Monday, September 3, 2012

RIP: Michael Clarke Duncan

Michael Clarke Duncan died earlier today. He was fifty four years old. Earlier this year, he had suffered a heart attack, and it was his girlfriend, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, who apparently had saved his life at the time. But there were complications, and he remained in the hospital until his death today.

He was best known for his role in the movie adaptation of Stephen King's "The Green Mile", where he played John Coffey, the miracle producer who unexpectedly finds himself in death row. He was nominated for an Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe for his portrayal of John Coffey in what I feel was a truly great movie. As good as it was, he really helped to make the movie, and it is hard to imagine anyone else playing what not appears to have been his signature role.

But it was not the only movie that he starred in. Duncan was also in Armageddon and The Whole Nine Yards, as well as on some television programming, although none of those quite gave him the success and spotlight as the Green Mile had.

Often times, seemingly unnaturally big guys like this seem to die early, due to complication such as this. It happened to quite a few wrestlers, including Andre the Giant and Big John Studd, famously. Duncan was not as big as those guys, yet he was huge at 6'5 and well over three hundred pounds.

Still, he was apparently a gentle giant, and had a good heart, despite his rather intimidating physical appearance.

He will be missed.

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