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Veteran actor Pat Hingle dies at 84 in NC home
The Associated
Press
Sunday,
January 04, 2009
CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. — Pat Hingle, a veteran actor whose career included a
recurring role as Commissioner Gordon in several Batman movies, has died after
battling blood cancer. He was 84.
Family spokeswoman Lynn Heritage said Hingle died at his home in Carolina
Beach shortly around 10:45 p.m. Saturday. Heritage said Hingle's wife, Julie,
was with him. Heritage said Hingle had been diagnosed with myelodysplasia in
November 2006.
Hingle had lived at Carolina Beach for more than 15 years. Family friend
Michele Seidman said Hingle decided to settle in the coastal town after shooting
the movie "Maximum Overdrive," a Stephen King feature in which he played a truck
stop diner manager who was one of several people held hostage by demon-possessed
machinery.
While shooting the film, the couple stayed in a condo at Carolina Beach.
After he retired, Hingle and his wife decided to move there, and in an October
interview with The Star-News of Wilmington, he described his feelings about
settling in North Carolina in his later years.
"I really do believe there was a divine hand that headed me here," he said in
the interview. "I am happy that I think it's going to end here."
Born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami on July 19, 1924, Hingle's long career
took him around the country. The path eventually led him to Broadway, where he
appeared in a number of productions, including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "That
Championship Season." It was his 1958 role in "Dark at the Top of the
Stairs,"though, that led to a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a
Play.
While performing in Broadway's "JB" in 1959, Hingle was offered the title
role in the film, "Elmer Gantry." But six weeks after the play opened, Hingle
fell more than 50 feet down an elevator shaft in his apartment building while
trying to crawl out after the elevator stalled between floors in his apartment
building.
Hingle fractured his skull, wrist, hip and most of his ribs on his left side,
broke his left leg in three places and lost the little finger on his left hand.
The movie role went to Bert Lancaster, who won a best actor Oscar.
"I know that if I had played Elmer Gantry, I would have been more of a movie
name," Hingle told The New York Times in 1997. "But I'm sure I would not have
done as many plays as I've done. I had exactly the kind of career I had hoped
for. And I never, never forget that I'm the recipient of the blessing that is
life. It was given to me to try again."
Hingle appeared in more than 50 films, and his most notable movie roles
include the cantankerous judge opposite Clint Eastwood in "Hang 'em High" (1968)
and the role of the father to Sally Field's character in "Norma Rae" (1979).
While living in Carolina Beach, Hingle continued to work in commercial
productions including "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," which
filmed in Charlotte, as well as local independent productions. Hingle also
appeared on Wilmington stages in plays such as "Tuesdays With Morrie" and "Our
Town."
In addition to his wife, Hingle is survived by two sisters, five children and
11 grandchildren. Heritage said a service to celebrate Hingle's life will be
held at a later date.
___
After all do not want to compete with you do I.