Hal Lynch, Film & TV actor, 78 (suicide)
deb...@comcast.net
10/5/2006, 10:38 p.m. CT
By NANCY BLACKMON
The Associated Press
OPP, Ala. (AP) - James Harold Tilton Lynch, "Hal" to his friends and
those who know him from his acting career, died Thursday, the victim of
an apparent suicide.
Born November 13, 1927, in Birmingham, he grew up in Opp, attended Opp
Schools, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was at Okinawa when he graduated
in absentia with the Class of 1945.
He began pursuing an acting career in the 1950s. In September of 1963,
he appeared on Broadway in "Spoon River Anthology," which had a
successful run, closing in January of 1964. His film career began in
1964 when he appeared in an episode of "Gunsmoke."
Before he returned to Opp in the mid 1970s, he worked for 12 years as
an actor appearing in more than 200 television shows. Some of those
included Barnaby Jones, Star Trek, Rockford Files, Big Valley and
Cannon.
His movie career includes more than 20 films, such as Stagecoach, The
Wild Rovers and Rosie.
Hal also wrote for TV and sold a number of scripts, and he had success
with the plays Three Miles to Poley and Heroes of Opp, for which his
grandfather Bird Jacobs was the inspiration.
He played a role in establishing and was co-owner of Theatre West in
Los Angeles, which provides training for actors.
When he came home to Opp, Hal and his late son, Michael, moved into an
1894 house on Barnes Street, just a few doors from his boyhood home.
During the years that followed, Hal dedicated himself to preserving the
communitys history, penning a weekly historical column for The Opp
News. He also used his storytelling abilities to benefit local
students.
Fellow actor and friend Lee Meriwether said she remembers his generous
spirit.
"We had lots of fun times together," she said. "He was always very
supportive of me. He did so much for our theater here. He even built
our light fixtures.
"Im sure we will have a memorial here for him. We will share stories
and show pictures and we usually end with a standing ovation. Hals will
be long and loud."
Betty Garrett, who was also in Spoon River Anthology, recalled when she
met him, and talked about reading his Opp News columns
"He was a wonderful colorful character," she said. "He joined us when
we went to New York with Spoon River Anthology.
"He always looked like a folk character
Graveside services for Hal Lynch are set for Friday 2 p.m. at Peaceful
Acres Cemetery in Opp.
tr...@iwvisp.com
Anybody have a photo? I recognize the name but can't place the face.
Ray Arthur
wazzzy
tr...@iwvisp.com wrote:
> Anybody have a photo? I recognize the name but can't place the face.
>
> Ray Arthur
Hal Lynch as Air Police Sergeant, from star trek episode 19; "Tomorrow
Is Yesterday"
http://trekgueststars.pski.net/images/hal_lynch.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4187/1828/400/SPOON-ME%26HAL3-CBSTV-1967.jpg
wazzzy
tr...@iwvisp.com wrote:
> Anybody have a photo? I recognize the name but can't place the face.
>
> Ray Arthur
another Star Trek pic:
http://images.wikia.com/memoryalpha/en/images/4/46/AirPoliceSergeant.jpg
aka Bob
magnanimously proffered:
"He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, graduating in 1945." Graduated?
--
"It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens." - Woody Allen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J.D. Baldwin
In the previous article, aka Bob <b...@surfwriter.net.not> wrote:
> "He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, graduating in 1945." Graduated?
The relevant graf from the obit that started this thread:
Born November 13, 1927, in Birmingham, he grew up in Opp,
attended Opp Schools, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was at
Okinawa when he graduated in absentia with the Class of 1945.
Still a crappy report -- hey, it's the AP -- but it's a little
clearer. The writer probably meant he graduated from Opp High School
(or whatever they call their local HS) in absentia in 1945.
--
_+_ From the catapult of |If anyone disagrees with any statement I make, I
_|70|___:)=}- J.D. Baldwin |am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also
\ / bal...@panix.com|to deny under oath that I ever made it. -T. Lehrer
***~~~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Kentucky Wizard
deb...@comcast.net <deb...@comcast.net> wrote:
> 10/5/2006, 10:38 p.m. CT
> By NANCY BLACKMON
> The Associated Press
>
> OPP, Ala. (AP) - James Harold Tilton Lynch, "Hal" to his friends and
> those who know him from his acting career, died Thursday, the victim
> of an apparent suicide.
It would have been a better article if the AP had taken the time to state
what manner of suicide Lynch committed, being that it was so apparent and
all. I thought he was hilarious in the role of the 'then 1960's modern day'
Air Police Sergeant in an episode Star Trek, who was transported on board
the Enterprise. He really didn't have to say anything, his facial
expressions of complete shock were priceless.
--
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Charlene
The Kentucky Wizard wrote:
> It would have been a better article if the AP had taken the time to state
> what manner of suicide Lynch committed, being that it was so apparent and
> all.
>From a TV station in Georgia (apparently from the anchor's script):
OPP, Ala. The editor of the Opp News said that TV actor Hal Lynch of
Opp died today of an apparent suicide. Opp, who appeared in more than
200 T-V shows including "Star Trek" and "Barnaby Jones," was born in
Birmingham but grew up in Opp.
He made a name for himself in Hollywood more than four decades ago.
Doris Wismer, the editor of The Opp News, heard about Lynch's death
over a police scanner. The former actor had dropped off a column he
wrote for the newspaper at eight a-m.
His friends say that just after nine a-m, Lynch dialed nine-one-one
then shot himself.
After serving in the U-S Navy and graduating from the University of
Colorado in 1952, Lynch went to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.
In 1976, Lynch returned to Opp to focus on his family. He leaves behind
two children, and an entire city filled with friends. Lynch was 78
years old.
--
wd42
aka Bob
INVALID...@example.com.invalid (J.D. Baldwin) magnanimously
proffered:
>
>In the previous article, aka Bob <b...@surfwriter.net.not> wrote:
>> "He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, graduating in 1945." Graduated?
>
>The relevant graf from the obit that started this thread:
>
> Born November 13, 1927, in Birmingham, he grew up in Opp,
> attended Opp Schools, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was at
> Okinawa when he graduated in absentia with the Class of 1945.
>
>Still a crappy report -- hey, it's the AP -- but it's a little
>clearer. The writer probably meant he graduated from Opp High School
>(or whatever they call their local HS) in absentia in 1945.
Now I get it. Thanks.
tsl...@gmail.com
Maybe I can clear a few things up for the 1 or 2 people that might stumble here in the future. Things about Hal. My Sister and I call him that because we had long ago decided to not associate ourselves with him in a way that made him our father. I guess I'm breaking that now.
He died as was already said, by gunshot. What wasn't said here was that it was a gunshot wound to his chest. I had never heard of anyone shooting them self in the chest before. It took me a long time to try to understand it but i think I know why. His 3rd wife, a Psychologist, I believe, from Opp and my brother Michael's doctor, was given money each month by Hal to put him on her insurance. At about the age of 53, Hal was diagnosed with some heart blockages and required a triple bypass. It wasn't until after the surgery that he discovered that she had in fact not placed him on her insurance at all. And he was left with a sizable medical bill of something over 100k. I think he was either getting even with his bad heart or taking it out for the last time. Either way, I think it was this that caused him to choose his chest. Or I could be completely wrong and he was enough of a narcissist that he wanted to be able to have an open casket funeral. Either way is workable.
Now the mention that he came back to Opp to spend time with his family. That's mostly bull. He did bring my older brother with him but Hal's career in LA had never earned him a living and didn't look like it was ever going to. So he simply went home. Where he did what he always did, made friends and told stories. He was a very good storyteller. He played many a stringed instrument and was a master cabinetmaker as well. He was very talented. He was also a real a**. I think this is really why I felt the need to write here today.
It took him abandoning me for the 3rd time before I took him down off of the pedestal I had so carefully placed him on. And I was about 35 when this happened. Damn I could have saved myself a lot of grief if I had recognized him for what he really was. But children want the approval of their parents, and I wanted his. I never got it. Ever. I tried so hard to be someone that he would like or like to be around. But whatever I did or said was never of interest to him. I was his son, but you wouldn't have known it to talk to him. Each of his 3 children was a huge disappointment to him. I figured it out first, then my sister. My brother did't have the capacity for that kind of thought and had died long before that. Just a few years after they moved back to Opp.
Hal's 1st 2 wives were told his BIG secret (by him), and as far as Mom told me, and as I understood about Joyce, they accepted it. I think his 3rd wife completely blew up on the news. She was as far as I knew, never to have spoken to him after their divorce. Mom told Sis and I not too long before Mom passed from MS. She thought we should know and this is the first time I have ever written about it. So for the very few that may ever read this, you are going to know the secret too. Hal was a cross-dresser.
That was dangerous stuff in the 1950's when they moved to Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, but Mom said she did as she could, even going to the lengths of going with him while he was dressed, out on the town in Hollywood a few nights a year. Now Hal was 6'-1" and quite masculine looking. I can only imagine what he looked like as a woman. Many things led to their separation in 1964 and Mom moving Sis and i to Colorado to live with her folks in 1965, but those are too many and storied for here. But the cross-dressing had to factor into it as well. Mom experienced the only true depression i ever knew her to have after they separated. She had hoped for "forever after". Well that's the big secret. It's now been published at least in some small way. No longer just my Sister and I to know.
I live in Cathedral City, next to Palm Springs California. My sister in Colorado. We are alive and both mostly healthy, despite being hit in the mind, bodies and spirit by the cruelties of life. We both gained Hal's addictive behaviors. Each of us have dealt with them as best we could. I also gained 3 genetic disorders from my folks. Each being of them just being carriers, I got the full force of their genetic match up. All of them blood disorders. It could be worse, so I won't complain.
That's it. I have unburdened myself here and maybe made history a little clearer. Some might think that I am not being truthful, but I am, to the very best of my abilities. It is what it is and was what it was. And for that we need to be at least some kind of grateful.