Community | August 25, 2011 | 5 comments

"Treme" Actor Michael Showers Found Dead

source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/25/showers.obit/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

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EthicalVegan
'Treme' actor Showers found dead, authorities say
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 25, 2011 12:30 p.m. EDT

Michael Showers played Capt. John Guidry on the acclaimed HBO series, "Treme."


STORY HIGHLIGHTS

His body is found floating in the Mississippi River in New Orleans
Police recover it and hand it over to the coroner
HBO's acclaimed 'Treme' is by the creator of 'The Wire'

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(CNN) -- Actor Michael Showers, who made several appearances in the HBO series "Treme," was found dead Wednesday in Louisiana, a Port of New Orleans official told CNN Thursday.

His body was spotted floating in the Mississippi River near St. Louis Street in New Orleans, said Chris Bonura, communications director for the port.

Harbor police responded and retrieved the body, he said. It has been handed over to the coroner for investigation, he added.

The coroner's office did not immediately respond to CNN questions about the incident.

Showers played Capt. John Guidry on the acclaimed HBO series, which was created by David Simon following his cult classic "The Wire."

Simon hailed him as "a fine actor who contributed his talents to our drama in the warmest and most professional way.

"We enjoyed his work -- and working with him. Going forward, we're going to miss having him as part of our production. All of which seems of little import in light of the loss of a man's whole life, and what that loss truly means to him, his family, his friends. Our respect and condolences go to them, especially," Simon said in a statement on behalf of the show.

HBO is owned by Time Warner, the parent company of CNN.

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CNN's Rachel Wells contributed to this report.
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5 comments // "Treme" Actor Michael Showers Found Dead

  • cherry5000
  • Stoneyroad
  • EthicalVegan
    • 0
      EthicalVegan  
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    • http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/08/michael-showers-treme-missis...

      Los Angeles Times...

      'Treme' actor Michael Showers is dead at 45
      August 25, 2011 | 6:50 am

      A tragic story of a body found floating in the Mississippi River has taken a Hollywood turn, with the body now being identified as Michael Showers, an actor on the HBO drama “Treme.”

      Some originally thought the body, found off New Orleans' French Quarter on Wednesday morning, was that of a man who had reportedly jumped off a bridge the day before. But Louisiana state police late Wednesday identified the body as Showers. He was 45. Police have not yet given a cause of death.

      The actor played the minor recurring part of police Capt. John Guidry in “Treme,” HBO’s drama about life in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina.

      Showers was not a widely known actor, although he did have parts in “The Vampire Diaries” as well as small roles in several films, including the Jim Carrey dramedy “I Love You Phillip Morris” and the 2000 Oscar winner “Traffic.”

      Showers’ girlfriend told police that the actor had gone for a drink Tuesday and not returned home. HBO has not yet issued a statement on Showers' death.

      "Treme" has run for two seasons on HBO. It’s set to begin production this fall on a third season, which will air in the spring of 2012.

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    • 9 months ago
  • EthicalVegan
    • 0
      EthicalVegan  
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    • http://www.nola.com/treme-hbo/index.ssf/2011/08/today_in_treme_david_simon_rea.h...

      The Times-Picayune | NOLA...

      Today in 'Treme:' David Simon reacts to the death of Michael Showers

      Published: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 9:24 AM
      Updated: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 10:15 AM

      By Dave Walker, The Times-Picayune

      The body of actor Michael Showers, who played NOPD Capt. John Guidry in "Treme," was pulled from the Mississippi River on Wednesday (August 24).

      PHOTO: michael_showers_david_morse.jpgView full size
      Michael Showers, left, and David Morse on the set of 'Treme'

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      Wednesday night, @WendellPierce tweeted:

      Rest In Peace to my costar Michael Showers. "Capt Guidry" on TREME.He will be a lasting part of our New Orleans story and television history

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      Thursday (August 25), "Treme" co-creator David Simon said Showers "was entirely professional, got along fine, and did good work."

      In the show, Capt. Guidry was a foil for NOPD Lt. Terry Colson, played by David Morse, who was confronting ineptitude and corruption on the force.

      “He did very well with what we gave him,” Simon said of Showers. “We did not want him to be a complete mustache-twirler in the sense of complete villain, but we wanted him to be very institutional and very resistant to an outside critique, which I think is typical of all institutions and I think very typical of the NOPD at that particular time in its history.

      "He was representing an institution that was sitting on top of an awful lot of dysfunction, and we represented that. At the same time, we didn’t want him to be an over-the-top villain, or for you to be assured as viewers that he was in any way complicit in whatever had gone wrong with those institutions. I think he landed it about where he should land it.

      "But all of this seems absurdly unimportant … now that this has happened. I feel like I’m talking about things of very little consequence in the grand scheme of things."

      Meagan Lewis, “Treme’s” casting director, said she also cast Showers in the locally-shot feature film “Love, Wedding, Marriage” and the upcoming release “Colombiana,” which shot in New Orleans and Mexico City. Playing a cop, Showers can be seen in the opening seconds of “Columbiana’s” online trailer, see below.

      Showers' other credits included the TV dramas "Breaking Bad" and "The Vampire Diaries," and the feature film "I Love You Phillip Morris."

      Simon said the Guidry-Colson story line would've continued into season three, which will air in the spring.

      “I’m sure he would’ve worked," he said. "We had plans for the Colson character in which Guidry would’ve been relevant. And we’ll obviously go in a different way and will have to adjust. This happens in a continuing series. The important thing isn’t that we have to adjust. The important thing is that his life has ended in a most unfortunate way.”

      HBO issued a formal statement Thursday morning:

      "Michael Showers was a fine actor who contributed his talents to our drama in the warmest and most professional way.

      "We enjoyed his work -- and working with him. Going forward, we're going to miss having him as part of our production. All of which seems of little import in light of the loss of a man's whole life, and what that loss truly means to him, his family, his friends. Our respect and condolences go to them, especially.

      -- David Simon, on behalf of the Treme cast and crew.

      .

    • 9 months ago
  • EthicalVegan
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