In Memory of Michael Massee

Sad news that Michael Massee passed away on October 20th 2016 aged only 61. Massee will be a known face to many television and film fans around the globe. I loved him as Ira Gaines in the 2002 series of 24 and as Charles Hoyt in Rizzoli and Isles. Many of you would be forgiven, on hearing his name, for not knowing who he was but you will have enjoyed his considerable acting skills. For me, Massee was one of those incredibly important actors who used his amazing talent not to gain huge celebrity status but to act and perform on a wide range of projects. Massee was a grafter who worked hard at whatever character he was asked to bring to life. Not all actors gain or even seek the so called celebrity status that seems so often to be what is used to measure success. I have far more respect for actors who focus on the quality of their performance and are reliable in delivering what was expected of them than those that feel the need to constantly self promote. Massee was the latter and yet he always had time and a smile for fans, whether meeting them at Cons or on the street.

The film industry needs more talented creatives like Massee and the world is a lesser place after he has left it. What has also riled me is that the so called big and glossy sites have chosen to focus on the only incident that Massee was present for but that had nothing to do with him. This incident will not get mentioned in any specific detail by me, a fan who also wants to respect his grieving family at this difficult time. Are we really living in a society that an accident which took the life of another actor is what we are using to remember someone by? Shame on you Variety and any other so called professional outlet that so belittles acting and talented people by reducing the body of their work to a byline compared to more sensational headlines. I choose to remember the many and varied roles so successfully brought to screen by an actor who tirelessly worked to provide entertainment for the public. Focusing on the positive contribution he made to an industry which is crying out for talented actors is something I will always be grateful for.

My little blog may not get as many reads as Variety does but I would like to think Massee will be remembered respectfully and with much tenderness by someone who really enjoyed his work.

Michael Massee: 16th August 1955 - 20th October 2016