FAREWELL GLENN FORD

From KCAL TV:

Actor Glenn Ford, who played strong, thoughtful protagonists in films such as "The Blackboard Jungle," "Gilda" and "The Big Heat," has died. He was 90.

A statement from Beverly Hills police says paramedics called to Ford's home just before 4 pm found the actor deceased.

Ford, born Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford, suffered a series of strokes in the 1990s.

This generation probably knew Ford best as Clark Kent's adopted father in 1978's "Superman".

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While I've enjoyed his work in other films, particularly in The Blackboard Jungle, Glen Ford, to me, was, and will always be, Jonathan "Pa" Kent. Better than Ward Cleaver or Mike Brady, Pa Kent is the perfect father, intelligent, willful but not domineering, compassionate, strong, and with good salt-of-the-earth values. I mean, he was Superman's dad, for god's sake. Glen Ford totally nailed it when he played the role. Really, I think it was his best work, too, very honest and natural, which is especially noteworthy because he comes out the old school film style of acting--think Ronald Reagan's acting work and you get the idea.

At any rate, Ford's work in Superman was extraordinarily influential to me as a boy when I was figuring out what it meant to be an American man.

Farewell, Glenn Ford.



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