Remembering Rip Torn

Last week, the superb actor, Rip Torn passed away, at the age of 88.

Mr. Torn lived an extraordinary life, overcoming the insidious blacklisting/(Torn said he was greylisted–note the spelling, I can envision Torn in his great television role as “Artie” on “The Larry Sanders Show,” making the distinction amidst the “heaviness”), that permeated Hollywood and this country.

His performances in film include good roles and excellent performances in “The Cincinnati Kid” and the Tennessee Williams penned “Sweet Bird of Youth.”

Torn was married three times, each time to an actress (Ann Wedgeworth, Geraldine Page and Amy Wright, who was with him and married to him when he died. He helped his cousin, the great actress Sissy Spacek start her career.

I cited Torn as “Artie” on ‘The Larry Sanders Show” which starred the late Garry Shandling. He was “Zeb” in two “Men in Black” movies.

Go make some noise in a better place, Mr. Torn and as Will Smith, with him and a star in 2 “Men in Black,” movies, “communicated”— “rip” RIP!”

Rip Torn, pictured above.