FATHER GEEK bids a fond fairwell to ATHOS,VULCAN, HARRY LOMART, and LEON the werewolf; OLIVER REED died today.

Well, Fellow Geeks and Geekettes a weighty task falls upon FATHER GEEK’s shoulders this day, one of screendom’s demi-gods from the 1960’s and 70’s has left this earth for Valhalla. OLIVER REED died of natural causes on the island of Malta today. Reed was on the island filming the motion picture THE GLADIATOR. He was playing the character Proximo in the film. Oliver was drinking with friends when he collapsed in “The Pub” on Archbishop Street in the town of Valletta. He liked his drink and if he had to go it is only fitting that it should be with a drink in his hand , among friends, after a day on the set of a swashbuckling feature film. The rough and tumble, bar brawling Reed probably would have wanted it this way, if he had had a say.

Oliver was born in London 61 years ago. He was the nephew of Director Carol Reed. He served in the British military and knocked around at various odd jobs before he went to work in the movie industry. He had some small TV roles and little parts in some films in the late 50's, he did SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST in 1960 along with BEAT GIRL and 61's THE REBEL saw him protray an artist.

FATHER GEEK loves OLIVER REED! I loved his style, his manner, his physical presence. He took command of the screen whenever he was on it. He made alot of ensemble films full of great actors, but when he took the stage it was his and his alone, nobody could upstage him, all they could do is stand in the shadow of this untrained thespian. He was a marvel to watch. I sometimes felt he was going to bull his way right off the screen and into our laps. I will never forget many of his characters, they are burned into my brain as surely as with a hot iron. I first stood up and took notice of him as Leon the werewolf in Hammer’s 1961 magnus opus CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. I was in 10th grade and had gone to see the film on the basis of an incredibile 1-sheet movie poster featuring Oliver as a snarling creature of the night. The film did not disappoint me or my friends, far from it, it thrilled and terrified us that afternoon in the perceptual night of San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre. Under the theater’s full-moon, among its towering castle garden walls we truly feared for our lives, and I made a mental note of the actor’s name. I saw him the year after in PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER with Chris Lee and then the next year in THE CRIMSON BLADE. He was becoming a real favorite of mine.

Then my freshman year in college I spotted him in THE DAMNED and I was hooked forever. All a film had to do after that was let me know OLIVER REED was in it and I was there, usually more than once.My 1st year of film school I watched him in THE JOKERS and I knew he was someone special, that he was headed to the top. Then in 1968 his Bill Sikes in OLIVER made him a superstar, not only in my eyes, but in the eyes of the world. In 1969 I took Harry’s mom to see him in WOMEN IN LOVE and she became habituated too. We must have seen that film a dozen times at theaters and drive-ins, it would be one of the 1st films we would collect on video tape, that sweaty, available light, wrestling scene in front of that great victorian fireplace was one of Helen’s beloved moments in the history of film. We loved him in ASSASSINATION BUREAU with Diana Rigg and THE DEVILS worked wonders for us, but 1972’s SITTING TARGET was perfect. If you’ve never seen this tense, taut crime thriller your life is incomplete. Do what ever it takes to get a copy of this one, you won’t regret it and your friends and family will thank you forever. FATHER GEEK guarantees it! His Harry Lomart is one outstandingly bad badass. Check it out!

In 1973 he would play Athos in the THREE MUSKETEERS and again in the FOUR MUSKETEERS and he became a god on earth. This would become our drive-in double feature of choice for years to come and it would be the 1st movie that Harry would ever record on video by himself in 1977. Oliver literally steals the show from a group of magnificent actors and actresses. Then came TOMMY and his stepdad another film we put on tape back in 77, of our 1st 10 video features Oliver was in 4 of them. The late Robert Mitchum remade some great Film noir in the 70’s and one of the best was THE BIG SLEEP with a wicked Oliver Reed as Eddie Mars. Charolette Rambling wasn’t too bad in that either.

The 80’s saw less use of Reed, he was becoming difficult to work with it was said, but I still saw everything he did. He was wonderful as Roderick Usher in the HOUSE OF USHER and was absolutely phantastic as Vulcan in 1988’s ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, all red, breathing steam. I really tripped on his Billy Bones in 90’s TREASURE ISLAND. I’ve read the script to GLADIATOR and have been looking forward to it, following its progress. I just hope he finished enough of Proximo to still make an impact in the role. We’ll miss you Oliver, give em hell were ever you are, We’re drinking a toast with some 12 year old Chivas to you at Geek Headquarters right now. Tell Burton to move over, there's a new immortal sitting at the bar!