Full Metallic Jacket Star Kevyn Main Howard Dies at 69

Kevyn Main Howard, the actor and photographer greatest identified for his position as “Rafterman” in Stanley Kubrick’s acclaimed movie Full Metallic Jacket, has handed away. He was 69 years previous.

Per TMZ, Howard died on Friday, Feb. 7, whereas surrounded by loving household and mates at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. A reason for loss of life was not shared, however the actor’s household stated he had been hospitalized for weeks with respiratory points. The household requests that in lieu of flowers, donations might be made in Howard’s honor on to FueledBytheFallen.org, a nonprofit established to assist present assist to veterans and first responders in want of help.

Howard was born on Jan. 27, 1956, in Montreal, Quebec, however together with his twin citizenship, he relocated from Canada to Los Angeles, California, to embark on a profession in present enterprise. In 1981, he appeared within the hit TV present CHiPs, and he adopted this up by showing within the Charles Bronson motion movie Dying Want II in 1982. The actor went on to seem in lots of different in style TV reveals throughout the Nineteen Eighties, together with T.J. Hooker, Cagney & Lacey, The A-Staff, MacGyver, Magnum, P.I., and Miami Vice.

The late actor’s largest position was in 1987’s Full Metallic Jacket, a movie that follows a gaggle of troopers by way of boot camp and into battle throughout the Vietnam Battle. Howard performed Pvt. Rafterman alongside Matthew Modine as Pvt. Joker, and the 2 actors remained shut mates within the many years after the movie. Modine was even knowledgeable of Howard’s loss of life by his household earlier than the information was made public. Modine and Howard are stated to have lately spoken to at least one one other on the cellphone shortly earlier than the latter’s passing.

Howard additionally had an uncredited position as a background additional in 1983’s Scarface, one of the celebrated crime drama movies in historical past. His different movie credit embrace Sudden Affect, Battle Occasion, Alien Nation, and Livers Ain’t Low cost. Throughout his profession, the actor had gotten to share the display with well-known movie stars like Clint Eastwood, James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, and Frank Sinatra.

“To share how Mr. Kubrick [the director of Full Metal Jacket] and I first had been in contact was when Mr. Kubrick had despatched a private letter to my company,” Howard stated in a 2007 interview, sharing how he’d gotten the half. “He had talked about that he had observed my work in three totally different movies. Arnold Shapiro’s Scared Straight, One other Story, Clint Eastwood’s Sudden Affect, and Charles Bronson’s Dying Want II. The letter then went on requesting a return response that if I had been excited by engaged on Full Metallic Jacket with him, that each one I needed to do was write again and reply sure.”

Talking about his nonprofit, the actor additionally stated within the interview, “They shall not be forgotten. I now ask of the American individuals and their hearts and allow us to all take part within the giving of because of our heroes. One of the best ways I knew how was to present what they wanted most in return; monetary assist in order that their lives is likely to be only a bit extra complete.”

Howard’s survivors embrace his spouse, Tiffanie; stepdaughter, Kayla; sister, Kim; and brother, Kelsey.

Supply: TMZ