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Those were the words muttered by Malachi Johnson when his daddy was run off his land by a crooked sheriff and land baron. Malachi vowed to make things right and, with the help of his newfound friends Paden, Jake and Emmett, he did just that, restoring order to a town called “Silverado”.
Malachi Johnson was my first exposure to the talents of Danny Glover.
He would go on to “Lethal Weapon”, where he played a detective who was the calming force and kept his wits about him when his partner was losing his. I will always remember Danny Glover as Detective Roger Murtaugh and how he somehow managed to keep alive his partner Martin Riggs, played by Mel Gibson.
That was just some of Danny Glover’s movie magic, but there is much more for a man who celebrated his birthday yesterday.
In the beginning
Danny Glover’s career began in 1979 just as the ‘80s were about to approach, when he had a role in “Escape from Alcatraz” opposite Clint Eastwood. That same year he had guest roles in “Lou Grant” and “Paris”.
Danny Glover’s career began in 1979 just as the ‘80s were about to approach, when he had a role in “Escape from Alcatraz” opposite Clint Eastwood. That same year he had guest roles in “Lou Grant” and “Paris”.
He continued on TV with guest roles in 1981 in “Palmerstown, U.S.A.”; “The Greatest American Hero”; “Hill Street Blues”; and “Gimme a Break”; as well as the movie “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash” starring Alan Arkin, Carol Burnett, and Jack Warden.
Glover went on to the movies “Out” in 1982, and “The Face of Rage” in 1983.
Chiefs
He also appeared in the gripping miniseries “Chiefs” in 1983. I have seen it in its entirety twice and it is excellent. Set in the small southern town of Delano, it traces the lives of three chiefs of police through the decades from the 1940s to the 1980s, while a child killer lives among them. It starred Charlton Heston, Wayne Rogers, Billy Dee Williams and a host of others. It is excellent.
He also appeared in the gripping miniseries “Chiefs” in 1983. I have seen it in its entirety twice and it is excellent. Set in the small southern town of Delano, it traces the lives of three chiefs of police through the decades from the 1940s to the 1980s, while a child killer lives among them. It starred Charlton Heston, Wayne Rogers, Billy Dee Williams and a host of others. It is excellent.
More movies
Glover appeared in the TV movie “Memorial Day” also in 1983, before he was back on the big screen in 1984 with two movies.
Glover appeared in the TV movie “Memorial Day” also in 1983, before he was back on the big screen in 1984 with two movies.
In 1984, he was in “Iceman”, a movie that holds an odd but special place in my heart. During the summer of 1984, I went to go visit my cousins in Brooks. I met a girl there, and for a few days we dated, seeing each other every day. We met at a drive-in movie showing of “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”. A few days later, the movie had flipped and we went to see “Iceman”. More than the movie, I remember sitting in the front seat of my cousin’s car holding hands with the girl. She had broken her finger when she was younger, so her finger was an odd width. The ring she wore was made to fit this odd shape, so it looked like any other ring on any other finger when she wore it. When she took it off, as she did to hold hands, it looked oblong, almost like a trapezoid.
Anyway, Glover next appeared in “Places in the Heart”. He was an itinerant black handyman helping a widow, played by Sally Field, with two small children in north Texas in the 1930s trying to save her 40-acre farm.
Early in 1985, he was in the TV movie “And the Children Shall Lead”.
That was before the year became a watershed for Danny Glover as he appeared in three major motion pictures.
Three times lucky
Danny Glover began 1985 as a villain. In “Witness”, he plays a dirty cop who kills someone in cold blood. A young Amish boy sees him, and is the only witness. Harrison Ford plays a cop who, in the process of protecting the boy, hides out in the Amish community when his own life is in danger. I sometimes forget Glover is in “Witness”.
Danny Glover began 1985 as a villain. In “Witness”, he plays a dirty cop who kills someone in cold blood. A young Amish boy sees him, and is the only witness. Harrison Ford plays a cop who, in the process of protecting the boy, hides out in the Amish community when his own life is in danger. I sometimes forget Glover is in “Witness”.
He followed that up as Mal Johnson in “Silverado”, playing a cowboy who just wants to go work cows with his father, only to discover his father has been run off his land. Mal, with the assistance of his new friends, rights that wrong.
Next was “The Color Purple”, a movie I heard a lot about but never actually saw. Glover plays the abusive husband of an African-American woman in the South for over 40 years.
Glover was actually in a fourth movie in 1985 I had never heard of called “The Stand-In”, where he plays a low budget film producer whose life is falling apart.
Glover was actually in a fourth movie in 1985 I had never heard of called “The Stand-In”, where he plays a low budget film producer whose life is falling apart.
Lethal Weapon
Danny Glover had a role in an episode of “Tall Tales and Legends” in 1986, then appeared in two TV movies in 1987, including the title role in “Mandela”, playing the South African human rights leader. Glover’s role in “Mandela” garnered him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or Movie.
Danny Glover had a role in an episode of “Tall Tales and Legends” in 1986, then appeared in two TV movies in 1987, including the title role in “Mandela”, playing the South African human rights leader. Glover’s role in “Mandela” garnered him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or Movie.
Then, he took on the role that may have been his most successful and recognizable. In 1987, Glover played Sergeant Roger Murtaugh opposite Mel Gibson, who played Martin Riggs, in “Lethal Weapon”. They are detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department. Riggs is a former Green Beret who has become suicidal following the death of his wife, while Murtaugh is a family man.
“Lethal Weapon 2” would follow in 1989, then “Lethal Weapon 3” in 1992, and “Lethal Weapon 4” in 1998.
End of the decade
Glover kept on putting out quality projects to end the ‘80s. In 1988, he was in the movie “Bat*21”. The movie is set in the Vietnam War, focusing on the rescue of a downed pilot behind enemy lines.
Glover kept on putting out quality projects to end the ‘80s. In 1988, he was in the movie “Bat*21”. The movie is set in the Vietnam War, focusing on the rescue of a downed pilot behind enemy lines.
He would also have a busy 1989 on television, appearing in the TV movies “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Dead Man Out”.
He would also play Joshua Deets in the miniseries “Lonesome Dove”, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor Miniseries or movie.
The years after
Danny Glover continues acting to this day.
Danny Glover continues acting to this day.
He has appeared in movies such as “Flight of the Intruder”; “Grand Canyon”; “Pure Luck”; “Angels in the Outfield”; “Operation Dumbo Drop”; “Gone Fishin’”; “Switchback”; “Beloved”; “The Royal Tenenbaums”; “Saw”; “Missing in America”; ”The Shaggy Dog”;”Dreamgirls”; “2012”; and so much more, as well as lending his voice to movies such as “The Prince of Egypt” and “Antz”.
Glover has also been on TV in an episode of “Fallen Angels” where he played detective Philip Marlowe, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor Drama Series; in the movie “Freedom Song”, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor Miniseries or Movie; four episodes of “ER”; six episodes of “Brothers and Sisters”; “My Name is Earl”; “Human Target”; “Psych”; “Touch”; “Criminal Minds”; “Black-ish”; and much more.
Glover also won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2021.
Parting thoughts
Danny Glover has done so much in his career, including earning four Emmy nominations, and being honoured for his humanitarian efforts.
Danny Glover has done so much in his career, including earning four Emmy nominations, and being honoured for his humanitarian efforts.
Yet, the role that will always come to mind when I hear his name is a man fighting for what was right, battling injustice, and being loyal to some men who put their life on the line to protect his.
Through it all he mutters those famous words:
“That ain’t right”.
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