In Loving Memory: Remembering Kevyn Major Howard, the Talented Actor of Full Metal Jacket and Scarface
Kevyn Major Howard, the actor famous for his role as Rafterman in Full Metal Jacket, has sadly passed away at the age of 69.
Howard died Friday at a hospital in Las Vegas, as confirmed by his family to TMZ. On Saturday, Feb. 15 Kevyn’s loved ones shared the heartbreaking news of his passing.
According to reports by TMZ, the gifted actor was surrounded by his friends and family at the time he passed in a Las Vegas hospital. Kevyn’s cause of death was not disclosed, but he had been hospitalized for weeks prior and was suffering from respiratory issues.
Kevyn was born on Jan. 27, 1956 in Montreal, Quebec and went on to become a skillful actor and photographer. He was most well-known for his movie appearances throughout the ’80s some of which included Full Metal Jacket (1987), Sudden Impact (1983) and Death Wish II (1982), and Alien Nation (1988).
Kevyn was also an accomplished photographer. Kevyn worked as a photographer for over 36 years during which he shot actors, musicians, and business professionals. In the BBC show The Human Face, Howard was described as the “King of the Hollywood headshot” after becoming the leading headshot photographer in the business after retiring from acting.
The star had the pleasure of working with a number of famous faces throughout his life including Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Ron Howard, James Caan, Willem Dafoe, Lawrence Fishburne, Robert Blake, George Pepard, Tom Selleck, Don Johnson, Matthew Modine, Vincent D’Onofrio, Adam Baldwin, Ed O’Ross, Arliss Howard, among many others.
Kevyn described eyes as being a “window to the soul” and something he paid special attention to when capturing the perfect headshot for his clients. His page reads: “His headshots capture a look, a glance, a nuance that brings a 2D image to life.
When viewing Kevyn’s work you will experience the deliberate precision, accuracy, and illumination with which Kevyn captures his subject’s eyes. The eyes are absolutely the expression of the actors personality and charisma; they are the key to anyone’s success.”
Sharing Kevyn’s life mantras, the page continued: “His philosophies to having a successful journey as a film actor are ‘simple anecdotes’. Be the best you can be – be simple – be authentic – be honest – strive for excellence in professionalism. These are all critical to being successful as an actor.”
