Gerrit Graham, the veteran character actor known for an eclectic career across film and television, died September 15 in Rhinebeck, New York. He was 77.
Graham died at an assisted living facility from complications related to lung disease, his ex-wife Dede Taylor told The Hollywood Reporter.
Born in New York City to John and Janet Graham, he spent parts of his childhood in Missouri and Michigan before his family settled in Chicago. He later attended Columbia University, where he managed the Columbia Players theater company.
After years in California, Graham moved to Rhinebeck to care for his mother and remained in the Hudson Valley for roughly three decades, including time with the Burger Hill Preservation Society. He is survived by his brother Sam, sons Jack and Henry, daughters-in-law Talia and Joelle, and grandchildren Nolan, Micah, Vera and Joey.
Brian De Palma Gave Graham Some of His Most Memorable Film Roles
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Graham made his film debut in Brian De Palma’s 1968 comedy Greetings, appearing alongside Robert De Niro, and returned for the 1970 follow-up Hi, Mom!.
De Palma cast him as Beef in 1974’s Phantom of the Paradise, a flamboyant glam rocker introduced as the new star of music mogul Swan’s Paradise venue. Graham’s highly theatrical performance became closely associated with the movie as the musical horror satire developed a devoted cult following.
He worked with De Palma again on the 1979 comedy Home Movies, which starred Kirk Douglas. Other filmmakers gave Graham roles that ranged from an aspiring country singer in Paul Bartel’s Cannonball! to a computer technician opposite Julie Christie in Demon Seed.
His additional movie credits included Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby, Robert Zemeckis’ Used Cars, National Lampoon’s Class Reunion, The Annihilators, This Boy’s Life and Child’s Play 2, where he played Andy Barclay’s foster father Phil Simpson.
He Nearly Landed a Major ‘Star Trek’ Role
Graham played the Hunter pursuing Tosk in the 1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Captive Pursuit,” one of the earliest episodes of the series.
Three years later, Star Trek: Voyager cast him as Quinn in “Death Wish.” Quinn was a member of the Q Continuum who sought permission to end his immortal existence, forcing Captain Janeway to consider whether he had the right to choose death.
Graham revealed in a 2016 interview with StarTrek.com that he had previously auditioned for Odo on Deep Space Nine. René Auberjonois ultimately received the role of the shapeshifting security chief.
His television résumé included appearances on Starsky and Hutch, Laverne & Shirley, St. Elsewhere, Miami Vice, Dallas, The Wonder Years, Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show and Law & Order. Animation audiences also heard Graham as Franklin Sherman, the father of Jon Lovitz’s Jay Sherman, on The Critic.
Graham Wrote for Disney and Collaborated With Bob Weir
Graham’s screenwriting work included three episodes of the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone. He later contributed story material to Disney’s Oliver & Company and additional dialogue to The Little Mermaid.
He co-wrote Disney’s 1990 animated short The Prince and the Pauper with his brother Sam Graham and Chris Hubbell. The Mickey Mouse adaptation was released theatrically with The Rescuers Down Under.
Graham’s friendship with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir also led him into songwriting. The band’s official website credits Graham with the lyrics to “Victim or the Crime” and Weir with the music.
The Grateful Dead first performed the song live in June 1988 before recording it for Built to Last, their final studio album, released in 1989. Graham later recalled that nearly all of his original lyric survived into the finished song, with Weir changing only a small number of words.
Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman later recorded another version of “Victim or the Crime” for their 1998 live album.