R. Lee Ermey knew how to perfectly portray Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket because he was a genuine former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor himself. Director Stanley Kubrick allowed him to improvise most of the character's famously harsh and authentic dialogue based entirely on his real-world military experience. Credit: @cbc | History In Pictures

R. Lee Ermey on Full Metal Jacket, 1987- Ronald Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 - April 15, 2018) was an American actor and U.S. Marine drill instructor. He achieved fame for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Ermey was also a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant. #movie #classic #nostalgia #80s #fullmetaljacket #actor #legend #usmc #usmarines #marinecorps #