TailSlate remembers Bernie Casey

Bernie Casey, best known for roles in Revenge of the Nerds and Sean Connery’s final Bond film, Never Say Never Again; died in Los Angeles on September 19, 2017.  He was 78.

That might be the movie moment he is best remembered for.  But I remember him best for moments like this.

Bernie Casey, 49ers WR catching a pass in the mid 1960s

He played his final two seasons in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, the team I rooted for in my pre-teen and teen years.  Prior to playing in the NFL he was a record-breaking track athlete at Bowling Green State University.

In 1969 he made his acting debut in Guns of the Magnificent Seven, the second sequel to 1960’s The Magnificent Seven.

Joe Don Baker, George Kennedy, Bernie Casey, Monte Markham, Reni Santoni, Scott Thomas, and James Whitmore in ‘Guns of the Magnificent Seven

After a number of television roles, he was cast in 1981’s Sharky’s Machine, directed by and starring Burt Reynolds.

He would go on to roles in I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, Under Siege, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, as well as two Revenge of the Nerds sequels.

Bernie Casey and Burt Reynolds in 1981’s ‘Sharky’s Machine’

In 1983 he was played “Felix Leiter” in Never Say Never Again.  He was the first African-American actor to play the role and did a terrific job in the non-EON productions film.

Athlete, poet and actor.  RIP, Mr. Casey