Post by Terd Ferguson on Aug 27, 2011 18:07:44 GMT -6
www.aoltv.com/2011/08/25/treme-actor-michael-showers-found-dead/
'Treme' is a show that portrays the struggle and hardship that befell New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Yesterday, a real-life tragedy struck 'Treme.'
Michael Showers, who played New Orleans homicide Captain John Guidry on the HBO drama, was found dead in the Mississippi River Wednesday morning. The actor was 45 years old.
A steamboat captain saw Showers' body floating in the river near New Orleans' French Quarter and called the authorities. The police told the New Orleans Times-Picayune his body had been in the water for nearly two days. No official cause of death has yet been determined.
The death is eerily reminiscent of on-screen suicide that occurred in Season 1 of the show, when John Goodman's character Creighton Bernette killed himself by jumping off a steamboat into the Mississippi.
In the show, Showers' Capt. Guidry character butted heads with David Morse's Lt. Terry Colson over whether NOPD officers should be investigated for violence in the aftermath of Katrina.
Showers has also appeared on 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'Breaking Bad.' His film credits include 'The Tree of Life,' 'Traffic,' 'I Love You Phillip Morris,' and 'Colombiana.'
Showers' death marks the second blow to the 'Treme' family in the past year-and-a-half. In April of 2010, writer David Mills died of a brain aneurysm while shooting the show's first season. He was 48.
Update: 'Treme' creator David Simon has released a statement of condolence on behalf of the show:
"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."
