Lou Perryman

Lou Perryman wasn't an actor's actor – nobody was ever gonna confuse him with Larry Olivier. He was a character actor's character actor, with a face one part Slim Pickens, two parts Claude Akins, and a dash of Warren Oates and a drawl as wide as West Texas, both of which helped him steal scenes in many a film. He was also one of Austin's earliest working actors, doing the drive to Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and back (sometimes in the same day) for whatever film and commercial auditions could be had in the Eighties. He'd occasionally score a choice bit in a big picture (The Blues Brothers, Poltergeist) to complement his big parts in small pictures (Eagle Pennell's The Whole Shootin' Match and Last Night at the Alamo). Even more occasionally, he'd get onstage and do his scene-stealing there. His Gus the bartender in the world premiere of Larry L. King's The Night Hank Williams Died (Live Oak Theatre) was all Lone Star heart, and his work in Big State Productions' In the West (as an actor and a writer) added to that show's legendary success. His friends in both film and theatre are still in shock over Perryman's murder last week, but they plan to celebrate his life his way – with stories over beer – Thursday, April 9, 7pm at Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto. In lieu of flowers, donations to Christopher House, KUT, or the Screen Actors Guild Foundation are suggested. For more on Perryman, see "Last Call With Lou."