August 31, 1949- Richard Gere studied Philosophy at the University Of Massachusetts, but he had hoped for a career as musician. But, he did go on to have an impressive stage resume. In the early 1970s, Gere landed the role of Danny Zuko in the musical Grease in London & he received rave reviews for an off-Broadway performance in Sam Shepard’s solo play Killer’s Head (1975), sitting in an electric chair, blindfolded, with his hands & torso tied to the chair. He starred in the gay-themed Nazi drama Bent on Broadway in 1980.
He gets a bum rap in my circle of friends, plenty of snarky stuff on that Internet thing, plus there are those dreadful homophobic gerbil jokes to endure, but I have always dug Gere & thinking about him this morning, I easily remember plenty of exceptionally good performances, if no truly great ones. I think his Billy Flynn in the film version of the musical, Chicago (2002), comes awfully close to greatness. But, like most of Gere’s career, my peeps are divided on what I consider to be one the very best adaptations of a Broadway musical to film.
Gere made quite an impression on me the first time I saw him on screen in his career breakthrough in the dramatic thriller Looking For Mr. Goodbar (1977) starring Diane Keaton.
He hit his groove when he had the title role in American Gigolo (1980). His performance was personification of stylish smooth & cool. He became Hollywood’s go-to romantic male lead with his performance in An Officer & A Gentleman (1982) opposite Debra Winger.
Early Gere fills my mind with the good stuff in one the greatest films of the 1970s, Terrence Malick’s Days Of Heaven (1978), & gay director John Schlesinger’s Yanks (1979). The middle period Gere has terrific work in & The Band Played On (1993), Primal Fear (1996), & Robert Altman’s underrated DR.T & THE WOMEN (2000). But, I like him best as a silver fox, reminding me somewhat of my husband. I understand that the original Japanese film is much better, but I found Gere to be heartbreaking in Shall We Dance? (2004); jumpy & convincingly conniving in The Hoax (2006) as the infamous writer Clifford Irving, & strong, smart & improbable, as Bob Dylan in gay director Todd Hayne’s crazy I’m Not There (2007).
Throughout his career, Gere has devoted much of his time to social & political causes. He is a longtime practicing Buddhist. Gere co-founded the Tibet House in 1987 & serves as the chairman of the board for the International Campaign For Tibet, plus his own Gere Foundation, all dedicated to help human rights in Tibet & support the Dalai Lama. He also works tirelessly for HIV-AIDS charities, especially in India. Gere has spoken openly about his affection for his gay brother & he has been a long advocate foe Marriage Equality. I always gave him props for ignoring those gay rumors instead if denying them. Gere:
“It’s nobody’s business but mine who I’m fucking, who I’m not fucking. The rack sheets, the press blurbs, the gossip pages, it’s all crap. & in an interview, there are just so many different levels to respond to. They can’t possibly understand my deepest emotions.”
Anti-War Activist, Film & Theatre Actor, Pianist, Civil Rights Activist, Philanthropist, Catskills Inn Keeper, the newly single Gere celebrates his 66th birthday today, hopefully without a small rodent. Don’t you swoon just a bit at the glance of a photo of Gere?
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