| Michael Jeter |
At the 44th Emmy Awards, August 1992 |
| Born |
August 26, 1952(1952-08-26)
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died |
March 30, 2003(2003-03-30) (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation |
Actor |
| Years active |
1979–2003 |
| Spouse |
Sean Blue (m. 1995-2003) |
Michael Jeter (August 26, 1952 – March 30, 2003) was an American actor.
[edit] Early life
Michael Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. His mother, Virginia (née Raines), was a housewife. His father, William Claud Jeter (March 10, 1922 – March 1, 2010),[1] was an optometrist. Jeter had one brother, William, and four sisters, Virginia, Amanda, Emily, and Larie.[2] Jeter was a student at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) when his interests changed from medicine to acting. He performed in several plays and musicals at the Circuit Theatre and its sister theatre, the Playhouse on the Square, in mid-town Memphis. He left Memphis to further pursue his stage career in Baltimore, Maryland.
[edit] Career
His woebegone look, extreme flexibility, and high energy led Tommy Tune to cast him in the off-Broadway play, Cloud 9, and again on Broadway in a memorable role in the musical Grand Hotel, for which he won a Tony Award in 1990. Much of his work specialized in playing eccentric, pretentious, or wimpy characters, as in The Fisher King, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Drop Zone. Occasionally, Jeter was able to stay away from these types of roles for more diverse characters like those he portrayed in Jurassic Park III (where he was killed by a dinosaur), Air Bud, The Green Mile, and Open Range. He won an Emmy award in 1992 for his role in the television sitcom Evening Shade as math teacher and assistant football coach Herman Stiles. In the Evening Shade episode "Chip Off the Old Brick" Brian Keith plays his macho truck driver father, Brick Stiles. He was also a favorite with younger audiences in his role as Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street from 2000 to 2003. The movies The Polar Express and Open Range are dedicated to his memory.[3][4] He appeared in an episode of Touched By An Angel in 1999 as Gus an Insurance Salesman who arrives in Las Vegas in the episode, 'The Man Upstairs' [5].
Jeter died of AIDS on March 30, 2003, Jeter was found dead in his Hollywood home at the age of 50. Jeter was HIV positive but had been in good health. [6] He was cremated and his ashes were scattered.[citation needed]
[edit] Tributes
The Polar Express, in which Jeter voiced Smokey and Steamer, was his final film role and the movie was dedicated to him with a statement at the very end of the credits reading, "Dedicated to the memory of Michael Jeter" with his photo next to it.[7]
[edit] Theatre
[edit] Television
[edit] Filmography
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Jeter, Michael |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
|
| Date of birth |
August 26, 1952 |
| Place of birth |
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Date of death |
March 30, 2003 |
| Place of death |
Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
