The Tom Cruise/Wilford Brimley Conundrum
"That's right, Tom Cruise is the same age that Wilford Brimley was when Brimley starred as a grandfather in Cocoon" — as are George Clooney, Eddie Murphy and eight others featured in this new, head-exploding context. "[... I]t's not really a statement on the age of Cruise or the other people on this list — it's the fact that Wilford Brimley was only 49 years old when he starred as an elderly man who leaves Earth with a group of aliens in an effort to escape the specter of death. (His friends were played by the more age-appropriate 76-year-old Don Ameche, 75-year-old Jessica Tandy, 73-year-old Hume Cronyn, 76-year-old Jack Gilford; today, Brimley is still only 77 years old.)" [Huffington Post]
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Surprisingly, my mind is still intact.
So this means we have about 12 years before Cruise starts hawking diabeetus meds on the TV? I can't wait!!!
And just think, just 19 years ago Brimley was all over Cruise's case in "The Firm"...um, I know there's a joke in there, but I can't seem to grasp it.
You're the joke, grasp that
I think Wilford Brimley was actually 51 when Cocoon was released (not sure how old he was when it was actually shot) but the point still stands.
Hard to believe he was only 47 / 48 in The Thing.
My mind and that of my better half are sufficiently blown.
I'm thinking a remake is in order. Clooney, Cruise, Murphy. Throw Brad Pitt in there too - he's 49 as well.
Fun fact - the house where it was filmed is only about 10 miles from where we live.
So then Brimley was another Abe Vigoda? Damn!
I should have said "is" rather than "was." Brimley is still alive.
He was 50 when the film came out. To that, I would say he didn't age well. Because even with "Our House" that started in 1988 (yep that one with Deirdre Hall and Shannon Doherty), he was the grandpa.
You do realize, I hope, that Mr. Brimley dyed his hair grey in order to appear as a 'geriatric' type in this movie. I know that fact is not pointed out in this article in order to make a joke at the expense of the great actor, and probably to make actors such as Mr. Cruise believe they aren't badly aged.
I read he did dye his hair
Brimley was hotter than Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Eddie Murphy combined, back then and is now. He has a huge following among us gays. I can never get enough of him.
Shoebag and the reasons are never intrusive,just inJEWsive.Lt Elreay Cheesenbaum got fotty toe stools and one fake cnut.
So, actors can portray people unlike themselves? Quite the revelation. What's next? Will much older actors begin playing high school students?