A neighbor called the emergency services, who certified his death, EL PAÍS has learned. He played General Tudor in the cult classic The Fifth Element. He is a celebrity actor. Introducing ... PEOPLE's Products Worth the Hype. In the film, Matthews’ Apone wakes up the crew of the USS Sulaco from their deep sleep and shouts instructions to his crew. Every formation a parade. Al Matthews, the actor who portrayed Sergeant Apone in Aliens, was found dead in his home in Spain. Late Al Matthews appearing in Grange Hill as the father of Benny Green Other roles came in movies like The Fifth Element, Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and Burt Reynolds movie Rough Cut. He relocated to the UK and worked in several projects on television and radio there. His the best movies are Aliens (1986), The Fifth Element (1997), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Ragtime (1981) and Rough Cut (1980). Other notable films Matthews appeared in include Ragtime (1981), Stormy Monday … The actor and Vietnam War veteran was found by a neighbor in his bedroom on Saturday at about 10 p.m., according to Spanish newswire EFE. In 2006, Matthews said in an interview it took James Cameron (the director of the film) “30 seconds” to hire him. Al Matthews also starred in Superman III (1983), The Fifth Element (1997) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) Matthews had retired in Spain in 2005 after developing his artistic career in Britain. He served in the Vietnam War and earned 13 combat awards and decorations — including two Purple Hearts, according to his Facebook page. Matthews was a member of the United States Marine Corps and served during the Vietnam War. Release Date. Details about his death were not immediately available Monday. Every paycheck a fortune. “I was the only person in the movie not pretending to be a Marine, in fact I taught the other actors how to look and act,” he said. Although best known for portraying Sergeant Apone in James Cameron’s iconic sci-fi movie, Matthews also portrayed the fire chief in Superman III and General Tudor in … A decorated U.S. Marine, the actor also appeared in 'Superman III,' 'The Fifth Element' and 'Tomorrow Never Dies.' Al Matthews, the actor who portrayed Sergeant Apone in Aliens, was found dead in his home in Spain. Genre. Cameron was pleased with my input, in fact he said to me, he had no idea I was that good, had he known, my part would have been bigger.”. Matthews also had bit parts in Rough Cut (1980), Ragtime (1981), Superman III (1983), The Fifth Element (1997) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). An autopsy will determine the causes. See All Breakfast in bed? His film roles extended to Superman III, The Fifth Element and … He said he had no idea I was that good; had he known, my part would have been bigger," he said in 2006. If you would like to opt out of browser push notifications, please refer to the following instructions specific to your device and browser: Aliens Actor and Vietnam War Veteran Al Matthews Found Dead in Spain at 75. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. 6:19 AM PDT 9/24/2018 A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. He also enjoyed success in the United Kingdom, where he had a role on the UK series, Grange Hill. The Fifth Element was one of the earlier Blu-Rays (2006) and had its share of problems. The Fifth Element quotes: the most famous and inspiring quotes from The Fifth Element. Matthews has played various acting other roles, such as Ferguson in Rough Cut (1980), a workman in Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), a Vietnam veteran in The Sender (1982), a fire chief in Superman III (1983), Benedict in The American Way (1986), The actor began his career by singing alongside New York street-corner groups but took a break to join the U.S. Marine Corps. He was 75. Decades later, Matthews reprised his military Aliens character for the 2013 video game Aliens: Colonel Marines and inspired the character of Avery Johnson in the worldwide game franchise hit Halo. Sitemap | Thriller. He was 75. He is 78 years old and is a Scorpio. Terms of Use | The Fifth Element Every five thousand years, a door opens between the dimensions. Matthews played various acting roles, such as Ferguson in Rough Cut (1980), a workman in Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), a Vietnam veteran in The Sender (1982), a fire chief in Superman III (1983), Benedict in The American Way (1986), General Tudor in The Fifth Element (1997) and Master Sergeant #3 in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). | Credit: George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty. His character is later ambushed in the film and ends up as a host in the alien queen's cocoon. by He later lent his voice and likeness to the Apone character in the 2013 video game Aliens: Colonial Marines. Al Matthews, the real-life military man who portrayed the no-nonsense, cigar-chomping Sgt. | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | EU Privacy Preferences. Rhett Bartlett Matthews was based in the United Kingdom and retired to Spain in 2005, according to El Pais. He holds 13 combat awards and decorations, including two purple hearts, and was the first African-American Marine in the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam, to be meritoriously promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E-5). The U.S. born Matthews served as a Marine in Vietnam, and returned to focus principally on acting. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Al Matthews was born in Brooklyn on Saturday, November 21, 1942 (Silent Generation generation). You'll get the latest updates on this topic in your browser notifications. Matthews, a Vietnam War veteran, acted in many other action films, including "Superman III" and "The Fifth Element." The song became a top ten hit in more then fifteen countries across Europe. The Fifth Element is a joint US/French feature film of the science fiction genre. Every paycheck a fortune. He lived in the Spanish Mediterranean province of Alicante. All rights reserved. I LOVE the Corps!". It premiered in … “Fool” was a cool slice of 70s soul that still sounds great today. Fact bites Al has acted in countless TV programmes and several films including Alien, the Fifth Element and Tomorrow Never Dies. EMAIL ME. After his war service, Matthews moved to the U.K. and then France where, as a folk singer, he scored a hit with the Pierre Tubbs-written "Fool." Al Matthews also starred in Superman III (1983), The Fifth Element (1997) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) Matthews had retired in Spain in 2005 after developing his artistic career in Britain. Another glorious day in the Corps. Al Matthews was born on November 21, 1942 (age 75) in Brooklyn, New York, United States. TWITTER In 1978, he became the first black disc jockey to join Radio 1 in Britain. Apone in 'Aliens,' Dies at 75 A decorated U.S. Marine, the actor also appeared in 'Superman III,' 'The Fifth Element' and 'Tomorrow Never Dies.' Cab driver and former commando Korben Dallas finds himself escorting Leeloo to find Vito Cornelius and obtain four stones that represent the elementals. In the 1970s, Matthews moved to Europe where he would begin a career in radio and television in France. The four classic elementals, Earth Fire, Water and Wind, plus a fifth in the form of orange-haired Leeloo reconstructed from DNA remnants, are needed to fend off a periodic attack by distant evils. © 2021 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Action. He had roles in such notable films as Superman III, The Fifth Element and Rough Cut. "Yes, I was the only person in the movie not pretending to be a Marine; in fact, I taught the other actors how to look and act. The Fifth Element (1997) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Engineer Creates App To Translate Your Cat, Find out what your cat is trying to tell you with a new cat app, The Sweetest Photos of Princes Harry with Diana, Princess Diana died when Harry was just 12 years old, Sean Connery's Cause of Death Revealed Weeks After He Dies at Age 90. It was produced by Gaumont and Columbia Pictures and distributed through Sony Pictures Entertainment. Al Matthews is a Scorpio and was born in The Year of the Horse Life. But it's his performance in James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi horror film that endeared him to audiences. Coyote Ugly Turns 20: Where Is the Cast Now? He was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Nov. 21, 1942. Born Nov. 21, 1942, in Brooklyn, Matthews claimed in the 2006 interview his great uncle was bandleader Cab Calloway. The Fifth Element (1997) - Trivia - IMDb Luc Besson demanded that most of the action shots in the movie take place in broad daylight, as he was reportedly tired of the dark spaceship corridors and dimly lit planets common in science fiction movies, and wanted a brighter "cheerfully crazy" look as opposed to a gloomy, realistic one. In 2007 it was released as a Remastered disc which improved on many of those issues. In addition to Aliens, Matthews played similar true-to-life roles in other notable films, including Superman III, The Fifth Element, and Tomorrow Never Dies. “Mr. Alexander Basil "Al" Matthews (November 21, 1942[1] – September 22, 2018) was a United Kingdom-based American actor, singer[2] and former U.S. Marine who played Sergeant Apone in the 1986 film Aliens. 5th Element, The, Cinquieme Element, Le, Das fünfte Element, Det femte elementet, Fifth Element, Le cinquième élément, fünfte Element MPAA Rating. The former Marine retired in Spain in 2005, El Pais reported, following a lengthy career in film that included major hit movies such as “Superman III,” “The Fifth Element” and “Tomorrow Never Dies.” It's an interesting little featurette for those interested in the process of coming up with the look of a film and the general set designs. Text us for exclusive photos and videos, royal news, and way more. He began singing with New York street-corner groups as a teenager before finding his voice in the Greenwich Village folk scene. Get push notifications with news, features and more. In 2015, it was released under sony's new "Remastered in 4K" series in 2 different formats: A Blu-Ray only version and a "Supreme Cinema" series which includes a book. He also enjoyed a career as a … Al Matthews is a UK-based American actor and singer, best known for his appearance as Sergeant Apone in the James Cameron film Aliens (1986). I LOVE the Corps!” Apone said. In 1975, he released his first hit single “Fool,” which was a top ten hit in over 15 European countries, his page states. His film roles extended to Superman III, The Fifth Element and Tomorrow Never Dies. Special Feature: Imagining The Fifth Element [1997] [5:13] This is a quick look at the world and look of The Fifth Element and features interviews with various members of the special effects crew. THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER is a registered trademark of The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. It was written and directed by Luc Besson and co-written by Robert Mark Kamen. The Fifth Element is a joint US/French feature film of the science fiction genre. In another exists an element made not of earth, air, fire or water, but of anti-energy, anti-life. Mr. Cameron was pleased with my input. Matthews was based in the United Kingdom and retired to Spain in 2005, according to El Pais. Sci-Fi. Alongside his role in Aliens, Matthews also played the fire chief in Superman III (1983), a workman in Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), and General Tudor in The Fifth Element (1997). Another glorious day in the Corps. | California Privacy Rights Matthews was found dead in his home in Alicante on Spain's Mediterranean coast Saturday at 10 p.m. by a neighbor, the Spanish international news agency EFE and the El Pais newspaper confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. Privacy Policy | "All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? FACEBOOK He later turned to acting, but continues to write and sing. A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Matthews himself served almost six years in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, receiving 13 combat awards and two Purple Hearts. Matthews is noted for having made two significant historical firsts. His successful album is The Masters Series - … 1997 Distribution Company. In one dimension lies the universe and all of its multitude of varied life forms. Apone, and returned to the character in 2013 to voice him for the video game Aliens: Colonial Marines. Al Matthews, Actor: Aliens. He also worked in British television, appearing in Grange Hill as Sam Green, the father of Benny Green, as well as in theater and radio; for the latter, as both an actor (on BBC Radio 4) and a prese… Every formation a parade. Adventure. Al Matthews, Cigar-Chomping Sgt. The weapon consists of four stones, containing the essences of the four classical elements, and a sarcophagus containing a Fifth Element in the form of a human, which combines the power of the other four into a divine light capable of defeating the evil. Breakfast in bed? Near the movie's beginning, the crew of the USS Sulaco awake from their deep sleep and Apone instantly reaches for his cigar and shouts instructions to the drowsy crew. Every meal’s a banquet. He was 75. 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