Sam Bottoms

Samuel John Bottoms (October 17, 1955 – December 16, 2008) was an American actor and producer.

Sam Bottoms
Born	Samuel John Bottoms (1955-10-17)October 17, 1955 Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Died	December 16, 2008(2008-12-16) (aged 53) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor film producer
Years active	1971–2007
Spouse(s)	Susan Arnold (1980–1987; divorced) Laura Bickford (2002–2008)
Children	2

Early life

Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California, the third son of James "Bud" Bottoms (a sculptor and art teacher) and Betty (Chapman), both of whom survive him. He was the brother of actors Timothy Bottoms (born 1951), Joseph Bottoms (born 1954) and Ben Bottoms (born 1960).[1][2]

Career

When Bottoms was 16 years old, he was on the set of The Last Picture Show, in which his older brother Timothy starred, when the director Peter Bogdanovich decided to give him a screen test. He ended up in the movie as the character of Billy, who has no spoken lines but plays a pivotal role in the drama. Five years later, Bottoms appeared with Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Bottoms may be best remembered for his role as surfer Lance B. Johnson, a Navy Gunner's Mate stationed on a river boat in Francis Ford Coppola's 20th century opus, Apocalypse Now. Bottoms acquired hookworm during the chaotic production in the Philippines, and the parasite "wrecked his liver".[3]

Death

At age 53, Bottoms died of glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain tumor, on December 16, 2008.[4] He was cremated and his ashes given to his widow.[5]

Filmography

Film The Last Picture Show (1971) as Billy Class of '44 (1973) as Marty Zandy's Bride (1974) as Mel Allan The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) as Jamie Apocalypse Now (1979) as Lance B. Johnson Up from the Depths (1979) as Greg Oliver Bronco Billy (1980) as Leonard James Gringo mojado (1984) as Murray Lewis Jr. Prime Risk (1985) as Bill Yeoman Hunter's Blood (1986) as David Rand Gardens of Stone (1987) as Lt. Webber After School (1988) as Father Michael McCarren Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991) as Himself Dolly Dearest (1991) as Elliot Wade Ragin' Cajun (1991) as Legs North of Chiang Mai (1992) as Michael Sugar Hill (1993) as Oliver Thompson The Trust (1993) as James Baker Project Shadowchaser III (1995) as Kody Snide and Prejudice (1997) as Therapist Schaub Joseph's Gift (1998) as Robert Keller The Unsaid (2001) as Joseph Caffey Shadow Fury (2001) as Mitchell Madsen Looking Through Lillian (2002) as Gene True Files (2002) as Alex Lomax Seabiscuit (2003) as Mr. Blodget Havoc (2005) as Lt. Maris Shopgirl (2005) as Dan Buttersfield Winter Passing (2005) as Brian SherryBaby (2006) as Bob Swanson Sr. Finishing the Game (2007) as Martey Kurtainbaum (final film role)

Television Doc Elliot (1974) as Gary Basquin Savages (1974) as Ben Campbell Lucas Tanner (1974) as Ron Gibbons Cage Without a Key (1975) as Buddy Goleta Marcus Welby, M.D. (1976) as Ed Greatest Heroes of the Bible (1978) as Joseph The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978) East of Eden (1981) as Cal Trask Desperate Lives (1982) as Ken Baynes Return to Eden (1983) No Earthly Reason (1984) as Coley Island Sons (1987) as Sam Faraday The Witching of Ben Wagner (1987) as Mr. George 'Dad' Wagner Murder, She Wrote (1989–1991) as Joe Hellinger / Sgt. Joe Rice 21 Jump Street (1990) as Robert Johnson Zooman (1995) as Policeman The X Files (1995) as Michael Kryder My Neighbor's Daughter (1998) as Dennis Cromwell Mercenary II: Thick & Thin (1997) as Camera Man NYPD Blue (2004) as David Lewis

Producer

• Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (1991)

References

1. Ben Bottoms on IMDb
2. Sam Bottoms FilmReference.com
3. Biskind, Peter (December 13, 2011). Easy Riders, Raging Bulls. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 352. ISBN 978-1439126615.
4. "Sam Bottoms dies at 53; actor appeared in 'Apocalypse Now,' 'Last Picture Show'". Los Angeles Times. December 17, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
5. Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3d ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-1476625997 – via Google Books.

External links

• Sam Bottoms on IMDb
• Samuel Bottoms at AllMovie
• AP Obituary in the Los Angeles Times
• Obituary in Arts of War on the Web, January 5, 2009