RIP

Charles Durning

My favorite moment from this working actor's long career was as the totally corrupt Texas governor in "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," when he was dancing around the capitol rotunda:

He put his Stetson on sideways and whipped his head so the hat then sat properly on his head.

It wasn't spectacular or magical or inventive, but it was effective and clever and funny, especially with that squinchy venal face he could do so well.

Lots of people were astonished that such a short stout man could move so well. Turns out he used to teach ballroom and actually met his wife at a dance studio. When I taught ballroom, there were a lot of stout (not to say fat) men who were very good dancers -- it's all a matter of understanding how to manage weight.

I know Jack Klugman just died, too, but I don't care.