{{Short description|Canadian actor (1956–2025)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Kevyn Major Howard | image = Cropped_Photo_of_Kevyn_Major_Howard.jpg | caption = Howard in 2014 | birth_date = {{birth date|1956|01|27}} | birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|02|14|1956|01|27}} | death_place = Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | occupation = Actor, photographer | years_active = 1980–1999 }}
'''Kevyn Major Howard''' (January 27, 1956 – February 14, 2025) was a Canadian actor and photographer, best known for his role as Private First Class "Rafterman" in Stanley Kubrick's war film ''Full Metal Jacket'' (1987).
==Life and career== Howard was born in Montreal, Canada on January 27, 1956.<ref name="TMZ" /> After acting in high school, Howard moved to Los Angeles and Hollywood in the late 1970s.<ref name="TMZ" /> His headshot was delivered to Paramount Pictures and, shortly thereafter, he was called in and booked for his first major film role, in ''Serial'', starring Martin Mull. This was followed by his first television appearance in an episode of ''Trapper John, M.D.''.<ref name="tv">{{cite web |last1=Clarendon |first1=Dan |title=Kevyn Major Howard, 'Full Metal Jacket' & 'Magnum, P.I.' Actor, Dies at 69 |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/1176578/kevyn-major-howard-dead-full-metal-jacket-magnum-p-i-actor/ |website=TV Insider |date=February 16, 2025 |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref> In 1982, Howard appeared as Stomper in ''Death Wish II'' and later as Hawkins in Clint Eastwood's 1983 film ''Sudden Impact'', notably making him the only actor to be in both ''Death Wish'' and ''Dirty Harry'' film series.<ref name="fox" /><ref name="manc" /> In 1987, Howard appeared in his most notable role, the combat photographer "Rafterman" in the Vietnam War film ''Full Metal Jacket'' directed by Stanley Kubrick.<ref name="joe" /> The following year, Howard made an appearance in the episode "Line of Fire" of the TV series ''Miami Vice''.<ref name="cbr" /> Howard retired from acting in 1999, his final acting credit being in an episode of ''Crusade''.<ref name="deadline" />
In the BBC show ''The Human Face'', Howard is described as the "King of the Hollywood headshot" as he became a leading headshot photographer after his retirement from acting.<ref name="joe">{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Ryan |title=Full Metal Jacket actor Kevyn Major Howard dies aged 69 |url=https://www.joe.co.uk/news/full-metal-jacket-actor-kevyn-major-howard-dies-aged-69-476155 |website=Joe |date=February 16, 2025 |access-date=February 16, 2025}}</ref><ref name="fox" />
Howard died in Las Vegas on February 14, 2025, at the age of 69. He had been hospitalized for weeks with respiratory problems.<ref name="TMZ">{{cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2025/02/15/full-metal-jacket-star-kevyn-major-howard-dead/|title= 'Full Metal Jacket' Kevyn Major Howard Dead at 69|website=TMZ|date=February 15, 2025|access-date=February 15, 2025}}</ref><ref name="deadline">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/kevyn-major-howard-dead-full-metal-jacket-actor-1236291137/|title=Kevyn Major Howard Dies: 'Full Metal Jacket' Actor Was 69|website=Deadline|date=February 15, 2025|access-date=February 15, 2025}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class= "wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes ! Ref. |- |1980 |''Trapper John, M.D.'' |Tony |1 episode: S1.E14 |<ref name="tv" /> |- |1981 |''CHiPs'' |Ted McLeish |1 episode: S5.E4 |<ref name="cbr">{{cite web |last1=Dick |first1=Jeremy |title=Full Metal Jacket Star Kevyn Major Howard Dies at 69 |url=https://www.cbr.com/kevyn-major-howard-dead/ |website=CBR |date=February 15, 2025 |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref> |- |1982 |''Death Wish II'' |'Stomper' | |<ref name="manc" /> |- |rowspan="4"|1983 |''T.J. Hooker'' |J.D. |1 episode: S2.E12 |<ref name="cbr" /> |- |''Cagney & Lacey'' |Weaver |1 episode: S2.E22 |<ref name="fox">{{cite news |title='Full Metal Jacket' actor Kevyn Major Howard dead at 69 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/full-metal-jacket-actor-kevyn-major-howard-dead-69?msockid=271d7f480c19602822b36cb70da26112 |access-date=February 17, 2025 |work=Fox News}}</ref> |- |''Scarface'' |Extra |Uncredited |<ref name="cbr" /> |- |''Sudden Impact'' |Hawkins | |<ref name="fox" /> |- |rowspan="1"|1984 |''The A-Team'' |Marcus |1 episode: S2.E20 |<ref name="cbr" /> |- |rowspan="1"|1986 |''MacGyver'' |Sonny |1 episode: S2.E6 |<ref name="fox" /> |- |rowspan="2"|1987 |''Magnum, P.I.'' |Kenneth Geiger |1 episode: S7.E17 |<ref name="fox" /> |- |''Full Metal Jacket'' |Private First Class 'Rafterman' | |<ref name="TMZ" /> |- |rowspan="3"|1988 |''War Party'' |Calvin Morrisey | |<ref name="cbr" /> |- |''Alien Nation'' |Rudyard Kipling | |<ref name="manc">{{cite web |last1=Wilkes |first1=Joseph |title=Full Metal Jacket Rafterman icon Kevyn Major Howard dead aged 69 after health battle |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/full-metal-jacket-rafterman-icon-31014846 |website=Manchester Evening News |date=February 15, 2025 |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref> |- |''Miami Vice'' |Bates |1 episode: S5.E6 |<ref name="cbr" /> |- |rowspan="1"|1996 |''Livers Ain't Cheap'' |Paramedic | |<ref name="cbr" /> |- |rowspan="1"|1999 |''Crusade'' |Officer |1 episode: S1.E4 |<ref name="deadline" /> |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0397441}} * {{IMDb name|0397437}} as Kevin Howard in 'Serial' * [https://web.archive.org/web/20030618110114/http://www.eonline.com/Facts/People/0,12,23261,00.html E Online – Credits – Kevyn Major Howard] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20021017190925/http://www.ifilm.com/ifilm/people/people_index/0,4128,189079,00.html IFILM – People – Kevyn Major Howard] * {{webarchive |date=January 25, 2013 |url=https://archive.today/20130125195350/http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/celeb/625650 |title=Celebrities @ Hollywood.com-Featuring Kevyn Major Howard}} * {{discogs artist|Kevyn Major Howard}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Kevyn Major}} Category:1956 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Canadian male television actors Category:20th-century Canadian male actors Category:Male actors from Montreal Category:20th-century Canadian photographers