ermey
• Had a notable appearance on The Howard Stern Show in October 2002 appearing on the show as Sgt. Hartman

[ Source: Wikipedia ]