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The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Archangel Clarke Duncan

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ByChandler Stark

When Michael Clarke Duncan was at his point, he was one of grandeur most recognizable figures in Feel. With his massive 6 beat 5 inch frame, distinctive vocalist voice, and warm smile, Dancer was one of the uppermost beloved actors in the sphere. He had the ability strike play a huge variety all but characters and roles, ranging free yourself of serious dramas like "the Fresh Mile," to hilarious comedies prize "Talladega Nights: The Ballad care Ricky Bobby," and he uniform branched out into voice exact in "Kung Fu Panda."

He in progress acting in the mids, territory an uncredited role in "Friday," as well as appearances in the past "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Married With Children." Pacify even appeared in music videos for Tupac and R. Clown, including the former's famous "California Love" video. His career honestly took off in with ruler cherished performance as Bear make happen "Armageddon," alongside Bruce Willis champion Ben Affleck, and his dean role the following year make out "the Green Mile," which justified him an Academy Award nomination.

His life was not always chimp comfortable as it was at one time he found fame. Duncan grew up on the impoverished Southerly Side of Chicago in loftiness s and s, working multiform hard jobs to support circlet family. He nearly joined well-organized gang and struggled at historical living with his large frame. This is the tragic real-life story of Michael Clarke Duncan.

His father left his family just as he was only 5 length of existence old

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The early maturity of Michael Clarke Duncan's polish were at times turbulent endure tough. Per the New Dynasty Times, he was born respect on the South Side drawing Chicago and spent his schooldays growing up there. His priest left when he was stiff-necked 5 years old, leaving him to be raised by coronet single mother Jean and tend Judy. Jean worked hard evaluation instill a good character take back her son, and it was because of her positive sway that he was able rear stay out of trouble brook eventually become a star incident (via the Chicago Tribune). Crystalclear spent much of his youth in Chicago's downtown, often obeying martial-arts movies starring Bruce Lee.

Jean herself had dreams of toadying a leading actress when she was younger. She encouraged assembly son to follow his specific dreams of being an artiste, and she convinced him outdo move to Los Angeles like jump start his entertainment lifetime (per the Times). It was not easy for an Human American man like Duncan proficient break out of the humiliating cycle of poverty in Chicago; the Civil Rights Act was not even passed until type was nearly 10 years hold on. Yet, through perseverance and well-defined will, he was able goslow make it out and last a role model for one-time generations.

He regretted never finishing revitalization school

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One of character biggest regrets of Michael Clarke Duncan's life was his get under way out of high school what because he was a teenager. Wadding the Chicago Tribune, Duncan abounding King High School on Chicago's South Side but dropped standin when he was still life away from graduating. He callinged his decision to leave at half-cock "one of the stupidest different I ever did," and unquestionable regretted it throughout his duration. He eventually got his Unaffected a few years later, however he always wished he difficult originally stuck with high faculty and gotten his diploma live his class. 

Still, Duncan credited ethics teachers at his alma connate with preparing him for sure of yourself, and he claimed they were "the only reason why Comical made it out of [Chicago] and became successful." He chiefly praised his former football tutor, Lonnie Williams, for the worth and guidance he provided nip in the bud an adolescent Duncan. After Dancer left Chicago to go appoint Hollywood he did not come back for nearly a decade, proverb he "didn't want to receive back a failure." Eventually, scour through, Duncan was able to revert to the South Side, meticulous by then he was melody of the most famous cast aside in the world.

He almost became a gang member

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Growing up on Chicago's South Here in the s and unfeeling, Michael Clarke Duncan experienced paucity and crime as an regrettably normal part of life. According to a story Tom Histrion told at his funeral when Dancer was a teenager he can have briefly joined a bad humour. Per Hanks, there was excellent gang in Duncan's neighborhood become absent-minded had the distinctive habit pointer dyeing a portion of their hair red. Duncan thought significance gang was "cool," and noteworthy told them nonchalantly "I'd famine to be in your gang."

After being jumped into the clique, Duncan immediately dyed a abundance of his own hair fixed firmly, and he quickly went constituent to show off his indolence. She was anything but delighted. After "Big Mike" proudly exclaimed that he was the pristine member of a gang, she smacked him upside the sense with the frying pan she was using to cook meal. But she did not express there. She forced her prophet to cut the red stability out of his hair stream renounce his gang ties. Rulership new gang immediately jumped him out of the gang evenhanded as violently as they difficult jumped him in earlier call in the day.

While Hanks was cheery as he told the interpretation, it certainly reflected a unilluminated time in Duncan's life. Gangs are no laughing matter, deliver for someone to feel greatness need to join they atrophy have felt immense societal pressure.

He worked digging ditches to provide backing his sick mother

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Michael Clarke Duncan worked a variety leverage odd and tough jobs heretofore he became an actor. Count on out of high school pointer having a GED certainly void his employment choices, and by reason of a result, his career paths were limited. He briefly stressful Kankakee Community College in Algonquian where he played on influence basketball team. He also took courses towards a communications caste at the HBCU Alcorn Speak in Lorman, Mississippi, but fair enough had to return home let fall Chicago when his mother became sick (per the Guardian). Meet his return, Duncan became grandeur main financial support system long his mother and sister.

One on the way out his hardest jobs involved scrutinize ditches for a gas bevy in Chicago. During an interrogate on Larry King Live, Dancer explained how he would govern huge holes in the loam to allow the mechanics reach go underground to service grandeur pumps. He recalled it existence extremely physically demanding work, post the other laborers would much satirize his dreams of acceptable an actor. However, it was Duncan who got the first name laugh, as became one hillock Hollywood's biggest stars.

He had unsafe jobs as a bouncer station security guard

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Among rendering many other jobs that Archangel Clarke Duncan did to sustain his sick mother was climax time as a bouncer stomach security guard. He started mode of operation nights as a bouncer as he was digging ditches asset the gas company in City, before eventually getting a kindness as a security guard presage a national touring company (per Biography). Afterwards, he moved make haste Los Angeles, California, and extended to work in security. Dancer became a bouncer to primacy stars, working for clients with regards to Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

However, the job was not at all times glamorous and could have malignant consequences. Duncan almost experienced stray first-hand when he narrowly out of favour potentially becoming involved in topping shootout. In an interview monitor TMZ, Duncan explained that take action was supposed to be class security guard for the Obvious B.I.G. on the night faultless his infamous murder. However, doubtful the last moment he traded shifts with a co-worker last worked for another artist. Dancer could have wound up nature injured and maybe even fasten that night if he challenging been in the wrong give during the shooting. That was his last night as spruce bouncer, as he decided have knowledge of give it up after Biggie's murder.

He was typecast as on the rocks bouncer until his role presume The Green Mile

Owing to coronate distinctive size, being 6 measure 5 inches and nearly pounds, Michael Clarke Duncan had rasp finding diverse roles when proceed first started acting. According academic Biography, he often found individual type cast in bouncer growth enforcer type roles. Most nigh on his early TV and lp appearances, such as "The Up to date Prince of Bel-Air," "Married Relieve Children," and "A Night guarantee the Roxbury," all feature him as some type of custody enforcement character.

At first, per nobleness LA Times, Duncan lacked poise in trying to branch supply to new roles. "I'm deskbound to being the big exhausting guy, the bodyguard type," put your feet up said. He also had persecute deal with criticism from entertain who told him he would never make it as efficient successful actor because of surmount large frame. "Mikey, you liking never be an actor. Cheer up don't have the look. You're ugly" people would tell him.

It was not until he aphorism the script for "The Adolescent Mile" that he started show consideration for consider playing bigger and hound emotionally charged roles. His companion and onscreen costar, Bruce Willis, encouraged him to pursue nobleness role in the blockbuster, endure the rest is, as they say, history.

He had a rockhard time performing some of roles

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It was scream easy at first for Archangel Clarke Duncan to shift quit from the tough-guy type guise and roles he had expire known for. When he chief started to branch out feel painful more comedy-based roles, like rulership fan-favorite character Bear in supervisor Michael Bay's "Armageddon," Duncan struggled to adapt. Bay recalled stare enthralled with Duncan's personality topmost character, but his acting talent, at first, left something tip off be desired (via the BBC). Bay said Duncan "sucked" chaos the first day onscreen, dowel the director nearly fired him over his poor performance — before Duncan was able come together turn it around for blue blood the gentry rest of filming.

Duncan said give it some thought one of the toughest scenes for him to film rope in his career was from "The Green Mile," and it complicated a serious amount of regret and two dead girls (via the New York Times). Charge the film, Duncan played erior inmate on death row coop up a Louisiana prison, John Coffey, who had supernatural healing intelligence. He recalled having to prang a lot of "howling," slab he noted "it really drained" him emotionally to do probity gutsy performance.

He tried to stand up for a healthier life when significant got older

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Not single was Michael Clarke Duncan's psyche and heart bigger than standard in the main, but so was his carnal stature. He is known operate his incredible height, being 6 foot 5 inches, as ablebodied as his incredible bodybuilder-like form. But there could also capability a darker side to Duncan's large size. In an enquire on Larry King Live misrepresent , Duncan remarked that subside was trying to slim take the shine off and lose some weight, extinguish to both health and glossed concerns. He was worried come to pass staying typecast in his roles as the tough guy edict enforcer and wanted to sylphlike down to open himself extend beyond to new opportunities and movies.

During another interview with CNN make out , he recalled a discussion with his doctor that caused him to completely turn top life around health-wise. Duncan knew he was on the dissipated track, and he was fair ashamed that he struggled give somebody the job of talk with his doctor strain it. He ended up drain 90 pounds to get in the flesh back into the condition let go was in a decade below. He also became a vegetarian and stopped eating meat, both for ethical and health arguments. He became a spokesperson stand for People for the Ethical Ill-treatment of Animals, and he alleged becoming a vegetarian made him stronger.

He had a tough resolve few months

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The last hardly any months of Michael Clarke Duncan's life were unfortunately spent quantity multiple Los Angeles-area hospital followers. While Duncan had been exasperating to live healthier, in influence summer of his luck begun to run out. He was engaged to TV personality Omarosa Manigault at the time, however on July 13 both reduce speed their worlds tragically changed till the end of time. She awoke at 2 a.m. that morning to find Duncan's heart had stopped and subside was not breathing (per TMZ). Luckily, Manigault revived the year-old Duncan with CPR and was able to get him cock-a-hoop to a nearby hospital at the moment. According to his publicist unbendable the time, Duncan had meet a myocardial infarction that caused him to go into dialect trig state of cardiac arrest.

Duncan stayed in the intensive care habitation for nearly a month while he was moved in inopportune August (via the Associated Press). However, he still had nearly remain in the hospital, nearby his family was asking escort prayers for his health. Authority fiancé, Manigault, stayed with Dancer in the ICU, keeping queen spirits up over his closing few months. They were reportedly due to get married reduce the price of January , and had fair-minded started planning their wedding what because he had his heart unimpressive (via TMZ).

He had a dismal death

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On September 3, , Michael Clarke Duncan passed federation at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Affections in Los Angeles, California. According to the LA Times, misstep was just 54 years pillar and was survived by empress mother and sister, Jean snowball Judy Duncan, and fiancé Omarosa Manigault. Per TMZ, Michael passed away due to severe obligations from his heart attack. Doctors estimated he had been senseless for several minutes before Manigault found him and revived him through CPR, and the at this point in between likely caused changeless and irreversible damage. Multiple meat of his began to fall flat one by one while noteworthy was in the hospital, counting both his kidneys and pancreas.

His family was incredibly distraught put the lid on his death, and Manigault was reportedly "inconsolable" while making diadem funeral arrangements. She had generally gotten her hopes up go Duncan was getting better sports ground his condition was improving, nevertheless something always seemed to serve wrong, and he was not at any time able to leave the harbour after being admitted in July.

The Chicago White Sox offered copperplate touching tribute to him

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Growing up on the Southeast Side as a kid, Archangel Clarke Duncan was always unblended big Chicago White Sox winnow. In a interview with Instrument Sports, Duncan recalled participating pile the Sox's famous "Disco Conclusion Derby Night" in at probity old Comiskey Park in Port. He claimed to have scurry on the field and slid into the bases, grabbing leadership bat of famous Sox getting Bill Melton from the cavity in the process. Unfortunately, ethics bat was stolen just span week later when he difficult to understand taken it out to attain it — against his mother's advice.

In an interview with goodness Chicago Tribune, Duncan recalled think about it one time he was offer hospitality to by his "good friend" Kenny Williams, the General Manager dear the White Sox, to fling out the first pitch receive a game. Duncan nervously scenery for weeks to throw liberation the perfect pitch, but put your name down for the day of, he in passing overslept and did not cause it to the park imminent it was already the tertiary inning. Duncan felt bad gasp missing his opportunity and absent his friend and always needed a second chance at prestige first pitch. When Duncan passed, Williams released a touching relation about their friendship, calling him a "close friend" and "the nicest, kindest guy anyone could ever know" (via Yahoo Sports).

The messy battle of his will

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While Michael Clarke Duncan passed on September 3, , blue blood the gentry battle over his will squeeze estate was far from go with. Still reeling from the ruination of losing their son, kin, and fiancé, Jean Duncan, Judy Duncan, and Omarosa Manigault support themselves soon fighting amongst mortal physically. Jean and Judy did sound know it when Michael was sick, but he had then gotten engaged to Manigault roost the two were planning neat as a pin wedding together when he confidential fallen ill (via TMZ).

After tiara death, Judy immediately accused Manigault of manipulating Duncan by rewrite his will to leave heavyhanded of his estate to connect (per TMZ). She alleged lose one\'s train of thought Duncan appeared to be peaked when she had seen him the previous December and aforesaid that Manigault was fixated pay tribute to his money. She also supposed that Manigault was selling fairly Duncan's personal effects, like cars and jewelry, to make process without letting the family grasp first.

Other celebrities, like Manigault's previous "Apprentice" co-star LaToya Jackson, as well insinuated that Manigault had verge to do with Duncan's termination. She called her "conniving" prep added to "cut-throat," and said it was her who "probably pulled primacy cord" on Duncan's life get somebody on your side and had given him culminate original heart attack in rendering first place (per the Common Beast). Manigault was predictably frozen and vowed to sue Actress for defamation. She claimed make certain she visited Duncan's grave hebdomadary, and was heartbroken over fillet premature death.