An Appreciation For David Crosby's Truly Random Acting Career
Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer and founding member of both The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, David Crosby, passed away yesterday at the age of 81. A legendary and influential musician, Crosby recently developed a new generation of fans following the theatrical documentary, "David Crosby: Remember My Name," which was narrated and produced by Cameron Crowe. Not long after, Crosby famously made headlines when he pulled his musical catalog from Spotify after they continued to platform problematic podcaster, Joe Rogan. When Crosby's passing was announced, fans rightfully cited his remarkable contributions to the world of music, but many also referenced his eclectic collection of appearances in film and television.
Crosby's music is as distinctive as his appearance, with his trademark mustache unmistakably "Crosby." The combination of his legacy and his distinguished look made him the perfect person to make random cameo appearances in sitcoms and in tertiary roles, in addition to fictionalized versions of himself. As the son of Oscar-winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby ("Tabu: A Story of the South Seas," "High Noon," "The Pit and the Pendulum"), his connection to Hollywood was lifelong, but he didn't make his first appearance in front of the camera (other than as himself) until 1990 when he appeared on an episode of the short-lived legal drama "Shannon's Deal."
As we mourn the passing of David Crosby, let's highlight a man whose acting career was as eccentric and fascinating as he was.
More than just a hippie
In one of his first mainstream appearances, David Crosby had a cameo in the film "Backdraft," as what else, but a '70s hippie. In the opening credits of the film, Crosby pops up in a lime green bathrobe, pleading with firefighters to save his belongings in his apartment as a fire rages on. His role is small but extremely important, as the fire in his apartment is the one that kills Captain Dennis McCaffrey, the father of Lieutenant Stephen "Bull" McCaffrey (played by Kurt Russell), the film's protagonist.
1991 was a big year for Crosby, as he also appeared in the film "To Cross the Rubicon." To be fair, he's not a major or memorable player in this one, but the film boasts early performances for Billy Burke and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and had fellow musician JD Souther in a lead role.
That same year, Crosby joined a slew of other random celebrities to cameo as a pirate in Steven Spielberg's "Hook." Hilariously named "Tickles," Crosby is memorable for his willingness to taunt a child in distress ("Save me, daddy!") and takes a floorboard to the groin when Thud Butt (don't blame me, I didn't name the character) stomps on the opposite end. Regardless of how people feel about "Hook," Crosby provides a solid "Tom & Jerry" reaction to the nut shot, and has certainly been the source for generations of children's laughter.
Taking risks and embracing his public persona
The following year, David Crosby appeared in the film "Thunderheart" as a xenophobic bartender. This was a big juxtaposition for Crosby, who was known for his humanitarian efforts and constant criticism of racism and other forms of targeted bigotry. Of course, the man wasn't perfect, but he certainly wasn't anything like the redneck a-hole he played in the film. In the following years, Crosby would appear in one-off appearances on "Roseanne," "Ellen," and "Flying Blind," and had a solid guest run on "The John Larroquette Show" as a guy who runs the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Crosby notoriously struggled with the whole "sex, drugs, & rock 'n' roll" era of his musical career, so seeing him clean and playing an AA leader was a refreshing bit of meta-casting.
But his most memorable role is arguably as himself on "The Simpsons." In the episode "Marge in Chains," lawyer Lionel Hutz (Phil Hartman) feels tempted to drink a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon so he runs to a payphone to call David Crosby. He tells him that he feels compelled to drink, and Crosby replies, in a soothing voice, "Just take it one day at a time, and know I love you." It's one of the best goofy "Simpsons" celebrity jokes out there, and Crosby kills it. He would later appear again in the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," presenting a Grammy award to Homer's group. Barney tells Crosby that he's his hero and when Crosby responds, "Oh, you like my music?" Barney replies in confusion, "You're a musician?" Barney is, of course, referencing Crosby's public history with drugs and alcohol. Crosby was clearly a good sport about poking fun at his own history, perfectly captured for all of cartoon history.