Hollywood "Superstar" Powers Boothe Has Died

Powers Boothe (real name Phineas McGillicuty) died Sunday of “natural causes” at his home somewhere in the wilds of Los Angeles, California. His family says he died “in his sleep” which raises many more questions than it answers and will undoubtedly give birth to tons of online conspiracy theories. Understandable when the family is so insistent that the death was “natural causes in his sleep.” That’s not very creative if you ask me. Not saying it wasn’t, just saying who knows? 

Anyway, Boohte, a middlin’ actor was probably best known for his role as Flavius Aetius in the TV mini-series “Attila” also put in workmanlike performances in classics such as “U-Turn” where he played Sheriff Potter (no relation to Col. Sherman T. Potter) and Frost in “Mutant Species.” Dude was COLD in that one! HA! See what I did there? 

In 1980 Boothe starred at cult leader Jim Jones (THE Ohio State University’s most successful alum ever) in the very cleverly titled “Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones.” Boothe’s brilliant performance won him an Emmy and worried many people around him that he was so good in this role that he might possibly BE a cult leader. Again, this has never been confirmed, but there are rumors out there. Also, how’s that for peaking early? An Emmy in 1980 in your fifth movie or TV credit? Dude dined out on that one Emmy for the next 36 years. 

Over the years Powers showed up here and there in different programs such as “Philip Marlowe: Private Eye” the show that blatantly ripped off “The Rockford Files” and was then blatantly ripped off by the “V.I. Warshawski” starring Kathleen Turner in what was commonly known as “The Female Philip Marlowe.”

Boothe also “starred” in shows such as “Justice League” AND “Justice League Unlimited” before playing a pretty evil asshole (again, typecasting) in HBO’s “Deadwood.” His most recent work was in ABC’s “Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D.” Oh and he was in “Red Dawn” with Lea Thompson who I had a crush on for like two decades so he was a pretty lucky bastard on top of everything else. 

He was born in Snyder, Texas and grew up on a cotton farm. Powers was the first member of his family to attend college when he went to Texas State, University. Boothe married his long suffering wife Pam in 1969, and they had two children: Parisse (Editor's Note: RAWR!) and Preston. Not much else is known about Booth’s private life so we can assume a really sleazy tell-all book will be coming out in the next year or so. At least we hope so. 

Powers Boothe was 68. Thoughts and prayers to his friends and family.

Also, be sure to check out this week’s IWS Radio celebration of Good Moms, Bad Moms and YOUR MOM! It was a riot! Kinda.