Actor, Screenwriter Gerrit Graham Dies at 77
Actor, Screenwriter Gerrit Graham Dies at 77
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Graham was born in New York City, grew up in Missouri, Illinois and Michigan, and died in Rhinebeck, New York. He had lived in Rhinebeck for roughly 30 years after caring for his mother in California.
2
Graham met Brian De Palma while both were involved with Columbia University’s theater group, the Columbia Players; he later left the university without completing his degree.
3
His casting in Phantom of the Paradise changed significantly: Graham was originally hired to play the villain Swan, but after Paul Williams took that role, Graham became Beef, a part initially intended for Peter Boyle.
4
Graham’s collaboration with Bob Weir produced “Victim or the Crime,” which the Grateful Dead recorded on its 1989 album Built to Last; the song was later recorded by Weir and Rob Wasserman for a 1998 live album.
5
Beyond his screen and writing work, Graham had an early stage connection to performance: he appeared in a production of Winnie the Pooh at age eight. He later married Deborah in 1982, and they had two children.
Gerrit Graham, a character actor and screenwriter who brought comic brilliance to four decades of film and television, died Tuesday at 77 after battling lung disease. Mirror reported that Graham, best known for playing the flamboyant glam-rock star Beef in Brian De Palma's cult classic Phantom of the Paradise, passed away surrounded by family in Rhinebeck, New York.
Beyond acting, Graham wrote for major projects including The Twilight Zone, Disney's The Little Mermaid, and Oliver & Company. Vice noted that he also co-wrote "Victim or the Crime" with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, a song the band recorded on its 1989 album Built to Last.
A Versatile Actor Across Cult Classics and TV
Graham's film roles spanned horror, comedy, and drama. He appeared in Demon Seed, Pretty Baby, Used Cars, and Child's Play 2, plus cult favorites like TerrorVision and Chopping Mall. Yahoo noted his television credits included Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Voyager, Seinfeld, The Wonder Years, and the animated series The Critic.
His long creative partnership with director Brian De Palma began early. The two met while involved with Columbia University's theater group, the Columbia Players. Their collaboration produced Greetings, Hi, Mom!, Phantom of the Paradise, and Home Movies.
How Graham Became Beef in De Palma's Phantom
Graham's casting in Phantom of the Paradise took an unexpected turn. He was initially hired to play the villain Swan, but when Paul Williams took that role, Graham became Beef instead. The part of Beef was originally intended for actor Peter Boyle, making Graham's final casting a last-minute shift that proved perfect.
Songwriting With a Grateful Dead Legend
Graham's creative reach extended to music. He co-wrote "Victim or the Crime" with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir. Vice reported that the Grateful Dead recorded the song on their 1989 album Built to Last, and Weir later re-recorded it with bassist Rob Wasserman for a 1998 live album.
Life After Hollywood and His Legacy
Graham was born in New York City but grew up in Missouri, Illinois, and Michigan. He eventually settled in Rhinebeck, New York, where he lived for roughly 30 years while caring for his mother in California. Graham is survived by his brother, two sons, daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Sentiment
Mostly PositiveNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
13
Articles
18
Reach
31
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor
