Not long after actor Richard Jaeckel died at 70 on June 14, 1997, I wrote this tribute piece published in my Crum on Film column in The Kansas City Kansan on June 27.
By Steve Crum
There is a scene in 1971’s otherwise forgettable Sometimes a Great Notion that stays with me. Give some credit to director and star Paul Newman, but it is Richard Jaeckel’s scene. In it, Jaeckel, as part of a family of Oregon loggers and Newman’s brother, has accidentally pinned himself between some floating logs. He is just off shore and underwater to his chest. As Newman desperately struggles to free his brother, Jaeckel is slowly pulled under as the logs shift. Jaeckel knows he is going to die, and expresses his love and caring to his family (including Henry Fonda) and particularly Newman. Even going inches below the surface to breathe oxygen into his brother’s mouth is fruitless. It is a stunning scene, showcasing Jaeckel’s powerful acting.
Richard Jaeckel was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his fantastic performance, his only nomination in a 50 year movie career. He lost to Ben Johnson in The Last Picture Show. (Incidentally, if you cannot find the video, look for it under its released-to-TV title: Never Give an Inch.) Jaeckel, who died on cancer at 70 on June 14, was always the Dick Clark of motion pictures in that he looked much younger than his age. Short, stocky and blonde, he played teenagers when he was in his 20s. That includes the first movie I recall seeing him in, 1952’s Come Back, Little Sheba.
His lasting claim to fame, however, is his support in all four Dirty Dozen movies. That includes the hit 1967 Lee Marvin film and three TV sequels. Remember Jaeckel as Marvin’s right hand MP sergeant? Seemingly monthly cable showings of the classic action film will cement Jaeckel’s movie persona indefinitely.
It is not so surprising that the handsomely rugged and buff actor was typecast in films ore so as a military fighting man. That is traced to his very beginning in movies as a teenaged marine in the superior 1943 WWII actioner, Guadalcanal Diary. He played a marine again, this time opposite John Wayne, in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). Against type, he was featured with Elvis Presley in the western Flaming Star (1960). There were dozens of other pictures.
Jaeckel was truly a working actor, and when not on a movie set, he kept active in TV. That part of his career kept him employed until his retirement five years ago. Most are action-adventure-detective series. No surprise. Thanks to reruns, his solid performances are seen frequently:
•FRONTIER CIRCUS (1961-62)—Jaeckel portrayed an Old West circus advance man in this drama that was rerun many years after on Saturday mornings. Chill Wills and John Derek starred.
•BANYON (1972-73)—Robert Forster was supported by Jaeckel in a detective drama set in 1930s Los Angeles.
•FIREHOUSE (1974)—This firefighter adventure starred James Drury.
•AT EASE (1983)—A Jimmie Walker comedy touted as the Sgt. Bilko series of the ‘80s. Jaeckel was an Army Major.
•SALVAGE 1 (1979)—An Andy Griffith adventure series about high dollar junk men! Jaeckel played Klinger, an FBI pal.
•SPENSER FOR HIRE (1983-87)—Jaeckel played his best TV support as Lt. Quirk in the Robert Urich series.
•SUPERCARRIER (1988)—Here and gone, the Robert Hooks military drama featured Jaeckel as the Master Chief.
•BAYWATCH (1991-92)—Catch Richard Jaeckel as yet another police lieutenant.