Gerrit Graham, an actor, screenwriter and songwriter whose credits ranged from Brian de Palma's early films to a co-written song for The Grateful Dead, died Tuesday in Rhinebeck, N.Y. He was 77. He suffered from lung disease, among other ailments.
Graham's screen career began alongside Robert De Niro in de Palma's early films "Hi Mom!" and "Greetings." He went on to appear in "Demon Seed," "Pretty Baby," "Child's Play 2" and "National Lampoon's Class Reunion." Known for his skill with impressions and accents, he also turned up in episodes of "Seinfeld," "Laverne and Shirley," "The Wonder Years," and on both "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager."
One of his most memorable roles came in de Palma's "Phantom of the Paradise," in which he played glam rocker Beef, a character introduced emerging from a coffin and ultimately silenced in a shower with a plunger. He also played a sleazy used car salesman in Robert Zemeckis' "Used Cars."
As a screenwriter, Graham contributed to "The Little Mermaid," "Oliver & Company" and episodes of "The Twilight Zone." Alongside his brother, Chris Hubbell, he co-wrote Disney's adaptation of "Prince and The Pauper." On the music side, Graham collaborated with Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, co-writing "Victim or The Crime," which the band recorded for its "Built To Last" album. Weir later re-recorded the song with Rob Wasserman for their 1998 "Live" album.
Graham was born in New York City to parents John and Janet. The family lived in Missouri and Michigan before eventually settling in Chicago. In 1982, he married his wife, Deborah, with whom he had two children. After a period spent caring for his mother in California, Graham settled in Rhinebeck, N.Y., where he lived for the last 30 years of his life and served on the Burger Hill Preservation Society.
He is survived by his brother, Sam; his sons, Jack and Henry, and their wives, Talia and Joelle; and his four grandchildren, Nolan, Micah, Vera and Joey.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
