Samuel John Bottoms (October 17, 1955 - December 16, 2008) was an American actor and producer.

Personal life

Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California, the third son of James "Bud" Bottoms (a sculptor and art teacher) and Betty (Chapman), both of whom survive him. He was the brother of actors Timothy Bottoms (born 1951), Joseph Bottoms (born 1954) and Ben Bottoms (born 1960). He died of glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain tumor, on December 16, 2008.

Career

When Bottoms was 16 years old, he was on the set of The Last Picture Show, in which his older brother Timothy starred, when the director Peter Bogdanovich decided to give him a screen test. He ended up playing the character of Billy in the movie, who has no spoken lines, but contributes a pivotal role in the drama. Five years later, Bottoms appeared with Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Bottoms may be best remembered for his role as surfer Lance Johnson, a Navy Gunner's Mate stationed on a river boat in Francis Ford Coppola's 20th century opus, Apocalypse Now. According to author Peter Biskind, he acquired hookworm during the chaotic production in the Philippines, and the parasite "wrecked his liver".

Television

• Doc Elliot (1974)
• Savages (1974)
• Lucas Tanner (1974)
• Cage Without a Key (1975)
• Marcus Welby, M.D. (1976)
• Greatest Heroes of the Bible (1978)
• The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978)
• East of Eden (1981)
• Desperate Lives (1982)
• Return to Eden (1983)
• No Earthly Reason (1984)
• Gringo mojado (1986)
• The Witching of Ben Wagner (1987)
• Island Sons (1987)
• 21 Jump Street (1990)
• Murder, She Wrote (1989-1991)
• Zooman (1995)
• The X Files (1995)
• Mercenary II: Thick & Thin (1997)
• My Neighbor's Daughter (1998)
• NYPD Blue (2004)

Filmography

• The Last Picture Show (1971)
• Class of '44 (1973)
• Zandy's Bride (1974)
• The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
• Apocalypse Now (1979)
• Up from the Depths (1979)
• Bronco Billy (1980)
• Prime Risk (1985)
• Hunter's Blood (1987)
• Gardens of Stone (1987)
• After School (1988)
• Ragin' Cajun (1991)
• Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
• Dolly Dearest (1992)
• North of Chiang Mai (1992)
• The Trust (1993)
• Sugar Hill (1994)
• Project Shadowchaser III (1995)
• Snide and Prejudice (1997)
• Joseph's Gift (1998)
• The Unsaid (2001)
• Shadow Fury (2001)
• True Files (2002)
• Looking Through Lillian (2002)
• Seabiscuit (2003)
• Havoc (2005)
• Shopgirl (2005)
• Winter Passing (2005)
• SherryBaby (2006)
• Finishing the Game (2007)

Producer

• Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (1991)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]