RIP: Bill Paxton

I was sorry to read today that actor Bill Paxton has died ... RIP Bill Paxton: A Man of Many Faces Who Brought Humanity to All He Touched

He has always been a favorite actor of mine from the time he appeared in a bit part in the first Terminator movie. He was more known for films like Apollo 13 and Twister , but I appreciated some of his lesser known films, like Frailty .... Roger Ebert gave it four stars in his review.

And then there was his tv work ... I had to laugh last season when he turned up as a HYDRA mole in Marvel's Agents of Shield, introduced with the song, (Don't Fear) The Reaper ...



But it will probably come as no surprise that his role that I liked the most was in one of my favorite movies of all, Aliens, in which he played a Colonial Marine, Private Hudson ... he won a Saturan award for best supporting actor. Here he is, very confident, as the drop ship carries the marines and civilian consultant Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) down to the planet that's been taken over by alien monsters ...



But thing don't go as planned, and when their extraction ship crashes, he's somewhat despondent ;) ...



And perhaps I need not tell you that he later dies heroically, swarmed by the creepy aliens ...



Here's an interview with him about his role in Aliens ...



He will be missed.