Do you remember the part Hickey had in The Boston Strangler, a pervert suspect who sleeps on bare wire bed springs? Shades of DaVinci Code. Never really noticed the guy till he got nominated for Prizzi's Honor.

Ack!!!

How could I forget my dear Dr. Loomis?!?!?! That was a total mea culpa - I LOVE Donald Pleasense. I would actually rank him above all that I have previous mentioned.

Followed by John Turturro.

I actually DON'T remember that part! I saw him first in a NET (National Educational Television - the forerunner of PBS) production called "Between Time & Timbuktu- a compendium of Kurt Vonnegut plots thrown together in one story. Hickey played boy inventor Stoney Stevenson, who wins a breakfast food jingle contest. His prize is a trip through the cronosynclastic infedebulum- Vonnegut's version of a space/time warp. Stoney is shot into space and lands on several different worlds, each with a different Vonnegut plot going on. Kevin McCarthy appears as Bokkonon in one, and memorable appearances are made by Bob & Ray as mission control, trying to remember the first words said by man on the moon.

After that, Hickey amazed me as Looseleaf Harper in Happy Birthday Wanda June- so much I desperately wanted to play the part. I never got a chance. After that he always seemed to show up in small parts- the drunk in the bar in The Producers, the uncle in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation who sets the tree on fire. It wasn't until Prizzi's honor that the public in general became acquainted with his unique quality.

Another couple favorites of mine would be Harry Dean Stanton and Patrick Magee.

I first noticed Stanton in Paris, Texas. That role still blows me away.

Most will remember Magee as the writer in Clockwork Orange. I first saw him in the film version of The Royal Shakespear Company's production of Marat/Sade. I've been in Marat/Sade twice, but never got to play de Sade. He also has a nice role in Luther.

I always liked Stanton in The Black Marble, playing an exasperated dognapper. His little bit in The Green Mile was easily one of the best parts. Catch some early Magee in Zulu. And strange you should mention Marat/Sade as I was thinking of doing a piece about it.

BTW, that Hickey part will blow you away with how young he looks. Like Walter Brennan, he seemed to be an old man all his life.