"I Think...Therefore, I Am Dad...."

Here’s something that might not flip your flapjacks this morning.

Sooner or later, you are, no matter how hard to resist, going to turn into your mother or your father.

Don’t matter a hoot in hell how hip or unique or even “mavericky” you perceive yourself to be, you are going to find yourself stepping up someday to accept the sash and scepter and even if the sounds coming out of your mouth are your own, the premise of the thoughts being expressed are going to be either paternal or maternal.

It’ll most likely sneak up on you, catching you off guard, even knocking a little wind right out of you, the first time the realization dawns that you have crossed some line from the horizon scanning of your youth to the wistful look back over your shoulder that comes with age and experience.

And there’s a real good chance that the first time you realize it, it will sound something like this…

“In my day…”

Or something to that effect.

Although I’m sure you’ll find some way to be hip, unique or even mavericky about it.

Shuuyeah.
Right.

I’ve been having those little moments for years.

And, much like herpes, you don’t so much get rid of them as you simply learn to live with it.

Matter of fact, I had a little moment this morning.

When I read this news story…

CNN) -- Craggy-faced film, television and stage actor James Whitmore has died at 87, the Los Angeles County, California, Sheriff's Department confirmed Saturday.

Details of his death and funeral arrangements were not available.

Whitmore notably portrayed Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Theodore Roosevelt in one-man stage shows and created memorable characters in many movies and TV shows, including "The Twilight Zone."

According to entertainment Web site IMDb.com, Whitmore won a Tony award in 1948 for his gritty Broadway portrayal of an Army sergeant in "Command Decision" but was replaced by Van Johnson in the film version.

Whitmore won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the 1949 film "Battleground." He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 1976 for "Give 'Em Hell, Harry," the film version of his one-man show about Truman.

The actor won an Emmy in 2000 for his performance as Raymond Oz in a three-episode arc on the ABC legal drama "The Practice," according to IMDb.com.

Movie fans may remember his subtle portrayal of aging prison inmate Brooks Hatlen in 1994's "The Shawshank Redemption" with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.

He played U.S. Navy Adm. William F. Halsey in the World War II epic "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and was an imperious ape in the 1968 classic "Planet of the Apes."

Whitmore looked natural in cowboy boots and hat, appearing in such TV series as "Bonanza," "The Virginian" and "Gunsmoke."

He also did commercials for Miracle-Gro plant foods.

According to IMDb.com, Whitmore was born in 1921 in White Plains, New York. He was married four times: twice to Nancy Mygatt, for four years in the '70s to actress Audra Lindley, and since 2001 to actress Noreen Nash.

He was the father of three children, including actor-director James Whitmore Jr.

Now, the sharpest and brightest of my regular readers are already waiting to see what point, beside the obvious, I’m about to make here.

The obvious, of course, being that with the passing of yet another actor/actress, etc who played a role in my childhood (I’ve included the clip of the Twilight Zone episode mentioned above that I recall vividly from said childhood), I’m obviously doing a whole lot more looking back over my shoulder and less scanning the horizon in front of me.

Ergo, I have become (have been for a while) my parent(s).

Uh, actually, no.

My point is that here’s a man who had an acclaimed and very public life of over seventy years and never ONCE appeared in a tabloid, be it print, radio or TV version, because he had been taped berating his young child on a voice mail or had fallen in love with another man’s wife on a movie set or done one or more stints in rehab while he struggled with his drug/alcohol/sex/weight problem(s) or been photographed getting out of a car at a premiere while obviously wearing no panties.

Hell, he even managed to have four marriages, including two to the same woman and STILL didn’t make the Enquirer, Star or Access Hollywood.

He was a stage, TV and movie star whose career was alive and well for well over a half a century and I’m willing to bet all the money in my pocket against all the money in your pocket that three out of four people reading this piece will be heading to Google simply to find out who the hell this guy was.

A celebrity who lived a discreet and dignified private life.

James Whitmore.

A guy who gave me a big fat “I have become my parent” moment this morning.

Because right next to the obit was yet another story about Amy Winehouse.

And the first thought that popped into my head when reading about her?

“In my day…”