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Sydney Lassick (July 23, 1922 – April 12, 2003) was an American character actor perhaps best known for his role as Charlie Cheswick in the feature film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Lassick's first name was sometimes spelled Sidney.[1][2]
Sydney Lassick | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 23, 1922 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 12, 2003 (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Other names | Sidney Lassick |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1958–2000 |
| Notable work | Charlie Cheswick in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Mr. Fromm in Stephen King's Carrie (1976) Ernest Keller in The Unseen (1980) Luke Gutchel in Alligator (1980) Roscoe in Cool as Ice (1991) |
Biography edit
He was born in Chicago, Illinois,[3] to Russian Jewish immigrants. Lassick, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and afterwards studied drama at DePaul University,[2] began acting in both films and TV shows in the late 1950s.
Lassick is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Charlie Cheswick, a whiny and childish manic depressive patient in the 1975 Academy Award-winning film One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Other memorable roles include a fey Fairy Godfather in the lowbrow Sinderella and the Golden Bra; Mr. Fromm, the spitefully sarcastic English teacher in the 1976 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel Carrie; the perverse and abusive innkeeper Ernest Keller in slasher horror The Unseen; the slimy Charlie P. in the cult film Sonny Boy; and the effeminate lackey Gopher in Deep Cover (1992). Lassick also was the voice of Straycatcher #2 in the 1992 animated feature film Tom and Jerry: The Movie.
In television, Lassick guest starred on such shows as Eight Is Enough, Baretta, Hawaii Five-O, Barney Miller, Matt Houston, Moonlighting, Night Court, Knots Landing, Dream On and The X-Files.[2] While usually a supporting actor, he played the lead in an episode of Amazing Stories called "Remote Control Man".
Though a successful actor, Lassick maintained a steady job as a trucking company's dispatcher throughout his career.[citation needed] He asserted that actors never knew when the acting jobs would stop coming.[citation needed]
Death edit
Lassick died at age 80 In Midway Hospital in Los Angeles, California. Lassick was buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.[2]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | The Bonnie Parker Story | Scout Master | |
| 1959 | Paratroop Command | Interpreter | |
| 1959 | Al Capone | Hot Dog Vendor | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Sinderella and the Golden Bra | Fairy Godfather | As Sid Lassick |
| 1975 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Charlie Cheswick | |
| 1976 | Carrie | Mr. Fromm | |
| 1977 | The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington | Percy Bowlder | |
| 1977 | The Billion Dollar Hobo | Mitchell | |
| 1977 | Bunco | TV Movie | |
| 1978 | China 9, Liberty 37 | Sheriff's friend | |
| 1978 | Greatest Heroes of the Bible | King Agadiz | TV mini series |
| 1979 | The Cracker Factory | Ernie | TV |
| 1979 | Hot Stuff | Hymie | |
| 1979 | Skatetown, U.S.A. | Murray | |
| 1979 | 1941 | Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1980 | Alligator | Luke Gutchel | As Sidney Lassick |
| 1980 | The Unseen | Ernest Keller | |
| 1981 | History of the World: Part I | Applecore Vendor | |
| 1982 | Pandemonium | Man in Bus Station | |
| 1982 | Partners | Photo Shoot Assistant | Uncredited |
| 1982 | Fast-Walking | Ted | |
| 1982 | Forty Days of Musa Dagh | Osman | |
| 1984 | Silent Madness | Sheriff Liggett | |
| 1984 | Night Patrol | Peeping Tom | As Sidney Lassick |
| 1984 | Monaco Forever | American Tourist | |
| 1985 | Stitches | Sheldon Mendlebaum | |
| 1986 | Ratboy | Lee 'Dial-A-Prayer' | |
| 1987 | Body Slam | Shapiro | |
| 1988 | Lady in White | Mr. Lowry | |
| 1988 | The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck | Wolfgang Meyer | |
| 1989 | Sonny Boy | Charlie P. | |
| 1989 | Out on Bail | Otis T. Smiley | |
| 1989 | Curse II: The Bite | George | |
| 1989 | Tale of Two Sisters | Dad | |
| 1989 | Judgement | Dr. Henry Silver | |
| 1990 | Pacific Palisades | Mr. Beer | |
| 1990 | Smoothtalker | Mr. Nathan | |
| 1990 | Wishful Thinking | Dr. Harding | |
| 1991 | Committed | Gow | |
| 1991 | Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead | Franklin | |
| 1991 | The Art of Dying | Wallie | |
| 1991 | Shakes the Clown | Peppy the Clown | |
| 1991 | Cool as Ice | Roscoe | |
| 1992 | Deep Cover | Gopher | |
| 1992 | Judgement | Dr. Henry Silver | |
| 1992 | Miracle Beach | Tooth Fairy | |
| 1992 | Tom and Jerry: The Movie | Straycatcher #2 | Voice |
| 1993 | Eye of the Stranger | Oli | |
| 1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | Competition Announcer | |
| 1994 | Future Shock | Mr. Johnson | |
| 1996 | Freeway | Woody Wilson | |
| 1996 | Johns | Al | |
| 1996 | Squanderers | Peter Chisholm | |
| 1997 | American Vampire | Bruno | |
| 1999 | Man on the Moon | Crystal Healer | |
| 2000 | Something to Sing About | Elderly Man | Final film role |
Notable TV guest appearances edit
- Serpico as Goldman in episode 1.0: "The Deadly Game", 24 April 1976
- The Man from Atlantis as Smith in episode 1.7: "The Hawk of Mu", 18 October 1977
- Eight Is Enough as Mr. Kaminsky in episode 2.6: "Dark Horse", 26 October 1977
- Baretta in episode 4.8: "Who Can Make the Sun Shine?", 30 November 1977
- Tabitha as Warlock in episode 1.9: "What's Wrong with Mister Right?", 31 December 1977
- Kaz in episode 1.7: "Which Side Are You On?", 5 November 1978
- Barney Miller
- as Mr. Cummings in episode 5.11: "Toys", 14 December 1978
- as Victor Carse (as Sidney Lassick, in episode 6.22: "Fog", 8 May 1980
- Archie Bunker's Place as Sid in episode 3.4: "Harry's Investment", 25 October 1981 and in episode 3.3: "The Date", 11 October 1981
- Gloria as Dr. Montego in episode 1.20: "Class Struggle", 3 April 1983
- Matt Houston as Brady in episode 2.5: "Needle in a Haystack", 7 October 1983
- Night Court as Leo in episode 2.4: "Pick a Number", 25 October 1984
- Amazing Stories as Walter Poindexter in episode 1.10: "Remote Control Man", 8 December 1985
- Moonlighting as Neighbor in episode 2.11: "The Bride of Tupperman", 14 January 1986
- Gabriel's Fire as Liebowitz in episode 1.19: "One Flew Over the Bird's Nest", 17 April 1991
- On the Air as Mr. Zoblotnick in episodes 1.7 & 1.4, 1992
- Dream On as Mr. Janovic in episode 4.18: "Martin Tupper in 'Magnum Farce'", 16 February 1994
- The X-Files as Chuck Forsch in episode 4.22: "Elegy", 4 May 1997
References edit
- ^ "Sydney Lassick". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
- ^ a b c d "Sydney Lassick (Obituary)". Variety. April 17, 2003. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ^ Scott, Vernon. "He's Hoping For Big Break — At 60". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 13.
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