Friday, October 11, 2013

Torgo as John Reynolds

This is a continuation of a series of stories I started the beginning of Sept that begin to go deeper behind the scenes of Manos and into the lives of some who were there.  I can only write what I know and will only share what I believe to be true.  Stories, like life evolve as more information is revealed, and as I learn more about John Reynolds, I feel a deeper connection to him and a desire to help you, the reader see him as more than Torgo.

I have been flippant in talking about John Reynolds in the past.  Yes, it's true that he was often high during filming and it's true he committed suicide one month before the 1966 premiere.  You can read that in previous blog stories and interviews I've done, but as I attempt to answer fans questions about him I continue to learn more.

John came from a military background.  His father was  Brigadier General John M. Reynolds who had a very successful and illustrious career. General John M. Reynolds Biography This link about the General certainly gave me pause and insight into some of the difficulties John and his dad may have encountered.  My father has told me how John's dad orchestrated having John buried with a military funeral at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso even though John himself had not been military  John's gravesite.  John never lived up to his father's expectation of a son and as a sensitive artistic type must have been quite a disappointment.  He would have always felt a failure in his family and in the eyes of the man he would most crave approval.  John lived and died in a little house just 2 blocks from where we lived.  He was small of stature shy and withdrawn.  He loved the theater and found the stage one place where he could be a part of something fulfilling. He took it seriously and would have been considered a method actor.  I imagine the release of becoming another person and having the opportunity to escape his own existence for a time was a drug in itself.  He and my dad knew each other initially through the Festival Theatre and became friends.  My dad recognized how tortured and depressed John was and would often invite him to our house to be with the family even though he rarely came, or would check in on him by stopping by.   John lived alone and was never married and had no children.  He was only 25 when he took his own life by sticking a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger.

On the set of Manos, he was often, if not always, high on something more than pot.  My dad says (and my memories corroborate) that everyone on the set knew things weren't going well.  That this was not going to be a great film and that they should all just get through it and go home.  John may have realized this was far from the opportunity he was hoping for and sadly, my dad says that Manos may have, in some way, contributed to his suicide...or at least the timing of it.  One month after his birthday and one month before the premiere.  One thing that strikes me and I wonder about.  John Reynolds dad retired from a long military career just two weeks after his son's suicide.  What do you think about that timing?  Hmmm.

John Reynolds  September 14th 1941 to October 16th 1966




33 comments:

  1. Such a tragic story. You wonder what he might have done had he stuck around a little while longer.

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    1. I agree. If you can just hang on, things can change for the better..

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  2. My heart aches for John to this day. When I first found out about "Manos," pretty much the only information you could find about it was an article called "The Hands That Time Forgot," and it was there I learned of the circumstances of his life and death. Thank you, Jackey, for filling in more of the details. John's life was brief, but Torgo has far outlived him.

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    1. You are welcome. As I dig more into the stories, I learn more. It's a great journey.

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  4. Thank you for posting about John Reynolds. As it has already been said, fans of this film do appreciate this kind of information and insight because there is so much misinformation going around.

    As odd and hilarious as Torgo is, it is obvious that Reynolds brought some heart and (in retrospect) a bit of sadness to the character. I wish John and Hal Warren were still around to see what the movie has become.

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  5. You're welcome. I got online and started chasing down the misinformation a while back and it evolved into this blog, great new friendships and a lot of fun. I also wish Hal and John could be here to see what's happened with Manos.

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  6. Thank you so much for doing this Jackey. It is so true that those who have died like John aren't really gone as long as people remember him.

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  7. Interesting background. Torgo's possibilities storywise can be expanded this way also.

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  8. Tragic fate for a so young man. I watched the film yesterday and it's really bad and amateur! But it's just its total lack of quality that makes watching "Manos" a very interesting experience . As happened with Ed Wood, Warren died wothout knowing that his work would become a cult!

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  9. Thank you for your sensitive memories and research. I found out about Manos through Cracked, as I think many recent fans have, and have been curious about what happened to him.

    It’s really tragic that he couldn’t cope with his demons and at such a young age, because with his talents and good-looking features I don’t think it’s unlikely he might have made it a lot further. RIP.

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  10. I just watched Manos New Year's Eve night with a friend and we had a rollicking good time with it. But I became captivated by poor John's story, and his twisted relationship with his father (it reminded me somewhat of Jim Morrison's father, who also was a rigid military type). Wherever he is, I hope he's resting in peace, but knows he's finally achieved fame and love on fan sites!

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  11. Looking up John on Ancestry, he does have a military record:

    Service Start Date: 28 Feb 1961
    Service End Date: 15 Jan 1964

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  12. Also, John lost his 12-year-old brother, Ralph, in 1961. Ralph is buried with his parents at Arlington National Cemetary.

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  13. I just watched a VHS of the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 presentation of this. I'd seen it a couple of times before, and am interested in John Reynolds' short life. I wonder if somehow he's related to the Civil War Major General John Fulton Reynolds family, wouldn't have been descended from John, as he never had children. He had been engaged though.

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  14. Thanks for posting these. I'm glad they're still here for me to read after all these years. I saw Manos like many people through MST3K but I've always been one to get invested in the films even when they're awful. And Torgo is honestly the best part of the film. It's unfortunate that they wrote him as a creep because he didn't have to be. At one point, I reimagined the story with Torgo fighting The Masters control over him and helping the family escape. Anyway, I'm sorry that the movie wasn't what everyone expected but I'm glad people can still enjoy it. It's definitely a good awful movie! And these stories you tell make it even better.

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  15. Shitty actor, worse human being. Not sure why everyone is crying over him like he was someone they knew or wanted to. Whoopty shit, bye bye

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    1. I think you should look in the mirror before you jusge others.

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    2. Aren't you the self-satisfied and loathsome toad?

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    3. Wonder what people will say about you when you pass. I know what I’m thinking of you right now and it’s still probably better than you deserve.

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    4. and just what are your own qualifications as an actor to judge by? Also, by what logic can you call someone so clearly missed and even somewhat admired by those who knew him a bad human being?
      If one didn't know better, they might even guess your comments have a hint of envy to them.

      "Enough of this insanity ... Enough of your insolence. You have displeased me and disgraced MANOS"

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  16. Torgo is great! Unintentionally hilarious!! John's real life story is tragic but Torgo will live forever

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  17. I was disturbed to see the headstone where John's parents are buried along with their "beloved son." Why was John not buried there, too, and why wasn't he listed as one of the "beloved sons?" Both parents outlived him; why wouldn't they have made sure he received the same affection given to his brother? It makes an already sad story all that much sadder.

    John was a treasure; I wish he'd lived love enough to get help with his depression. I'm sure the treatment options in the mid-60s were basically nil. It looks like he had so much to give...

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  18. When I first watched the film Manos I didn’t realize the Torgo actor had an addiction. Years later I developed a tremor in my voice caused by medication from the V.A. A Neurologist I see says it’s TD tardive dyskinesia. It’s hard to watch the MST3K crew mocking that actor now that I have a similar vocal impairment.

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    1. *WARNING : "TomServo"/Kevin Murphy style longwinded "pseudointellectual" dissective monologue follows😉*

      oddly enough, it doesnt seem the MST3K/BestBrains, etc ever directly and specifically insulted John's Torgo voice. Indeed, it always from the start felt like they recognized a gold standard of imitatibility in it (i.e. the best vocal mimicry subjects are those with some kind of distinctive quality to their voice, as opposed to the larger number of people, especially including celebs, with rather run of the mill/similarly generic and thus near to impossible to recognizably impersonate voices)* and seem to almost venerate his one and only onscreen and most famous character (somewhat evidenced by how often Torgo was either re-embodied by BB/MST3K performers or even just referenced thru his instantly recognizable vocal throughout many years of MST3K, RiffTraxx, CinematicTitanic, etc. Its very obvious most if not all of that bunch are oddly fond of what Reynolds created w/his marvelous method acting)*

      *
      yes I'm a trained, experienced performer, mostly in VOA as well as behind lens/scenes . So I know the tricks of the trades and recognize good to excellent work like Reynolds gave. Indeed, its only Torgo and the Master in the OG film who are of such character calibre they could easily translate to today's types of either more realistic and or less overtly arch character writing/performance. In the right hands (😉😏), MANOS remade today could be right up there with the most measuredly moody and even terrifying suspense, horror, etc *indeed, part of its big failing was FX constraints of its budget and also its time (the same tech/compositional deficiency issue holding back most mid 20th cebtury to 80s-90s film&TV fare by conparison to nearly anything after the turn of the millenium)

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  19. I always thought John Reynolds was really handsome. His eyes were so striking and he had a nice face.
    I love Manos and I'm so glad John is loved even to this day. It's just so sad to know he'll never know how loved he came to be.
    The actor that you all got to play him in the sequel looks so much like him I had to do a doubletake. You did a great casting with him. Thank you for sharing about him and keeping his legacy alive.
    May his gentle soul rest in peace and with honor.

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  20. i have depression also, and i Love this guy more and more over the years. i think he did a fantastic job! so memorable! big impact on my soul. brought me so much happiness and laughter.. that’s what counts.the peak of mst3k !!! (n riff)

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  21. I was sorry to learn that John's life ended so young, and in such a violent way. I'm sure his severe depression clouded his ability to think clearly or rationally. As someone else mentioned, his treatment options back then were probably nonexistent. I wish he'd lived longer to see what a huge fan following Manos has gained over the years. I hope his spirit is at peace now.

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  22. me and my hot dear friend, we decided to watch Manos the hands of fate and we very quickly fell in love with his charm and acting. He lit up our days and he is our roman empire. Its nice to have some more information about MY man. thank you, and rest in peace John Reynolds

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  23. Having lived in El Paso all of my life I never actually heard of this film until seeing it on MST3k. I recognized Scenic Drive right away at the beginning. I never knew that John Reynolds was buried at Ft. Bliss. I'll have to look for his grave the next time I'm there.

    I wonder if he attended any schools in El Paso? The Festival Theater is still there, now known as the El Paso Playhouse

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  24. I heard that Reynolds legs may have been injured by the sartyr costume he put on for Manos. Any info on that or whether that may have had some effect on his death?

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