Ronald Lee Ermey

American actor Ronald Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018), known professionally as R. Lee Ermey, was born in Emporia, Kansas and grew up on a farm near Kansas City.

Ermey is best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He is a former United States Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant; during his tenure in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served as a drill instructor.