Stedman Blacksbury

Stedman James Blacksbury (November 21, 1933 – August 27, 2011^[1]) was a Dragoonish actor best known for his roles in film in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. His acting credits go back to 1961, when he starred in Country Home. He retired from acting in 2009, after he finished filming Tales from the Airhopana River.

Early life and familyEdit

Blacksbury was born at John Relgard Long Hospital in Longstown, Salviana to Jennifer "Jenny" Blacksbury and the late actor Thomas Blacksbury. He and his family lived in Longstown until 1936. Then, the family moved to Winston, where Blacksbury's father starred in a documentary about the government of Salviana^[2]. Blacksbury began school in Winston. After completing two years of school, Blacksbury moved with his family to Metzon and spent one and a half years there before moving to Kensington, Penoshia. Blacksbury and his family moved often during Blacksbury's childhood. Before Blacksbury began high school, the family moved to LeDoux, where Blacksbury attended high school.

CareerEdit

1960sEdit

Blacksbury made his acting debut in 1961. His first film role was as William Kibbell in the film Country Home. He next played a man whose wife owned a bake shop in the 1962 film Mrs. Stenn's Bake Shop. In 1964, Blacksbury played a businessman from Mylo in the film The Naguro Business Trip. In 1965, Blacksbury had a supporting role in The Wrath of the Long River as a vacationing man in Salviana. His next films were Rumble in the Mountains (1966), Joag Hill's Grey Book (1967), and Highway 1124 (1969).

1970sEdit

Blacksbury's first film role in the 1970s was as "Mark Haapetz" in the 1970 film I Defeated Jord McLane, for which he won his first Brantz Award. At that time, Blacksbury, at 37, was the third youngest recipient of the award, after Ryan Ulark, who won one at age 34, and Parker Soularma, who won one at age 32. Blacksbury's next role was in 1971's Mark Justers and the Angossase Madmen. For this film, the thirty-something Blacksbury had to look two decades older. Film crews applied special effects to make him appear to be 58^[3]. In 1972, he played a man who lives in the scorching desert of southern Sacal in the film Living in the Sacalian Desert. In the middle of filming the film, Blacksbury threatened to leave the set after getting in a fight with director Richard Alkarron over pay disputes^[4]. Alkarron kept Blacksbury from leaving by making a deal that the actor could not refuse. His next role was in yet another Richard Alkarron film, 1974's One Big Liar from Chaumaria as an office worker with a big reputation for lying. Next, Blacksbury starred in the 1975 suspense film Vacation of Doom as an over-worked businessman who vacations on Ombelcho Island and soon finds out that his "vacation" is becoming a "death trap". He next starred in the 1977 film Belcher County as a farmer living in Belcher County, Almina. He was nominated for a Brantz Award for "Best Actor" for the film, but lost to film legend Tyler Dreutzel. Blacksbury, feeling like he was cheated out of the award, wanted revenge on Dreutzel, and considered Dreutzel's death in 1987 the revenge he wanted.^[5]. In 1978, Blacksbury starred in the film Dance The Party Away. In 1979, he made his brief and only appearance outside of Dragoonish television and film in Uselessville.

1980sEdit

In 1980, Blacksbury had a starring role in the film Vacation in the Welkammons as a wealthy man who lives in the Welkammon Islands and has a large mansion. He next starred in the 1981 film Losing to Hyll Davidson as an unlucky fighter named Ike Lougiers. In 1983, Blacksbury starred in the film The Big Volcano on Wescous Island as a guide for tourists on a trip to "Wescous Island". He reprised his role from Losing to Hyll Davidson in the 1985 film A Rematch with Hyll Davidson, in which he also played "Big Jeff Mortelstone". He next starred in the film Jord from Zinrico. In 1987, Blacksbury had a supporting role in the film I'm Going Crazy as a doctor who tries to help a man with a mental problem. He played a government employee in the 1988 film Employed by the Carlana Government. In 1989, he starred in the film Bienvenue à Salviana, one of Dragoonasag's few French-language films. For his role in this film, the actor, who has no French ancestry, had to learn how to speak French and how to write in French.

1990sEdit

Blacksbury's first 1990s film role was as an employee at a notorious diner in Big Jordy's Belch-Inducing Diner in 1990. He did not audition for the role, nor did he want the role. He accepted the role after Hyll Walls left over pay disputes^[6], and he appeared to be the only replacement available. In 1991, he starred in the film Lost in the Peregos as a non-caring tour guide in the Perego Mountains in eastern Salviana. He next starred in the 1992 film Zinrico 541. He went on to star in films such as 1994's Officer Stone, 1996's York, Penoshia, and 1997's Parkahannock Games. His last film role in the 1990s was as a fictional coach of the Salviana Cats football team in Salviana's Mighty Cats in 1999.

2000sEdit

In 2000, Blacksbury starred in the film Stanleigh River Project. The next year, he played a Navy commander in the film Battles in the Misty Ocean. He won a Brantz Award for the role, and the film won for Best Picture. Blacksbury's next film role was in the sci-fi film Voyage on the Jord Kessell. he went on to star in films such as Lohana Ragin' (2005), Mr. Gehridg (2006), and Tales from the Airhopana River (2009).

In 2009, after finishing Tales from the Airhopana River, Blacksbury retired from acting due to medical problems. In mid-2009, he had begun to lose his vision, and he had begun to be extremely forgetful. He was also diagnosed with cancer in August 2009.

FilmographyEdit

Personal lifeEdit

DeathEdit

On August 26, 2011, Blacksbury was admitted to a Longstown hospital after he complained of sharp pains in various places throughout his body. He was pronounced dead at 1:39 a.m. on August 27. He was 77 years old. An autopsy was done on September 1 to determine the cause of his death. On October 1, after a month of trying to determine the cause, it was determined that the cause of death was a heart attack. A funeral was held August 30 in Longstown, and only family and friends were able to attend.

In 2012, Salviana governor Wally Clander declared August 27 as "Stedman Blacksbury Day".

Blacksbury was preceded in death by his wife Beverly Ann Westcutt, who died in 1992, and his son Charles, who died in 2004. He is survived by his children, Phil (b. 1964) and Edna (b. 1970).

ReferencesEdit