dr strangelove | The Timothy Carey Experience

I’ve been watching a lot of early Stanley Kubrick films. Films like Killer’s Kiss, Paths of Glory, The Killing, and Dr. Strangelove. There’s a character actor in Paths of Glory and The Killing named Timothy Carey. He is one of the most bizarre actors ever. He usually speaks through gritted teeth. I mean he hardly ever opens them. He always adds the weird to every character he plays. Here’s a scene from a John Cassavetes film, Minnie & Moskowitz. He auditioned for the boss in Reservoir Dogs. But Tarantino was afraid to work with him. But he dedicated it to Carey and several of his cinematic influences.

Carey directed a 1962 film, The World’s Greatest Sinner. It’s a low, low, low budget movie, scored by a young, pre-Mothers Frank Zappa. It offended 1962 audiences so bad, it was not theatrically released. It’s so rare and obscure, I’ve never seen it.

Any way for your pleasure, here’s a caricature of late, great, and wacko Timothy Carey.

Thanks for looking. . . and sorry about the long windedness.

Kyle Wiggins, “The World’s Greatest Sinner: Timothy Carey”; Gee Whiz, Kyle!, July 15, 2014 (accessed 12/27/2015)

Timothy Carey by Kyle Wiggins

THE KILLING

Carey was called ‘Kubrick’s good luck charm’ by one critic, but just made two blinding appearances in his films, as a doomed private in Paths of Glory and the ace sharpshooter in The Killing. Their relationship ended when Kubrick left One Eyed Jacks with Brando taking over and the pen-stabbing not far away. The scene here with TC holding a puppy is particularly intense and weird, while his interaction with the African-American parking lot attendant is almost too much to stomach. Carey was upset when Kubrick fled to England and left him behind. A shame, he would have been amazing in Strangelove.

– Dale Shaw, “Five Reasons to Love Timothy Carey”; Sabotage Times, 5 June 2012