Considering that Bill and Ted Face the Music is going to be coming eventually and Bernie Casey was one of their teachers back in the day, in the movie, it stands to reason that remembering this talented actor would be necessary since he contributed quite a bit to show business in his day. As those at The Hollywood Reporter would agree, Bernie was a well-renowned actor and someone that didn’t shy away from a lot of roles, but he was also a renowned athlete and played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers and 2 seasons for the Los Angeles Rams. This is the kind of guy that could do it all and then some as he played a very stern but convincing individual in a lot of his roles even though he did show that he could be a very personable individual as well. One very good memory of him comes as U.N. Jefferson, the head of Lambda Lambda Lambda in Revenge of the Nerds. What’s so memorable about this character is that he appeared to be one of the most stiff-necked, uptight individuals out of the whole bunch, but despite the fact that the Tri-Lambs were primarily a black fraternity he decided to give the Atoms chapter a chance, and while the initial party that they had to show him that they could be worthy of his regard was foiled by their rivals, the nerds did get back by putting liquid heat in the jock straps of the football team, which consisted of the Alphas. This impressed U.N. so much that he welcomed the new bunch to the fraternity with a chuckle and a smile that instantly changed his whole demeanor. That was definitely one quality that Casey had, he could be as deadpan as possible and a simple smile would change his whole appearance.
Another memory is, as mentioned, his role in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. To be realistic he doesn’t have a huge part in this movie but it’s still important since it does set up at least an idea of who Bill and Ted are going to seek out when it comes to their time traveling and he does play a good part as a teacher since he simply has the look and the apparent patience that a lot of educators do wish they could cultivate at one point or another. Bernie’s ability to deadpan and then smile was only matched by his ability to appear like the wise and caring individual that he presented himself as. In a lot of ways he was perfect for every role he took since he could turn on the charm, look dangerous, and then exude wisdom in so many different ways that it’s not hard to imagine just how he managed to rack up such an impressive filmography. He had the chance to star alongside some of the most popular stars of a few different decades and work with a few notable directors that have gone on to be legends in their own time, and even became a legend that some folks might not know about but plenty will likely remember from one movie or another. The reasons for keeping such names alive and in the public eye is pretty simple, they’re worth the effort and they managed to help create something endearing and great in their time and have thus earned that distinction. That his passing was noted by many is without any doubt, but that he’s remembered is important since he achieved quite a bit in his life and is one of those that a lot of people will remember for one or two roles despite the many that he took on during his time in the business.
Likely a lot of older, die hard NFL fans will remember him as well since he was a very talented player that helped out his team quite a bit and even helped the Rams during the playoffs against the Packers at one point. To say that he’s earned his place in history is kind of an understatement but it’s the unvarnished truth, and it’s something that might be able to keep his legend secure and maintain the humility of it at the same time. Obviously Bernie was a very talented man, and it’s funny in a way to hear that his time on the football field was nothing terribly special to him since he was there for the money, and had he been able to make as money as a painter he wouldn’t have played at all. That’s kind of an eye-opening statement to be certain, but he also felt that playing football for as long as he would have allowed people to see him as just a football player and nothing else. In reality, Bernie was a man that had a wealth of talent in many areas, and he’s missed to this day.
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