R.I.P. John Vernon

It's always sad when another great Thespian dies, but today we pay tribute to John Vernon, who played the splendidly nasty "Dean Wormer" in the classic comedy "Animal House". Mr Vernon, born Adolphus Raymondus Vernon Agopsowicz in Zehner, Saskatchewan, 1932 was a talented actor who trained at RADA then honed his skills in Canadian Theater and Television. From the 1960s onward he became a star in films such as "Point Blank", "Topaz" and "Dirty Harry", portraying devious, morally bankrupt men, with a sense of presence heightened by his marvelous deep voice and commanding stature. He is however noted here for his beautifully hilarious performance as the Dean of Faber College in "Animal House", Universal's nostalgic exaggeration of 60s College life. As a foul-mouthed bastard, used to getting what he wants without a fight, he is the perfect nemesis to the Delta Chi fraternity, led by the zany "Bluto" (John Belushi). One can only laugh and laugh hard at his performance, both frightening and hilarious at the same time. Reprising the role for a Mockumentary last year, 25 years on he still brought a sense of sinister overkill to the character. He died in his sleep following complications due to Heart Surgery. He was 72.