---
name: "R. Lee Ermey"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/r-lee-ermey"
fi1m_id: "r-lee-ermey"
imdb_id: "nm0000388"
tmdb_id: 8655
wikidata_id: "Q353978"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "24 March 1944"
died: "15 April 2018"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 12
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-05T04:08:47.291016+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# R. Lee Ermey

## Identity

R. Lee Ermey

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/r-lee-ermey
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** r-lee-ermey
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000388
- **TMDB ID:** 8655
- **Wikidata ID:** Q353978
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Lee_Ermey, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q353978, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000388/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8655

Actor. Born 24 March 1944 in Emporia, Kansas, USA. Died 15 April 2018.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 24 March 1944, Emporia, Kansas, USA
- **Died:** 15 April 2018
- **Active:** 1984–2010
- **Also known as:** Ronald Lee Ermey , Lee Emery, R. Lee Emrey, Lee Ermey, R. Lee Ermy
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 12: 11 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 11 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 92 (1), 1980s 78 (3), 1990s 83 (6), 2000s 54 (1), 2010s 87 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 79 to 78 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 8 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Animation 3, Comedy 3, Crime 3, Family 3, Mystery 3
- **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $3,624m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Lee_Ermey, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q353978, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000388/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8655

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Dead Man Walking*](https://film.one/film/dead-man-walking.md) (84), [*Mississippi Burning*](https://film.one/film/mississippi-burning.md) (72)
- **Disney+:** [*Toy Story*](https://film.one/film/toy-story.md) (92)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Se7en*](https://film.one/film/se7en.md) (88)
- **HBO Max:** [*Full Metal Jacket*](https://film.one/film/full-metal-jacket.md) (81)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Sommersby*](https://film.one/film/sommersby.md) (63)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on R. Lee Ermey

> R. Lee Ermey made authority convincing through the speed and certainty of his delivery. We rate the skill behind the shouting, especially when it is put to comic use, though too many roles asked for the same stern figure.

Ermey delivers a threat so quickly that there is barely time to take in its inventiveness before the next one arrives. As Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in *Full Metal Jacket* (1987), he gives the drill instructor's abuse a practised rhythm that makes it sound routine to the speaker. He improvised much of the dialogue for Stanley Kubrick. His own experience as a Marine drill instructor explains the ease, but the speed and timing explain why we keep listening.

That part became a casting habit. After early work as a performer and technical adviser on *Apocalypse Now* (1979), *Full Metal Jacket* brought the breakthrough, followed by repeated assignments as officers, sheriffs and captains. The police captain in *Se7en* (1995) belongs to that pattern. There is skill in establishing who expects obedience without making a scene labour over it, but repeated casting gave him fewer chances to do anything else.

*Toy Story* (1995) makes the repetition useful. As the voice of the Sergeant in John Lasseter's film, Ermey brings the familiar gruffness into a comedy where taking oneself too seriously is part of the fun. We laughed at the seriousness of that voice in a family comedy; he sounds quite unwilling to make allowances for the change of audience. Alongside the quarrelling voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, his brisk certainty is funny in its own right. Lasseter makes room for the familiar voice without allowing recognition to become the whole joke.

Then there is *Dead Man Walking* (1995), directed by Tim Robbins, with Ermey as Clyde Percy, a victim's father. The role gives his severity a source in personal hurt, and it is worth remembering beside the uniforms. Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn carry the difficult encounters that make the film so affecting; Ermey is part of that ensemble, not its centre. We have reservations about how carefully the debate is arranged, but the performances justify our warm recommendation. Try *Dead Man Walking* before deciding that the drill instructor tells us everything about him.

## Biography

R. Lee Ermey was an American actor and former United States Marine Corps drill instructor. Born Ronald Lee Ermey on 24 March 1944 in Emporia, Kansas, he served in the Marine Corps from 1961 to 1972, rising to staff sergeant and later receiving an honorary promotion to gunnery sergeant.

Ermey achieved recognition for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in *Full Metal Jacket* (1987), which earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He appeared as a police captain in *Se7en* (1995) and voiced Sergeant (Sarge) in the *Toy Story* films (1995, 1999, 2010). He frequently played authority figures and hosted the History Channel series *Mail Call* and *Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (12)

### Performed in (11) — the average rests on these

- *Toy Story 3* (2010), Fi1m 87, as Sarge (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/toy-story-3.md)
- *X-Men: The Last Stand* (2006), Fi1m 54, as Sergeant (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/x-men-the-last-stand.md)
- *Toy Story 2* (1999), Fi1m 89, as Sarge (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/toy-story-2.md)
- *Dead Man Walking* (1995), Fi1m 84, as Clyde Percy — [page](https://film.one/film/dead-man-walking.md)
- *Leaving Las Vegas* (1995), Fi1m 82, as Conventioneer — [page](https://film.one/film/leaving-las-vegas.md)
- *Se7en* (1995), Fi1m 88, as Police Captain — [page](https://film.one/film/se7en.md)
- *Toy Story* (1995), Fi1m 92, as Sergeant (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/toy-story.md)
- *Sommersby* (1993), Fi1m 63, as Dick Mead — [page](https://film.one/film/sommersby.md)
- *Mississippi Burning* (1988), Fi1m 72, as Mayor Tilman — [page](https://film.one/film/mississippi-burning.md)
- *Full Metal Jacket* (1987), Fi1m 81, as Gny. Sgt. Hartman — [page](https://film.one/film/full-metal-jacket.md)
- *Miami Vice* (1984), Fi1m 81, as Ernest Haskell — [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Apocalypse Now* (1979), Fi1m 92, as Eagle Thrust Seven Helicopter Pilot (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/apocalypse-now.md)

## Complete filmography (110)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Watch* (2012), as Manfred
- *Toy Story 3* (2010), as Sarge (voice) — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/toy-story-3.md)
- *Batman: The Brave and the Bold* (2008), series, as Wildcat (voice)
- *Eleventh Hour* (2008), series, as Bob Henson
- *Solstice* (2008), as Leonard
- *The Pixar Story* (2007), as Sergeant (voice) (archive footage)
- *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning* (2006), as Uncle Charlie Hewitt / Sheriff Hoyt
- *Shark Bait* (2006), as Jack (voice)
- *X-Men: The Last Stand* (2006), as Sergeant (voice) — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/x-men-the-last-stand.md)
- *Man of the House* (2005), as Captain Nichols
- *House* (2004), series, as John House — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Father of the Pride* (2004), series, as Bunny (voice)
- *Y.M.I.* (2004), as John
- *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre* (2003), as Sheriff Hoyt
- *Willard* (2003), as Mr. Martin
- *My Life as a Teenage Robot* (2002), series, Actor
- *Fillmore!* (2002), series, Actor
- *Birdseye* (2002), as Sheriff Gathers
- *Mail Call* (2002), series, Actor
- *Kim Possible* (2002), series, as Additional Voices (voice), General Sims (voice)
- *Scenes of the Crime* (2002), as Mr. Parker
- *Taking Sides* (2002), as General Wallace
- *The Salton Sea* (2002), as Verne Plummer
- *Run Ronnie Run* (2002), as Lead Kidnapper
- *On the Borderline* (2001), as Captain Elias
- *Scrubs* (2001), series, as Janitor's Father
- *Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Tesca Campaign* (2001), Actor
- *Megiddo: The Omega Code 2* (2001), as Richard Benson
- *The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy* (2001), series, as Sergeant / Drill Sergeant
- *Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Pluto Campaign* (2001), Actor
- *Invader ZIM* (2001), series, Actor
- *Recess: School's Out* (2001), as Colonel O'Malley (voice)
- *Saving Silverman* (2001), as Coach
- *Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Tophet Campaign* (2001), as Sky Marshall Sanchez
- *The District* (2000), series, as Jim Bodsworth
- *Jericho* (2000), as Marshall
- *Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins* (2000), as Sarge (voice)
- *Skipped Parts* (2000), as Caspar Callahan
- *The Chaos Factor* (2000), as Col. Ben Wilder
- *The Apartment Complex* (1999), as Frank Stanton
- *Toy Story 2* (1999), as Sarge (voice) — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/toy-story-2.md)
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Walter Burlock
- *The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot* (1999), series, as General Thornton (voice)
- *Action* (1999), series, as Titus Scroad
- *Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles* (1999), series, as Sanchez (voice)
- *You Know My Name* (1999), as Marshal Nix
- *Escape from Alaska* (1999), as Gary
- *SpongeBob SquarePants* (1999), series, as Prison Warden (voice)
- *Life* (1999), as Older Sheriff Pike
- *Family Guy* (1999), series, as Coach (voice), Warden (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md)
- *Maximum Bob* (1998), series, as Col. Theodore Baker
- *The Sender* (1998), as Colonel Rosewater
- *Gunshy* (1998), as Jerry
- *Starship Troopers* (1997), as Voice heard on speaker (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/starship-troopers.md)
- *Switchback* (1997), as Sheriff Buck Olmstead
- *Cracker* (1997), series, as Lieutenant Fry
- *Rough Riders* (1997), series, as Secretary of State John Hay
- *Weapons of Mass Distraction* (1997), as Billy Paxton
- *The Angry Beavers* (1997), series, Actor
- *Dead Men Can't Dance* (1997), as Senator Fowler
- *Prefontaine* (1997), as Bill Bowerman
- *All Dogs Go To Heaven: The Series* (1996), series, as Sergeant Yorkie (voice)
- *Promised Land* (1996), series, Actor
- *E! True Hollywood Story* (1996), series, Actor
- *The Frighteners* (1996), as Hiles
- *Soul of the Game* (1996), as Wilkie
- *High Incident* (1996), series, as Tony Van Camp
- *Dead Man Walking* (1995), as Clyde Percy — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/dead-man-walking.md)
- *Toy Story* (1995), as Sergeant (voice) — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/toy-story.md)
- *Leaving Las Vegas* (1995), as Conventioneer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/leaving-las-vegas.md)
- *Space: Above and Beyond* (1995), series, as Sgt. Major Bougas
- *Se7en* (1995), as Police Captain — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/se7en.md)
- *Savate* (1995), as Benedict
- *Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back* (1995), as Preacher Brian
- *Murder in the First* (1995), as Judge Clawson
- *Love Is a Gun* (1994), as Frank Deacon
- *Sweet Justice* (1994), series, as Luke
- *Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult* (1994), as Prison Guard (uncredited)
- *On Deadly Ground* (1994), as Stone
- *French Silk* (1994), as Chief Crowder
- *Chain of Command* (1994), as Benjamin Brewster
- *The X-Files* (1993), series, as Reverend Patrick Findley — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.* (1993), series, as Brisco County Sr., Brisco Country Sr.
- *Body Snatchers* (1993), as General Platt
- *Sommersby* (1993), as Dick Mead — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/sommersby.md)
- *Hexed* (1993), as Detective Ferguson
- *Human Target* (1992), series, Actor
- *Civil Wars* (1991), series, Actor
- *Street Justice* (1991), series, as Special Agent Landau
- *True Identity* (1991), as Houston’s Boss
- *Toy Soldiers* (1991), as General Kramer
- *The Terror Within II* (1991), as Von Demming
- *83 Hours 'Til Dawn* (1990), as Glen Fairling
- *Kid* (1990), as Luke Clanton
- *I'm Dangerous Tonight* (1990), as Captain Aikman
- *The Take* (1990), as Weller
- *The Rift* (1990), as Captain Phillips
- *Demonstone* (1990), as Col. Joe Haines
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Colonel Hapablap (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Sheriff
- *Fletch Lives* (1989), as Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
- *The Siege of Firebase Gloria* (1989), as Sgt. Maj. Bill Hafner / Narrator
- *Mississippi Burning* (1988), as Mayor Tilman — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/mississippi-burning.md)
- *China Beach* (1988), series, Actor
- *Full Metal Jacket* (1987), as Gny. Sgt. Hartman — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/full-metal-jacket.md)
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, as Ernest Haskell — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Purple Hearts* (1984), as Gunny
- *Up from the Depths* (1979), as Arnold (uncredited)
- *Apocalypse Now* (1979), as Eagle Thrust Seven Helicopter Pilot (uncredited) — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/apocalypse-now.md)
- *The Boys in Company C* (1978), as Sergeant Loyce

## Gallery

- ![R. Lee Ermey](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-f1c20b7c1dec.jpg) R. Lee Ermey — Zachary B, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/R_Lee_Ermey_in_USMC_uniform.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Master Sgt. Randy Scanian, 16th Special Operations Squadron (left), watches as the U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey (right), loads the 40mm gun of an (2008)](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-737d769fa933.jpg) Master Sgt. Randy Scanian, 16th Special Operations Squadron (left), watches as the U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey (right), loads the 40mm gun of an (2008) — Petty Officer 2nd Class Greg Mitchell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Bofors-060323-F-9044H-001.JPG/1280px-Bofors-060323-F-9044H-001.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![by Sgt.Hartman](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-5c8a9c45ec76.jpg) by Sgt.Hartman — No machine-readable author provided. Sgt.Hartman assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/ErmeyMotivational.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![AUTOGRAPH (2006)](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-9336dbe2e6a6.jpg) AUTOGRAPH (2006) — Sgtjason, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/GySgt_Ermey..._Full_Metal_Jacket.JPG/1280px-GySgt_Ermey..._Full_Metal_Jacket.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![R. Lee Ermey](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-fd1252c11826.jpg) R. Lee Ermey — Image via TMDB
- ![R. Lee Ermey](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-89145578a338.jpg) R. Lee Ermey — Image via TMDB
- ![R. Lee Ermey](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-231ea36a2a5e.jpg) R. Lee Ermey — Image via TMDB
- ![Former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor turned Golden Globe-nominated actor R. Lee Ermey signs an autograph for Petty Officer 2nd Class Maurice Elmore during  (2008)](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-6c3cfe266ac8.jpg) Former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor turned Golden Globe-nominated actor R. Lee Ermey signs an autograph for Petty Officer 2nd Class Maurice Elmore during  (2008) — Petty Officer 2nd Class Greg Mitchell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Lee_Ermey_San_Diego_1.jpg/1280px-Lee_Ermey_San_Diego_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor turned Golden Globe-nominated actor R. Lee Ermey joins Santa Claus to put toys into the "Toys for Tots" donation box a (2008)](https://film.one/media/person/84610/gallery-10b68649f892.jpg) Former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor turned Golden Globe-nominated actor R. Lee Ermey joins Santa Claus to put toys into the "Toys for Tots" donation box a (2008) — Petty Officer 2nd Class Greg Mitchell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Lee_Ermey_San_Diego_2.jpg/1280px-Lee_Ermey_San_Diego_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/r-lee-ermey