James Rebhorn was famous for bringing to life dozens of characters on Hollywood screens and New York stages, but the prolific actor’s final work was about his own life.
The star of Homeland and iconic films including Scent of a Woman, Basic Instinct and Independence Day, penned his own obituary in the days before he died on Friday from melanoma.
In a gentle and touching tribute written in the third person, the actor speaks from beyond the grave about his life and family.
He writes that from his father, “Jim learned that there is no excuse for poor craftsmanship. A job well done rarely takes more or less time than a job poorly done.”
With more than 100 screen credits to his name and labelled a “New York theatre stalwart” byThe New York Times, it is clear that these early lessons stayed with him throughout his working life.
He wrote, “Jim was fortunate enough to earn his living doing what he loved. He was a professional actor. His unions were always there for him, and he will remain forever grateful for the benefits he gained as a result of the union struggle. Without his exceptional teachers and the representation of the best agents in the business, he wouldn’t have had much of a career. He was a lucky man in every way.”
More than simply a tribute to himself, the obituary is laden with messages to his family.
“He is survived by his sister, Janice Barbara Galbraith, of Myrtle Beach, SC. She was his friend, his confidant, and, more often than either of them would like to admit, his bridge over troubled waters.
“He is also survived by his wife, Rebecca Fulton Linn, and his two daughters, Emma Rebecca Rebhorn and Hannah Linn Rebhorn. They anchored his life and gave him the freedom to live it. Without them, always at the center of his being, his life would have been little more than a vapor. Rebecca loved him with all his flaws, and in her the concept of ceaseless love could find no better example.
“His children made him immensely proud. Their dedication to improving our species and making the world a better place gave him hope for the future. They deal with grief differently, and they should each manage it as they see fit. He hopes, however, that they will grieve his passing only as long as necessary. They have much good work to do, and they should get busy doing it. Time is flying by. His son-in-law, Ben, also survives him. Jim loved Ben, who was as a son to Jim, especially through these last months.
“His aunts Jean, Dorothy and Florence, numerous cousins and their families, and many devoted friends also survive Jim. He loved them all, and he knows they loved him.
The obituary was published on the website of St. Paul Lutheran Church, the New Jersey Church that the “life-long Lutheran” attended and where his funeral service will be held later this week.
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