Eight Men Out, One DEAD

[Quality Start Machine]

John Mahoney, Chicago theater giant, age 77.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I always enjoyed Mahoney's work going back to the alluded-to film from the title, and also "Say Anything" etc., and was surprised when it was sort of revealed, in an open secret sort of way in the mid-to-late 90's that Mahoney was gay.  it was surprising, I suppose, because the roles he always seemed to be play were very straight and convincingly so--which really just speaks to his talents as an actor.  Of course upon reflection it makes sense--he's an unmarried (in the traditional sense) actor living in Oak Park.  But I find it interesting that Mahoney never came out publicly, and I wonder if he'll sort of represent the last of a dying breed--the old school "confirmed bachelor".  Not to be confused with Scientology weirdos like Tom Cruise and John Travolta who pretend to be straight and have an arrangement to have families and such because of the image they project, Mahoney never pretended to be straight, he just never made an announcement that he was gay.

[Bort]

Yeah, I've been tangentially connected to theatre for almost 25 years, but I had no idea he was gay until I moved here. And EVERYONE here knew.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

it was surprising, I suppose, because the roles he always seemed to be play were very straight and convincingly so--which really just speaks to his talents as an actor.

"Gay guys walk like this..."