The Late James Handy Appeared In Two Of The Most Groundbreaking Superhero Movies Ever Made

20th Century Studios

Great character actors are a cherished commodity in Hollywood, so the industry is mourning today over the news of James Handy's death. It's all the worse that the 81-year-old actor's demise allegedly came at the hands of his girlfriend's son, who reportedly stabbed him in the chest multiple times. Details are scarce at the moment, but while we're waiting to learn more about this tragedy, there are so many memorable Handy performances to fondly remember.

The first Handy performance that comes to mind for me is his portrayal of Kevin Doneghy, the brother-in-law of a woman who was left to die in a Catholic hospital, in "The Verdict." He has a fiery confrontation with Paul Newman's alcoholic lawyer Frank Galvin at one point, and Handy more than holds his own with the legendary star. From that point forward, casting directors knew Handy could be slotted in anywhere and deliver the goods.

Over the ensuing 40-plus years, Handy worked steadily in movies and television. He had terrific extended runs on "NYPD Blue" and "Alias," and he appeared in such beloved films as "Arachnophobia," "The Rocketeer" and 1995's "Jumanji." "The Rocketeer" wasn't his only turn in a comic book movie, either. In fact, he popped up in two of the most groundbreaking superhero films of the 21st Century: "Unbreakable" and "Logan." The parts weren't huge, but his presence could certainly be felt.

Disney

As James Handy entered his fifties, he began to play men with different kinds of gravitas. He could be a gruff cop or, as he briefly demonstrated in M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable," a somber man of the cloth. We hear Handy more than we see him in "Unbreakable," where he plays a priest honoring the memories of each passenger killed in the catastrophic train wreck that only Bruce Willis' David Dunn survives at the start of the film. Dunn attends the memorial service, but his survivor's guilt kicks in. As he leaves the church, we can still faintly hear Handy's priest listing off the victims.

Handy gets more to do in James Mangold's elegiac "Logan." Here, he plays an old doctor who is surprised to be caring for one of the last remaining mutants on the planet. He can see Hugh Jackman's Wolverine (aka. Logan) is sick and likely dying, and he urges the mutant to get treatment. When Logan refuses, Handy's character offers to examine him. His intentions are clearly not self-serving. He sincerely wants to help Logan get better. Logan, however, wants none of his help, and he tells the physician to forget they ever crossed paths.

Both of these films approached the comic book genre with uncommon invention and a deep sadness. They're rarities, just like James Handy.